Mayhem in the Morra 1907982205, 9781907982200

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Mayhem in the Morra! By

Marc Esserman

Quality Chess .qualitychess.co. uk

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First edition 20 1 2 by Quality Chess UK Ltd Copyright© 20 1 2 Marc Esserman

Mayhem in the Morra! All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. Paperback ISBN 978- 1 -907982-20-0 Hardcover ISBN 978- 1 -907982-2 1 -7 All sales or enquiries should be directed to Quality Chess UK Ltd, 20 Balvie Road, Milngavie, Glasgow G62 7TA, United Kingdom Phone +44 1 4 1 333 9 5 8 8 e-mail: [email protected]. uk website: www. qualitychess.co.uk Distributed in North America by Globe Pequot Press, P.O. Box 480, 246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437-0480, US www. globepequot.com Distributed in Rest of the World by Quality Chess UK Ltd through Sunrise Handicrafts, ul. Skromna 3, 20-704 Lublin, Poland Typeset by Jacob Aagaard Proofreading by Andrew Greet &John Shaw Edited by Colin McNab Cover design by Jason Mathis Printed in Estonia by Tallinna Raamatutriikikoja LLC

Contents Foreword by Larry Christiansen Foreword by Loek van Wely Key to Symbols used Preface by the Author Introduction- The Much Maligned Morra Morra Methodology

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14

Morra Accepted

Siberian Wilderness The Scheveningens The Scheveningens II Into the Deep The King in the Windy City- the Chicago Defense Slaying the Dragon The Professional's Choice- tt::lge[00]7 Early Bishop Out- tt::lge[00]7 Reloaded? Taylor's Temple of Doom Finegold's Final Frontier Searching the Stars for a Refutation Morra Declined

Potpourri Crushing 3...d3 with the Morra-Maroczy: squeeze, squeeze, destroy! The Noxious 3... tt::lf6

Appendix- Supplemental Games Endnotes Works Cited Game Index Variation Index Transpositions

4 5 6 7 11 29

31 57 77 97 121 139 155 183 203 233 245

253 271 283 313 345 348 350 353 359

Foreword "It's not business Larry, it's strictly personal." So said International Master Marc Esserman when I asked him why he planned to write a book on the Morra Gambit. His massive treasury of Morra files will be unlocked and the secrets and ideas he has accumulated over the years will be revealed in this book. Marc adopted the Morra Gambit in his youth and soon weaponized the quaint, tame house pet into a snarling, vicious pitbull of an opening. Esserman has convinced hardcore skeptics. He has refuted many a "refutation" . He has forced many opponents to spend countless hours preparing for the dreaded thing. Many formerly proud acceptors have become meek, sniveling decliners when faced with Esserman's dreaded 3.c3 . Essermania has spawned Esserphobia. Answering 1 .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 with the "beta" replies 3 . . . c!Llf6 and 3 . . . g6 is a significant psychological victory for White by move 3 . In 20 1 1 , when preparing for the U S Championship, I decided t o employ the Morra Gambit as a surprise weapon if given the chance. Marc supplied me with a vast amount of analysis and novelties for that tournament and I became convinced that the gambit was not only dangerous, but perfectly sound. There is no greater authority in the world on this line than Marc Esserman and he lays it all out there in this book. "It's not business, it's strictly personal." Grandmaster Larry Christiansen Three-time US Champion

Foreword The first time I met Marc was at the Foxwoods Open in 2009. Friends had warned me about him. After the game, which I won, it became clear to me that Marc is a passionate lover of chess who likely dedicates more time to analyzing the game than many top GMs. Our rematch took place at the 20 1 1 US Open in Orlando. Marc played the Morra Gambit! What !#%? @? $!%! I had j ust recently visited Boston, where Marc resides. There I played some blitz games in Harvard Square versus his friend, Jorge Sammour-Hasbun, who also used this "weapon" . When Marc ventured l .e4 c5 2 .d4, I thought, " Is he serious? Are we going to play coffeehouse today?" Now I know the �nswer, and the answer is yes! I got crushed in an impressive way, leaving me both groggy and completely mad, forcing me to consider the Morra seriously for the first time in my life. After the tournament, Marc and I had a thematic blitz match to test our ideas. I must admit, life still isn't easy against the Morra. I am sure that in this book, Marc will provide you with many interesting ideas and analysis. I am also convinced that you will have some enjoyable attacking games, at the cost of only one pawn! Grandmaster Loek van Wely Winner of countless tournaments and former top 1 0 player

Key to symbols used ± +

+-+

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!!

!?

?! #

0 N

White is slightly better Black is slightly better White is better Black is better White has a decisive advantage Black has a decisive advantage equaliry with compensation with counterplay unclear with an attack with initiative a weak move a blunder a good move an excellent move a move worth considering a move of doubtful value mate the only move a new move

Dedication To my professional coaches throughout the years

-

GM Anatoly Lein , GM William

Lombardy, and IM Calvin Blocker. Without them, this book would not be possible.

Preface By the author At 1 6, I found myself in the bookstore innocently browsing before the 2000 US Masters, my first ever invitational event. Suddenly, a tide struck my eye. Leafing through, some words popped out of the pages and became etched in my memory forever: "Why did you elect to take up the Smith-Morra Gambit in the first place? The gambit is a good weapon for blitz chess, useful in teaching tactics to a young player, and fun to play. But if you expect to get a good result with it at the higher levels of serious tournament competition, and think the logical outcome of a game after using it is only a draw for Black with perfect play, we express our condolences. It is difficult to have a serious discourse with someone who insists the earth is flat."' As a teenager all I knew were the games of Paul Morphy, the leader of the Romantic generation. Pawns were sacrificed as the pieces came to the fore with stunning speed, sweeping away all in their path until the king himself succumbed to their power. Whereas now the Berlin and Petroff steal the show, then the Evans and King's gambits governed the landscape. Occasionally the gambiteer would flounder as the defender grabbed all material in sight and lived to tell the tale. But far more inspiring were those cases when two plus two did not equal four,2 and our royal game revealed far greater depth than mere greed and number-crunching extra pawns to bland victory. Perhaps the author meant simply to attack only the Morra Gambit, but in my young mind he was desecrating the great Morphy and the entire Romantic chess era. I would not let such dogma stand; it could not stand. A few hours later the Morra appeared on my board, but my opponent was not in the least perturbed. He blitzed out the opening with an aura of confidence bordering on arrogance that I had never encountered, until we reached the very starting position of the book I had j ust been reading, "Smith-Morra Gambit, Finegold Defense" . Quite odd, I mused, but plowed forward nonetheless, thinking for over an hour on move 1 1 . Eventually my opponent too slowed down, I drummed up a decisive attack, tragically missed a mate in two, and lost. Only afterwards did I receive the shock that my adversary, National Master Bob Ciaffone, co-authored the " Finegold Defense". In the post-mortem, the masters surmised that I fought valiantly and showed some imagination, but ultimately the Morra Gambit remained unsound and I should j ust learn a new opening. But every time a move flashed on the board which defied their conclusion, I thought I could detect a creeping doubt that maybe, j ust maybe, the world was flatter than my opponent imagined. I was defeated, but invigorated, having successfully challenged a published author in a debate where we were polar opposites. I went on to use the Smith-Morra Gambit successfully twice more in the 2000 US Masters: once against the young

8

Mayhem in the Morra

Hikaru Nakamura, and in the last round vs. FM Chow, who, in a perfect storybook ending, adopted the Finegold Defense himself! After an early bishop sacrifice, my knight raided the Black camp from its e6-outpost, and I won in short order. The coup prompted my objective opponent to pay the ultimate compliment - he remained unconvinced that the Finegold Defense refuted the Smith-Morra Gambit. Chow urged me to keep exploring the possibilities hidden in the gambit, and projected that in my hands the Morra may morph into a formidable weapon after all. History has not been kind to the Smith-Morra. While the King's and Evans gambits had their time under the sun during the 1 9th century, the Morra has always remained in the shadows. Although the Sicilian's purest gambit did in fact debut in 1 846 in Kieseritzky's practice during the height of the Romantic movement,3 it remained eclipsed by its more accomplished brothers. Perhaps had it fallen into Morphy's hands, the world would have taken notice.4 But alas, the gambit stayed buried in the rubble for another 1 00 years, only to surface again in an era where it was not welcome. Just a glance at Bronstein's famed tournament book of Zurich 1 9 53 would tell a time traveler that the glorious games of the Romantic era had become museum artifacts. 5 The closed openings {much reviled by Morphy) ruled the day. While the masters lauded their improved defensive technique as the demise of the reckless swashbuckling play of yore, occasionally there remained a rebellion scattered across the chess kaleidoscope. The flair of the Romantic school flowed through both Bronstein and Spassky, and their reverence for the forgotten art form took center stage in their classic King's Gambit encounter. And we cannot forget Fischer's demolition of Fine in 1 963, when he paid tribute to Morphy's beloved Evans Gambit. But the Romantics were fighting a losing battle, and after Spassky's King's Gambit coup over Fischer, the American genius vowed to refute the relic gambit once and for all . As the global chess level advanced through time and the game became further subjected to brutal, concrete analysis, surely the colorful, emotional play of the 1 9th century could not survive. Within this hostile environment, the Smith-Morra Gambit re-emerged. While the dangerous Yugoslav attacking grandmasters, in particular Matulovic, achieved some resounding victories in the Morra, the current of history could simply sweep aside these uprisings as isolated rebellions. Despite his success, Matulovic eventually abandoned the opening, and the young gambit, without the medals of honor from the 1 9th century, desperately longed for a shining knight. Sadly, no world class player would lead the charge. While Spassky still felt comfortable dabbling in the established King's Gambit, he would never dare to test the fledging Morra Gambit. In 1 960, Fischer would take up the mantle, unleashing the gambit to surprise Korchnoi. Yet despite being on the dominant end of a tense draw, Fischer would not try again . He seemed content for the gambit to remain a surprise, and nothing more.6 Alas, history would choose Ken Smith as the gambit's champion and name bearer.? The inherent risk in the gambit naturally appealed to Smith's gambling nature, who aside from being a FIDE Master and avid chess enthusiast, donned the hat of a world class poker player.8 Smith would author a myriad of books and articles promoting the Morra, and in the San Antonio international tournament of 1 972, the time came for him to showcase the virtues of the gambit to the world. However, it was not to be. Smith lost all three Morra Gambit scuffies badly vs. world class players (IM Donald Byrne, GM Larry Evans, and GM Henrique Mecking) , and the harsh chess public swiftly passed its verdict on the young gambit. The popular sentiments of the day

Preface

9

can no better be summarized than by Grandmaster and World Championship Candidate Bent Larsen. While annotating one of Smith's other games during the tournament, Larsen quipped about the opponent's choice to play the French Defense: " l . . .e6? , stronger is l . . .c5 which wins a pawn."9 Smith had threatened the established thinking of the day, and the grandmasters were quick to shoot his beloved gambit down. While still considered second-rate, the esteemed King's and Evans gambits were never chided in such a fashion. When Kasparov crushed both Anand and Piker in the Evans Gambit in 1 994, the public praised his brilliant, if risky, play. But did Kasparov win because he played the Evans Gambit, or because he is Kasparov? Likewise, did Ken Smith lose in San Antonio 1 972 because of the Morra's faulty D NA, or because he was simply outgunned by grandmasters? The ripples of Smith's losses in San Antonio 1 972 are still felt in modern times. As a teenager surveying the book store, I could not understand why such an inspiring opening faced such hostility from the chess public. Now with age and the study of history, I do. The young gambit, with virtually only 60 years of practice today, has never received its proper evaluation. Far worse, it has never even been given a chance; its life cut short, tragically p ronounced dead in its second decade of testing. This book will finally give the Morra Gambit its chance to shine. I have ventured the King's, Evans, and Smith-Morra gambits in tournament and rapid play against strong grandmasters. My results in the Morra are by far the best in these contests. In the last 8 years, I have lost only twice with the Morra Gambit in tournament play, both defeats not a result of the opening. I have faced two players over 2700 FIDE in the Morra Accepted in tournament play. In both cases, they lost in under 30 moves. Luck? Perhaps. During a phase of my career when I would lose game after game with the Evans, I would win on command in the Morra Gambit. Can this statistic simply be ignored as a result of my superior knowledge of the Morra Gambit compared to the Evans? Perhaps. But at the highest level, there is no luck in chess - all can be explained by the art of scientific analysis. Nothing will be hidden in this book. There are no gimmicks here, no attempts to conceal novelties for later use on an unsuspecting opponent. The reader can expect the truth - nothing less. The Sicilian's only true gambit must take its rightful place in history. 10 If gambits were viewed with skepticism in the 1 9 50's, then in modern days, the sentiments have turned to downright scorn. The Evans Gambit has all but disappeared at the top level. Meanwhile, the King's Gambit j ust became the butt of a worldwide April Fool's Day joke when a 3000 core machine proclaimed it refuted at last. Naturally, many got dupedP 1 And l .e4 c5 2.d4(?) . Well, it j ust loses a pawn! The general public simply does not believe that the Romantic gambits can survive the rugged world of objective, precise, unforgiving computer analysis. But tell that to all the grandmasters who now decline the Morra Gambit or simply don't even brave playing the Sicilian against me. Perhaps there is a crack in the armor of the materialists' mantra two plus two equals four. Perhaps there is a growing rebellion against conventional thinki ng. Perhaps the earth is flat after all. As I 'd do with any serious opening, I will not stop the analysis in each critical variation until I have demonstrated that White is fighting for the advantage. Yes, that is not a misprint - that White is fighting for an advantage in the Morra Gambit. If after studying the Morra Gambit for 1 5 years I did not believe I could make this claim, I would not be writing this book.

10

Mayhem i n the Morra

For the practical player not so much concerned about the tides of history as about maximizing chess results, I will now speak to you. I n the pages ahead you will find a stockpile of heavy artillery to combat the Sicilian successfully, against players of all levels, from amateur to grandmaster. Your opponents, meanwhile, will be placed under considerable psychological strain, not only because of your imposing style of play, but because the Morra Gambit does not constitute part of their standard main line Sicilian preparations. Do not be mistaken, however - this is not simply a "how to" opening book. Rather, it expounds a philosophy of dynamic, attacking chess in general and the Morra Gambit is merely my featured guest. Thus, sprinkled across the pages you will find games which at first glance seem to have no relation to the Morra Gambit. Yet once you scale the Morra's vast, overarching theme base, the sparkling similarities will be as clear as day. Ultimately, even when you are faced with mainstream chess positions, you will be able to more successfully apply the principles of the Romantic school to your chess praxis. Lastly, even if you have no interest in playing the Morra Gambit or doubt that it could ever be sound, your overall chess imagination and vision will improve as a result of studying this book. I dare you to push forward, and you will be exposed to possibilities you never thought existed on the chessboard. And if you finish the task, you will add a new dimension to your chess understanding, no matter what positions you choose to play. This is why Spassky's legendary coach Tolush urged him to play gambits, and why my first professional coach, IM Calvin Blocker, taught me the Smith-Morra Gambit as a youngster. I hope this book inspires a whole younger generation to take up the forgotten art of gambit play which so enriches the possibilities in our game and chess players in general. I hope that as a result of this book, aspiring professional players have the courage to test the gambit at the highest level, pushing this fascinating opening into mainstream modern chess. And lastly, I ironically hope that after this book, the Morra Gambit Declined (which I also copiously cover) becomes the main line after 1 .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3. After all, every player who declines the gambit tacitly admits that there is indeed much to fear! May the Smith-Morra Gambit finally have a home, a firm foothold in the 2 1 st century, 200 years after its predecessors. IM Marc Esserman Cambridge, Massachusetts June 20 1 2

Introduction The Much Maligned Morra After 1 .e4 c5 2 . d4 cxd4 3.c3,

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we reach the starting position of the much maligned Morra Gambit. I must confess that this is often the moment in my chess praxis when my heart thumps most - will my opponent accept the sacrifice in the spirit of the Romantics, or will he shun the most honorable path and meekly decline? Sometimes I wait for the critical decision for many minutes as my grandmaster foe flashes me an incredulous, bordering on insulted, look. Other times, I receive the answer almost instantaneously. Yet every time I am greeted with 3 . . . dxc3, I could not be happier. My knight freely flows to c3, the Morra accepted appears, and we travel back in time to the 1 9th century. Already ahead a full tempo in development, I smile, knowing that all of my pieces will soon flood the center. My bishops will zoom to the central diagonals, and my nimble queen will influence any sector of the board she desires. Meanwhile, Black remains cramped. His queen and bishops lie sleeping, and while his queen's knight can reach c6 unharmed, the king's knight must constantly fret about the dangerous e4-e5 thrust.

The Morra Gambit vs. the King's and Evans gambits But this only scratches at the surface of the gambit's depth. In order to fully appreciate why the Morra can endure the 2 1 st century's rigorous analytical microscope, we must first compare the gambit to its two elder brothers which have virtually disappeared from top level chess, the King's and Evans gambits. In the King's Gambit,

12

Mayhem i n the Morra off the board, his game will likely become positionally bankrupt. To cast further doubt upon the ancient gambits, after 1 .e4 e 5 , Black's king's bishop already can move, thus bringing him one step closer to castling out of danger. In contrast, in the Morra Gambit, the bishop starts buried on f8. As a result, Black's king often never escapes the pelting central crossfire.

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White sacrifices his king's bishop pawn for central dominance. However, his aggression comes at a hefty price - not only does he lose a pawn, but all of the squares around his king are critically weakened forever. So often it is not White's minus pawn in the King's Gambit, but a compromised king, which ultimately leads to his demise. Likewise, in the swashbuckling Evans,

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the gambiteer sacrifices his queen's knight pawn to gain tempi on the black bishop via c2-c3 and d2-d4, erecting a central pawn mass in the process. But again, the price is steep, as the lunging b2-b4 undermines the solidity of White's queenside, chiefly the c3- and c4squares. In both of these illustrious openings, if the gambiteer does not swiftly sweep Black

Yet it's not all so cut and dry. To the credit of Morra bashers, Black does possess a full extra central pawn for his woes (while in the King's and Evans gambits, White sacrifices only a flank pawn.) But to take the conversation into the concrete, Black can blunt the Morra gambiteer's assault on the sensitive f7-square with . . . e6, a defense not available in the classical e4/e5 gambits. The extra central d-pawn then may make an immediate impact, sliding up to d6 and plugging any holes while restraining White's e4-e5 advances. No wonder then that the solid . . . e6 and . . . d6 pawn duo, establishing a Scheveningen Sicilian-like fortress, is one of the most trusted ways to subdue Morra mayhem. Yet in the final analysis, the secret to the Morra Gambit's longevity lies not solely in the tactical arena (all gambits pose immediate tactical dangers to the defender) . Rather, the Morra is also firmly positionally grounded. For starters, a Morra gambiteer may safely castle and tuck away his king on g1 behind a healthy blanket of pawn cover. The same luxury is not available in the King's Gambit (so aptly named for throwing the white king's safety to the wind) . On the other end of the board, White's rooks may rush to c l and d 1 , where they will chew up central squares on the wide open c- and d-files. Take a close look at the Morra accepted starting position again - White simply has no obvious weaknesses! This fact alone can breed a doomsday psychology from the defender as

I ntroduction - The m uch Maligned Morra he struggles to deal with reality. H e knows he is up a pawn, he knows he should win easily - after all, the chess authorities said so. As all of these thoughts cloud his thinking, the freewheeling gambiteer slowly increases the pressure, his pieces ready to ravage. Even in the worst case scenario, when White's potent e4-pawn and Black's passive d6-pawn swap off and the gambiteer obtains only nebulous compensation in return, the menacing Morra rooks and imposing centralization of White's forces can still strain the defender's delicate psyche.

The d4-square­ White's only true weakness Only a keen eye can spot the one true defect in White's starting position: the d4-square. As a result of pushing 1 e4 and then shedding the c pawn, the gambiteer lacks proper pawn protection against an enemy incursion on d4. Particularly, a black knight plopping on d4, especially when supported by the e5-pawn, can virtually paralyze White. However, to access the d4 soft spot, the defender must make some serious concessions.

13

probing the d5-square further with 1 0.�g5(?) meets strict punishment. After 1 O ...�g4! Black becomes master of the center, as the highly unpleasant threat of . . . lt:ld4 looms large. A Morra virtuoso would never allow such a beast into the heart of his camp, and instead would overprotect d4 with �e3! immediately. Only after the sensitive d4-square is under lock and key would White then continue his plans to conquer d5 and the rest of the board.

A good rule of thumb -

Chase the black queen!

Too often the novice gambiteer believes that there is only one formulaic setup for White, namely 5.lt:l f3, 6.�c4, 7.0-0, 8.'1We2, 9.E:fd 1 , and then hope for the best. While this sequence is normally the correct method against the d6-e6 Scheveningen defenses, thinking in these simple terms will often get you into deep trouble. In fact, the savvy defender lies awake at night wishing that you have such a misunderstanding. Achieving Morra mastery requires great mental flexibility, but if you must abide by a Morra formula, the most powerful one would be: when in doubt, chase

the black queen.

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Black has j ust played . . . e6-e5, securing a foothold on d4. In return, he surrenders the d5-square for White's pieces. But hastily

In the Open Sicilian, White's c2-pawn obstructs his rook from participating in the fight for the c-file. As a result, Black often makes the c-file his permanent base of operations, with a rook on c8 patrolling the half-open line and the black queen comfortably perched on c7. However, in the Morra Gambit, the fully open c-file morphs into White's greatest asset. The gambiteer's lead in development ensures that his queen's rook will reach c 1 first, thus serving fair warning to the black queen that c7 is no longer safe territory. The queen can be hounded on her original d8-square as well, as White's other rook can easily target her from d l . If she heads to e7, she may obstruct the

14

Mayhem i n the Morra

harmonious development of the king's bishop and the entire kingside in turn. If she pokes her head out to b6 or aS, she comes under fire from a pawn advance b2-b4 or a sleek �d2 or �e3. If she obstinately tries to beat the queen's rook to the punch with a premature . . . V!lc7, White's queen's knight can harass her with tLl b5 (or even the sacrificial tLl d5) and White's queen's bishop can also get into the act with �f4. And if she ever plays it too cool on b8, the entombed rook on a8 will pay dearly for her cowardice. As you can see, finding a harmonious square for the queen is Black's main headache in the Morra Gambit, and if he can solve this problem, he often solves the Morra riddle. Let us now witness some queen hunting in action.

7.0-0 �f6 8.fle2 i.e7 9J�dl The chase begins. If the queen flees to c7, White's cavalry keeps stalking her via b 5 . Here the old main line o f the Morra Gambit, 9 . . . e5, prevents White's e4-e5 thrust but consequently weakens the d5-square forever. The passive 9 . . . �d7 also blocks the d-file pin but interferes with the queen's guard of d6. There are j ust no easy answers against the Morra's flowing compensation.

9 ... 0-0?

Chase #l Th e following example, which made a great impression upon me as a young Morraphile, can be found in Graham Burgess's groundbreaking 1 994 Smith-Morra Gambit book. Burgess featured the sequence to explain why Black cannot make simple developmental moves in the Morra Gambit and survive. We will be viewing it from a different lens, with an eye for rabidly chasing the black queen to and fro.

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cx:d4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 5.tLl6 In every example in this book, White's king's knight will develop to its natural f3-square.

5 ... d6 6.i.c4 Likewise, White's king's bishop takes aim on the aggressive "Italian" diagonal in almost all cases.'2

6 e6

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Black is scolded for his carelessness, and must retreat to a fallback position.

10 ... �e8 1 l .exd6 hd6 1 1 . . . tLl xd6 1 2.�f4+- and the crushing pin decides. 1 2 . . . e5 ( 1 2 . . . a6 1 3.�xd6 �xd6 1 4. tLl e4+-) 1 3. tLl xe5 only prolongs the inevitable.

12.�b5! fle7 The hapless queen runs, but she cannot hide.

•••

Black adopts the solid Scheveningen structure alluded to earlier, and so the gambiteer readies for the standard 0-0, V!le2, gd l plan.

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1 2 . . . a6 1 3. tLl xd6 tLl xd6 1 4.�f4±

13.i.g5!

15

I ntroduction - The Much Maligned Morra

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The queen has already been harried by both White's knight and rook. But now the bishop gives her the treatment, thus forcing a critical kingside weakness which will decide the outcome shortly.

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l7.J.c5! bxc5 l 8.he6t

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1 8 .!%d7?! suggests itself. But the prosaic yet stronger text gives up less material for the queen.

l 8 ... �h8 l 9J�d7! 13 ... £6 l4 ..ie3! Not j ust any random retreat! The bishop intends further mayhem after lDxd6 and �c5.

And the hunt finally ends. White's forces doggedly swarmed the queen, never letting her out of their sights.

Chase #2

l4 ....ib8 l 5J��ac l ! The heavy piece storm never relents. Th e Morra rooks reach their natural squares, and the game of hide and seek nears its conclusion. The gambiteer now menaces �c5 followed by �xe6t, winning.

In our next example the black queen has mischief on her mind early on. She aims to end the game immediately before White's pieces swirl about.

1 5 . . . '\Wf7, seeking refuge near her king, would still fail to �c 5 .

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 e6 5.�f3 � c6 6 ..ic4 Yff c7 7.0--0 �f6

l5 ... b6 l6 ..lb3! White remains a pawn down, but the rooks are chewing up the board, creating decisive threats against Black's minor pieces. Black is bullied to the back rank, a theme you will see throughout the book.

l6 ....ib7 1 6 . . . �d7 1 7.�c5 bxc5 1 8 .1:hd7! '1Wxd7 1 9 .�xe6t+- Chasing down the queen one last time. a

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16

Mayhem i n the Morra

Here, so many neophytes continue with the illogical Vfie2. A5 the black queen just vanished from the d-file, the natural follow up :B:d 1 has therefore lost its sting. While already lacking in strategy, the mindless Vfie2 makes even less sense tactically. . .

8.ttlb5! 8 .Vfie2? ttl g4! and Black readies to spring the infamous Siberian trap. I banish this snare to Chapter 1 so that you will never, ever fall for it. Such a coup simply makes the Morra bashers way too happy. 9.h3?? ctJd4! And in the blink of an eye, White must either lose his queen or resign, as mate on h2 looms. What a teary tale for gambiteers worldwide. Observe once again that the fatal blow fell on the d4-square, the Morra's Achilles heel. But if White follows the maxim of stalking the queen, he will not become the subject of public ridicule. Rather, the black queen will be reprimanded for her tricky ways, and sent back to "Siberia" , or the frigid corner of the board, so to speak.

9 ttlxe5?! lO.tiJxe5! Wfxe5 l l J�el!± •••

And it is open season on the queen again. Her troubles are just beginning, as we shall find out soon enough.

Chase #3 In our next display, also a main line, White has two different methods of pursuing the queen.

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.tiJxc3 ttl c6 5.tiJf3 d6 6 .ic4 e6 7.0-0 a6 •

Black takes a tempo to stop the pesky ctJb5 so that his queen can rest at c7, if only for a moment . . .

8.Wfe2 tiJ f6 9.:B:dl Wfc7 The gambiteer's bishop now sharply glares at the queen along the h2-b8 diagonal. 8

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8 Wfb8 9.e5! •••

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I O ..i£4! .ie7 l l .:B:ac l !?

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White hopes that Black continues with his greedy strategy. First he took on c3, now will he grab twice?

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The Morra rook seizes control of the c-file, reminding the queen that this is no Open Sicilian. White can give chase immediately with l l .e5!?, leading to great complications, or delay the hunt . . .

1 1 . 0-0 1 2 ..ib3! •.

17

I ntroduction - The Much Maligned Morra

after . . . fi.e7, castles, . . . b 5 , . . . fib?, and . . . d6. The black queen dares not venture out and wisely hides behind a solid pawn shield at d7, thus making the hackneyed Wfe2md l plan inert. White's standard e4-e5 thrust also becomes impotent, as instead of the pawn badgering the knight on f6, a knight on g6 will pester it. But the proper plan to cause chaos involves chasing the black queen, even though she may seem oh so far away. a

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And the rook draws one step closer to its target. 1 3.liJd5 beckons, forcing the defender to duck and cover.

Chase#4 Our last example covers a variation favored by many strong grandmasters. Once again, the gambiteer's basic method of attack involves stalking the queen.

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 s.�f3 e6 6 ..ic4 a6 7.0-0 �ge7!?

s.J.gS! Mter this powerful pin, suddenly Black cannot finish his development routinely. Note that if the black pawn stood at a7, White would already be threatening the knockout strike ltJ b 5 !/liJ d6#. To complete the . . . ltJ e7-g6 slog, Black must brave either 8 .. .f6 or 8 . . h6, producing subtle weaknesses surrounding his kingside complex. Or the queen can nobly take matters into her own hands with 8 . . .%Yc7, although on that square her struggles have already been well documented. White can then either slowly build up the pressure with 9 .:B:c 1 , or frenetically continue the chase with 9 . liJ d 5 ! . .

8 %Yc7 •••

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With this sly move, Black intends to establish a firm grip on the central dark squares with . . . ltJg6, then finish his development smoothly

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18

Mayhem i n the Morra

The d5-square Ring of fire -

"Bur didn't you j ust hang a piece on d5?" the skeptical reader may ask. "No, no, I merely invested the piece, and shall reap the rewards of my investment soon enough," the sage gambiteer may retort. Speaking of sacrificing knights (or bishops!) on d5, which one of these plunges on d5 would you make in your own games, and which ones, if any, are objectively sound? Some of these sacrifices on d5 you may already know, some of them you will be meeting for the first time . . .

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I ntroduction - The Much Maligned Morra

19

I hope that after completing this book, you will make at least half of these "leaps of faith" on d 5 . And how many of these sacrifices are indeed sound? None? Half? For the few of you who guessed all of them, you know who you are, and you are correct! Yes, every one of these sacrifices on d5 is completely sound and offers White excellent winning chances.

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The d5-square is the Morra Gambit's ring of fi re, the square where all mayhem breaks loose. We have already glossed over how d5 transforms into the featured battleground in the quiet Scheveningen lines when Black blockades with . . . e6-e5 . However, when a White piece offers its life on d 5 , the position can devolve into utter chaos. Knowing when a sacrifice on d5 is good, bad, or unclear is what often separates the amateur from the virtuoso Morra gambiteer. Sometimes the sacrifice is not j ust optional, but forced! In such hair-raising scenarios, tossing a piece into the fire early on will likely lead to a glorious win for White. Not taking the risk, on the other hand, will yield the advantage to Black. Quite a change from conventional thinking - after all, the chess world has enough trouble accepting that White can sacrifice a pawn in the opening stages, and now it must come to terms with a maniacal gambiteer donating a whole piece, often before move 1 0! Now a few general considerations and rules of thumb before you contemplate taking a dive on d 5 . White sacrifices a knight on d5 primarily to rip open the e-file for a direct path to the black king. Refusing the sacrifice is usually untenable, as the monstrous knight stomps on all in its wake the longer it stampedes. After Black accepts the offering, the White e-pawn typically captures back on d5, regaining not only a pawn in the process, but cutting the enemy army in two. Once on d 5 , the white pawn grows exponentially in

20

Mayhem i n the Morra

strength. It may completely dominate a hapless bishop on b7 and subsequently bury the b8knight, aS-rook, and therefore the entire Black queenside. But that's only the half of it. From d 5 , the giant foot soldier may wedge further into Black's camp via d5-d6. Yes, on d6 it releases the shackled queenside pieces, but more importantly hems in Black's king's bishop, making the black king himself a fixed target for the decisive !!e 1 t. Furthermore, the gambiteer's light-squared bishop then has a free path to the bloody f7 -square, the main artery of the black king. While Black did everything in his power to shield f7 from the Italian bishop, White's sacrifice on d5 stripped away the e6-pawn's last layer of defense, leaving f7 wide open for future assault. Such a fate befell the black king in Esserman - Van Wely, Orlando 20 1 1 , my most famous Morra Gambit victory.

Marc Esserman - Loek van Wely Orlando 2011

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Below are a few general guidelines for when you should and should not sacrifice on d 5 : I ) I t i s rarely a good idea t o sacrifice a knight o n d5 when a black pawn already stands on d 6 , as you can no longer play the devastating d5-d6 yoursel£ Instead, your bishop may sit lifelessly behind the d5-pawn , and you may end up down a piece for little or no compensation. 2) If a black knight stands on c6, sacrificing on d5 sizzles with possibility. When you recapture on d 5 , you will gain a tempo on the c6-knight, and when it flees, you may be able to unleash the crushing d5-d6. 3) Sacrificing a knight on d5 is usually more effective when your light bishop al ready stands on b3. The reason is twofold - for one, your bishop is less prone to a threat from an evacuating c6 knight (via e5 or a5) , which will halt your attack for a critical tempo, and secondly, the c-file will be free for your queen's rook to ravage in the moves to come.

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4) You should rarely sacrifice a knight on d5 after Black has castled, unless you are immediately winning back material . The sacrifice is primarily designed to catch the king before he escapes the center. Black should be at least one, but preferably two or more moves

21

I ntroduction - The Much Mal igned Morra away from castling before you consider surging into d5. You will need these precious tempi to conduct your attack. 5) When Black wastes a vital tempo in the opening stage with . . . b 5 -b4, hitting your knight, he is usually begging for a sacrifice on d5, and you should thank him kindly. The extra tempo spent on . . . b4 is valuable time lost when he could have organized his defense. 6) If Black ventures . . . ttJ c6-a5 to attack your bishop on b3, assuming that he is far away from castling, you must consider sacrificing even the bishop on d5 instead of retreating or letting Black happily exchange with ... lDxb3. Of course there are no rules to follow in chess 1 00% of the time other than how the pieces move, but if you adhere to these guidelines you will have a much easier time making sense of the chaos surrounding the sacrifices on d5 streaming through this book. Lastly, if you are using a chess engine to assist your analysis, please take its evaluations when probing the sacrifices on d5 or other extreme situations in the Morra Gambit with serious skepticism. Like the majority of the chess public, the computer (Rybka, Houdini, Stockfish, Blowfish, or any other engine in existence) simply cannot fully fathom how White can be down a piece for seemingly little counterplay, and when it finally does start spitting out posmve evaluations for the gambiteer, Black's position is often already beyond saving.

for the win! In particular, sacrificing a white knight or bishop on e6 or f7 is the second most common method for mayhem. As discussed earlier, when Black adopts a Scheveningen formation, he does so primarily to speed up his kingside development while shielding the vulnerable f7-pawn. When the gambiteer sacrifices on e6 or f7, however, he strips away the venerable foot soldier, leaving the black king to fend for himself in the center as chaos engulfs the board. Understand that these sacrifices work best when Black's queen's bishop fails to defend e6, either because a Black piece on d7 obstructs its guard or because the bishop felt the need to drift away from its home post towards b7. Now for a few concrete examples:

Into the Deep - 9.�g5! I .e4 cS 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.ltlxc3 e6 s.ltl£3 a6 6 ..ic4 b5 7 ..ib3 .ib7 8.0-0! d6 Black chooses a Scheveningen setup, but with his e6/f7 complex severely compromised by the ill-timed . . . .ib7. The gambiteer wastes no time and peppers the sensitive spot. After 8 . . . b4 we would descend into the chaotic world of 9 . tiJ d 5 ! .

The sensitive e6/f7 complex While an early sacrifice on d5 may give rise to the most fantastic possibilities in the Morra Gambit, there are definitely other outlandish ways to find yourself down a full piece after ten moves in the gambit and still objectively play

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22

Mayhem i n the Morra

White will wreak havoc on f7 and e6 as direct sacrificial blows and the savage Wfh5 lurks. If Black stands idle, even the effortless f4-f5 will smash through.

Finegold Defense - 12.he6! l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.tihc3 d6 5.�6 e6 6 ..ic4 i.e7 7.0-0 �£6 8.Wfe2 a6 9.gdl b5 lO ..ib3 � bd7 We arrive at the main position of the notorious Finegold Defense. Again, Black adopts a Scheveningen formation, but obstructs the bishop's guard of e6 while his king waits in the center to receive incoming missiles. With the preconditions for a strike on the e6/f7 complex met, the gambiteer does not hesitate.

l l .�d4!?

Chicago Defense - lO)i�d4! l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 e6 5.�6 a6 6 ..ic4 d6 7.0-0 b5 s ..tb3 ga7 9.i.e3 gd7 A main variation of the Chicago Defense. Black places his rook on the awkward square d7 to shield his queen from the menacing Wfe2, :!:!fd l , and e5. However, he again blocks his queen's bishop from guarding e6 in a Scheveningen system, so the thematic response should not be hard to spot.

10.�d4! Target acquired. 8

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Black lacks the time to respond with l l . . . lDc5 as 1 2 . llJ c6 or 1 2 .e5! first plows through.

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1 0 � £6 l l .f4!

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.•.

The famous pawn advance, found principally in the Open Sicilian, is extremely effective in ripping apart the e6/f7 complex.

l l ... e5

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And I went on to win in both Esserman - Chow, Chicago 2000 and Esserman Finegold, Internet (blitz) 2006. The black king must endure a protracted central siege as White's rooks and minor pieces pillage.

Black avoids doom and gloom on e6, but in turn opens the gates to f7. It is rarely a good idea for the defender to play . . . e6-e5 {or . . . e7e5) with his king more than a move away from castling, as White will have time to mount a dangerous offensive against the f7 -pawn. In this case the attack features llJg5 and .if7, but in other premature ... e5 positions, the gambiteer can j et his queen to b3, with themes echoing the classical e4/e5 gambits.

23

I ntroduction - The Much Maligned Morra

12.�f3 !i.e?

Black has developed normally and without reproach, following well established opening principles. He has obeyed the classic rule: "kn ights before bishops," while not wasting any time. And the necessary . . . d6 inhibited White's e4-e5 thrust. Who would then think that White can seize the advantage with a forcing tactical sequence?

Black tries to castle but it is too late.

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The gambiteer charges ahead regardless, ignoring Black's d6-barricade. But his advance is far from reckless, for if 7 . . lLl xe5, then 8.ltJxe5 dxe5 9.j,xf7t! nets the queen. a

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Showcased in Esserman - Nakamura, Chicago 2000. 1 4 . . . 'it>e8 1 5 .� e6 and the knight grazes freely on e6 while the black king withers in the center once more. In the Morra Gambit, due to White's extreme lead in development, sound sacrifices can instantly appear from j ust about anywhere on the board. So keep an open mind to any possibility and be alert.

Be Alert- 9.�b5! l .e4 c5 2.d4 cx:d4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 5.�f3 d6 6.i.c4 � f6

7 ... dxe5 8.'111Yxd8t �xd8 If 8 . . . 'it>xd8, then 9.tDg5 hits Black from other side!

9.�b5! Despite making three logical opening moves, Black falls into grave danger, and if he is not inspired enough to find 9 .. J''!b 8 (which still leads to his ruin), he may get shamefully mated in only 1 1 moves.

9 ... �d7?? 10.�xe5t! �e8 l l .�c7#

K�.!.-f1� �i � •m-----:- -,�--,

. . .%��:-�, ;�� . . %... .%� � � m� � . . , . 4 �m� ��(b:Rm ) w� 81t!1W g 8 20.Ek4! The c-file now becomes a highway to the black king. 20 . . . l':l:e8 2 l .l':l:g4t cj;l fg 22.l':l:g7 l':l:e7 23.l':l:xh7 The miserable black queen can only save the king for one move with 23 . . . Wxf2t!. Although 1 O ... a6 seems the best choice in a rotten position, I have never seen it in my practice and only once in all the games of my students. By and large you will face the natural 10 . . . Wxe 5 , which as you have already witnessed, leads Black to ruin. 9 ... a6?! 1 0.exf6 axb 5 l l . fxg7! ixg7 1 2.ixb5 0-0 GM Jobava faced this position ten years ago and won on the Black side, but White did not play correctly.

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45

- Siberian Wilderness

1 3 .ie3! The gambiteer should speed ahead, unconcerned about the b2-pawn. 1 3 . . . ixb2 1 4.l':l:b 1 ± ig7 1 4 . . . if6 aims to meet the binding 1 5 .ic5 with 1 5 . . .ie7, but it offers little salvation, as White lifts his rook with 1 5 .l':l:b3! and danger looms on the horizon for the black king. 1 5 .ic5 ! l':l:e8 1 6.id6 Wa7 1 7. lLl g5 +- h6 1 8 .lLl xf7! 'tt> x f7 1 9.1Wh 5 t 'tt> g8 20.1Wxe8t 'tt> h 7 2 1 .id3# 8

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.i.;�.iJ�. · - Jl -� · - · - · - · -�- · · � 'ZJ�

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�.fli '•�� � ��--i! � (j �£ �1 � �if� : �

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The improvement over Milman's l O. lLl d6t?! vs. Ehlvest. I never understood why White should rush the check, as after 1 O.if4 Black cannot grab on e5 . . .

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I O a60

1 o . . . lLl gxe 5 ? l l . lLl xe5 lLlxe5

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46

Mayhem i n the Morra

1 2 . .ixe6! A shocking bolt. ( 1 2Jk 1 +- is also good enough.) 1 2 . . . dxe6 ( 1 2 . . . fxe6 1 3 .'1Wh5t) 1 3 .�c l ! f6 1 4. tlJ c7t �f7 1 5 . .ixe5 fxe5 1 6.'1Wh5t g6 1 7.'1Wf3 t �g8 1 8 .tlJxa8 Black's position is in tatters. 1 8 . . . .id6 ( 1 8 . . . '1Wxa8 1 9.�c7+- offers a picture of complete domination.) 1 9.'1Wf6+-

I I .ti:ld6t .bd6 1 2.exd6 As the e5-pawn remained taboo, Black had no choice but to waste a tempo on . . . a6 - this slight loss of time makes all the difference! We will analyze both 1 2 . . . b5 and 1 2 . . . 0-0 for Black, the only two reasonable moves, which, as it turns out, aren't so reasonable after all . White's dark-squared bind is simply too strong. Note that Black cannot play 1 2 . . . f5 ? immediately due t o 1 3 . .ixe6! and 1 4.d7t .

1 3 . . . ib7? 1 4.ixc6! ixc6 ( 1 4 . . . dxc6 1 5 .d7t) 1 5 .ti:l d4! The main tactical j ustification for the id5 raid - Black now loses a piece, as 1 5 . . . ttJ f6 1 6. ti:l xc6 dxc6 1 7.d7t snares the queen.

I4Jie l t �£8 The lack of coordination in Black's position rings alarm bells, and now his king has gone running. White is down a full piece and a pawn, but no matter - Black is lost. A decisive strike must soon follow. . .

1 5.�g5! The deeper tactical j ustification behind 1 3 .id5 ! ! reveals itself. White intends an invasion on e7, with the d6-pawn as the lever.

1 5 � h6 •••

1 5 . . . ti:l f6 1 6.�e7! '!Wb6 1 8 .�xf6+- Smothering.

12 b5 13.i.d5!! •••

1 7.�xf7t

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This beautiful shot defies superlatives. It is the first of many sacrifices you will see on the d5square in the book, and one of the least obvious. Black must eliminate the menacing bishop, as it exerts an overwhelming central pull. 1 4

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I 6J�e7 Yfb6 1 6 . . . ib7 1 7.'1Wh 5 +-

17.Yfxd5 �xe7 1 8.dxe7t �xe7 White is now down a whole rook, but Black will be down a king.

13 exd5 •••

1 3 . . . Wb6?! 1 4.�c l ± exd5 ( 1 4 . . . ib7 1 5 . .ixc6 dxc6 1 6.d7t � f8 1 7.'1Wd6t �g8 1 8.'\Wc? and White queens easily!) 1 5 .'1We2t �f8 1 6.�xc6+-

1 8 . . . r,!,>e8 1he Siberian trapper intends to use the e7-pawn as a shield, often useful in cool castled positions - however, not in the fiery center!

Chapter 1

-

47

Siberian Wilderness

White now drags the king out of his cave. 1 9.ttle4 i.b7 20. ttl d6t rJlxe7

1 9 . . . i.b7 20.�g5t f6 (20 . . . rJl f8 2 I .i.d6t rJlg8 22.ttl f6#) 2 l .�xg7t ttl f7 2 2 . ttl d6 :!:!hffi 23.l:!e l t+1 9 . . . rJlf8 20.i.d6t rJlg8 2 l .�e5

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2 l .�e5t rJld8 (2 I . . .rJlffi 22.i.xh6 gxh6 23.�xh8t rJle7 24J�e I t rJlxd6 2 5 .�e5t Wc6 26-l:k l t) 22.�xg7 and simple butchery succeeds. 8

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White's pieces swarm. The threat of ttl f6t is irresistible: 2 l . . . �d8 22.ttlf6t! gxf6 23 .�g3t +-

20.� d6 �c6 2 U::t e 1 t i>ds

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1 9 -l:!e i t?! rJld8 20.�xf7! A gorgeous sacrifice which nearly wins instantly. 20 . . . �f6! A saving grace . . . sort of. 2 I .�d5 :!:!e8 22.:!:!xe8t Wxe8 23 .�xa8±

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After this subtle, devastating move, White's dark-squared domination is complete.

1 9 .�xa8 ? �b7! forces the queens off.

22 ... a5 23.�e3+19 £6 •••

Black has no defense: 19 . . . �e6 20.i.d6t rJld8 2 l .�xa8+-

Catastrophe for the defenseless black king looms.

23 .. ..tb7 24.�e7t i>c7 25.�c8t

48

Mayhem i n the Morra

A humorous finish.

25 .. .'it>xc8 26.Wfe8t �xeS 27J3xe8# So 1 2 . . . b5 loses brilliantly to an avalanche of chaos. If Black cannot keep the balance with 1 2 . . . 0-0, then we can all but dismiss the Siberian trap as simply that, a superficial trap!

Ehlvest's early missed chance vs. Milman) . Here 1 4.�d 5 ! drives a stake into the heart of Black's position, sowing the necessary confusion to ensure that he cannot coordinate his defense properly. In addition, the bishop sacrifice rips the e6-pawn away from its defense of f5 , a square where the white knight will soon wreak havoc.

Theory II 12 0-0 -

...

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 e6 5.�f3 � c6 6.J.c4 Y!lc7 7.0-0 � f6 8.�b5 Y!lbs 9.e5 �g4 IO.J.f4! a6D l l .�d6t J.xd6 12.exd6 0-0

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A calm, effective novelty. But fear not, chaos comes soon.

13 ... �f6 Instead of this retreat, Black can try the more ambitious: 1 3 . . . b5 1 4.�d5! Again the bishop is sacrificed on this square, even against the castled king, as White has the luxury of chopping the knight on g4. The softer 1 4.�d3 is playable but not as precise, as Black can summon defensive resources with 14 . . . lt:'l f6 (similar to

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1 4 . . . exd5 The most obvious and strongest retort, but Black's defensive labors remain Herculean. 14 . . . lt:'lxf2 1 5 J!xf2 exd5 1 6. ltJ h4± and Black's naked king may soon be mated. A possible continuation is: 1 6 . . . �b7 1 7.�g4 'if;lh8 1 8 .:Se l �a7 ( 1 8 . . . ltJ d4 1 9.�h6+-) 1 9 . l0 f5 :Sg8 20.lt:'le7 +1 4 . . . ltJ f6? 1 5 .�xc6 dxc6 1 6.d7 �xf4 1 7.d8=�+- Two queens are better than one! 1 5 .hxg4 ltJ d8! The knight desperately tries to reach his king. 1 6. ltJ h4! But White's knight has the same idea. . . 1 6 . . . ltJ e6 1 7.�d2 I doubt Black can hold this position, either in theory or in practice. You take Black, I'll take White! I 7 . . . �b7 t s . ltl f5 'if;lhs 1 8 ... g6 1 9. l0 e7t It's rarely a good sign when a knight gets to e7 supported by a pawn on d6! 1 9 . . . 'if;lh8 20.g5 A second dark-squared wedge ends all debate. 20 . . . ltJ xf4 2 l .�xf4

Chapter 1 - Siberian Wilderness

49

f6 22.gxf6 !!f7 23.!!ac l 'Wf8 24.!!c7 !!xf6 25 .'We5 .ic6 26.g4 White cavalierly brings a pawn to g5, winning easily. 26 . . . g5 (26 . . . 'Wg7 27.tLlxc6) 27.f4+1 9.l'!ac l White may threaten l'!c7, when the d-pawn eagerly waits to capture on c7 and become a queen. 19 ... 'Wd8 20.!!fe l l'!c8

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14 ... � a5 This awkward move only encourages White's attack, which now becomes unstoppable.

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2 l .l'!c7! The shots now flow freely. 2 I . . .tLlxc7 Declining the sacrifice with 2 I . . . .ic6 only leads to more mayhem: 22 . .ih6!+­ l'!g8 (22 . . . 'Wf6 23.!!xe6+-) 23.!!xe6! The c-rook, initially only victimizing Black on vertical lines, will now operate laterally to help deliver the decisive blow. 23 . . . dxe6 (23 . . . fxe6 24. llJ xg7! l'!xg7 2 5 .'Wd4 'Wg8 26 . .ixg7t 'Wxg7 27.!!xc8#) 24.l'!xf7! And extreme chaos erupts around the black king. 24 . . . exf5 2 5 .'Wc3+- Black suffers from catastrophic material loss. 22.dxc7 !!xc7 23 . .ixc7 'Wxc7 24.'Wg5 !!g8 25.l'!e8 Black can only avert mate by giving up his queen.

14.lLle5! This simple and strong move ensures that Black will not be able to complete his development routinely.

I4 . . . tLl xe5?! 1 5 . .ixe 5 ± must lead to disaster for Black, following the themes we already studied in Milman - Ehlvest. I 4 . . . b 5 ? 1 5 . tLl xc6!+- demonstrates the point behind White's play - that . . . b 5 remains impossible and Black therefore struggles to untangle. I reached this position against an unlucky Boston teammate of mine last fall, and soon got the privilege of frolicking about with two queens in the early middlegame. But since the same teammate is featured later on in another chapter where I promote to a queen on d8 before move 30, I figure it's best to only identifY one of his losses by name . . . 1 5 . . . dxc6 I 6.d7! 'Wxf4 1 7.d8='W Esserman - Unnamed teammate, Rhode Island (blitz) 20 1 1 . 1 4 . . . tLl b4!? Possibly Black's only defense. Watch in disbelief at the land mines he must dodge for merely the hope of salvaging a draw by repetition. 1 5 ..ib3 tLl bd5 16 . .ig3 b 5 1 7 .!!e l .ib7 1 8 . .ixd5! .ixd5 1 9 . .ih4 'Wxd6 20 . .ixf6 gxf6 2 I .'Wg4t �h8

50

Mayhem i n the Morra 3 1 .tLl xh7t 'it>e8 32.tLl f6t 'it>f8= Survival of the fittest!

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1 5 ..id3 lbd5 1 6 ..ih2 f5

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4 2

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22.'1Wh4! '1We7 22 . . . fxe5 ? ! 23.'1Wf6t �g8 24Jl:xe5 h6 25.1"1:d l ! A I a Milman - Ehlvest again! 2 5 . . . 1"1:fc8 26.1"1:dxd5! (26.1"1:d3 '1Wf8!) 26 . . . '\WxdS 27.1"1:xd5 exd5 28 .'\Wxh6± 23.1"1:ad l i.c6 23 . . . '1Wd8 ?! 24.ttJxd7! '1Wxd7 25.'\Wxf6t 'it>g8 26.1"1:e3+24.ttJg4!? 24.ttJxd7 i.xd7 2 5 . 1"1:xd7 '1Wxd7 26.'\Wxf6t= 24 . . . 1"1:g8

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1 8 .. c!iJf6 1 9.�h4 �xd6 .

h

2 5 .1"1:e5! :!"!:g7 26.ttJxf6! The position nears explosion! 26 . . . i.xg2 26 . . . 1"1:xg2t? 27.'it>fl :!"!:g7 28.1"1:h5+27. 'it>h2 i.c6 28.1"1:gl '1Wd6! 29.1"1:xg7 'it>xg7! 29 . . . '\Wxe S t ? 30.1"1:g3 'IWfS 3 l . f3 :!"!:c8 32.'1Wh6+- provides a cold shower for the Siberian trapper. 30.'\WgSt 'it>f8 30 . . . 'it>h8? 3 1 . tLl h 5 +-

a

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20J�adl �e7 2 1 .hl7t+-

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I am confident that with the white pawn on d6 acting as a destabilizing wedge in the Black camp, the gambiteer will always retain excellent theoretical chances for a sizeable advantage in the mainline Siberian, even if improvements are found. And in practice, as

Chapter 1 - S iberian Wilderness 8

all of these variations clearly show, the Siberian trap is extremely difficult for Black to handle if White comes fully armed. I cannot imagine a professional player choosing the Siberian after reading this chapter, unless of course he is a glutton for punishment. Therefore, in an attempt to revitalize the variation, I propose an "improved" version of the Siberian trap in the theoretical conclusion .

7

6 5

4 3

2

Theory III

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This simple fork trick is almost never played, but it solves Black's problems after 8.lLlxe4 d5. During the game I did not trust White's resulting position - even now I'm sure Black should be the only one fighting for an advantage here. Siberian players take note you now have a second trick to hide up your sleeves. I fully expect 6 . . . lLl f6 to become the Siberian's main line after this book's release.

7 -efc7 •••

3

2 1

b

a

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 e6 5.c!i.H3 � c6 6 ..ic4 � f6!

51

a

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first faced the "Improved Siberian" in 200 1 , and immediately could sense the danger ahead. I sank into deep thought, and the longer I pondered, the funnier the looks my master opponent threw my way. He seemed to be asking: "What on earth are you thinking about here for over an hour. . . ?" I then suspected he probably did not appreciate the significance of his move-order improvement. I could j ust castle here, when 99o/o of players would transpose to the Siberian main line after 7 . . . Wic7. But I couldn't gamble, and continued with 7.'fie2 ! .

7.'efe2! 7.0-0?! lLl xe4! is the point!

White averted the fork trick with 7.'fie2 but has clearly made a concession - the queen is misplaced and after 8 .0-0 lLl g4! the Siberian trapper is back in business. Therefore, Morra gambiteers must adopt a different method of attack.

8.e5

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52

Mayhem i n the Morra

This brings us to the other main path in the Siberian, but White should only aim for this variation if Black forces his hand with the accurate 6 . . . lLl f6!.

9 .if4 .

8 .tl:�g4 ..

Black may eagerly attempt to free his restricted d-pawn, but it proves premature: 8 . . . d5?! 9.exf6 dxc4 1 0.-igS !

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This active move is clearly superior to simpler captures. 1 0 . . . lLl b4 Black must try to hold on tight to his extra c-pawn, though it proves futile. Alternative defenses get even uglier: 1 0 . . . e5? 1 1 .0-0-0! with shades ofthe Morphy opera box game! l l . . ..ig4 1 2 J:%he 1 +1 O . . . h6 1 I ..ih4 gS 1 2 . .ig3 A position akin to the Moscow Gambit of the Semi­ Slav appears; we could call it the "Morra Moscow." 1 2 . . . .id6 1 3.l:'!d 1 .ixg3 1 4.hxg3± 1 1 .0-0 lLl d3 1 2.l:!fd 1 ! .id7 1 3 .b3! Black's attempt to hold his second extra pawn proves costly, and his position begins to creak. 1 3 . . . h6 1 3 . . ..ic6 1 4.bxc4± 1 4 . .ie3 .ic6 14 . . . gxf6 1 5 .lLld5 Wfd8 1 6.bxc4± 1 4 . . . Wfa5 1 5 .bxc4 Wfxc3 1 6 . .id4± 1 5 .bxc4 lLle5 1 6. lLl d 5 ! exd 5 1 7.cxd5 +Black's lack of development does him in yet again.

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The Siberian trapper now has two choices, leading to drastically different landscapes. He can either open the game with 9 . . . f6, or attempt a lockdown with 9 . . . d5. One devolves into mayhem, the other becomes a "refined" positional struggle.

9 £6!? ...

9 . . . d 5 ! ? 1 0 . .ib3! White does not release the central tension with I O.exd6?!, which simplifies Black's defensive task. Sometimes in the Morra Gambit you can trade the white e-pawn for Black's d-pawn if you can generate sufficient piece play, but this is not one of those cases. The resulting positions after 1 O .i.b3! bear a direct resemblance to some gambit variations of the French Defense. 1 � First, Black must alleviate the g4-knight's suffering. But even if he does, White can generate heavy pressure on the c-file. If Black breaks prematurely with . . .f6 to get air, he often pays severely. White has more than full compensation here. Now get ready for some thickets. I O . . . .ic5 ! ? a ) 1 0 . . . lLl a 5 ? ! 1 1 .0-0 lLl xb3 1 2.axb3 .ic5 1 3 .b4!± i.e? ( 1 3 . . ..ixb4 1 4.Wfb5t) 1 4J�!fc l Wfb6 1 5 .h3 White exploits his trumps - the open c-file and Black's wayward knight - on

53

Chapter 1 - Siberian Wilderness back-to-back moves. 1 5 ... tt::l h6 1 6.tt::l b 5 0-0 17 . .ie3 �d8 1 8 .tt::l c7+b) 10 . . . f6?? I I .tt::l xd5 ! exd5 1 2. exf6t+c) 10 . . ..ie7 1 1 . 0-0 and now: c l ) 1 I . . . f6? 1 2.tt::l b 5 ( 1 2.exf6?? �xf4 1 3 . fxe7 tLld4! and the old Siberian trap snares White yet again!) 1 2 . . . �b8 1 3 . exf6! Now Black no longer has the infamous trick. 1 3 . . . �xf4 1 4.fxe7 tt::l ce5 1 5 . tt::l bd4 ®xe7 1 6J'!fe 1 ± c2) 1 1 . . .0-0 1 2.l'!ac l ± White's overall pressure and looming threat of h2-h3 causes great mischief, as Black is offered no salvation by: 1 2 . . . f6? 1 3 .exf6 �xf4 1 4.tt::l xd5 exd5 (With Black's queen hanging, the trap no longer works: 1 4 . . . tt::l d4 1 5 . tt::l xf4±) 1 5 . .ixd5t ®h8 1 6. fxe7 l'!e8 1 7.l'!xc6+-

1 4 . .ixd5! exd5 1 5 . tt::l x d5 �d8 1 6.tt::l f6t ®g7 1 7.�e4 l'!h8 1 8 . tt::l h 5 t ®ffi 1 9.�f4+b) 12 . . . tt::l xf.2!? Logical but overambitious. 1 3 .l'!xf.2 f6 1 4. tt::l xd5 ! and: b l ) 14 . . . .ixf.2t?! 1 5 .�xf2 exd5 1 6 . .ixd 5 t 'it> h 8 The fun i s j ust beginning . . . 1 7.tt::l h4!

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1 1 .0-0 0-0 1 2.h3 tt::l f6! a) 1 2 . . . tt::l h6?! The wayward knight now contributes to the wreckage of Black's kingside. 1 3 . .ixh6 gxh6

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The threat of tt::l g6t renders Black defenseless. 1 7 . . . .if5 D ( I 7 . . . g5 1 8 . .ixg5 �xeS 1 9 . tLl g6t hxg6 20 .�h4t 'it>g7 2 l .�h6#) 1 8 .exf6 �a5 ( 1 8 . . . �d7 1 9 . fxg7t �xg7 20 . .ixc6 bxc6 2 l .�c5!+-) 1 9 . fxg7t ®xg7 20 . .ixc6 bxc6 2 1 . .id2+- The calm before the winter storm. b2) 1 4 . . . exd5 1 5 . .ixd5t ®h8 1 6 . .ie3± 1 3 .l'!ac l tt::l d7 1 4.l'!fd I White quietly increases the positional pressure. If Black tries to liberate himself. . . 1 4 . . . f6? 8

7

6 5

4

3

2

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b

1 5 .l'!xd5! You guessed it! 1 5 . . . exd5

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54

Mayhe m i n the Morra

1 5 ... fxe5 1 6.ll'lg5! Eixf4 ( 1 6 . . . exd5 1 7. ll'l xd5 �d8 1 8 .�h5 +-) 1 7.ll'lxe6+1 6.ll'lxd5 �d8 1 7.exf6! �h8 1 8 . fxg7t �xg7 1 9.ll'lg5+- ( I 9 . .id2+-) Therefore, after I 4.Eifd l Black must suffer on in passivity. With 9 . . .f6, Black forces matters, and he certainly gets what he wishes! b

a

a

10.�d5!?

b

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f

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The gambiteer may also fling the knight to b5, intending with lt'l d6t to obtain a dark­ squared bind similar to positions we have studied earlier. However, I prefer the violent text - it's hard to pass up another opportunity to sacrifice on d5!

c

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I O . . . �a5t 10 . . . .ib4t? l l .ll'l d2!± and Black cannot save all his hanging pieces. I O . . . �b8 ?! I l . lt'l d6t .ixd6 1 2 .exd6± and White obtains an excellent version of the dark-squared binds we have previously analyzed. Use your knowledge gleaned from the earlier parts of the chapter to navigate this terrain. l l ..id2 �d8 l l . . .�b6?! 1 2. exf6 ll'l xf6 1 3 . .if4 .ib4t 1 4 .�fl 0-0 1 5 . .ic7--+ 1 2 . ll'l d6t .ixd6 1 3 . exd6oo I O . . . �a5t followed by l l . . .�d8 is Black's best hope to survive, as the Siberian queen has more spacious living quarters on the d8-a5 diagonal than in the b8 sinkhole. Both sides have chances in this lush and wild Siberian position.

I O .lt'lb5!?oo In fact, I played this simpler move back in 200 1 when I first faced the " Improved Siberian" , and went on to win with the standard dark-squared clamp {Esserman - Storch, USA 200 1 ) . It remains j ust as viable as the more violent knight thrust. If you feel confused or unconvinced by the main analysis following 1 0.lt'ld5 , then I can confidently recommend this simpler alternative. a

b

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55

Chapter 1 - Siberian Wilderness

IO Y;VastD •••

Black cannot grab the invading knight usually a ominous sign. 1 0 ... exd5 1 l .exf6t!± tLl ce5 1 1 . . . tLl ge 5 ? 1 2.�xe5 ! l2l xe5 1 3 . tLl xe5+1 2.tLlxe5 l2lxe5 1 3.'\Wh S t g6

1 6. 0-0+White dominates. You can work out all the variations yourself - I will only give one incredible line. 8

�5

4 3

2

��;�; ������

·=·" ' · · ' '' �,. � �·��� �� L � :�� �:r������-""' ��r� � � %� �/.i= · a

a

b

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1 4.f7t! This bone-chiller finishes Black. 1 6 1 4 . . . We7? 14 . . . Wxf7 1 5 .�xd5 t and Black's king lands in the crossfire: 1 5 . . . 'it>e8 1 6.'\WxeSt 1Wxe5t 1 7.�xe5 �b4t 1 8 .'it>e2 l'!f8 ±

b

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1 6 . . . d6 1 7.�xd5t! Wxd5 1 8 .�xe5 dxe5 1 9 .'1Wf6 �c5 20 .l'!ad 1 t �d4 2 l .l'!xd4 t! exd4 Black is a whole rook and piece up; I've heard that excuse before! 22.1Wf3t! 'it>d6 22 . . . We6 23.l'!e 1 t 'it>d7 24.'1Wf6+23.'1Wf4t! 'it> d7 24.'1Wxd4t 'it>e7 2 5 .'1Wxh8 Having collected one rook, White will either promote the pawn or pick up the other rook, since 25 . . . 'it>xf7 would lose Black his Siberian queen.

I I .i.d2 Y;Vd8

After the excitement of 1 0. tLl d 5 exd 5 , our final analysis in Siberia is a bit tamer! 1 2.exf6 tilxf6 a

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1 5 .1Wg5 t! Another great in-between move ends all resistance. 1 5 .1Wxe5t 1Wxe5t 1 6.�xe5 dxc4 1 7.�xh8 d5± 1 5 . . . 'it>e6 The black king is very brave indeed. Bur bravery and foolhardiness sometimes go hand in hand.

56

Mayhem i n the Morra

Now you must make a critical decision - what result are you playing for? After 1 3 .ig5 '1Wa5t 1 4.id2 '1Wd8 1 5 .ig5 , you may earn a draw by repetition in the style of the . . . '1Wa5/id2 Sveshnikov Sicilian . Morra bashers will urge you to do j ust this, but if you wish to win, you've come to the right place. You certainly won't find any lame draws by repetition recommended after 1 5 moves in this book.

1 6 i.e7 1 7.hc6 bxc6 •••

The gambiteer seeks a long-term positional grip.

1 8.i.g5 Y:Yf8

1 3.lt�xf6t!? 'i:Yxf6 14.0-0! Y:Yxb2!?

If Black doesn't grab the pawn and instead develops, White's active piece play ensures full compensation: 14 . . . ie7 1 5 .ic3�

1 5J3ab l Y:Yf6 Now White is two pawns down - if you're afraid, take the draw!

a

1 9.� e5!?a�

b

c

d

e

f

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h

The sad state of Black's queenside makes playing White's position preferable to forcing a draw. White intends to meet . . .ixg5 with '1Wh5t, thus plundering the dark squares. Black should be able to hold the balance, but a hard struggle lies ahead.

a

16.�d5!

b

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Applying more central pressure in what I like to call a "freestyle" position.

1 9.!%fd l ! ? ixg5 20.lDxg5 '1We7 2 1 .'1Wh 5 t g6 22 .'1Wh6 is an alternative binding continuation. At last we can finally escape the Siberian wilderness with a full awareness of the pitfalls that await us in its treacherous tundra. While White's chances are heavily favored in the Siberian main line, in the " Improved Siberian" the battle rages fierce. May the best player win!

Chapter 2 The Scheveningens

9 . . . Wfc7? l O . ltJ b S ! ± 9 . . . .id7 I O . ltJ bS:t 9 . . . e5 I O . .ie3! 0-0 l l . gac l l l . . . .ig4 12.h3! 12 . . . .ih5 13.g4! .ig6 14. ltJ h4!:t 12 . . . .ixf3 13.Wixf3 gc8 14.Wfe2!:t l l . . . .ie6 12.b4! 12 . . . ltJ xb4 13. ltJ xe5--+ 12 . . . a6 13.a3! gc8?! 14 . .ixe6! ± l l . . . .id7 12.a3�

59, 71 72 66, 72 72 73 60 66, 74 66, 74 67 68

58

Mayhem i n the Morra

After braving the Siberian tundra, we now fly to far different terrain - the beaches of Scheveningen . Named after the Dutch town where the famous Sicilian structure debuted in the 1 920's, the Scheveningen is one of Black's most sturdy and flexible defensive systems against White's wave of initiative in the Open Sicilians. So too in the Morra Gambit, Black can erect the small but stable e6/d6 central pawn duo to stem the tide of White's rapid development. The defender's plan is simple - build the e6/ d6 pawn dam, then quickly develop and castle, solving all problems. Yet as the Dutch well know, water's unrelenting flow has a way of breaching even the finest of walls. Against the Scheveningens, the gambiteer should swim alongside the traditional current of Morra theory with a quick 0-0, We2, and E:d l , and soon the cracks will begin to show in the enemy camp. In Part I of the Scheveningens, Black hopes to stop White's swelling pressure with 9 . . . e 5 .

The "Morra rooks", stationed on c l and d 1 , support the surfing minor pieces, and if the defender is not careful, his position may quickly collapse amidst the torrential downpour. In Part II (covered in the next chapter) , the dam builder constructs a slightly different fortress - the black queen seeks dry ground from the waves on the d-file at c7, and the a6pawn plugs the hole on the b 5-square. 8

7

6 5

4 3

2

1

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But water can adapt to any shape and crash its way through. Here the gambiteer must adapt in turn and fling his dark bishop to f4, where it threatens to drench Black after e4-e 5 ! . Black may stop this leak, b u t water swirls from all angles after the queen's rook glides to c 1 , dousing the black queen. Thus, when facing the Scheveningens, it's wise to remember a quote from the famous martial artist Bruce Lee:

This i s considered the classical main line of the Morra Gambit. Yet after this necessary compromise to the Scheveningen structure, the floodgates open, and White's pieces bathe freely on the weak d5-square.

Be formless, shapeless, like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can flow, or it can crash. Be water, my friend } 7

59

Chapter 2 - The S cheveningens Lev Milman - Carlos

Obregon

Villa Giardino 2002

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.lihc3 � c6 5.�6 d6 6..ic4 e6 7.0-0 IJ.e7 8.�e2 �f6 9J�d1

�lack has erected the fortress, although in

this game he mixes systems, thus creating the flimsiest of dams.

9...�c7? The floodgates now burst open. If Black wishes to dodge the d 1 -rook via . . . � c7, he must first spend time earlier with . . . a6 to plug the hole on b5 (the subject of the Scheveningens Part I I ) . Of course, 9 . . . a6 is out of the question here, as White crashes through with 1 O.e5!. 8

7

6 5

4 3

2

-�-*-�·�

�� � � i��-�;f.fJ i ,; i tii' -� ---� 41) ·----���-�----�. J·1.·��--- --�· � � � %%' "/� �- � Jf@� � � � �

�

�

� . . 3,

...

0. . . . . :

"'al� :� �ltj�

Eu:�d�:� �� ---- "�-�·&' ""

. .

a .

if' � ;I ,

b

� �+ �Y.,� c

,, , , ,

d

10.�b5! �b8 1 I ..if4±

e

�

f

/ %.

g

� ':

h

Naturally, the bishop chases the queen, and the once sturdy Scheveningen loudly creaks.

l l ... � e5 Black can try and patch the broken dam with the desperate 1 1 . . . e 5 , but then White obtains a superior version of this chapter's main line. In addition to White being given the luscious d5-square, Black's queen remains stranded in "Siberia" - we already know what a frigid place b8 can be!

Continuing with 1 2 .!J.g5 , the gambiteer threatens to further breach the dam's already shattered structure by fJ.xf6. For a more penetrating analysis, please refer to the advanced material later.

1 2.�xd6t! Let the mayhem begin!

12 ...hd6 1 3J�xd6 �xd6 1 4.�xe5 For the small price of sacrificing the exchange, Milman shreds the Scheveningen structure. Meanwhile, Black's queen remains battered by the waves. Black, a young master, now completely collapses amidst the swelling pressure - a very common occurrence in the Morra Gambit. 8

7

6 5

4 3

2 1

a

c

e

f

g

h

1 4... 0-0 1 5.�g6! �c6?? 1 6.�e7t �h8 17.�xc6+Lev went on to win easily, with Black drifting a queen for a rook down, his position awash . ... 1-0

RawFishStomach (Esserman) - Mincho Internet (blitz) 2011

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 5.�6 e6 6 ..lc4 d6 7.0-0 IJ.e7 8.�e2 �f6 9J�d1 e5

60

Mayhem in the Morra 8 7

6

··-- - - --·-·· �� - - - %.. . ..�

,� m.t-•� �• . .. --- - _ ..

%....%

- - - --�

%

� . � �. ,.�8,_ � l[) � '� �----Zm-��!� �� ... . Z=---. .

3 2

1

.

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

We reach the classical main line of the gambit, the most strategic variation of the opening, or what I like to call the "Ruy Lopez" of the Morra Gambit. As a result of this Scheveningen's more positional nature, expect to see more concepts discussed in the analysis and maneuvers featured in the games. But don't be alarmed if the position quickly takes a sharp turn, for even in the most protracted positional struggles, chaos still lurks. Many Morra manuals give here I O.h3?, revealing their great fear of the pinning . . . i.g4. I can sympathize with their concern, as we cannot allow Black to gain supremacy of the d4-square for his knight after . . . ig4xf3 and . . . ttJ d4. But remember, this is gambit play, and passive pawn moves in the early phases of the struggle like h3 or a3/a4 cannot be advised unless under the most dire of circumstances. Such limp moves may come later to incrementally improve the position, but only after you have established a dominant lead in development to j ustifY the pawn sacrifice. Therefore, we waste no time and stream forward while overprotecting the weak d4-square. s

As this game will show, the only thing we have to fear about . . . ig4 is the fear of . . . i.g4 itself.

l U�acl 0-0 1 2.h3 Only now, with all of our pieces developed and in optimal central positions, do we start with the flank pawn moves.

..

1 2 .La We investigate the ramifications of 1 2 . . . ih5 ! ? 1 3 .g4 i.g6 1 4. llJ h4! later o n .

8

7

6 5

4 3 2 1

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Despite being a pawn down in a "calm" position, the gambiteer retains a clear long­ term pull. In addition to possessing the two bishops, his rooks own the prime "beachfront property" , and his minor pieces are eager to surf on the d5-square. As for Black, he floats in a true defensive position. He lacks any meaningful targets for counterplay, while his extra d6-pawn lies backwards and under siege - his e7-bishop, meanwhile, drowns in defense of d6.

lO ..ie3! Not I O.ig5 ?, as after I O . . . i.g4! White has no choice but to drift backwards to e3.

10 ...ig4

1 3 .. J�c8 1 4.'ilYe2 This smooth regrouping maneuver stifles any tricks on the c-file and secures the advantage.

Chapter 2

-

61

The S cheveningens

14... a6 1 5.a3 As you will see over and over in the main line, gaining space and inundating Black's queenside with a3 and b4 is the next logical step towards victory after the opening phase.

This move, inspired by my study of a very similar sacrifice in the Sveshnikov Sicilian (which you will see in a related game at the chapter's end) is a natural reaction to . . . g6. If Black does not accept the offering, then h4-h 5 next sends ripples throughout the kingside.

15 .. .C.!?h8 1 6.b4 � e8

20 ...hb4 2U�h3

This backwards move allows the white knight to dock into d5, but in return Black gives his suffocating bishop a little air. He eventually hopes to swap it off for its dominant counterpart on e3.

The point - the h-file rips open as White's heavy pieces surge towards the black king.

17.�d5 .ig5 18 .ib6 •

But this wish turns out to be a dream. Note that . . . a6, while plugging the b 5-point, has caused more harm than good, as the b6-square now drips with white pieces. Water, after all, cannot be stopped.

18 �d7 1 9J:lc3!? ..•

a

8

7

d

e

f

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h

Black can ill afford this critical weakening of the dark squares. Not only will the kingside be drenched, but the b6-square floods as well. Again , the constricted 22 . . . �d8 was best, but exchanging is the most natural reaction to such torrential pressure.

5

4 3

2

23.�xe3+a

19 ... g6

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c

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e

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h

Black should have continued with his retreating strategy and eliminated the towering knight on d5 with 1 9 . . . tt'l e7, but in a blitz game such a sublime maneuver requires extreme deftness.

Black must now choose between getting mated and giving the exchange. White decides for him.

23 ... £5 24.� b6 �c7 25.tLlxc8 �xeS 26.�h6 �f6 27J;xd6 The final heavy piece crashes through .

27 ... � h5 28.llxg6! A flashflood!

20.h4!

c

2 1 . ..J.g5 22 ..ie3 .ixe3?

6

1

b

62

Mayhem i n the Morra

1 6 � h7 17Jlc2 .•.

I could have continued as before with �d5 and i.b6, but alas, I was weaker then. At least I knew better than to let the bishops swap. After 1 7.�d5! i.g5 1 8 .i.b6 Wid? 1 9 .!k3! � f6 20J"kd3 ± White's fully coordinated army effortlessly flows across the board. The d6-pawn is now ripe for the plucking, as the impetuous bishop has skirted his defensive duties. If now 20 . . . lL! xd 5 , then 2 l .E!.xd 5 , and White bathes on d5 forever. a

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28 �e7 29J�xh5 1-0

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...

Marc Esserman Mark Ginsburg -

Miami 2007

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1 7 h8?! ...

Of course I still had the sense to plan for 1 7 . . . i.g5 . Namely, I eyed the ever-swirling tactic in the Scheveningens, 1 8 .i.c5 ! ? . But in this case, both combatants overlooked that Black could then sacrifice his queen with the thematic 1 8 . . . dxc5! 1 9 .E!.xd8 E!.cxd8, securing a dominating bind on the dark squares, thus ensuring that White's swelling initiative would quickly subside. Observe that at the end of this instructive variation, Black's knight dines on the d4-square, always the Achilles heel of the Morra Gambit! Rather than basking on d5 itself, White's knight would then have to beat a sad retreat with 20.lD e2+.

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The position above corresponds nearly exactly to a moment from our last game adventure (right before Black retreated with 1 6 . . . � e8) . Here IM Ginsburg hits upon a similar plan to trade off his suffering dark-squared bishop, but chooses h7 for his knight instead. This option was impossible in the previous game, as Black had tried . . . �h8 rather than . . . h6. But the subtle pawn slide also has its flaws in particular g6 may "leak" and h6 itself may become the target for a sacrificial blow.

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After the move played in the game, 1 8 . lD d 5 ! ± suggests itself, b u t I have more ambitious plans for the beast - to swim to f5 via g3, a tour very

63

Chapter 2 - The Scheveningens familiar to us from the famous lines of the Ruy Lopez.

18.tLle2!? �d7 1 9.�g3 Black now takes drastic measures to prevent the knight fro m reaching the sacred waters on f5.

19 ... tLld4 20.hd4 gxc2 b

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The contrast between activity and passivity shines brighter with every move! 25 . . .Ek7 26.h4 lt'l e6 27 . .ib6+With .ixe6 coming next, Black's kingdom finally crumbles.

2 1 . .. exd4 22.gxd4 .if6 23.gd3 .ie5 White still stands better, but Black has stemmed the rising tide, for now. a

21 .hc2?!

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Completely against the Romantic spirit! Who cares about restoring material equality when you can be down an exchange instead: 2 I ..ixe5!± White smashes the Scheveningen structure with a few crackling lightning bolts. 2 1 . . .l'k6 22.lt'lf5 The wayward knight finally reaches its destination . There is simply no comparison between White's foaming and Black's flailing pieces. 22 . . . f6 After 22 . . ..if6 23 . .ixf6 lt'l xf6 24.e5! White's fluid e-pawn bursts forward, washing away any memory of Black's e5-pawn dam which once firmly stood in its place. 23.%Yg3 lt'lg5 24 ..id4 Threatening the pulverizing h3-h4. 24 . . . .id8 25 . .id5 !

24.�e3 �c7 25 ..ib3 gcs

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Once more, I miss a great chance to shatter Ginsburg's e5-blockade.

26.� e2?

26.f4! simply wins, as 26 . . . %Yc l t, the move I feared, fails to a nasty fork: 27.%Yxc l gxc l t 28.'it>£2! .ixf4 29.lt'le2!+- A petite, but non­ trivial combination.

64

Mayhem in the Morra

Black must therefore give ground on e5 with 26 ... �f6, but then the d6-pawn collapses: 27. ttJ f5 Ei:d8 28 .Wd2+After so many mistakes by both sides, it is only fitting that the game eventually ended in a draw. A slippery, sloppy, yet instructive encounter. ... lh-lfz

Marc Esserman - Emmanouil Kazakos Paleochora 20 1 1

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busted Black's already battered Scheveningen: 23.ttJd5!N ttJ xd5 24.�xd5 The pristine 23.lLld5 has effectively exposed Black's structural defects - as a result of eliminating the f6-knight, White's queen can now work her magic on the kingside, supported by her dark-squared archer on e3 and hungry rooks. And as for White's golden d5-bishop, it simply walks on water, surfing throughout the board. White's numerous threats (�xc6, W g4 or Wh5 followed by �xh6) cannot be stopped. The following sample variations illustrate varying positional and tactical methods for seizing victory. 24 . . . �b8 24 . . .Wd7 2 5 .Wg4 Wxg4 26.hxg4± and although the most dangerous pieces evaporate, Black remains crippled: 26 . . . lLld8 27.Ei:d2 lLl e6 2 8 .Ei:dc2+24 . . . �d8 2 5 .Wg4+2 5 .Wh5 lLl d4 After 2 5 . . . Wf6 26.Ek3 White threatens to double on the c-file or swing to the kingside. 26 . . . lLl e7 27.Ei:xc8 Ei:xc8 28.�xb7+-

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After some lengthy maneuvering flowing from yet another . . . �g4xf3 position, it is now high time for me to crash through. Black's dark­ squared bishop again ranks as his dampest piece, having somehow drifted to c7 (a square normally fit for a queen in most Sicilians, but maybe not a Morra) . His queen, meanwhile, awkwardly assumes the bishop's normal defensive post at e7. As a result of this strange bishop/queen reversal, I decided to lash out with my g-pawn, intending a quick g4-g5 , and if . . . hxg5 , then �xg5 (pinning the knight against the misplaced queen) and ttJd5, winning . . . 23.g4? But simply diving in with the knight (avoiding preliminary pawn forays) would have

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26.�xh6! Ei:xc 1 26 . . . gxh6 27.Ei:xc8 Ei:xc8 28 .Wg4 t and Black's stray pieces lie in the wreckage. 27.Ei:xc l gxh6 28 .Wg6t 'kt>h8 29 .Wxh6t �g8 30.�fl ! Silencing Black's gasp on e2, and after the second rook wave to c3-g3, the story would end.

Chapter 2

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65

The Scheveningens

30 . . . %Vf8 3 I .'iMg6t '.th8 3 1 . . .%Vg7 32.�xf7t 32.ixf7 E:e7

Morra's "kryptonite", strikes again ! White's superficial pinning tricks fail against Black's central and c-file counterplay. 26.E:xd4 exd4 27.ltJd5 E:xc l t! 28 .ixc l ltJ xd5

24... � d4 25 ..ixd4 exd4 26J�xd4 tfe5 27JMdl d5!? 8

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33.E:c8! E:xf7 34.%Vh 5 t '.tg7 3 5 .%Vg5t '.th8 36.E:xf8t E:xf8 37.'iMe7 E:g8 3 8.%Vxb7+A fitting conclusion - after 'iMxa6, White easily springs new queens, and Black's bishop remains miserable right to the final move.

23 ....tb8! Now, like falling into cold water, I suddenly knew I had pitched my advantage, as the g4advance proves to be nothing more than a gaping kingside weakness. Black's position is supposed to leak, not White's.

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And now, in mutual time pressure, Black is having all the fun, while I must assume the tragic role of "dam builder" . Thus, I lost only my second tournament game in the Morra since 2003. But my personal failings are of little theoretical interest - clearly my defeat is in no way the fault of the Morra Gambit, and that's what ultimately matters . ... 0-1

Marc Esserman - William Collins Harvard (blitz) 20 1 0

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The point of Black's 23rd move is: 24.g5 ? hxg5 2 5 .ixg5 ltJ d4!-+ This knight thrust, the

So far we have only swum i n the channels of Black's . . . ig4xf3 . Now we consider other c8bishop developments, and what better way than by introducing another character to the lexicon of chess mythology, "Sir William" Collins. Billy - the chess magician - Collins, near chess master and super-grandmaster trash-talker, is a man of many nicknames and talents. My sparring partner Billy is always

66

Mayhem in the Morra

searching for that elusive victory notch on his belt against the Morra Gambit - or against any titled player who dares cross his path, in any opening! So if you are brave enough, then fly to Cambridge, MA, and face this Boston chess legend in the flesh. The battle will be fierce, but be sure to bring along some thick skin with all that chess knowledge, because when you do blunder, and eventually you will, then you will surely get an earful!

l .e4 c5 2.d4 c:x:d4 3.c3 dxc3 4.l£lxc3 l£l c6 5.�f3 d6 6.i.c4 e6 7.0-0 l£1£6 8.Wfe2 i.e7 9J3dl e5 Billy has tried everything under the sun in our Morra matches, but when he desperately wants that notch, he always goes for the classical main line, or "Old Betsy" as he calls her.

IO.i.e3 0-0 1 1 J3acl i.e6!? On e6, the bishop's other main path, it now actively fights for control of the critical d5square. We will examine this move in greater detail in the theoretical section.

fails to 1 3 . . . Wfd7, and after 1 4 . .!Llg5 .!Ll d8 ! White will soon beat a sad retreat.

12 ... a6 If 1 2 . . . .!Ll xb4, then 1 3 . .!Ll xe5 and the storm surges. If 1 2 . . .1'k8 , then only now does the gambiteer strike with 1 3 ..ixe6 fXe6 1 4.b5! .!Ll a 5 , and after 1 5 . .!Ll xe 5 , White obtains a large edge. 1 2 .b4 is a slippery move indeed! 8

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A mysterious pawn move, seeming to merely guard b4. Many of my opponents, including Billy, have been hypnotized by its charms.

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The most energetic way to fight for the advantage.

When Billy first heard from me about this book's upcoming release, he hungered to read about the secrets of the thematic b2-b4 so that he could once and for all put an end to the Mayhem in the Morra. Well Billy, are you reading, "catdog" ? Black may play 1 3 . . . .ixc4!? 1 4.Wfxc4 Ei:c8 , but after 1 5 .Wfb3 White retains lasting light-squared pressure. Although the computer here shouts "equal" , water may slowly submerge the Scheveningen fortress and silence its claims.

Note that the obvious 1 2 . .ixe6 fXe6 1 3 .Wfc4

1 4.he6!

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Chapter 2

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67

The S cheveningens

Now White snaps off the bishop. Clearly the tide has turned.

14... fxe6 t5.\Wa2! 8

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The mystery behind 1 3 .a3 reveals itself - a secret hideout for the queen on a2 appears.

15 ...9d7 1 6.� a4!± The other idea behind the timely i.xe6! The knight cruises to c5 or to the fresh hole on b6 that . . . a6 left in its wake. Water breaches the dam from all sides, and Black cannot plug all the gaps. Although I've executed the sequence with i.xe6, Wa2, and tlJ a4 at least 20 times online and during live blitz and simuls, the position after 1 3 .a3 does not seem to appear in any database, showcasing j ust how ripe the field for innovation remains in the Morra .

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Try as he might, Black cannot hold off the onslaught.

19 ... 9e8 20.9xe6t 9f7 20 . . . l::l: f7 2 l .l::'l: c 8 +-

2 I .fixf7t gxf7 22.hd4 ttlxe4 The dam builder finally stands on level ground, material-wise at least, but White's dominance of the c-file sweeps him away.

... 1-0 We leave our featured blitz game now, as it is interesting to analyze Black's desperado, the old familiar trick . . . tlJ d4 (which I 've faced a few times, and of course once against Billy) .

16 ... �d4 17.�xd4 gxcl

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23 . . . i.f8 24. tlJ d 5 ±

1 7 . . . exd4 1 8 . tlJ b6 l::'l: xc l 1 9 .l::'l: xc l transposes to our main line.

24.gc7 .if6 25 ..ixf6 gxf6 26.f3+-

18J�xcl exd4

Black's queenside foundation collapses at last.

68

Mayhe m i n the Morra

Marc Esserman Thomas Bartell -

US Chess League, Internet 2009

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4 . .!Llxc3 .!Ll c6 5 . .!Llf3 d6 6.i.c4 e6 7.0--0 i.e7 8.�e2 .!Llf6 9J�dl e5 IO.i.e3 0--0 l l .gacl i.d7!?

of . . . b 5 . The light-squared holes would then be sealed shut forever, and my hopes of obtaining an advantage quashed. Hungry to prove the power of the Morra Gambit to the rabid Internet crowd following this US Chess League match, I recklessly pushed forward . . .

1 5 .tll d5 i.xd5 1 5 . . . tt'l xe4? of course loses to 1 6.�b6!.

1 6.exd5!

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An odd development for the bishop, which I had never seen before at this j uncture, nor since. But the move, played instantly by Bartell and therefore likely prepared, has its theoretical interest - not only does the bishop block the d-file, stopping tactical thrusts like b2-b4, but it also avoids the other forcing skirmishes we have already seen in the 1 1 . . . �g4 and 1 1 . . . �e6 lines. Therefore, as the bishop will eventually find its way to e6 or g4 when Black feels the time is right, we can brand 1 1 . . . �d7 as a useful, albeit passive waiting move. In the absence of anything else to do, I continued with the standard queenside expansion.

12.a3 a6 1 3.b4 b5 14.i.b3 i.e6 Only now, like a good soldier, does the bishop glide to e6 with "sandbags" in tow, to stop any potential flooding on the light squares. Much to my concern, I realized that unlike in Esserman - Collins, I cannot grab on e6 and play 'Wa2, as after . . . 'Wd7 the reply tt'la4 is impossible due to Bartell's inclusion

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Before we continue, I must explain why we are studying this encounter last in the chapter. This game caused quite a stir in the US upon its dramatic finish, perhaps because behind all the loud fireworks, it quietly challenged the popular �yth that Black should seize the advantage m the Morra without dripping too much sweat. But the game also created a sensation amongst my students, much to my dismay. These aspiring gambiteers would properly sink a piece into d5 in the Scheveningens, but upon its capture would take back on d5 with a pawn, without hesitation! Oh the horror! Of course, exd5 is normally doubly bad for White. This "blunder" firstly plugs the critical d5-hole, and secondly shields the d6pawn from the d 1 -rook's unrelenting pressure. In a few more moves, my wayward students would be inexorably lost at sea, thus proving

69

Chapter 2 - The Scheveningens Larsen right that the Morra Gambit indeed drops a pawn. Fortunately though, you will not suffer their fate, as I have already provided countless examples where White successfully captures back on d5 with a piece! But rules, in chess and life, are sometimes made to be broken . . .

16 ... tl b8?! In hindsight, Black had to play the unnatural 16 . . . lLl a7, after which the chances would be about equal. Both sides have their plusses. In White's favor are the two bishops, extra development, space, and the domination of the c-file (in particular the weak c6-square) . In Black's favor are the dreaded extra center pawn, and his greatest positional leak solved - the d5-square. But the battle is contested in the arena, not the analytical science laboratory, and thus Black did not hear the rushing current approaching.

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At the time I remained undecided how to proceed. By happenstance, White has a devastating shot which foreshadows the game's end. 1 9 .g4!+Freezing Black's minor pieces as the marauding Morra rooks flood the board. Black is defenseless to the incoming g4-g5 and a multitude of pins.

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1 9 . . . �xd6 1 9 . . . lLl e4 20.dxe7 V!ffx e7 2 1 .�c7 (or 2 1 .�d5 +-) 2 l . . .�ad8 22.V!ff f3 lLl d6 23.�c5!+20.�xd6 V!ff e 7 20 . . . lLl e4 2 1 .�d3 �c8 22.�cd l lLl c3 23.V!ff c2 ltl xd l 24.V!ffxd l �c7 2 5 .�b6!+2 I .Vfff d l h6 2 1 . . . �fd8 22.�c7 +22.�c7 �adS 23.g5! hxg5 24.Lg5

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Gushing through Black's stone-like blockade. The violent turn of events no doubt inflicted as great a psychological blow as the objective damage of the move itself.

17 ... dxe5 1 8.d6 hd6 I expected the clinging defense: 1 8 . . . lLl bd7

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Supreme swelling abounds!

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70

Mayhem i n the Morra

19.Ac5 hc5 1 9 . . . tLle8 20 . .Ad5 ! +- and the bishops stream through.

20Jhd8 Lilt?! Bartell did not intend to float away with 20 .. .l:l:xd8 2 I .!!xc5 tL'l bd7 22.!!c7, and instead picks up a pawn for his suffering.

2 1 .1Yxf.2 �xd8 a

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Black resigned, leaving some elegant conclusions to the imagination : 27 . . . g6 28 .!!xf8t g7 29.!!g8# or 27 . . . tL'l bd7 28.!!xa8 h6 29 .g6 e4 30 . .Ae6 e3 3 I ..Axd7 and only water remains on the earth.

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Black might have weathered the storm, if not for one little pawn move. But such "if only" thinking holds no weight in chess.

22.g4!+This bludgeoning blow blasts Black's king to smithereens.

22 a5 •••

22 . . . h6 seeks but does not find solace: 23.h4! !!d4 24.!!c8t h7 2 5 .�f5t g6 26.�xf6+22 . . . !!f8 23.g5 lLl e4? (23 . . . tLl fd7 24 . .Ad5 +­ Flowing . . . ) 24.�xf7t! and crashing . . . 24 . . . !!xf7 25.!!c8#

23.g5 �fd7 24.1Yxf7t c;f?hs 25.1Ye7 �f8

A month later, the New York Times featured this game in its weekly column, titling the article ·� Often Shunned Opening, for Good Reason" , and continuing: "Some openings are perennially popular. Others are rarely used, particularly among elite players, and often for good reason." 1 8 Thus, the myth of the big, bad, unsound Morra, passed on from generation to generation, endures today, despite the dent this game wedged in its armor. After all, the author later concedes that among the risky gambits, the Morra is "among the most respectable. By investing a pawn, White obtains a significant initiative. Black can defuse this advantage, but it takes patience." Ah, patience, a significant victory indeed! Read through the article if you will, and answer my question. Do you get the nagging feeling, as I do, that the reason many top players shun the Morra Gambit is because it's too chaotic, or simply, j ust too much fun!?

71

Chapter 2 - The Scheveningens

Theory I - 9 ...'1c7? 10.�b5! l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 5.�8 d6 6 ..ic4 e6 7.0-0 �£6 8.'9'e2 .ie7 9J::ldl '9'c7?

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1 2. ltJ xd6t! .ixd6 1 3 .�xd6 Wfxd6 comes to the same thing.

12 ...hd6 1 3.�xd6t '9'xd6 1 4.�xe5

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As the following variations show, Black cannot consolidate in time to capitalize on his material advantage.

1 4 ...'9'e7 1 4 . . . 0-0 1 5 .ltJ g6± 1 4 . . . Wfb6 1 5 . .ib5 t mf8 ( 1 5 . . . .id7 1 6. ltJ xd7 ltJ xd7 1 7.�d l �d8 1 8 .Wfd3 0-0 1 9 . .ixd7+­ or 1 5 . . . me7 1 6.Wfc4+-) 1 6.�d 1 mg8 1 7 . .ie3 Wfc7

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Black tries the usual trickery on the d4square, but with his queen on b8, White sacrifices the exchange and easily seizes the initiative: 1 5 .h3 ltJ d4 1 6.�xd4! exd4 1 7.ltJd5 .ixf3 ( 1 7 ... .ie6 1 8 . ltJ xd4+- or 17 ... .ih5 1 8 . ltJ b6 �a7?! 19 . .ib5t! +-) 1 8 .Wfxf3 Wfd8 1 9.�d 1 �c8 20.�xd4 Black cannot castle as .id3 , e5 and �g4 would follow, when he can resign.

12J:!gxd6!

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1 8 .Wfc2! Wfe7 1 9 . .ic5 Wfc7 20 . .ixa7+-

1 5 . .ib5t �m 16J�M l ! ± Suppressing Black's queenside, permanently.

72

Mayhem i n the Morra ltlxd7 1 7.�d6± White regains the exchange while keeping the slightly more active position.

16 ... a6 17..ia4 �g8 1 7 . . . b5? 1 8 . ltl c6+-

10 ..ie3 0-0 u .gac l .ig4

18.�c2!

I I . . . ltl g4?! 1 2 .�c5!± and the knight has nothing better than returning with 1 2 . . . ltl f6. White's bishop can now reroute to a3 , but only after 1 3 .h3, preventing . . . �g4 (thus securing the d4-square) .

Sending ripples towards the h7 -square.

18 ... h6 19 ..ib3 �h7

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23.i.xc2t g6 24..ie5 26.gg3+-

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Thus we can toss 9 . . . Wc7? into the ocean.

Theory II - l l. .. ig4 12.h3 ih5 13.g4

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1 3.g4 .ig6 The bold 1 3 . . . ltl xg4 fails to impress: I 4.hxg4 �xg4 I S .c;f;>g2 Wh8 I 6.�h l ±

l .e4 cS 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.clihc3 d6 s.tLlf3 e6 6 ..ic4 ltlc6 7.0-0 llJf6 8.�e2 .ie7 9J��dl eS 9 . . . �d7 I O.ltlb5 Wb8 l l .�f4 ltle5 Karaklaic ­ Gravseth, corr. 1 957. ( I I .. .e5 1 2.�g5 a6 1 3.�xf6 gxf6 1 4.ltlc3�) 1 2.ltlxd6t!?N Compared to page 59, Black has the extra move . . . �d7, but still the sacrifice is decent. 1 2 . . .�xd6 1 3.�xd6 Wxd6 I 4.ltlxe5 We7 ( 1 4 . . . iWb6 1 5.�d l a6 1 6.ltlxd7 ltlxd7 1 7.�d6 intending e4-e5 with full compensation) 1 5 .�d I 0-0 Black may as well return the material. ( 1 5 . . . �d8 I 6.ltlxd7 ltlxd7 1 7.�d6 with a dangerous initiative) 1 6.ltlxd7

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White dominates the d5-square, and plans to either double rooks on the h-file, or reroute

Chapter 2

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73

The Scheveningens

for defense via 'I.Wd l and �e2. 16 . . .f5?! 1 7 .�e6! We8 1 8.E!.xh7t! Crashing through. 1 8 . . . �xh7 1 9.E!.h l t �h5 ( 1 9 . . . �g6 20.exf5t �xf5 2 1 .lLlxe5t li'lxe5 22.'1Wh5t �f6 23.'1Wxf5#) 20.ltJxe5! lLlxe5 2 l .E!.xh5t �g6 22.exf5t �f6 23.lLl d5#

14.lLl h4! I found this powerful idea in 2004 and have used it countless times in blitz/rapid, always obtaining strong results. At a glance it seems that White drops material, but Black cannot tactically exploit this strategically significant move. Nowadays, the top engines agree that this is White's best course after l l . . . �g4.

Morra variation!) 1 5 . . . hxg6 1 6.a3 a6 1 7 .�a2;!; With a lasting light-squared bind.

1 5.a3!? I have habitually played the aggressive 1 5 . ltJ f5 in these positions, but against p recise defense here, it may not be best: 1 5 . . . �xf5 1 6.exf5 If Black is not alert, he will get run over by g5-g6. I6 . . . h6 1 7.a3 a6 Now the violent pawn storm 1 8 . h4?! b 5 1 9.�b3 ltJ d7+ is easily weathered, so White should play any calm move like 1 8 .�a2;!;.

1 5 ... lLl e8 1 5 . . . ltJ d7 1 6.ltJxg6 hxg6 1 7. ltJ b 5 ! Eyeing the d6-pawn promises White an advantage.

16.lLlxg6! 1 6. lLl f5?! allows Black to solve the problem of his bishop with 1 6 . . . �g5 .

16 ... hxg6

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••

1 4 . . . �xe4?? 1 5 .g5!+- must be a blind spot for my opponents, as I 've won like this in blitz probably a dozen times, even against titled players. So is 14 . . . ltJ xe4?? 1 5 .lLlxg6 lLl xc3 1 6.lLlxe7t +-. 14 . . . ltJ d7!? Here, and in this whole variation, you must decide whether to play for long-term positional pressure after taking the g6-bishop, or for a kingside pawn assault after bringing the knight to f5 . In this exact position, both moves promise an advantage, bur at other moments, perhaps only the stable exchange on g6 suffices. 1 5 . ltJ xg6 ( 1 5 .lLl f5 ! ? �xf5 1 6.exf5 E!.c8 1 7.'1Wd2 lLl b6 1 8 .�fl ;!; For all you positional grinders out there, this may be your

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The key subtlety, j ustifying the plan with 1 5 .a3 and 1 6. lLl xg6. White must keep the e7bishop submerged.

17 ... ll:k7 IS.liJdS lLlxdS 20.@g2;!;

1 9.hd5 �d7

White's positional pressure endures deep into the middlegame.

74

Mayhem in the Morra

Theory Ill ­ l l ie6 12.b4!?

Esserman - Bartell analysis. The following gives a flavor of how Black may be outplayed.

..•

I .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 d6 5.�f3 e6 6 ..ic4 � c6 7.0-0 �f6 8.tve2 .ie7 9J:ldl e5 IO..te3 0-0 I U�acl i.e6 This leads to some of the sharpest, unexplored waters in the main line. Let's take a brief look.

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1 6.a4 lt:l bd7 1 7.a5 �c8 1 8 .i.b3 �xc l 1 9 .�xc l lt:le8?! Rushing to prepare the standard ... f5 proves fatal. 20.V;Vb 5 ! b6 2 l .i.a4 lt:l ef6 22.a6 �e8 23 .Wc6 V;Vb8 24.Wb7 V;Vxb7 2 5 . axb7 �b8 26.�c8t i.f8 27.i.c6+-

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12 ... �xb4!?

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1 2 . . . i.xc4 1 3 .V;Vxc4 �c8 I 4.V;Vb3� with a gripping bind, as in the . . . i.g4 variations. 12 . . . �g4!? 1 3 .i.d2! lLl f6 1 3 . . . lt:lxb4 Playing the knights to g4 and b4 is certainly not very "human" chess. 1 4.i.xe6 fxe6 1 5 .Wc4 lLl xf2 ( 1 5 . . . d 5 ! ? 1 6.exd5 lLl xf2 l ?.xf2 �c8 1 8 .V;Yg4 lLld3t 1 9 . � fl lt:l xc l 20.Wxe6t � h 8 2 l .�xc l 00) 1 6.V;Vxe6t �h8 l ?.xf2 lt:ld3t 1 8 .�e2 lLl xc i t 1 9 .�xc l �c8 20.lLld5 �xc l 2 I .i.xc l ;l; The chaos has subsided, and White retains his bind. 1 4.lLld5! 1 4.i.e3= I 4 . . . i.xd5 1 4 . . . i.g4 1 5 .i.c3oo 1 5 .exd5 lt:\ b800 Another structure familiar to us from the

13.�xe5! After his gutsy 1 2th move, Black gets the violent struggle he seeks. 1 3 .i.xe6 fxe6 1 4. lt:l xe5 will j ust lead to a transposition after 1 4 . . . �c8 or I 4 . . . V;Va5 , but playing the knight forward first gives Black an extra chance to go wrong. 8

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Chapter 2

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75

The Scheveningens

13 .. J�c8 1 3 . . . .ixc4? 1 4. lt'l xc4! is great for White as e4-e5! busts through. 13 . . . '1Wa5 1 4 . .ixe6 fxe6 1 5 . lt'l f3!� White will sink the knigh t into e6. Black can prevent the incursion via 1 5 . . . lt'l g4, but then after 1 6 . .id2, he faces a whole new cast of problems.

never anticipated that I would become such a Morra "maniac" . Sorry, Calvin, I apologize, but in the following game I hope to vindicate your teaching philosophy. Observe the striking similarities between this game, which I leave largely unannotated for your quiet study, and the ideas we have j ust absorbed.

Marc Esserman - John Fedorowicz US Chess Leag ue, Internet 2011

14.Le6 fxe6 I S.ll:H3 8

l .e4 cS 2.lt'l0 lt'lc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.c!Llxd4 c!Ll f6 S.c!lJc3 e S 6.c!lJdb5 d6 7.i.g5 a6 8.c!Lla3 b S 9.c!lJd5

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White aims for the creaking e6-square with another attacking wave. Possible continuations are: a) 1 5 . . . lt'l g4?! 1 6. lt'l d4! lt'l xe3 1 7.lt'lxe6± 'Wb6 1 8 .fxe3 Ei:fe8 (I 8 . . . Ei:f6 1 9 .lt'ld5+-) 1 9 .lt'l a4 'WaS 20.2"i:xc8 Ei:xc8 2 1 .'1Wg4 'We5 (2 l . . .g6 22. lt'l f4 crashing on g6) 22.lt'lxg7!+b) 1 5 . . . '1Wd7 is not met by 1 6.e5? lt'l fd5+, but with the simple 16 . .ixa7± . c) 1 5 . . . d5 1 6. lt'l g5 !� Perhaps more than any other Morra variation, the main line contains themes that will directly enrich your Open Sicilian play. When my coach, IM Blocker, first taught me the Morra, he placed particular emphasis on the main line and the fight for the d5-square, using it (and the entire opening) as a stepping stone to more fully appreciate the vast Open Sicilian. He

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76

Mayhem in the Morra

18 .. .i.xh4 19.g3 .ig5 20.£4 exf4 2 1 .gxf4 .ih4t 22.i>fl f5 23.b4! fxe4 24.gah2 g5

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25.e2!! gb7 26.b5 �e5 27.fxe5 dxe5 28.Wb l

2s Vfd6

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•••

2 8 . . . g f4 ! ? 2 9 . l2J xf4 exf4 3 0 . Wxe4 ge7 3 l .gxh4! gxh4 (3 l . . . gxe4 3 2 .gxh7#) 3 2 .Yfxf4+-

29.Yfxe4 gbf7 30.gxh4 gxh4 3 1 .gxh4 gg7 32 .id3 1-0 •

Chapter 3 The Scheveningens II

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l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.ttlxc3 ttl c6 s . ttl a d6 6.j\c4 e6 7.0-0 7 . . . i.e7 8.�e2 a6 9.�d l �c7 10.i.f4! 7 . . . lt:'l f6 8.�e2 a6 9.�d l �c7 10.i.f4! 1 0 . . . lt:'l e5?! l l .Ji.b5t! ± 1 0 . . . i.e7 l l .e5!?(?!)+ l l .�ac l ! 0-0 12.Ji.b800

83 85 78, 85 79 82, 88 79, 91

78

Mayhem i n the Morra

When the "Magician from Riga'' waves his wand in the Morra, even the sea itself will part.

Mikhail Tal - Neibult USSR 1 991

l .e4 cS 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 �c6 s.�f3 d6 6.�c4 e6 7.0-0 �f6 s.Yfe2 a6 9J�1dl Yfc7 IO.J.f4! The bishop assumes its natural post in the . . . a6/ . . . Vf!c7 Scheveningen, riding the crest of the h2-b8 diagonal. Fearing for his queen's safety, Neibult cements the e5-hole, but leaves the c-file channel wide open.

lO ... �eS?!

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1 5 . .ixe5!+- ( 1 5 . tLl c7t±) 1 5 . . . Vf!xe5 1 6. tLl c7t 'it>ffi 1 7. tLl xa8 .id7 1 8 Jhd7! Smashing the last reserves. 1 8 . . . tLl xd7 1 9.Yfc8t .id8 20.Vf!xd8# We shall analyze this novelty more deeply in the theoretical section on page 8 5 . Tal allows the e5-blockade to endure, but will use his genius to break through nevertheless.

l l ...i.e7 1 2J:�acl The Morra rooks are ready to rock and roll.

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While surfing the thunderous waves of the Morra, even history's most legendary tactician may miss a sparkling combination. After the shocking l l ..ib5t!N, Tal would have immediately crashed through: l l . . .axb 5 1 2.tLlxe5! dxe5 1 3 .tLlxb5!± White storms forward and Black's entire queenside will soon fall. For example: 1 3 . . . V!! b 8 1 4.V!! c 4! .ie7

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12 Yfb8 13.�d4!

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..•

The cavalry charges into the center, making way for the barricade-busting f2f4 pawn storm . By simultaneously avoiding exchanges, Tal maintains full-scale attacking possibilities .

1 3 . . . 0-0 14 .ig3 � ed7? •

Chapter 3

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The Scheveningens I I

Black must continue his development - a very tense fight would lie ahead after: 1 4 . . . i.d7 1 5 .f4 ll:\ c6oo

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20.Yfxc5! The great wizard strikes!

20 ... �xd5 15.£4! As his pieces drown amongst themselves, Neibult desperately lashes out and quickly sinks.

20 . . . ll:\ xc5 2 I .liJ xf6t gxf6 2 2.gd8t ges 23.!!xe8#

2 l ,gxd5 Always leave a queen hanging when you can - the crowd will love you for it.

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22 . . . 'kt>h8 23.i.xf4! 'Wxf4 24.'Wxc8t gxc8 2 5 . gxc8t ll:\f8 26.gxf8#

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23J::l xd7 hd7 24.he6 a

15 ... e5?

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Opening up the floodgates for Tal's suddenly swarming forces (b3-bishop, f5- and d5knights, and c4-queen} .

16.�5+- ges 17.Yfc4! d5 1 8.�xd5 .leSt 19.ctt> h 1 ge6

1-0

Milan Matulovic - Aleksandar Bradvarevic Yugoslavia (ch} , Sombor 1 9 5 7

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 5.�f3 d6 6 .ic4 e6 7 ..1£4 a6 8.0-0 .ie7 9.Yfe2 � £6 l O.gfd1 Yfc7 •

Over 50 years ago, Grandmaster Matulovic, the fi rst master of the Morra, correctly spotted the clearest way to navigate the . . . a6/ . . . 'Wc7 Scheveningen waters. White's rook springs to c l , his bishop drops back to b3, and ll:\ c3-d5 threatens to shatter the fortress.

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u .gac1 0-0 12 ..ib3 gds

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And ll:\ c6t will win the stranded black queen finally.

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Black must not allow the ll:\d5 blow, and instead should send his queen drifting with the awkward 1 2 . . . 'Wb8!?00, which we exhaustively analyze in the theoretical section.

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Mayhem i n the Morra

17 ...hc6 1S..ia4 .i£8 19.hc6 gabS 20.b3 aS 2 1 .�a6 � d7 22.h3 gb4 23.hd7 �xd7 24.�d2 �bS 25.�a7 ge4 26.�xa5 �xaS 27.ha5 gas 2S.b4 dS 29.a3 gc4 30.i>fl f6 3 1 .i>e2 gest 32.i>f3 geeS 33.gxc4 dxc4 34.gds gxdS 35.�xdS .id6 36.i>e4 �eS 37.a4 i>f7 3S.a5 c3 39.i>d3 1-0

Marc Esserman Anya Corke -

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13.tiJdS! exdS 14.exd5 h6 1 5.dxc6 bxc6 Note how all of White's pieces, especially his rooks and bishops, now flow freely towards their targets. Black may have extra pawns in the center, but they will be subjected to a ferocious assault.

16.tlJd4± �b7 1 6 . . . c5!? 1 7. tlJ c6! Wxc6 1 8 .Wxe7 and the queen and bishops plunder on f7 or d6.

Harvard (blitz) 20 1 1

50 years later, on the streets of Harvard Square, Matulovic's plan endures the sands of time.

l .e4 cS 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 s.�£3 d6 6 ..ic4 e6 7 ..if4 a6 S.O-O .ie7 9.�e2 tiJ f6 l O.gfdl �c7 l l .gad 0-0 12 ..ib3 ges 1 2 . . . tiJ h 5 ! ? forces White to redirect the bishop, which alleviates but does not prevent the onslaught: 1 3 .�d2 tiJ f6 1 4 .tlJd5±

1 3.�d5 exdS 14.exd5

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Washing away the last obstacle of c-file resistance. White's powerful bishops and heavy artillery now loot the wreckage of Black's position. A flawless performance by Matulovic in the infancy of Morra theory.

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Under pressure from Matulovic's powerful knight sacrifice and my lightning-speed moves, Corke's defenses crack. But Black's position is already waterlogged.

Chapter 3

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81

The Scheveningens I I

1 4. . .iffi 1 5 ."\Wc2! Increasing the stream of c-file force. 1 5 . . . ig4 1 6. dxc6 E:ac8 ( 1 6 . . . bxc6?! 1 7.Wxc6 Wxc6 1 8 .E:xc6±) 1 7.cxb7 �xb7 1 8 .Wd3 E:xc l 1 9 .E:xc l t With nagging positional pressure.

1 6 .. �xf7 17.�g5t 1-0 .

Black resigned, faced with 17 ... � £8 1 8 .We6! ( 1 8 . lD e6t+-) 1 8 . . . id8 1 9.ixd6t We7 20."\Wf7# or 1 7 . . . �g6 1 8 .Wd3t � h 5 1 9. lD e6 "\Wd7 20.llJxg7t �g4 2 1 .Wg3#.

14 . . . llJxd 5 ! ? 1 5 .ixd5 ig4 1 6."\Wc4 ih5

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1 5 . . . bxc6 1 6.lDg5! and f7 bursts: 1 6 . . . lDd5 1 7.ixd5 ixg5 1 8 .ixf7t �xf7 1 9.Wh5t �g8 20."\Wxg5± 8

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Lastly, before embarking on the theoretical section of the chapter, we shine light on a move which you must carry in your Morra beach bag, regardless of whether you decide to unleash its torrential energy on an unsuspecting opponent.

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cx:d4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 d6 5.�6 e6 6 ..lc4 �c6 7.0-0 a6 s.Yfe2 �f6 9J:ldl Yfc7 l O ..i£4 .ie7 l l .e5!?

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1 7.llJd4!?t (or even the rousing 1 7.g4!? ig6 1 8 .llJd4t) and White's forces swell violently.

15.dxc6 hc6

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Now the rip tide drags the black king permanently under.

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82

Mayhem i n the Morra

The most violent, direct approach, ripping apart the Scheveningen structure at its seams. Black must now find an unnatural only move, or else his position combusts immediately.

1 6J!d3 ! ? i.d7 17 .l'!g3 i.c6 ( 1 7 ... g6oo) 1 8 .�d2! �h8? ( 1 8 . . . g6) 1 9.�g5 ! +- !!g8

I I . .. dxeS?! l l . . . tLl h 5 ! stalls White's streaming piece flow, as 1 2.exd6?! lLl xf4 1 3 .dxc7 lLlxe2t+ neutralizes the swells, and after . . . i.d7 and .. .!k8, Black will regain his extra pawn with ease. Instead, White must muddy the waters and sacrifice two pawns with 1 2 .i.g5 ! , reaching a choppy position which we painstakingly wade through later in Hague - Plaskett (see page 87) . Oh the seductive siren l l .e5!?, for j ust one slip, and the sturdy Scheveningen shatters.

12.«�he5± tll xe5 13 ..ixe5 �aS 14.a3! 0-0 15.b4 �b6

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Now I won sloppily with 20.l'!h3 !!ad8 2 I .i.d3 !!xd3 22.!!xd3+- in one such encounter. But the smooth 20.i.d3! brushes Black aside: 20 . . . !!ad8 (20 . . . h6 2 l .l'!h3 lLl h7 22.'Wxh6+-) 2 1 .�xh7! Crashing through. 2 1 . . . tLl xh7 22.i.xg7t !!xg7 23 .'Wxg7# But instead of 1 6.!!d3, whose success is not guaranteed without Black's mistake on the 1 8th move, that slippery fish Rybka swims its way to a decisive advantage with 1 6.!!ac l .

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In such fluid Morra positions (when White's central e-pawn exchanges for Black's d-pawn) , the gambiteer must possess heavy piece pressure to obtain sufficient compensation for the pawn. During my frequent blitz exploits in this position, I have routinely flaunted my superior freedom of movement to swing the rook from d l -d3-g3/h3 for decisive action.

I6J!acl!±

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The Morra rooks assume their posts, spraying into the open board. Black's queenside starts to sink ( 1 6 . . . i.d7? 1 7.i.xf6+-) , and the queen herself falls next.

83

Chapter 3 - The S cheveningens I I

16 .. J�d8 17.�a4!

9.gdl Yfc7 10.i.f4 � e5?!

Chase, chase, chase the queen until she drops.

This position, which featured in German IM Langrock's 2006 book "The Modern Morra Gambit" , may look the same as the Tal - Neibult game, but it is not! Here the black bishop stands on e7 and the knight on g8, whereas in Tal's Morra miniature the knight stood on f6 and the bishop on f8. A slight detail, and while the themes may be the same (crashing through on the c-file} , the precise tactical execution in each position distinctly differs.

17...Yfc6

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With 1 9 . . .'�e8 she may save herself, only to leave her rook stranded: 20.lLlb6 �a7 2 I ..ib8+-

20.hb5 Yfe4 2 1 .Yfxe4 �xe4 22.�b6 ga5 23.a4!+And the black bishop lies at the mercy of the storm. Come now, and bring your boards as we ride the waves of theoretical analysis through the . . . a6/ . . . Vff c7 Scheveningen, and you can ultimately decide which move ( 1 I .e5!? or l l .�ac l ) you wish to surf.

Theory I - IO.)L�e5 (with !e7} •••

Before we get to the main lines, first we must dismiss any notion that Black can plug the gaps with an early . . . lL\ e 5 .

l .e4 c 5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 d6 5.�f3 e6 6 ..ic4 � c6 7.0-0 a6 8.Yfe2 .ie7

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Quickly giving up the bishop followed by a c-file invasion leads to success, whereas in the position from Tal's game, it does not yield a clear advantage.

l l . .. dxe5 1 2.gacl!± White can also sacrifice immediately: 1 2 . .ib5 t ± Langrock highlights games stemming from this, although correctly noting that 1 2 .�ac 1 works as well . I will quickly summarize his sources. 1 2 . . . ® f8 Langrock gives the vanatton: 1 2 . . . axb 5 1 3 . lLl xb 5 Vff a 5 1 4.�ac l lLl f6 1 5 . lLl c7t ® f8 1 6. lLl xa8 Vff x a8 1 7.Vff c 4! .id7 1 8 .�xd7! Note that this same tactic will appear in the

84

Mayhem i n the Morra

Tal - Neibult analysis as well. 1 8 . . . llJ xd7 1 9.'\Wc8t+1 3 .E:ac l White achieves a decisive attack. 1 3 . . . axb5 1 4.llJxb 5 V;Va5 1 5 .E:c7! b6 1 6.llJxe5 1 6.E:xe7 also wins. 1 6 . . . .ia6 1 6 . . . f6 1 7.E:d8t! .ixd8 1 8 .E:f7t c.t>e8 1 9 . llJ d6# Roselli - Tereschenko, corr. 1 972. l ?.V;Vh5 ! g6

c.t>g8 24.V;Vxe6t c.t>g? 2 5 .V;Jf7t c.t>h6 26.V;Jf6t llJ g6 27.llJ f7# The natural 1 2.E:ac 1 , delaying the sac for later, seems cleaner to me, but it's a matter of taste.

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1 8 .E:xe7! A gorgeous finish. 1 8 . . . llJxe7 If 1 8 . . . �xe7 then 1 9.E:d7t silences. 1 9.V;Vh6t �g8 1 9 . . . c.t>e8 20.llJ c7# 20.llJd7 f6 2 l .llJxf6t c.t>f7

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1 2 � £6 1 2 . . . V;Va5 1 3 . .ib5 t transposes t o the above lines. ...

After 1 2 . . . V;Vb8 White again wins with 1 3 .�b5t!+-, or with the more spectacular: 1 3. llJ a4! b5 1 4 . .ixb5 t axb 5 1 5 .E:xc8t! V;Vxc8 1 6.V;Vxb 5 t c.t>f8 1 7. llJ b6 V;Va6 1 8 . llJ d7t c.t>e8 1 9. llJ f6t c.t>f8 8

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22.llJ h5! 1 -0 Jansen - Hadley, corr. 1 998. After 22 . . . gxh 5 Black is quickly mated: 23.llJd6t

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20.V;Vest E:xe8 2 1 .llJ d7# ,t, d7 1 3 ."Ll r:.. b 5 ! A standard Morra c-fil e 1 2 . .� clearance theme, already seen in Esserman .

Chapter 3 - The Scheveningens I I - Ehlvest on page 34, re-emerges. 1 3 . . . Wfb8 ( 1 3 ... axb5 1 4.:1!xd7!) 1 4.:1!xd7 �xd7 1 5 .Wfd2t id6 ( 1 5 . . . �e8 1 6. llJ c7t! �f8 1 7. llJ xa8 Wfxa8 1 8 .i.xe6 fxe6 1 9.Wfd7+-) 8

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Theory II - IO ... �e5 (with ... �f6) I .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 5.�f3 d6 6.J.c4 e6 7.0-0 � f6 8.Yl¥e2 a6 9J�dl Yf!c7 I O.J.f4 � e5?!

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1 6.llJxd6 Wfxd6 1 7. llJ xe5t �e7 1 8 .Wfxd6t 'it>xd6 1 9.llJxf7t+-

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Now, fully armed with these motifs, we can more easily appreciate Tal 's missed opportunity, and more importantly, not confuse the two positions!

l l .J.xe 5 ? ! Th i s does n o t work here, a s Black can simultaneously develop his bishop and blunt the c-file pressure. l l . . . dxe5 1 2.ib 5 t ? 1 2 .:i:!ac l WaS 1 3 .i.b 5 t i.d7 and Black j ust holds, as he can now block the check, a resource unavailable to him in the previous analysis (without . . . llJ f6 ) . 1 4.i.xd7t llJxd7= 1 2 . . . axb5 ! 1 3 . llJ xb 5 Wb6! 1 4.:1!ac l i.c5 ! Black readies t o castle a s the tactics now work in his favor. 1 5 .b4 8

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86

Mayhem in the Morra

1 5 . . . ixf2t! The subtle difference in move order. 1 6.i>fl 0-0 And Black was winning in Szava - L. Kovacs, Hajduboswrmeny 1 996. Such nuances reveal the importance of understanding each ripple of the position i n our rich game.

1 5 . . . d 5 is no better:

l l ... axb5 Now White busts through. Declining the sacrifice does not lessen the never-ending piece current flowing Black's way. I give some highlights. l l . . .lLlc6 1 2.e5!± l l . . .id7 1 2.ixd7t! lLl fxd7 1 2 . . . lLl exd7 1 3 .e5± 1 3 .l:'!ac l

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1 6.E:xd 5 ! exd5 1 7. lLl xd 5 +- '1Wxb2 1 8 . ltJ c7t i>d8 1 9.e6 fxe6 20.lLlxe6t i>e8 2 1 . lLl c7t i>d8 22.E:d l E:c8 23 .E:xd7t ! Bulldozing. 23 . . . i>xd7 24.'\Wd 5 t i>e7 2 5 .'\Wd6t i>f7 26.'\We6# 1 6.ixe5 dxe5 1 7.E:d7! 8

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1 3 . . . lLl xf3t a) 1 3 . . . '\Wc4 1 4.ixe5 '1Wxe2 1 5 . lLl xe2 lLl xe5 1 6.lLlxe5 dxe5 1 7.E:c7 b 5 1 8 .E:dd7± and White's pigs splash on the 7th. b) 1 3 . . . '1Wa5 1 4.ltJxe5 lLl xe5 1 5 .b4! '1Wxb4 1 6.ixe5 dxe5 1 7.'1Wd3 Heavy piece high tide. 1 7 . . . '1Wd4 1 8 .'1Wg3± c) 1 3 . . . lLl c6 gives White a pleasant choice between 1 4.b4± and 1 4. lLl d 5 ± . 1 4.'\Wxf3 '1Wb6 1 5 .e5! Get a front row seat as the Scheveningen structure tumbles. 1 5 . . . lLlxe5

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Tossing the king into the water! 1 7 . . . i>xd7 1 7 . . . ie7 1 8 .E:xb7+1 8 .'\Wxf7t Ae7 1 9. lLl a4! '1Wb5 2 0 . lLl c 5 t i>d8 20 . . . i>d6 2 1 .'1Wxe6t +2 1 .lLlxe6t i>d7 2 2.E:c7t+What a rush.

1 2.«�he5!± dxe5 1 3.�xb5 Now, after the proper tactical execution, the themes from the previous analysis will sharply resonate.

Chapter 3

-

87

The Scheveningens I I

1 8.�xa8 �xa8 19 .ig5+­ .

Razing the last barricade.

19 ... c;f?es 20 ..ixf6 gxf6 8

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13 ...�a5

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1 3 . . . 'Wb8 1 4.'Wc4! i.e7 ( 1 4 . . . exf4 1 5 . tLl c7t �e7 [ 1 5 . . .'Wxc7 1 6.'Wxc7±] 1 6.'Wb4#) 1 5 .ixe5! 'Wxe5 1 6. tLl c7t �f8 1 7.tLlxa8 .id7 1 8 J!xd7! Remember? 1 8 . . . tLl xd7 1 9 .'Wc8t .id8 20.'Wxd8#

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2 U�xd7! c;f?xd7 22.�b5t c;f?ds 23.�d3t c;f?es 24J3c7 +The pig bathes on the 7th yet again.

14 ..id2! The weary queen never rests.

24...�a4 25J3c8t c;f?e7 26.�d8# 14...�b6 Now we are ready to . . . a6/ . . . Wc7 theory.

1 4 . . . .ib4 1 5 . .ixb4 Wxb4 1 6. tLl c7t± 8

Theory III

7

6

l l .e5!?

Ben Hague - Jim Plaskett

5

West Bromwich 2005

4

The fact that Black, an experienced grandmaster, goes down violently against an FM even after playing the best defense, shows j ust how dangerous the swashbuckling l l .e 5 ! ? can b e in practice.

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l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 5.�f3 e6 6.i.c4 d6 7.0-0 �f6 8.�e2 �c7 9J3dl li.e7 I O.j.f4 a6

No . . . ic5 blunting this time.

15 ...�a5

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surf mainstream

1 6J:�acl

j.d7

17.�c7t

c;f?ds

88

Mayhem i n the Morra before he castles. 1 6 . . . axb 5 1 7 . .ixb5 t �f8 1 8 .�ac l Wa5 ( 1 8 . . . %'i'b6 1 9 .�xc8t+-)

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l l .e5!? �h5! 12.i.g5! dxe5?!

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Black should exchange the bishops first as we shall see below, but even then the defense remains murky.

13.he7 �£4 14.�e4

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1 9 .%'i'b4!+- White weaves a sparkling net, catching a king. 1 9 . . . �g8 20.ll'lxg6 hxg6 2 1 .Wxe7 Wxb5 22 .g4!! Threatening mates using the back rank and the h-file! 2 2 . . . .id7 23.�xd7 �f8 24.Wxf8t ! �xf8 2 5 .�c8# 1 6. ll'l xg6 hxg6 1 7.�d4-+

1 5.g3 Both sides are swimming through the chaos now. Black stays two pawns up, but his king remains lost at sea.

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14 ... xe7

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1 4 . . . %'fxe7 maintains castling privileges, but gives back one of his two extra pawns and leads to shipwreck: 1 5 .ll'l xe5 ll'l xe5 1 6.Wxe5 ll'lg6 ( 1 6 . . . Wf6 1 7 . .ib5t! axb 5 1 8 .Wxb 5 t �f8 1 9.%'i'b4t �g8 20.ll'le4! Wh4 2 l .g3+- forces catastrophe after, for example, 2 1 . . . ll'l h3t 22.�fl .) 1 7.Wxg7± 1 4 . . . ll'lxe7 1 5 .ll'lxe5 ll'l eg6 1 5 . . . ll'l fg6 1 6. ll'l b 5 ! Black must be punished

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1 5 ... tll g6 16.h4 f5 17.�e3 e4 18.�c5t A strong alternative is to launch the attack immediately with: 1 8 .ll'lg5!?

89

Chapter 3 - The Scheveningens I I This would have ushered i n a tsunami-like attack. I 'll show some pearls.

1 8 ... �e8 1 9.�d4 No matter what the computer may say, such positions are extremely disturbing in the heat of battle (and for machines too, not j ust mortals) . Although he defends admirably, eventually Plaskett succumbs to the Morra's insatiable lust.

19 ... Yfe5 20.Yfb6 c!Llge7 2 1 .�ce2 �f7 22.f4 Yfa5 23.Yfb3 � d8 24J�acl

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1 8 . . . Wa5 1 8 . . . h6? 1 9.Wc5t 'it> f6 20. tLl xe6! (or 20. tLl d5t! exd5 2 1 .E:xd5 +-) 20 . . . .ixe6 2 1 . tLl d5t! .ixd5 22.E:xd 5 +- The black king suffers from heavy exposure. 1 8 . . . tLl ce5 1 9 . .ib3 ( 1 9 . .ixe6!± also leads to mayhem - swim at your own risk!) h6 20.:!'l:ac l !± With ravaging sacrifices on e4 or e6 to follow. 1 9.b4!--+ 'Wxb4 1 9 . . . tLl xb4 20. tLl xe6! .ixe6 2 l .'Wg5t 'it>f7 22.:!'l:d7t! ±

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+ is the assessment from the "Fish" (Rybka} , but I doubt Plaskett felt that way in the game.

24.. J:�e8 24 . . . b 5 2 5 . .ixe6t!--+

25.�h2 � ec6? The correct defense is 25 . . . b 5 !-+ only now, as Plaskett's previous move has bolstered the e6-breach: 26 . .ixe6t .ixe6 27. tLl xe6 tLl xe6 28.E:d6 tLl g6 29.E:cc6 tLl gffi! Please forgive the grandmaster for missing these maneuvers under pressure.

26.g4 �xd4 27.�xd4 �f8 28.gxf5 exf5

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20 . .ixe6! .ixe6 2 1 .E:ab l ! The tanks rage forward. 2 l . . .'Wc4 22.E:xb7t 'it> f6 22 . . . 'it>ffi 23.Wc5t! Wxc5 24. tLl xe6t+22 . . . 'it>e8 23.E:d6! .ic8 24.E:xg7+- and the Morra rooks have an exotic feast. 23. tLl gxe4t fXe4 24.Wg5#

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The end is near.

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29 .lg8! h6 30 .lh7! •

•

Penetrating the kingside by highly original means.

90

Mayhem in the Morra

30 .. .'t!le7 3 U::! xc8!+- gxc8 32.�xf5t q,f6 32 .. .r.t>f8 33 .VMg8#!

33.Wfg3! White's queen swims the freestyle in the open water.

33 ...Wfxf5 34.i.xf5 q,xf5 35.Wfh3t q,f6 36.Wfxc8 e3 37J::! xd8

VMxg3 1 9. hxg3 llJ xc4 20.gxf4 @e? 2 l .l'!ac l li.d7 22.l'!xc4 l'!xa8 23 .l'!c7 l'!b8 24.l'!d3 @d8 2 5 .l'!dc3 and Black cannot dislodge the rook. 1 7. llJ b6 llJ f4 1 8 .Wffi oo A hilarious position, depending o n your sense of humor. 1 8 . . . llJ g4?! 1 9 .l'!d4!

A wildly entertaining game, showcasing the practical power of l l .e5!?.

1-0

Theory N -

ll.eS!? �hS! 12.ig5! ixgS!

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 5.�6 e6 6..ic4 d6 7.0-0 �f6 8.Wfe2 Wfc7 9.Eldl li.e7 10.Ii.f4 a6 l l .e5!? � h5! 12 ..ig5! hg5! 13.�d5! 1 3 .llJxg5 ?! llJ f4 1 4 .VMe3 dxe5+ Black must pass through these rough waters if he wishes to set foot ashore after l l .e 5 . 8

7

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White dramatically stops Black's looming . . . llJh3t then . . . llJ e3t trick by setting up the remarkable l'!g4! interference. Not exactly what the old masters had in mind when they spoke of "piece coordination" . . . 1 9 . . . e5 20.l'hf4! Wxf4 2 l .g3 VMf5

6 5

4 3

2

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13 ...Wfd8 14.�xg5 �f4!

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The immediate recapture is less convincing: 14 . . . VMxg5?! 1 5 .llJ c7t @f8 1 6.llJxa8 llJ xe5 16 ... llJ f4!? and my intuition says Black should get the better ending an exchange down for two pawns, but the situation remains muddled: 1 7.Wf3 llJ xe5 1 8 .VMg3

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22.l'!c l ± Th e bishop sinks again. 22 ... 1i.d7 23 .1i.d3 VMe6 24.l'!c7 White penetrates in force.

1 5.Wff3 Wfxg5 1 6.�c7t q,d7

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91

Chapter 3 - The Scheveningens I I Black reaches a superior version of the vananon we saw above, with the black king fully engaged in the fight. The similar 16 . . . @d8 ! ? is also possible.

17.�xa8 �xe5 1 8.VlYg3 VlYxg3 1 9.hxg3 �xc4 20.gxf4

Theory V - I I J!acl 0-0 12.ib3 9b8!? l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 5.�6 d6 6..ic4 e6 7.0-0 � f6 8.YlYe2 a6 9.gdl YlYc7 IO.i.f4 i.e7 1 1 .gacl 0-0 12.i.b3 VlYb8!?

8

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6 5

4 3

2 1

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20 ... b5!?i

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Black must play this crouching move to avoid lLl c3-d5 and stay on level terms.

20 . . . d5+

1 3.e5!?

2l .b3 i.b7! 2 1 . . . ltl a5 ? ! 22.l'!ac l 24. ltl a8t! xf7 1 7.�xe7t! 'it>xe7 1 8.�xg7t 'it>d8 1 9.�xh8t 'it>c7 20.�c l t 'it>b6 20 . . . tLl c6 2 l .�xh7+2 l .�d4t 'it>b5 2 l . . .'it>a5 22.�c5t 'it>b6 23.�c6t 'it>a5 24.�b6# White can now go for mate, or instead decide to play a practical joke on the black queenside. 22.a4t bxa3 23 ..ia4t 'it>a5 24.�c5t �xc5 2 5 .�xc5t 'it>xa4 26.�xa3t 'it>b5

h

1 4 . .tg5 !! This lights up the dark, though White can also win brutally with: 1 4.d6 .ixd6 1 5 .Ag5 ! �xg5 1 6.�xd6t tLl e7 1 7.g3 �f6 1 8 .�c7+l 4 . . . �d6 Wisely trying to prevent the inevitable fall of b7, which will now occur over ten moves in the future! 1 4 . . . �xg5 1 5 .�b6! is the point of the deflection. White's queen plops on b6 and together with her rook collects Black's

a

27.�b3t 'it>c5 28 .�xb7 Black's flawed queenside pieces fall like dominoes!

1 14

Mayhem i n the Morra

l3.i.g5! This variation requires the utmost accuracy from both players, as you may have already noticed if you are still with me. One slip on either side and the evaluation can change from +- to -+ or anywhere in between. White must find a way to disturb Black's effective .. J!a6 defensive ideas, and only 1 3 .i.g5, which seeks to soften the black kingside, succeeds.

lt'lxe4 1 9.Wfxh8#) 1 7. lt'lxd6 i.a6 1 8 .1'%e8t! lt'l xe8 1 9.Wfxh8t �e7 20.lt'lf5#

13...£6 Most of the alternatives can be quickly dismissed: 1 3 . . . lt'le7? 1 6.Wfc4+-

1 4.i.xe7t

i.xe7

1 5 .d6

i.f6

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1 4..tf4

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1 3 . . . i.e7? 1 4.Wff4 d6 1 5 .i.xe7t lt'l xe7 1 6. lt'l g5 Wfe8 1 7.i.a4+-

Black has two paths to try and escape the abyss, but both just descend deeper and deeper.

After 1 3 . . . Wfc7? White can choose between 1 4.1'%ac l +- and I 4.1'%e8t! �xe8 1 5 .WI'xg7+-.

1 4...Lf4

1 3 . . . lt'l f6!?

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1 4 . . . 1'%a6 1 5 .1'%e2! It's a bad sign indeed for the defense that White, a piece down, has time for such "calm" maneuvers. Such a move highlights the attacker's complete positional dominance over the opponent. 1 5 . . . g6 ( 1 5 . . . Wfb6 1 6.Wfe4+- or 1 5 . . . lt'l h6 1 6.i.xh6 gxh6 1 7.Wfh4 �g7 1 8 .Wfg4t �f8 1 9.1'%ae l l'%g8 20.1'%e8t Wfxe8 2 1 .1'%xe8t �xe8 22 .Wfxg8t +-) 1 6.1'%ae l �g7 1 7.1'%e8 Wfb6 1 8 .Wfe4!±

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Now White must find the unbelievable 1 4.lt'ld2!N, blasting away at the d6-blockade and working the pin, otherwise his attack comes to a standstill. After this deep retreat, the player down a piece still has excellent prospects. For example: 14 . . . h6 1 5 .i.h4 g5 1 6.lt'le4! and White reasserts dominance. 16 . . . gxh4 ( 1 6 . . . i.e7 1 7.d6+- i.xe4 1 8 .1'%xe4

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Such a coordinated "triple" barrel will destroy anything in its wake. 1 8 . . . i.xf4?! 1 9 .Wi'e7t!!

115

Chapter 4 - Into the Deep More treasures! 1 9 . . . lDxe7 20.!Hxe7t \t> h6 2 1 .!'1xh8 g5 22.!'1hxh7t �g6 23.!'1eg7t �f5 24 . .ic2t \t> g4 25.!'1h4# (or 2 5. h3#)

1 6 . . . a4 1 7 . .ixa4 lD e7 ( 1 7 . . . l"1xa4 1 8 .Wfxb8t �f7 1 9.Wfe8#) 1 8 . .ib3+-

15.Wfxf4± Wfb6 After 1 5 . . . !'1a6 1 6.!'1e3! Black's best efforts will not be enough to contain the boundless attack: 1 6 . . . d6 1 7.lDg5 .ic8 1 8 .!'1ae 1 .id7

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17.l"1c6!!+a

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1 9 ..ia4! One deflection . . . 1 9 . . . Wfc8 20.1Mfc4! . . . and another! 20 . . . fxg5 2 I .Wfxc8t .ixc8 22.!'1e8t �f7 23.!'1xc8+- Black may have avoided direct mate, but remains completely immobilized. 1 5 . . . d6 1 6.lDg5 The virtues of first probing with 1 3 . .ig5 before 1 4 . .if4 are clearly illuminated in these types of variations. 1 6 . . . .ic8 1 7 . .ia4 lDe7 1 8 .!'1e6 The threat of !'1xf6t followed by mate cannot be averted, as moving the e7knight leads to another pitfall. 1 8 . . . lDg6 (or 18 . . . lDxd5) 1 9.1Mfxd6t Wfxd6 20.!'1e8#

16J�acl! Black hopes to re-establish dark-squared control, but White shows j ust how deep the rabbit hole truly goes.24

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0h my!

17... dxc6 1 7 . . . 1Mfd8 He can run, but he can't hide . 1 8.Wfd6t \t> f7 1 9 .!'1b6! .ic8 20.lDd4 lDh6 2 1 .lDe6! 8

7

6 lftl\�.b�

"•uuu/"7��

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16... llJa6

The d5-pawn is everywhere! 2 l . . .dxe6 (2 I . . .Wfe8 22.1Mfg3 lD f5 23 .1Mff3 lDd4 24.lDg5t �g6 2 5 .1Mfd3t \t> xg5 26.h4t+-) 22.dxe6t \t> g6 23.1Mfg3t+-

We're in the darkest of trenches now, and your computers may have already exploded from the pressure below.

18.Wfd6t �f7 19.lLle5t fxe5 20.dxc6t �e8 21.l"1xe5t lLle7 22.Wfxe7#

1 6 . . . lDe7 1 7.d6+-

Silence, sometimes, is best.

1 16

Mayhem i n the Morra

Theory II 1 O d6 -

•••

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.ttlxc3 e6 s.ttla a6 6.Ac4 b5 7 .Ab3 Ab7 s.O-O! b4 9.ttld5! exd5 IO.exd5 d6!?

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1 3 . tLlg5!? Black's position looks wretched on the surface, but White does not have a clear knockout blow. For example: a) 13 ..ta4 �a5 ! b) 1 3.�xb4!? is White's other serious attempt to find an advantage: 1 3 . . . tLl c500 ( 1 3 . . . �b6? 1 4.�f4± a5 1 5 . .te3 �b4 1 6.tLld4 0-0-0 1 7.a3 �b6 1 8 . tLl e6+-) Feel free to keep searching this dark corner, but be warned, you may suffer from dizziness (I certainly am right now) . As a guidepost, I recommend you start with 1 4 . .tf4!?. I have a strong feeling White has an advantage here, but some stones are better left unturned . . .

h

Lastly we take a deeper look at Sarkar's defense 1 0 . . . d6, and see that the game itself may not tell the final story.

llJ�elt! This primitive check, allowing the black king's bishop to develop with ease, may be even stronger than: l l .�d4!? While this proved more than effective in the game, Black can counter with a murky computer defense. l l . . .tLl d7! 1 2.E:e l t 1 2.�xb4 �b6! 1 2 . . . tLle7

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1 4 . . . tLl xb3? ( 1 4 . . . f6!? and 1 4 . . . �d7!? and 1 4 . . . a5!? are a few Black responses worthy of investigation) 1 5 .�xb7 tLlxa l 1 6.�c6t!+1 3 . . . tLlc5

a

1 4.tLle4! tLlxb3 1 5 .�xb4 tLl xa l 1 6.�a4t a

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1 17

Chapter 4 - Into the Deep 1 6 . .if4!? Wfc7! ( 1 6 . . . Wfd7? 1 7. � xd6t 'tt>d 8 1 8 .Wfb6t +-) 1 7.�xd6t 'tt>d 7! Perhaps you can find a win for White, a rook and a piece down, but I have my doubts. 1 8 .Wfa4t .ic6 1 9.dxc6t Wfxc6 20.Wfd l !

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12 ®£80 .•.

1 2 . . . � f6?! 1 3.Wfxb4 Wfc7 1 3 . . . .ic8 1 4 . .if4 transposes to a line we analyzed in the Sarkar game, which favors White after 1 4 . . . 0-0 1 5 .:!::!.xe7 etc.

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I will leave you alone to investigate this wild position if you wish, but we are moving on. White should at least have some sort of perpetual. 1 6 . . . Wfd7 1 7.�xd6t 'tt>d 8 1 8 .� xf7t 'tt>c 8 1 9.Wfc4t Wfc7 20.Wfg4t Wid? 2 1 .Wfc4t= With perpetual check.

II. ...ie7 1 1 . . . � e7? simply loses quickly: 1 2 . .ia4t �d7 1 3 .�g5! Wfa5 1 4.� e4 Wfxd5 1 5 . � xd6t i>d8 1 6. � xf7t+-

12.Yfd4!? 8 7

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All looks OK for Black - he is about to castle. But appearances can be deceptive. 1 4 . .ig5 ! Even the shocking 1 4 . .ih6!? (M!ac l ) yields White the advantage, an indication that there is indeed something rotten in Denmark. Check it out yourselfl The clearer text move, however, with the same idea in mind but without giving up a piece, simply wins. 1 4 . . . 0-0 1 4 . . . � bd7 1 5 .:!::!.a c l � c5 1 6 . .ixf6 gxf6 1 7 . .ia4t 'tt>f8 ( 1 7 . . . 'tt>d 8 1 8 .Wfg4! .ic8 1 9.Wfg7 :!::!.f8 20.Wfxf8 t .ixf8 2 1 .:!::!.e 8#) 1 8 .Wff4 with overwhelming threats. 1 4 . . . a5 1 5 .:!::!.a c l Wfd7 1 6.Wfb6 :!::!.a6 1 7.Wfc7+1 5 .:!::!.ac l Wid? 8

6

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2 1 a

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1 18

Mayhem i n the Morra

16 ..ia4! a5 1 7.Wh4! Swinging to the kingside for the final assault. 1 7 . . . Wd8 1 8 . .ic2+Sometimes, it's best to play for the most elementary mates, especially when there is no defense! 1 8 .c!Lld4!?± is also strong, but less direct.

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

������

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13 .ic8

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...

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1 8 . . . h6 There is no defense: a} 1 8 . . . g6? 1 9.�xe7+b) 1 8 . . . h5 1 9 . .ixf6 .ixf6 20.Wxh5 g6 2 l ..ixg6 fxg6 22.Wxg6t .ig7 (22 .. .'it>h8 23.�c4+- .ic8 24. c!Llg5 ixg5 25.�xc8 Wxc8 26.Wh5t 'ii?g7 27.Wxg5t 'ii?h 8 28.�e7 +-} 23.c!Llg5+c) 1 8 . . . c!Ll bd7 Black's pieces finally develop, but one move too late: 1 9.�xe7! Wxe7 20 . .ixh7t 'ii?h 8 2 l ..id3t 'ii?g 8 22.�c7+­ Renewing the primitive threat on h7 by means of .ixf6. 22 . . . �fe8 23.�xb7+­ (23.ixf6? We 1 t!) 23 . . . �ab8 24 . .ixf6 Wxf6 25 .Wh7t 'it>f8 26.�xd7 +1 9 . .ixh6 gxh6 1 9 . . . g6 20.hg6 No mercy! 20 . . . fxg6 2 1 .Wg3 'ii?h 8 22 . .ixf8 Wxf8 23.c!Ll h4+20.\Wxh6+- �e8 2 1 .c!Llg5 .if8 22 . .ih7t 'ii?h 8 23.c!Ll xf7# It is an important theoretical discovery in this variation that Black cannot respond naturally with 1 2 . . . c!Ll f6, so his king must concede castling privileges.

Black must awkwardly step back with the bishop. More natural moves again fail: 1 3 . . . Wc7?! 1 4 . .if4 a5 1 S .�ac l Wd7 ( 1 S . . . axb4? 1 6.�xc7+- as White strikes on e7 next, followed by hd6.) 1 6.Wb6 �a6 1 7.Wc7 Wxc7 1 8.�xc7 �b6 1 9 .�ec l

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Black's misplaced rook will soon fall. 1 9 . . . lt'l f6 ( 1 9 . . . c!Ll a6 20.�xb7 +-} 20 . .ie3 �b4 2 1 . .id2 �bS 22.�c8t! .ixc8 23 .�xc8t c!Ll e8 24 ..ia4 As we see time and time again, even after the queens are traded the position remains volcanic. 1 3 . . . Wd7?! 14 ..ia4 aS 1 S .Wb3 We? 1 6.if4 tLl a6 1 7 .�ac l Wb8 ( 1 7 . . . tLl cS 1 8 .�xeS)

Chapter 4

-

1 19

Into the Deep

advantage throughout the struggle. Defensive technique may have risen over the last 1 00 years, but not to the point where it can deny the purest of attacks. Morphy and the other masters of the old guard would be overjoyed, for the Romantic school clearly has a firm foothold in the 2 1 st century.

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Sacrificing with tt:l d 5 has a rich history in the Open Sicilian, with perhaps no example as famous as Tal's positional sacrifice vs. Larsen.

Mikhail Tal - Bent Larsen

14..if4! a5 15.YlYa3!CD

Candidates Match (1 0), Bled 1 965

I.e4 c5 v!l�f3 ttlc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.�xd4 e6 5.�c3 d6 6 ..ie3 �f6 7.f4 i.e? 8.YlYf3 0-0 9.0-0-0 flYc7 IO.�db5 flYb8 ll.g4 a6 12.�d4 �xd4 13 ..ixd4 b5 14.g5 �d7 15..id3 b4 16.�d5

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After the natural 1 5 . . . tt:l f6? Black is crushed by 1 6J!xe7+-. If 1 5 . . . .ig4, then 1 6. tt:l d4 with an everlasting bind. But, of course, Black may have other, more creative defenses. I refuse to give a definitive evaluation to such a rich position. Ending this chapter's analysis with the note "unclear" is far more appropriate, thus celebrating chess's infinite complexity.2, All I can say is, if you were brave enough to make it this far into the deep, then you will definitely have more knowledge, and nerve, than your opponent. While the moves of this chapter themselves may only apply to a narrow crevasse of chess theory, the conclusions we draw have far greater implications. White sacrifices a whole piece on move 9, yet easily fights for the

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16 exd5 17.exd5 f5 18J�del gf7 19.h4 .ib7 20..ix£5 gx5 2l.gxe7 ttle5 22.flYe4 YlYf8 23.fxe5 g£4 24.YlYe3 ga 25.YlYe2 YlYxe7 26.YlYxf3 dxe5 27.gel gd8 28.gxe5 YlYd6 29.YlYf4 gf8 30.YlYe4 b3 3l.axb3 gn t 32.®d2 YlYb4t 33.c3 YlYd6 34 ..ic5 flYxc5 35.ge8t gf8 36.YlYe6t ®h8 37.flYf'7 1-0 •..

"l... e6? Stronger is l... cS which wins a

pawn."

- Grandmaster Bent Larsen

Chapter 5 The King in the Windy City the Chicago Defense "This is my city."26 - The Joker

6...b5 7.i.b3 d6 8.0-0 �a7?!±

122, 319

6...d6 7.0-0 'Llc6 8.�e2 b5 9.i.b3 �a7 10.i.e3 �d7 11.�fd1!!--+ 1I...i.b7 12.'Llg5!--+

132 136

1l...i.e7 12.'Llxb5!--+

130, 134

1l...tt:'lf6 12.'Llxb5!--+

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Mayhem i n the Morra

We step back on dry land, but danger remains. Enter the Chicago Defense, a highly optimistic system characterized by an early rook maneuver via a7 to d7, which shields the black queen from the menacing pins on the d-file so often swirling in the gambit.

the first 1 5 moves alive. Thus, the Chicago can only be recommended to those brave souls who get thrills from chasing down tornados.

•-*-E*���.i at :� . .,Y._., j,'lJ!j lJ!j. 'lJ!j

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 e6 s.�a a6 6..ic4 d6 7.0-0 b5 8..ib3 ga7?!

8 7

. . %� �----�!�t �

� : lJ!j.-.!.-� lm %��� �M���J[j · &' lJ!j® �M� � 8/�rj(/��Jt!i

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Marc Essennan - Vadim Martirosov Harvard (blitz) 2008

The Chicago Defense appears in its raw form. As the game continuation will show, Black must first plant his knight on c6 before slipping and sliding with . . . E:a7.

9 ..ie3! White races ahead in a blur, twisting the rook to its desired destination.

�i¥-1:.�

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Like so many other schemes, the Chicago has been touted by its zealous adherents as a solution to Morra mayhem. In fact, after I pummeled an expert in 20 moves in the Chicago in 2007, my opponent lamented that this was the first time he had tasted defeat with the . . . E:a7-d7 setup in over 30 years! Dejected, he vowed to repair his shattered system. No doubt, the breezy Chicago contains some positional logic - Black quells the gambiteer's d-file storm, shifting his rook to d7 to subdue White's rook on d 1 . Such a seductive idea has even attracted such hallowed names as a young Hikaru Nakamura and GM Roman Dzindzichashvili. However, Black's petulant rook j ust gets pelted by hail, and the Chicago ultimately ranks as one of the flimsiest main line defenses against the gambit. Much in the spirit of Polugaevsky's vaunted defense against the Najdorf {which also contains . . . E:a7 as a key motif) , Black throws the principles of kingside development first to the wind, and the price he pays is his own tattered king. In fact, only after near perfect defense can Black hope to escape

· --·� l� •

M.t�· i·- � �.i Y.�••

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�, � l ,����,., � , � � : ���%'��, "/�· · ·;m,·0 ����lJ!j �!ltflS.��� g�- - �---�= · ·

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The gambiteer takes advantage of the faulty move order, transforming the game into a Fischer-Sozin attack with many extra tempi of development in return for the sacrificed pawn. Lagging behind, Black cannot escape unscathed. Note that instead of mindlessly continuing Vfie2 and E:d 1 , White eyes the sensitive e6-target, which has been critically weakened by the d7-rook interfering with the c8-bishop's guard. Once e6 falls, the black king will sway.

1 23

Chapter 5 - The King i n the Windy City - the Chicago Defense

10... �£6 Black is already busted. Yes, busted! All defensive schemes are resolutely blasted: 1 0 . . . .ib7 l l .f4! The fl -rook joins the assault. Again play echoes that of the Fischer-Sozin attack. l l . . .b4 1 2.f5! e5 1 2 . . . bxc3 1 3 .fxe6 fxe6 1 4J:i:xf8t!+- is gusty!

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1 3 .�e6! Tal's favorite knight sacrifice will appear repeatedly in the Windy City. 1 3 . . . fxe6 1 4.�h5t! g6 1 5 .fxg6 � f6 1 6.g7t+­ The queen disappears, but only for an instant!

ll.f4 .ib7

1 2.£5 e5

The only other reasonable try is: l l . . .b4!?

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open, the rook remains ineffective and Black's defenses are reduced to ruin. The idea combines kingside attack with the possibility of a pin on the weathered d7-rook. 1 2.ll'ld5!? Don't become too fixated on this knight thrust. We j ust left the trenches! 1 2 . . . exd5 1 3.e5 dxe5 1 4.fxe5 .ie?!oo Black gives back the piece and flees for cover. 1 2 . . . dxe5 1 2 . . . bxc3 1 3.exf6 gxf6 1 4 ..ia4± The "Chicago" rook best get used to such treatment. 1 3 .fxe5 .ic5 1 3 . . . bxc3 1 4.exf6 cxb2 1 5 . .B:b l gxf6 1 6 . .ia4± 1 4.exf6 .ixd4 1 5 . .ixd4 .B:xd4 1 6 . .ia4t The rook, now on d4, again finds itself stormed, as blocking the check with a minor piece interferes with the queen's guard of the rook. The king, meanwhile, must brave the blizzard. 1 6 . . . 'kt>f8 1 7.�h5 ! Threatening carnage on fl. 1 7 . . . gxf6 1 8 . � e2 White, a whopping two pawns down, decisively penetrates with �h6 followed by � f4-h 5 , forcing catastrophic material losses. 1 8 . . . .B:d5 1 9.�h6t 'kt>g8 20.�f4+-

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1 2.e5!± Another thematic break in Open Sicilian main lines. Although the d-file is pried

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When Tal learned chess, the story goes that he was taught a Latvian variant where the

1 24

Mayhem i n the Morra

knight was not allowed to move backwards! So often I wish that my students (but not my opponents) had learned this way as well so that they would not consider retreating moves like ltJc2, ltJe2, or ltJ f3 , when violently streaking forward would devastate.

13.�e6! fxe6 Refusing the sacrifice is best, but allowing such an invasion to go unpunished cannot end well: 1 3 . . . �a5 1 4.ltJxf8! White destroys Black's castling privileges and obtains a commanding positional grip over the d5-square and the board. 14 ... xf6 2 1 .E:fl t 'it>e7 22.i.g5t 'it>e8 23.'1We6t E:e7 24.'\Wxe?#) 20 . . . 'it>e8 2 l .'We6t i.e? 22 . .ig5 +1 8 .'1Wh5! The key.

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1 8 . . . 'it>g8 1 8 . . . 'it>xg7 1 9 . .ih6t 'it>g8 20.E:xf6! +- and Black falls into the funnel. 1 9 .'Wg5 'it> f7 20. lLl f5 N o lone king can endure such a queen and knight attacking tag team. 20 . . .'1Wd8 20 . . .E:g8 2 l .lLl h6t+2 1 .lLld5 E:xd5 22.'Wg7t 'it>e8 23 .'Wxh8t+-

16... dxe5 17.�xg7t Now Black can run his king to d8, and the win becomes more elusive.

17 ...g;,d8D lf:z-1h

The battle ended in repetition, as I already had under 5 minutes, whereas Nakamura had well over an hour. From a very early age, the now super-GM Nakamura knew the importance of putting his opponents in time pressure, and here he once again reaped the rewards for this strategy. I still at that time would take an hour or more on a single move, especially in the rich positions arising from the Morra, when every nuance counts. When j ust starting out in gambit play, sometimes you must go into such deep meditations if you wish to achieve real attacking chances. Of course this quest for perfection would mar my early career with many such time pressure catastrophes, ruining would-be masterpieces. In this game, I simply did not feel confident that I could pull the win

1 29

Chapter 5 - The King i n the Windy City - the Chicago Defense off with an hour disparity on the clock, but if I had known how famous my young opponent would become, maybe I would have pressed forward. And now to the rwo ways to win:

open lines for all of the white pieces and an exposed black king. But 1 2 years ago, I did not have the same understanding of the initiative. 1 9 . . . ltl g4 1 9 . . . \Wc? 20.d6+1 9 . . . ltl e4 20.ltle6t .ixe6 2 l .dxe6t ltl d6 22Jk 1 and White threatens b4+-, or even \Wd5-b7-c8! Black is paralyzed. 20.ltle6t+-

18 ....ixb4D 1 8 . . J'hd 1 1 9 .!'i:axd 1 t and White wins prosaically; 1 8 . . . \Wxb4 1 9 . .ib6#

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19.�e6t Again the knight hops to and fro, flying through the turbulent air.

The flashier, more difficult shot. The most obvious strike is: 1 8 .ltld5! Nakamura quickly pointed this out after the game. As 1 8 . . . ltlxd5 again fails to mate in 2 ( 1 9.ltl e6t and 20.\Wh5#) , and since .ib6t wins the queen in many lines, Black is practically forced to give up the Chicago rook. 1 8 .. J'hd5 1 9.exd5 a

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And the painful d5-d6 follows, when Black's position collapses. Glancing at the position now, the wins howl out - I see completely

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1 9 ... ®e8 1 9 . . . i'e7 20.'1Wf3! and Black cannot stop the overloading on the f-file: 20 . . . ltle8 2 l .!'i:ad 1 Weaving the mating net by preventing flight to d6. The chase is on. 2 l .. .!'i:xd 1 22.\Wf7t c,!;d6 23.!'i:xd l t i'c6 24.ltld8t! Fittingly, the blustering winds land the knight on the black queen's original square, thus winning her majes ty.

20.ltld5 The knight thumps in the center again and the hunt begins anew.

130

Mayhem in the Morra

20 .'Wf3 lacks velocity as Black can respond with 20 .. J:l:f7. 20.. J::�xd5 2 1 .exd5 i.e? The b4-diversion has done its damage.

8 b5 9.!J.b3 IJ.e7 I OJ�dl ga7 l l ..ie3 I could have taken advantage of Black's unorthodox move order with l l .e5!? here, but I didn't want to give the a7 -rook life. ..•

l l ... gd7 8

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22.gxf6 i.xf6 23.Yfh5t �d7 24.Yff7t i.e? 25.d6 No mercy for the king. He should have castled many moves ago. 25 ...�xd6 28.Vfxe4#

26.gdlt

�c6

27.'1Wf3t

e4

Marc Essennan - Renard Anderson World Open, King of Prussia 2007

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 e6 5.�f3 a6 6 ..ic4 d6 7.0-0 �c6 Now we will examine the Chicago Defense in its only stable form, when the knight comes to c6 first. As shown earlier, with the Chicago structure the white knight cannot be allowed to appear on d4 unopposed. 8.Yfe2 The addition of 'We2 and . . . � c6 in the variation clearly favors Black. But as Black has coolly refused to show his hand, White must continue with the standard plan of 'We2 and �d 1 until otherwise notified.

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1 2.�xb5! In the next game we will investigate this outrageous idea in great detail. For now, here is a warm up. 1 2 axb5 13.Yfxb5 White has only one pawn for the piece has he simply lost his mind? For the cynical readers out there, the answer would be yes, because he's already playing the insane Morra Gambit. However, rest assured, the sacrifice not only has a strong positional basis, but is in fact entirely sound! If Black manages to give back some material to blunt the initiative, he still struggles in the endgames due to White's powerful connected queenside passed pawns. And of course, Black will be lucky if he can reach the endgame. The Chicago rook again comes under pressure, this time via the queenside diagonals pinning it to the black king. The mangled rook longs for home as it endures a pounding in the eye of the storm. •.•

1 3 ....ib7 14.!J.a4! �£6 1 5.�d4!

Chapter 5 - The King i n the Windy City - the Chicago Defense 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 a

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Increasing the volume to a crescendo pitch, and soon the glass will shatter. Here, as is often the case when faced with a shocking sacrifice, the defender does not keep a cool head and fails to put up maximum resistance. This is another psychological advantage you will possess when thrusting gambit play upon your opponents, if you can only manage to conj ure up enough real threats. If not, you simply will be down a pawn and watch as they make a queen while scoffing at you. 15 ... � e5? Swapping knights is forced, but still fails to brighten Black's dark day: 1 5 . . . tLlxd4 1 6.'Wxb7 tLlc2 1 6 . . . e5 1 7 . .ixd4 exd4 1 8 .E:xd4 0-0 1 9 . .ixd7 'Wxd7 20.'Wxd7 tLlxd7 2 1 .a4 White easily wins the favorable endgame embedded within the sacrifice.

1 7 .!!de l ! tLl xa 1 1 7 . . . 0-0 1 8 . .ixd7 tLlxa 1 1 9 . .ic6 tLl g4 20 . .ib6 'Wb8 2 1 ..ic7 'Wxb7 22 . .ixb7± How picturesque! The bishops creatively prevent Black's rook from joining the queenside fight. 1 8 . .ixd7t tLl xd7 1 9.E:c8 0-0 20.E:xd8 E:xd8 Black possesses a rook and two knights for the queen. Unfortunately, the a 1 -knight is trapped and soon to be lost in the corner. Meanwhile, White's connected passed queenside pawns will roll as the queen escorts them to make new queens. 2 1 .'Wc7 .if6 22.b4+16.W!'xb7 Anderson, a FIDE master, has simply hung a piece and the game ends. One cannot justly criticize unless one is actually in the arena, present for all its drama, feeling the pounding pressure move by move. 1-0

Theory I .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.lihc3 e6 5.�f3 a6 6..ic4 d6 7.0-0 � c6 8.Wfe2 b5 9 ..ib3 ga7

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At last we are ready to pronounce the final verdict on the Chicago Defense. As usual,

1 32

Mayhem i n the Morra

get ready for some dense analysis. For my less experienced readers, rest assured you are already armed with enough themes to successfully combat the Chicago Defense. However, if you dare, come along and find out where the truth really lies!

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n .gfdl!! So far I have just been exposing all the flaws in the ambitious rook maneuver, but in all honesty, if White does not play with extreme precision, Black will get away with the exotic .. J:!a7-d7. After all, if strong grandmasters have risked their hides in tournament play trusting the Chicago Defense, it has to have at least some merit. I will now show what can happen if White makes second-best moves:

l l .l2Jd4?! Logical enough, but too slow, as the gambiteer loses some power and time by exchanging knights. l l . ..t2Jxd4 1 2.�xd4 t2Jf6 1 3 .f4 �b7 1 4. f5 e5 1 5 .�e3 �e7 Black is about to castle, with a pawn to spare. White has already gone wrong - only accurate play can save him. 1 6.a4

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1 6. . .d5! The d 7 -rook has gone unmolested, and now participates in the central battle. 1 7.axb5 axb5 1 8 .exd5 b4 1 9. l2J a4 0-0 20.l2Jc5 �xc5 2 l .�xc5 :r!e8 22.�a4 :r!xd5 23 .�xe8 :r!xc5 24.�a4 Wfb6 Black stands better, with excellent play for the exchange. You can also view Dzindzichashvili's handling of the Black side of the Chicago Defense in the supplemental games to see what happens when White does not play with extreme energy. l l . l2J xb 5 ! ? You probably have already asked, why doesn't White j ust sacrifice on b5 and destroy Black's position, as in the previous game with Anderson? I also pondered this question at least 50 times (the minimum number of blitz games I played here at college with a friend of mine while avoiding schoolwork) . I 'm proud to say that I won every game (or maybe my memory is j ust playing tricks on me) . As a result, my opponent, the talented mathematician and an ardent proponent of the "materialist" chess school , Danny Goodman, stopped believing in the Chicago Defense. Even better, he started to change his views on the nature of compensation in general! Perhaps other materialists reading will do the same . . . l l . . .axb5 1 2 .Wfxb5

Chapter 5 - The King i n the Windy City - the Chicago Defense

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1 2 . . . �ge7! But Danny only continued with 1 2 . . . ib7, often transposing back into the positions already analyzed in Esserman - Anderson above. Yet in 2007, against then 1 1 year­ old Robert Perez (who is now 2400+) , I discovered that this version of the knight sacrifice is premature due to 1 2 . . . �ge7. Note that . . . �ge7 was not available in the Anderson game as Black had already committed his bishop to e7, depriving the c6-knight of an extra defender. The downsides of . . . �ge7 (blocking in further kingside development) are outweighed by its strengths, as the following variations illustrate. 1 3 .ia4 1 3 .ib6? fails to win the queen due to 1 3 . . J'�b7!. 13 . . J'�b7 1 4.�a6 1 4.�c4 id7! breaks the dangerous pin forever, leaving White a piece down. 14 . . J::k7 1 5 .�b5 This is at least equal for Black, so White must find some other way to fight for more. From here I somehow won in Esserman - R. Perez, Miami 2007, although I certainly passed through a losing position at one point before summoning some heavy swindling. Conveniently I have lost the game score! Following the Perez game I had to accept the reality that the Chicago Defense was yet another serious attempt to refute the Morra Gambit.

1 33

After all, if White cannot quickly expose the Chicago rook, then Black, having solved the d-file pressure against his queen, will simply finish development and promote his extra pawn some 50 moves later! But only in the summer of 2008, when I decided to seriously review every main line of the Morra Gambit in the hope of unleashing its fury on top flight competition, did I realize how to exploit the dubious , ,:ga7 once and for all. The solution - do nothing! Why, you may ask, does the most thematic move in the Morra Gambit, 1 1 .:gfd 1 , merit two exclamations? The answer is most certainly not because it pressures the d-file, as Black has gone out of his way to fortify this sector of the board. No, 1 l .:gfd 1 is not forcing - rather, it is simply a waiting move of the highest class. Its power stems from the fact that any logical Black developing move will now allow a ravaging attack impossible before, thus hurling the defender into a state of opening zugzwang. But Black must develop. He is compelled to move, or White will sweep him aside with :gae l . 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 a

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l l .ib7 We first consider the logical kingside developing moves l l . . . � f6 and 1 l . . .ie7, hoping to quickly castle. However, both of these defenses have the same drawback . . . ...

1 1 . . . 4J f6

1 34

Mayhem in the Morra of bad positions! 1 8 . . . ¥Mb7 1 9.exd6 ixd6 20.ixd7 'Wxd7 2 1 .Ei:xd6 ¥Mxd6 22 . .tc5 Too many pins!) 1 8.¥Mb3 ¥Ma6 1 9.ic7!+- Black's position is no paragon of coordination!

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1 2.ltlxb5! The knight sacrifice reappears with a vengeance, as Black will no longer have the option of . . . ltlge7 at his disposal to save the c6-knight as in Esserman - Perez. Ultimately, it is worth the tempo spent on Ei:fd 1 to deprive Black of this powerful defensive chance. Thus, 1 l .Ei:fd 1 receives its first "!". The analysis below proves that White retains the better chances in the mayhem. 12 . . . axb5 1 3 .'Wxb5 .tb7 14 ..ta4 'WaS 1 5 .Ei:ac l ! 1 5 .e5?! ltle4! 1 6.Ei:ac l ltlc5 1 7 . .txc5 dxc5 1 8 .Ei:xd7 i>xd7 1 9 .ltlg5 .te7! and Black can weather the storm. 1 5 . . . .te7 Play transposes to the continuation after 1 1 . . . .te7 below. 1 1 . . . .te7 1 2.ltlxb5! axb5 1 3 .'Wxb5 .tb7 1 4 . .ta4 ¥Ma8 14 . . . ltl f6?! was seen in Esserman - Anderson: 1 5 .ltld4!± 1 5 .Ei:ac l White should avoid 1 5 .ltld4?! ltlb8! and Black somehow coordinates. However, 1 5 .e5!? could be considered. 1 5 . . . ltl f6 1 5 . . . �f8?!, trying to at least break the royal part of the pin, does not lead anywhere as Black remains hounded: 1 6 . .tb6! ltl b8 1 7.e5! d5 ( 1 7 . . . .ta6 1 8 .'Wa5! As one pin is removed, yet another appears. The threat of l':'i:c8 is now decisive. Such is the nature

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1 6.Wc4! White is gearing up for the final blow on c6, but right before striking, wisely gets cold feet! This is the best way to fight for the advantage. White delays capturing on c6 for a move in order to harmonize his forces. Chaos lurks. 1 6.Ei:xc6!? 0-0! and Black morphs into the gambiteer. He now has excellent compensation in the form of the fully mobilized a8-b7 queen-bishop battery and the overextended white rook. Explore this turbulent variation at your own peril! 1 6 . . . 0-0! a) 1 6 . . . ltl b8!? leads to mind-bendigo complications. Will you be preferring the blue pill or the red pill?27 1 7.e5! ltld5 ( 1 7 . . . dxe5 1 8 .ltlxe5+- or 1 7 . . . .txf3 ? 1 8.exf6+-) 1 8 .exd6 .txd6 ( 1 8 . . . if6? 1 9.ltle5! and the d6-pawn sows the necessary confusion . . . 1 9 . . . .txe5 20.Wc8t! ixc8 2 l .Ei:xc8# A cyclone!) 1 9.Ei:xd5 ! exd5 ( 1 9 . . . .txd5 20.Wc8t �e7 2 1 .¥Mxh8 Wxa4 22.b3! Wa6 23 .Ei:c8! Black must forfeit his queen or get mated after the thumping ig5t!) 20.Wg4! White is down a rook for a pawn, but he will get back at least an exchange, and eyes the critical g7-pawn as well:

Chapter 5 - The King i n the Windy City - the Chicago Defense

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a l ) 20 . . . .ic6 2 l .'ffxg7 l:!f8 22 . .ib3± The gambiteer creeps closer. Not only does White objectively stand better, but playing Black is a practical disaster. I show one possible highlight. 22 . . . .ia4 23.lDg5! .ixb3 24.lDxh7 lLl c6 2 5 . .ic5 !+- Removing the guard on the f8-rook in an unusual manner. 2 5 . . . 'ff b 8 26 . .ixd6 'ffxd6 27.l:!xc6! Mayhem! 27 . . . 'ff b 4 28 .l:!c8t l:!d8 29.'ffe 5t 'ffe 7 30.lLJ f6# a2) 20 . . . g6 2 1 ..ixd7t lD xd7 22 . .id4 The pin evaporates but Black's king remains chained to the center. 22 . . . l:!f8 23.'ff h 4± Black braces for pain as White continues to reap a rapid return on his initial investment. a3) 20 . . . 0-0 2 l ..ixd7± 'ffxa2? 22 . .id4 f6 23.'ffe 6t+b) 1 6 . . . d5!? 8

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23 . .id4;!; White's strong rooks and overall centralized forces, along with his outside connected passed pawns, offer him all the winning chances. Black's minor pieces are a pitiful sight. 23 . . . Wxa2 24.'ff c 7! White maintains the pressure. 1 7 ..ixc6 .ixc6 1 7 . . . l:!c7 1 8 . .ixb7 l:!xc4 1 9.Axa8 l:!xc l 20.l:!xc l l:!xa8 White would have a clear advantage here even after a calm move like 2 1 .l:!a 1 (again the two connected outside passers) , but he can immediately slice through. 2 l .e5! dxe5 22.lDxe5 l:!xa2 23.l:!c8t .tf8 24.g4! The pin on f8 decides. 24 . . . l:!a5 2 5 . lD c6+1 8.Wxc6 'ffxc6 1 8 . . . 'ffxa2 1 9.e5!+1 9.l:!xc6 l:!b7 20.l:!c2 lDxe4 2 1 .lD d4;!; White once more can press for the win in this ending, fighting to mobilize his passed pawns. I I . . .lDaS?! Apart from developing his other three minor pieces, this is Black's only logical move. The idea of . . . lD c6-a5xb3 is a very common defensive motif in the Morra Gambit, and in hardly any cases should White allow his precious bishop to be lopped off. Here he has two very instructive possibilities.

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1 7.exd5 exd5 1 8.'ff c 2 lD b8 Giving up the exchange rather than the whole piece is the lesser of the two evils. 1 9.hd7t lD bxd7 20.lDd4 0-0 2 1 .lDf5;!; l:!e8 22.lDxe7t l:!xe7

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1 2.lDxb 5! 1 2 . .tc2!? lD c4 ( 1 2 . . . lD f6 1 3.lDxb 5 ! axb5

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Mayhem in the Morra

1 4 .'1Wxb5 ib7 1 5 .ib6 'WeB 1 6.Ei:ac l ±) 1 3 .b4! Temporarily giving Black the outpost, which White will soon strip away with a2-a4. As the strongpoint cannot be maintained, the knight seeks the nearest victim. 1 3 . . . t2J xe3 1 4 .'Wxe3 t2J f6 1 5 .a4 The queenside is in tatters. 1 5 . . . ie7 ( 1 5 . . . Ei:b7 1 6.axb5 axb5 1 7.e5+- The Chicago rook forgot its primary purpose - shielding the queen!) 1 6.axb5 axb5 1 7.id3 0-0! 1 8.e5 dxe5 1 9.t2Jxe5 Ei:d6 20.t2Jxb 5± 1 2 . . . axb5 12 ... tt:lxb3 1 3 .axb3 ib7 Black must calmly return the material to prolong the agony: 1 4.l2Ja7! t2J f6 1 5 .b4 ie7 ( 1 5 . . . 'Wa8 1 6.b5) 1 6.t2Jd4!± White roars to an advantage. 1 3 .'Wxb5 t2Jxb3 1 4.axb3+Pins on the diagonals and back rank beckon! 1 4 . . . ib7 14 . . . l2Je7 1 5 .ib6 is a pitiful picture. 1 5 .ib6 'Wb8 1 5 . . . Wf6 1 6.Ei:a7+1 6.l2Je5! t2J f6 1 7.l2Jxd7 t2J xd7 1 8 .Ei:dc l +12. ll) g5!N

� �-��JI 7 � .!.-�-· - · � ·-�-·4 �.· � .�,.� ,� frtJ �� �� !n •'i•!• �----"� �- - - "=- - ' ,

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why this is true.) Thus, the other purpose of l l .Ei:fd 1 is revealed, earning it a second " ! " . 1 2 ll) f6 1 2 . . . h6 1 3. t2J xe6± •.•

1 3.f4! If Black sits idly, White will bust through with f4-f5 .

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1 3 ... ll) as But if Black forces the issue, White will strike on e6: 1 3 . . . h6 1 4.l2Jxe6 fxe6 1 5 .ixe6! We have already witnessed what havoc a knight on e6 can wreak. Now it is the Sozin (or Italian) bishop's time to shine. 1 5 . . . Ei:e7 1 6.if5 �fl 1 7.a4! This preliminary probing move IS best, securing the advantage. 1 7.e5!? looks very tempting.

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Once the bishop drifts to b7, the entire fl/ e6 complex is irreparably weakened. (It was already compromised with the rook on d7, but not soft enough for an immediate strike with l l .l2Jg5?! - the ambitious reader can confirm a

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1 37

Chapter 5 - The King i n the Windy City - the Chicago Defense This would be shattering after 1 7 . . . W/e8 ? 1 8 .exf6 i'!xe3 1 9 .Wih5t �g8 20 . .ig6! with an f6-f7t cruncher next. But Black instead has the strong counter: 1 7 . . . tt:\ xe5! 1 8 .fxe5 i'!xe500 1 7 . . . .ic8 1 7 . . . g6 1 8.axb5 axb5 ( I 8 . . . gxf5 1 9.bxc6 .ic8 [ 1 9 . . . .ixc6 20.Wlc4t+-] 20.e5+-) 1 9 .e5! tt:\ xe5 ( 1 9 . . . gxf5 20.i'!xd6 tt:\ d7 2 I .i'!ad l Although Black has two extra pieces, dark clouds are gathering. 2 1 . . .i'!h7 22.tt:\d5 i'!e8 23.e6t+-) 20.fxe5 i'!xe5 (20 . . . gxf5 2 l .i'!xd6+-) 2 I ..ic2± Black's king faces the hailstorm. Now 1 7.a4! seems even more prophetic as i'!al -a7! swirls in the air. The gambiteer swarms from all sides! 2 l . . .�g7 22.i'!a7 i'!e7 23 .Wid3 Wle8 24 ..id4 Too many pins! 1 8 .hc8 Wxc8 1 9.axb5 axb5 20 .Wxb5 The attack rages on. 20 ... i'!c7 2 l .i'!ac l ±

position - he must remove the obstruction before losing all oxygen .

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1 6 .. J:!:xe6 1 6 . . . .ic8 1 7.e5+-

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1 6 . . . tt:\ c4 1 7 . .id4 transposes to our main line after 1 7 . . .i'!xe6 1 8 .fxe6. 1 7.fxe6 Unfortunately for Black, as one obstruction on e6 disappears, another appears. Although not necessarily as powerful as a bishop, a "lowly" pawn on e6 has already proven its valor in the game Esserman Martirosov.

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14.�xe6! 1 4 . .ixe6 is also playable, but it is the bishop's turn to slash on e6. 14... fxe6 1 5 .ixe6 ge7 1 6.£5 A bishop on e6 will never allow the black king to castle when nothing stands on d7 or f7, and in this case, nothing does! Black is simply choking with the bishop in such an advanced •

1 7 ... � c4 1 8 ..id4 If there are any Catalan fans out there still reading, please note that White continues to centralize and follow the teachings of Nimzowitsch even while playing the Morra Gambit. You need not fianchetto to play positionally! 1 8 ....ie7 19.�d5 For all Morra bashers, I must point out that White is by no means winning here yet, but on the other hand, Black is by no means drawing yet, either.

138

Mayhem in the Morra After 2 l . . .�xd5 22.axb5 axb 5 23.b3 lDe5 24.�xe5 dxe5 White must be careful to take the right pawn with 2 5 .Wxb5+-. It would all go horribly wrong after: 2 5 .Wxe5? Wb6t 26.cj;lh l �xg2t! 27.cj;lxg2 Wf2t 28.cj;lh l Wf3t 29.cj;lgl !!f6! My, how the wind blows! 30.'%Vb8t �f8-+ 22.axb5 axb5 23.b3 � aS 24.'%Vg4 White now launches a decisive attack, again featuring that stormy foot soldier, the e6-pawn!

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24 g6 24 . . . !!g5 2 5 .Wf3 �xd5 27.!!xa5! !!xg2t 28.cj;lfl +•••

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19 ... �xd5?! Best is to remove the steed with the now useless bishop, and finally castle: 1 9 . . . �xd5 20.exd5 0-0;!; 20.exd5 0-0 20 . . . lDe5!? 2 l .a4;!; 2l .a4!±

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"Time to quit chess. Your Morra is drawing dead." Hikaru Nakamura

(2008)

26.Wf7t

cj;lhs

Chapter 6 Slaying the Dragon

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l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.ttlxc3 4 . . . g6 S . lLlf3 �g7 6.�c4 d6?! 7.V9b3!±

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4 . . . l2Jc6 S . lLlf3 g6 6.�c4

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6 . . . d6 7.V9b3!;!;;

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6 . . . �g7 7.e5! lLlxeS 8.lLlxe5 �xe S 9.�xf7t �xf7 10.V9d S t 10 . . . e6?± 10 . . . �g7!;!;;

142 151 151

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Mayhem in the Morra

Strap on your armor as we ride off to battle the rare but dangerous Dragon variation of the Morra Gambit. If allowed to grow undisturbed in the early stages of development, a fully formed Dragon will light the board on fire. The Dragon's tail, in the shape of the d6-pawn, will flick any hope of a White e4-e5 advance aside. Meanwhile, the Dragon's head (the g7-bishop) will fly over the a l -h8 diagonal, patrolling key squares in the struggle for central supremacy. Black's king will then become firmly nestled inside the sinister Dragon's lair, and White's army will slowly burn in flames. A terrifYing tale, and one that could give any Morra player a nightmare. Yet if you fall into such a position, this nightmare may become a painful reality (and don't say I didn't warn you!) . But do not despair - our history is filled with inspiring tales of a young knight slaying a menacing fire-breathing Dragon. To become the hero, you must ground the Dragon before it soars. In mainline Sicilian Dragon adventures, White lacks the developmental advantage to prevent the Dragon from hatching. Instead, he often unleashes the famous Yugoslav Attack, castling queenside and launching a prolonged assault on the h-file against the Dragon bishop. But castling long in the Morra (especially against the Dragon!) leads to ruin; the open c-file (not to mention the Dragon bishop spitting fire from afar!) makes the c l -square a scorching hot home for a king. Instead, the gambiteer must use his superiority in the early phase of the fight to clip the Dragon's wings. After the black moves . . . c!Ll c6, . . . g6 and . . . .ig7, the aspiring hero thrusts e4-e5!, sacrificing a second pawn and preventing the Dragon's tail from inflicting a serious case of whiplash. If Black removes the e5-thorn, the Dragon loses his head (the g7-bishop) . If the Dragonmaster insists on preventing e4e5 with the move order . . . c!Ll c6, . . . d6, and . . . g6,

then he is caught with his tail in between his legs after 7.Wb3!.

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After the obligatory 7 . . . e6, the Dragon structure loses its shape - both the d6-tail and the entire kingside dark-squared complex creak, ensuring that the only fires burning in this fairy tale will be those ravaging the black king's palace.

JJRambo (Esserman) - emcf (GM Cordova) Internet (blitz) 2008

Before moving on to the critical variations, we will first observe why the Dragon's tail (d6) is so vital to forming a robust fianchetto structure against the Morra Gambit (or any other opening) . In the following miniature my opponent forgets which central pawn creates a shapely Dragon and pays dearly. I could dismiss this debacle as the product of a mere Internet mouse-slip, but it has occurred several times in my practice! Nevertheless, Black's instructive "fingerfehler" highlights the dangers of mixing systems. l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 g6 5.�f3 i.g7 6 ..ic4 e6? Time after time I have lectured my students on the dangers of playing . . . e6 after fianchettoing in a Sicilian! Here Black

Chapter 6 - Slaying the Dragon voluntarily uncorks a move that White would spend a whole tempo to force after 6 . . . d6 7.'&b3! . Perhaps after seeing this game they will learn once and for all!

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7... �e7 Resigning to fate. Consistently following up with 7 . . . d5 may be Black's best practical hope in a blitz battle, but it still gets bludgeoned: 8.exd5 (or 8 . .if4!?) 8 . . . a6

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8.�d6t �f8 9.�g5! Victory day for the white knights. 9 ... f6 10.�gf7 Yfa5t I I .i.d2 Yfc5 1 2J�cl

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7.�b5!+No Dragon's tail will be forming in this epic. The valiant white knight rides into d6, grazing on the very square that could have harbored a Dragon's tail. Black is already wasted.

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9.dxe6! axb5 1 0.exf7t The variations resemble checkers, not chess.

The Morra rook bursts onto the field, and the struggle ends abruptly with Black's resignation. The e7-pawn should have a "Hazardous Touch with caution!" sign attached to its forehead in the Dragon. 1--0

Black defers taking the e-p awn l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 5.�f3 g6 6.i.c4 �g7 7.e5! The Dragon variation's main line against the Morra Gambit. The gambiteer's 7 .e5 effectively snips the Dragon's tail, thus wreaking havoc in the Black camp. The defender must make a choice, to grab or not to grab, and in this case he prolongs the decision for a move. The consequences of capturing immediately will be covered in the theoretical section.

7.0-0 lacks vigor and allows Black to mold the Dragon's tail after 7 . . . d6. Note that 7.'&b3, hoping to force . . . e6, fails due to the typical open-game trick: 7 . . . lDa5! 8 . .ixf7t �f8 9.'&d5 llJ f6 and the bishop falls.

142

Mayhem in the Morra 8.0-0! White cannot be troubled to defend the brave foot soldier on e5. Upon crossing the Rubicon, the pawn knew he was passing the point of no return. 8 7 6 b

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7 YlYa5?!

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••.

Unwise! When facing a gambit there is no time to lose. Bringing one's queen out early on dubious expeditions is a sure way to become dethroned. Listen closely as King Richard II mutters his ageless advice in Shakespeare's epic tragedy: "I have wasted time, and now time doth waste me."28 As the game continuation will show, Black must grab immediately. For now we just note that after 7 . . . lthe5 8 . .!Llxe5 ixe5 9.ixf7t �xf7 1 0.'&d5t the Dragon's body flounders without a head. If Black tempts fate by rushing his king to the bishop's aid, then he is reminded that kings should not get too adventurous when enemy queens lurk nearby: 1 0 . . . �f6 l l ..!Lle4t �f5

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8 tthe5?! After Black's indecisive queen sortie, he should admit the error in his ways and keep the game closed at all costs. •••

8 . . . .!Ll h6D The only other feasible defense. Observe now how the e5-pawn creates confusion and cacophony in Black's position. 9.�e l Just in case Black has any further fantasies of grabbing on e5, White's rook reminds him of reality. 9 . . . 0-0 l O.if4±

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1 2.g4t �xg4 1 3 .�g l t �f5 14.�g5# The black king should have stayed in his cave. Remember this mating sequence!29 a

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143

Chapter 6 - Slayin g the Dragon The e5-pawn is now firmly entrenched and unassailable. Sadly the Dragon will never grow a tail, hence Black's queenside must sleep for eternity. But in the present, White aims to win the runt on h6. I O .. :J;>h8 IO ... t2Jf5 l l .g4 t2J h6 1 2.h3 only hastens the end. I O . . . t2J g4 I l .'?Be2 d6 is another pitiful attempt which results in even more carnage: 1 2.exd6 exd6 1 3.i.xd6 :gd8

taking that pawn when he had the chance. 1 3.exf6 t2J xf6 1 4.i.xc6 dxc6 1 5 .:gxe7 The execution will be swift and painless. 1 5 . . . i.f5 1 6.i.h6 The Dragon bishop never got to fly in this fairy tale. 1 6 . . . :gg8 1 7.tlJg5+s

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� �waa �,

�JJW �·- D i . . Y..�� - - - �� r� r�/� . �� �-I'm . · -%;� �� �� ,. . . .�- - · �m �� �� !�- - '��. .. ��!� � .. . %�-� ····

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1 4.'?9e8t! :gxe8 1 5 .:gxe8t i.f8 1 6.:gxf8t i>g7 1 7.:gxf7t ci>h6 1 8.i.f8t i>h5 1 9 .:gxh7t t2J h6 20J!xh6t ci>g4 2 l .:gxg6t+- The white rook gorges upon the enemy! I l .'?Bd2 t2J g4 1 2.i.b5! Cutting off the queen from her army ensures that chaos engulfs the board.

••••

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1 2 . . . a6 1 2 . . . f6 is a futile half-measure to free the wayward knight. Black must surely regret not

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1 7 . . . i.xh6 1 8 . t2J f7t i>g7 1 9 .'?9xh6# The king is slain where the Dragon bishop once roamed. 1 3 .i.xc6 dxc6 1 4.h3 The runt finally goes. I 4 . . . g5 A last gasp . . . 1 5 .i.xg5 tlJ xe5 1 6. t2J xe5 i.xe5 1 7.i.xe7 :ge8 1 8 .'?9h6 Flashier than the prosaic 1 8 .i.f6t+-.

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White's threats include :gxe 5 , while 1 8 . . . :gxe7 1 9.Wff8# would mock the snoring Black queenside.

144

Mayhem i n the Morra

9 . . .Wfxe5 offers no salvation: I OJ!e l Wfh5 l l .Wfb3± Black must now budge the e-pawn despite its "Touch with caution!" sign and hope for the best. But as we know, hoping is not a sound chess strategy.

I O . . . e6 We have seen . . . e6 fail Black twice so far, but will a third time be the charm? l l .!!e 1 ! ib8 l l . . . f6

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IO.�b5!± This position has occurred three times in actual tournament practice, and shockingly Black won twice - but he should have been mercilessly smashed every time! White's steed cuts the queen from the action, rendering her fine post useless. Threats on f7 now swirl about.30 10 .. �£6 10 . . . a6 l l .Wfd5! axb5 1 3.Wff8t 'iil c7 1 4.ixg8

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1 2.l:!xe5! No, I 'm afraid not. 1 2 . . . fxe5 1 3. lLl d6t As the knight dominates on d6, White has a number of elegant wins. I will j ust display a couple. 1 3 . . . 'iil d 8 1 4.ixe6 (Or 1 4.ig5 t lLl e7 1 5 .Wff3 Wfc5 1 6.!!d l +- and e7 will fall. Too many wins is a pleasant problem!) 14 . . . 'iil e 7 (On 14 . . . dxe6 1 5 .lLlxb7t the knight takes a joyride.) 1 5 . lLl xc8t 'iil xe6 1 6.Wd6t 'iil f7 1 7.Wxd7t 'iil f6 1 8 .id2 Wfa6 1 9. h4+- By this stage almost any logical move wins.

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1 2.Wfxf7t

'iil d 8

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A white rook will soon pay a not-so-friendly visit to the wayward black king.

1 9 . . . h6 20.g4 g5 2 l .Wff5t 'iil g7 22.!!c l Say goodnight! 1 2 .b4!

1 45

Chapter 6 - Slaying the Dragon

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The swashbuckling 1 9th century seafaring Captain Evans, inventor of the famed Evans gambit, would be proud! 1 2 . . . Wfd8 1 2 . . . Wfxb4 1 3 .�a3 Wfxc4 1 4.tLld6t (or 1 4 -l:k l +-) 1 4 . . .�xd6 1 5 .1Mfxd6+-

Yet another case where all of White's pieces are ready to strike, whereas Black's - well, they speak for themselves. Whenever you get one of these positions, I recommend taking out your camera for a snapshot. It's the perfect time for a picture, that is if they still allow cameras in chess tournaments. If not, j ust wait until you get home and set up the photo op yourself. 14 . . . a6 1 5 . tLl d6t �xd6 1 6.1Mfxd6 The dark squares emit foul odors. 1 6 . . . Wfe7 1 7.1Mfc7 Wfd8 Tactics will always flow when such glaring developmental inequalities exist. 1 8 Jl:xe6t dxe6 1 9.Wg7!+1 1 J3el i.bs l l . . .d6 1 2.f4 ( 1 2.lLlxd6t?? �xd6 1 3.Wxd6 Wxe 1 t would be embarrassing . . . Safety before brilliance?!) 1 2 . . . lLl g4 1 3 .fxe5 Wb6t 1 4.Wd4 Wxd4t 1 5 .lLlxd4 lLlxe5 1 6.�b3+- Black has three pawns for the piece but White possesses the two bishops and a massive lead in development. 8

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Certainly not the fire-breathing tale of dark-squared domination that Black had imagined upon trumpeting the Dragon! 1 3 .�b2 f6 1 4.:!:k l

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Black crouches in extreme defensive formation , yet the two wins for Black in this line both resulted from this position. Perhaps the bishops nestled side by side on the back rank next to their entombed comrade put the disgraced gambiteers (who fell off their horses

146

Mayhem i n the Morra

with 1 2.ih6) under a spell? How else could White lose such a position? Well, I've botched better. 12J�xe7t!! A gorgeous blow, pleasing the masters of the old guard.

1 2 .ih6 is a reasonable move, but too soft, under the circumstances . . .

Black plays an early d6 ...

Before flying into the analytical fire after 7.e5!, we first handle those stubborn souls who insist on flapping the Dragon's tail at all costs. l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 g6 s.�f3 � c6 5 . . . ig7? 6.ic4 d6

1 2 .id2 i s a stronger option for the bishop, heading to b4 for the finishing blow. But this pales in comparison to the sparkling text. 12 ... xe7 Refusing the rook also leads the king to doom. 13.�e2t m 13 ... @d8 1 4.ig5 Wfb6 1 5 .:1!e l and mate on e7 is unstoppable. 14.i.h6t g8 1 5 .�e7+Black's extra rook cannot silence the king's shouts. Another more sadistic way to win is: 1 5 .Wf3! ie5 ( 1 5 . . . Wfb6 1 6.:1!e l threatens the decisive blow Wfxf6 followed by :i:!e8#.) 1 6.tLld6!

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Here the computer gives the comical 1 6 . . . Wfxa2 to defend against mate on fl. Very creative indeed, but some creatures j ust don't know when to cry for mercy.

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This highly popular move order is simply unplayable. After 7.Wfb3! the Dragon's tail will be sliced off. 7 . . . e6 This move again! 8 .if4! tlJ c6 9.:1!d l ± if8?! The Dragonmaster wails that he won't be mating a queenside­ castled white king {as in the Yugoslav attack) anytime soon. l O. tlJ b 5 +- Black would need two Dragon bishops to save the d6-pawn now. Unfortunately, this is not bughouse. 6 ..ic4 d6

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Chapter 6 - Slaying the Dragon 7.'ffb 3! Almost all players reaching this position have castled here, including Adams against Nunn in a 1 992 blitz game. However, this hackneyed move allows the Dragon to soar high above the sky, and must be harshly rebuked. 7.0-0?! is a byproduct of the routine thinking that plagues amateur gambiteers. Their desire to insipidly continue with 0-0, 'We2 and �d 1 has allowed a move like 7. 0-0 to propagate more than 70 times here, whereas the creative 7.'Wb3 appears only twice in the database.

1 0 . . . i.xb5 1 0 . . . �c8 1 l .i.xd7t Wxd7 1 2.�d l;!; tortures the tail for many moves to come. 1 1 .tLlxb5 �c8 1 2 .Wa4 tLl c6 1 3 .�d 1 ± All is not well i n Dragonville! 9.i.e2!

7... e6 At least Black's bishop is now firmly committed to the d6-tail, but we must ask why then play . . . g6? So that the Dragonmaster could only dream of growing a head on g7?

7 . . . tLl h6 fails to 8.i.xh6, after which White regains the pawn with the advantage. s ..tf4 a6 8 . . . tLla5 9.i.b5t i.d7

1 0.Wc2! 1 0.Wd l !? deserves attention, snipping away even further at the tail: 1 O . . . a6 1 l .i.xd7t Wxd7 1 2.Wd4 f6 But after this ugly computer move, Black surprisingly lives. The machine does not know that the Dragon has a head or a tail, and just spits out the wretched but effective . . . f6. ( 1 2 . . . e5? 1 3.tLlxe5! i.g7 1 4.0-0-0±} 1 3.�d 1 00

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White has time for this unique retreat because the i.c4/Wb3 raid has created long­ lasting structural damage. The Dragon's awe­ inspiring features are now no more. Once, I had this position against Fritz 1 1 in a 3-minute blitz game. As poor Fritz rehashed its opening­ book moves, I began to suspect that the programmer may have a fetish for Dragons. I soon built up a decisive advantage in under 1 5 moves, only to blow the win and flag. Sounds familiar? Although I missed a breathtaking combination, I still cannot remember the game. Which leads me my next question - if a computer falls in a forest and should have broken in half, but nobody witnessed the moment when it should have broken, did it really fall? 9 ... � £6 9 . . . i.e7 1 0.�d 1 and Black cannot finish his development due to the e4-e5 break. If 1 0 . . .'Wc7 to relieve the pin, then 1 l .'Wa3! conveniently redirects the queen.

1 48

Mayhem in the Morra

IOJ�dl fll h 5

1 5 .. J:ib8 1 6 ..ixh5 gxh5 17.0-0± Black has a "spoiled haircut" on h5 (as my old trainer GM Lein used to say) , and the c8bishop can't even move. If 1 7 . . . e5 to free the imprisoned bishop, then 1 8 .lLl cd5 becomes a two knights tango.

Dragon Theory - 7.e5!

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l l .hd6! The tail is cut off once and for all. 1 l ..ie3!? b5 1 2 .e5 d5 1 3 .g4 lLlg7 A pitiful head for a Dragon! The position creeps closer to my battle in the forest with Fritz, but not quite - all I can I recall is a shackled horse on g7. 1 4.lLle4 i.e? Optically Black looks lost, but a chess game is not always a beauty contest.

At last we will take a deeper look at the 7.e5! second pawn sacrifice. For my less experienced readers, you may still be able to follow along in this theoretical section as the analysis is not quite as dense as in the other advanced sections of the book. l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 5.� 6 g6 6 ..ic4 For the real swashbuckler who cares more for a rush than objectivity, I recommend you give 6.h4! ?!? a shot.31 I 've never believed it, but also never refuted this "coffeehouse" move either. As you'll see below, it contains serious venom.

l l ... .ixd6 1 2.e5 fll xe5 The Dragonmaster makes sure he doesn't also lose his head. 13.llhe5 Yffc7 14.�c4 !i.e? 1 5.�b6 White's binding knight on b6 buries the black queenside (as is often the case when a knight plops on b6 in the Morra Gambit) . a

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Black should simply ignore the advance and play 6 . . . lLl f6. But if instead he gets cautious, he can pay the price: 6 . . . h5?! 7 . .ic4 .ig7 8 .Y!fb3 lLl a5 9 . .ixf7t b7 24.�d4+­ silences.) 22.e5! Shattering the king's already battered headquarters. 22 . . . dxe5 23.i.c5t 'it>d7 24.Eixf6 Eihg8 2 5 .Eif7t 'it>c8 26. tt:l e4 Eib8 27.tt:ld6t 'it>d8 28.i.b4!+1 9 .Eiad l Eid8 20.i.f2 �f4 2 l .i.b6 �e5 22.i.d4! 8

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A heavyweight champion like Kamsky does not cut easily in hand-to-hand combat - it takes an exceptional punch to knock him out. He now steers for a clearly favorable, fast­ approaching ending, with healthier pawn structure and his golden bishops in tow. 2 I .i.b6? Only one last gadget could save me, an old friend: 2 1 .tt:ld5!+Postponing a meat-grinding ending in favor of a flashy, decisive middlegame.

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And the black queen fades away. Q: "Aston

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Chapter 7 - The Professional's Choice - tLl ge [00] 7 2 I . . .i.xd5 2 l . . .exd5 22-l:k l !+- is the sharp shot I missed. 22.exd5 exd5 23 .i.a7 With an irresistible flurry of threats. 23 . . . i.xb2D 23 .. J�d7? 24.l:: k l t 'kt>d8 2 5 .i.b6t 'kt>e8 26.l:!xf6!+24J��d2 i.c3 2 5 .l:: k 2 b4 26.a3 �hf8 27.axb4 �xf7 28.gxf7 'kt>b7 29.�xc3 Only now does White head for a winning endgame! Despite the pawn minus, the f7thorn proves decisive. I learned from hearing Kamsky lecture once that in the ending, it is not always the quantity, but the quality of one's pawns that ultimately matters. 29 'kt>xa7 30.�g3 ! g5 3 l .�e3 �f8 32.�e7t c,!;>b6 33.'kt>f2+With the black king shut out, White's freely marches to e6. . . .

2 1 . E!d7 22.E!xd7 �xd7 23 .ic5 .ieS Now I become yet another victim of Kamsky's legendary technique. •.

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�b6 29.�b4 .ixb2 30.�d3 .id4t 3 1 .�fl E!a8 32.E!d2 e5 And fortunately this was blitz, so the torture chamber did not last much longer (time-wise, that is) . Kamsky, a hardened professional chess assassin, perfectly follows old Q's advice to Bond upon his retirement. Q: "I always tried to teach you two things. First, never let them see you bleed." Bond: "And the second?" Q: "Always have an escape plan." (The World is Not Enough) 0-1 •••

Even "The Boss" himself, arguably the greatest player of all time, Garry Kasparov (also known as "The Beast from Baku"), has come to experience the Morra's sharp sword. To his credit, Kasparov only faces the gambit here in a simul against the young and future GM Landa, so he could not give the defensive effort his full power. Too bad no one ever had the nerve to play the Morra against Kasparov in a real tournament! One thing is certain the legendary World Champion is not a man known to decline a fight.

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Konstantin Landa - Garry Kasparov

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Moscow Clock Simul 1 988

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l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 s.�f3 e6 6 .ic4 a6 7.0-0 � ge7 8..ig5 h6

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24 ..ixd6 .ixd6 25.e5 .idS! "Closing time James. Last call?" (Trevelyan, GoldenEye) 26.tLlxd5 .lxe5 27.� b4t �c7 28.�xa6t

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166

Mayhem in the Morra

9..ih4?! We dissect the superior 9.i.e3 later in the advanced material. Unlike the Kamsky game, here the bishop falling back to g3 makes less sense, as the d-pawn (still on d7) is no longer in the line of fire. 9 ... d6?! More in the variation's dynamic style is: 9 . . . g5! l O.i.g3 tLlg6+ This would also be more in Kasparov's style. Often in his career the champion has won brilliantly in the Open Sicilian, leaving his king in the center and dangerously expanding on the flank {in the 6.i.e3 tLl g4 lines of the English Attack, in particular) . Here, with Black's pawn on d7, White's g3bishop proves to be a greater liability than an asset, while Black's seemingly soft kingside cannot be punctured.

IO g5 1 1 .Ag3 �g6 1 2J�� adl J.e7 •••

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1 3 . .ib3 1 3.i.xd6, regaining the pawn but heading into a slightly worse ending due to White's dark-squared liabilities, is not in the Romantic style {and likely Kasparov would have been happy with that in a simultaneous exhibition. 1 3 ... � ge5?! 1 3 . . . tLla5! eliminates the heat-seeking missile/bishop, while still offering the ending after I 4.i.xd6, and would have prevented the firestorm to come.

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l l .�e l l l .%lid2 g4! 1 2.tLld4 %lfg5!+ liquidates the queens and squashes any further hopes of compensation. l l ...h5! 1 2.lLld5? 1 2.i.d6 g4 1 3 .i.xf8 li?xf8+ "I also like to live dangerously." {Austin Powers) 1 2 . . . d6!+ Only now . . . d6!

14.�xe5 dxe5 1 5.'i;Ye3 'i;Ya5 As the g3-bishop rots in prison, a certain member of the royal cavalry brings him the keys to bust loose!

IO.%lfd2 As White's heavy pieces snipe at the d6-pawn, Black's position soon devolves into chaos. a

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Chapter 7

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Th e Profe ssio n al s Ch oice '

16.�d5! It only takes one slip! Even the world champion can succumb to the awesome power of ltJd5! "Let the mayhem begin!" (Elliot Carver, Tomorrow Never Dies) I 6 .. ..id8 1 6 . . . exd5 1 7.exd5 +-

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lLlge [00] 7

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20 . . . l:'!h7 2 1 .%Vc5 l:'!c8 (2 l . . . .ixd5 22.exd5 and the bishops spit bullets. 22 . . . Wb6 23.Wc2+-) 22.ltJf6t .ixf6 23 . .ixf6 %Vc7 24.l:'!d l The once captive bishop is now taking prisoners, including the pitiful h7-rook. 24 . . . e5 25 .l:'!d6 .id7 26.Wxe5t .ie6 27.g3 \t> f8 28.l:'!xe6 fxe6 29.Wxe6+- Fine swordsmanship indeed. 2 l . .id6 b4 2 l . . . .ixd5 22.exd5 +22.l:'!c l Wb5 23 .Wd4 %Vb7 24. ltJ f6t .ixf6 2 5 .Wxf6 l:'!g6 26.Whst \t>d7 27.Wd4 \t>es 28 . .ixb4

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t 9.Vf3!? Landa misses his first chance to be immortalized in gambit lore: 1 9 J'hc6! .ixc6 20 . .ixe5+The now freed bishop sprays across the four corners of the board. A few lengthy variations demonstrate what might have been against the deadliest of them all. 8

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"You should have killed me when you had the chance." (Renard, The World is Not Enough) 1 9 ... exd5 20.hd5+­ The mayhem continues. 20 ... � 8

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1 68

Mayhem i n the Morra

2 1 .Yfh5 �h7 2 l . . .�g7 22 . .ixc6 l:%c8 23 . .ixe5t f6 24 . .ixd7 l:%xc5 25 . .if5! l:%c7 26.�g6t �h8 27.�xh6t (or 27 . .ixc7+-) 27 . . . �g8 28 . .ie6t l:%cf7 29 . .id6+-

26.l:%d6 llJ g8 27.�g6t �h8 28.l:%d7 .ie7 29.l:%xe7+23 Yfb6 And we leave this game suspended in midair, along with the players and their pieces, for dramatic effect. I 'm already out of breath, and must save myself for the Grand Finale. But if you're dying to know how this thriller ended, j ust go to page 322. •..

Marc Esserman - Loek van Wely US Open, Orlando 20 I I

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Two bishops are not just positional tools! 22 ..bf?' � e7

Dryden: "Your file shows no kills. But to become a double 0, it takes . . . " Bond: "Two." Dryden: "Shame, we barely got to know each other." Bond: "I know where you keep your gun." Dryden: "I suppose that's something. How did he die?" Bond: "No contact, not well." Dryden: "You needn't worry. Second is . . . " (Casino Royale) l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 Before the game, a friend of mine, who happens to be a professional poker player in addition to a strong master, placed a small wager with me on Van Wely's third move. He took "declines" , I took "accepts" . As I had some sensitive, secret information that he could not possibly have known, I won.

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"One. . . last . . . screw." (Bond, The World is Not Enough) 23J�xe5?! "The man just won't take a hint." (Trevelyan, GoldenEye)

23.l:%d5!! is the silencer. As taking the rook allows mate in two, the threat of l:%d6 swiftly decides. 23 . . . .ig4 24.�xg4 l:%xf7 2 5 .�e6 l:%f8

3 ... dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 5.�f3 e6 6.Ac4 a6 7.0--0 � ge7 S.i.g5 A few weeks before the US Open, Van Wely visited Boston, where aside from touring he played an informal blitz match vs. a teammate of mine, former World Junior and Dos Hermanas blitz champion Jorge Sammour­ Hasbun. Though in Europe at the time, I heard from an undercover agent of mine in the field that Jorge unleashed the Morra in one game, with Van Wely choosing ... llJ ge7. But Sammour countered with .if4 instead of the

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Chapter 7 - The Professional's Choice - lD ge [00] 7 testing ig5 , allowing Van Wely to smoothly finish his kingside development. I realized then that Van Wely might allow me to uncork an outlandish idea I had kept hidden for almost three years, and could barely contain my excitement before the game. But a good spy, rather than broadcasting his emotions, must "become half monk, half hit-man." (Bond, Casino Royale) 8... f6 9.i.e3 ttlg6

��,,�-�., � � • u�u · -� � � • u � : .r.�.�. � �ttJ� �� � "rft. � " l·li��f

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lO.i.b3! I followed the standard plan of 1 0.lLld4!? (eyeing f4-f5) in tournaments many times during my junior years and in blitz as well. But as explained earlier, while perfectly playable, 1 O.lLld4 allows Black to exchange a key minor piece en route to neutralizing White's initiative. After the embarrassing Shabalov loss, I subjected the . . . lLl ge7 lines to exhaustive study, coming up with many sharp improvements which I hoped to unload upon Shabalov himself. However, it is "Lucky Loek" whose luck here runs out, as he unwittingly falls upon one of these ticking time bombs.

was thinking there was some chance involved." Bond: "Eh, only if you assume that the player with the best hand wins." Vesper: "So there will be what you call bluffing?" Bond: "You've heard the term. So you should know that in poker you never play your hand, but the man across from you." {Casino Royale) 1 0 ... b5 Loek desperately wanted to play 1 0 . . . ie7 and castle to safety, but after a strained think decided that preventing the unpleasant lLl a4 with 1 0 . . . b 5 , while leaving his king in the center, was the lesser of the two evils. However, Black's position may already be critical, and in the theoretical section we will look for earlier improvements.

1 0 . . . ie7 1 1 .lLla4! 0-0 { l l . . . b 5 ? 1 2.ib6+­ Esserman - Fang, Harvard [blitz] 20 1 0.) 1 2 .lLl b6 gb8 1he bind Van Wely feared. White can now either continue sharply with 1 3 .lLld5, threatening to lop off the dark-squared bishop {with resulting middlegame play similar to Esserman - Ivanov) , or prophylactically with 1 3.Wd3 , preventing the freeing . . . f5 while preparing gfd 1 mac 1 . At last, the moment of truth. I almost moved instantly, but restrained myself and seemingly entered into deep, troubled thought. l l .c!t)dS!!

I continued cautiously, almost timidly, not wanting to activate Van Wely's highly trained sixth sense of danger. Vesper: "So you're telling me it's all a matter of probability and odds. I a

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170

Mayhem in the Morra

"White rook to white knight. Service the pawns." (Tomorrow Never Dies) . Mter discovering the soundness of tt:ld5 in my game vs. Sarkar, I steadily began to appreciate the awesome power of tt:l d5 in the Morra. As a result, I would violently toss tt:ld5 into the fire in many key positions, no matter how absurd the sacrifice seemed at surface view. And so, after a heated analysis for both myself and the computer, when the evaluations finally switched from + to and often to ±I+-, I knew I had unlocked my primary weapon. In late 2009, I first released l l .ttld5 against an unsuspecting young master, and won rather brutally in under an hour. I then quickly cleared the pieces (Shabalov was playing only a few boards down!) , ripped up the scoresheet, and threw it in the trash. With all the original evidence destroyed, I then analyzed with my respectful opponent, and he duly agreed not to publish the game. Thus, l l .ttld5 remained a secret . . . But the chess world i s a vast, unforgiving place, and it's tough to keep up with the hotbed of activity teeming in every locale. So, to my chagrin, I only learned after the Van Wely game that the brilliant I I .tt:ld5 had already been played by Ukrainian IM Zakharov back in 200 1 . Not the first time though that I 've played the fool - I once ventured 7.g4!? in the Semi-Slav against Shabalov, convincing myself pre-game that he would be intimidated by this volatile gambit. Only in the post-tournament report, penned by just a 2000-rated player, did I read in disbelief: "Esserman plays in his usual swashbuckling style. Shabalov is a well known expert on either side of this position and this is commonly known as the Shabalov Variation."35 ''I've got you now, Dr. Evil." Austin Powers. So, while a full novelty in my mind, the theory of the rare l l .ttld5 remained virtually unknown. Well, it shocked a great theoretician like Van Wely, and I 'm sure 99.9% of =

professionals had no idea of its existence. After all, most grandmasters, still suffering from " l . . .e6?, l . . .c5 wins a pawn" thinking, don't take the Morra very seriously. But after this game, perhaps they will . l l ...exd5 Loek grabbed instantly, like Sarkar, refusing to believe in magic. I too began to play instantly, the cat being out of the bag.

l l . . . :i:!b8 Some analysts suggested this "calm" move as salvation for Van Wely, but perhaps they learned nothing from the game. 1 2.:1!c l ! White simply gains momentum. Th e fuming knight refuses to budge, and eventually Black must capture. 1 2 . . . a5

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1 3 .a3! "White Knight, four minutes to impact. Get out of there. You will not wait, now that's an order." (Tomorrow Never Dies) 1 3. tt:l f4?! is the machine's top choice. But no, the knight should not get out of there. 1 3.:1!e l !? is another good way to leave the knight in position. 1 3 . . . exd5 1 3 . . . a4 1 4 . .ia2 exd5 1 5 .exd5± 1 4.exd5± 1 2.exd5 � ce5 1 3.d6!

17 1

Chapter 7 - The Professional's Choice - lLl ge [00] 7 Slicing the board in two. The "Italian" bishop fires at will. 13 ....ib7 1 4.�xe5 fxe5 1 4 . . . lLlxe5? 1 5-l:!e l Wlb8 1 6 . .ic5! +- body­ slamming Black's position. 15.£4!

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1 7.l:!f4! Taunting the queen. 1 7 . . . Wfd8 1 7 . . . Wfh6 1 8.l:!xf8t+1 8 .Wfh5t g6 1 9.Wfxe5t Wfe? Elektra: You wouldn't kill me, you'd miss me. 20.l:!xf8t+Bond: " I never miss." (The World is Not Enough) ,

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The King's Gambit returns. White rips open the center and the f-file as Black's king becomes target practice. If the f-pawn vanished, .if7 would be mate . . .

The equally daring 1 5 . . . exf4 will be dissected in the advanced material. For starters, the gambiteer laughs at the danger, jettisoning another piece: 1 6.l:!e l fxe3! 1 7.l:!xe3t .ie? 1 8 .Wfd4!

1 5 ...W!f6?! Loek plays the most natural move, but he could feel the ship already sinking. It's almost impossible to survive more than a few moves in this position without preparation.

After 1 5 . . . lLlxf4? White can win simply with 1 6.l:!xf4, or spectacularly with 1 6.Wfh5t lLlxhS 1 7 . .if7#. 1 5 . . . W/h4? 1 6.fxe5! A shredder. 1 6 . . . lLlxe5 16 ... Wfe4 17 . .tf7t ds 1 8.Wfd2 cs 19 .l:!ac l t bs 20.l:!fe 1 WIg4 2 1 ..id5 lLlxe5 22 . .ixb7 xb? 23.l:!c7t bs 24.Wfd5 lLl c6 25 . .ia7t+- There is no escape.

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The white queen dominates, as in Esserman - Sarkar. Meanwhile, the black king cries: "Why do I suddenly feel like I 'm the one not carrying enough insurance?" (The World is Not Enough)

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Mayhem in the Morra

16.fxe5 Yfxe5 Graves: "Time to face destiny." Bond: "Time to face. . . gravity." 17 ..ig5!! Preventing the great queenside-castle escape. Black's king now stays buried in the center. Q: "Will you need collision coverage?" Bond: "Yes." Q: "Fire?" Bond: "Probably." . Q: "P roperty destrucnon.�" B on d : "D e fi ntte Iy." Q: "Personal Injury?" Bond: " I hope not, but accidents do happen." Q: "They frequently do with you." .

1 7.i.f7t 'kt>d8 1 8 . .ib6t 'kt>c8 1 9.E:e l also wins, but not in the Romantic style.

1 8..if7t �d8 1 9.dxe7t �xe7 20.'tfd2! The smoke clears, and the gambiteer remains a pawn down, as on move three. However, with White's two "extra" rooks scorching and bishops blasting away at the exiled black king, it's game over against even the deadliest of opponents. 20 ... �c8 2 1 .gac l t � c6 22.gfd l The Morra rooks take their rightful place before the curtain call. 22 ...Yff5 23 ..if4! Yfxf7 24.Yfd6 �d8 Alec: " For England, James?" Bond: "No, for me." (GoldenEye) 25.Elxc6! .lxc6 26.Yfxc6

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17 .. ..le7 The only move! Black cannot grab, due to a problem-like finish, showcasing the queen's unique geometry.

1 7 . . . %Vxg5 1 8 .%Ve l t! 'kt>d8 ( 1 8 . . . i.e7 1 9.i.f7t 'it>f8 20.i.xg6t i.f6 2 1 .%Ve7t 'kt>g8 22 . .if7# ­ No need for the butcher's 22.%Vf7#.) 1 9 .%Va5t 'kt>c8 20.%Vc7# Miranda: "My my, you do get around." (Die Another Day) 1 7 . . . %Vc5t is met by 1 8.E!:f2+- and the bishop stays immune. (But not 1 8 .'kt>h l ?? i.xg2t.)

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And Black must resign, for if 26 . . . E:a7 or 26 . . . E:c8, the bishop returns to take a bow on g5, delivering mate after 27 . . . 'kt>e8 28.W(x) c8#. But before conceding, Van Wely, an excellent sportsman, feigned castling kingside, waiting for me to almost fall out of my chair, then resigned! Frost: "That is enough!" Graves: "Hahaha. It's j ust a little sport, Miranda. It seems you beat me, Mr. Bond. Settle downstairs, shall we?" (Die Another Day) 1-0

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Chapter 7 - The Professional 's Choice - ltJ ge [00] 7

Theory I - Van Wely Imp rovements l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.ltJxc3 ltJ c6 5.ltJf3 e6 6 ..ic4 a6 7.0-0 � ge7 s..tg5 f6 9.i.e3 �g6 10.Ab3 b5 1 l .� d5 exd5 1 2.exd5 �ce5 l 3.d6 .ib7 14.�xe5 fxe5 1 5.f4

1 9 .d.xe7 d5 ? 19 . . . lt.Jxe7! ? 20J'he7t! Wxe7 2 l .Wfxg7t Wd6 22.Wg3t! The only way to win. The queen again shows off her geometric prowess. 22 .. .rll e7 (22 ... Wc6 23.l'k l t Wb6 24.Wff2#) 23.We5t Wd8 24.Wxh8t Wc7 25.Ek l t i.c6 26.Wxa8 8

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15 exf4! 16J�el fxe3 17Ji:xe3t Ae7 1 8.Yl!fd4! •••

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26 . . . Wb6t One last gasp. White must find the accurate 27.Wfl +-, as the plausible 27.Wh l ? leads to a stunning perpetual with the white queen shut out on a8: 27 . . . We3! 28.�xc6t dxc6 29.h3 We i t 30.Wh2 Wfe5t= 20.i.xd5 Wc7 2 l .�fl Lights out. 2 I . . .lt.J xe7 22.i.f7t Wf8 23.i.e6t We8 24.Wfxg7 1 -0 Black resigned, not wishing to allow a rousing finish: 24 . . . �g8 2 5 .Wff7t Wd8 26.Wf8t! �xf8 27.�xf8# 1 8 . . . Wfb8 is the most creative try, hoping to pin White's heavy pieces, then castle long: 1 9 .d.xe7 Wa7 Can you find the gorgeous win?

1 8 Yl!fc8! A subtle, disturbing computer-like defense. Le Chiffre: "I hope our little game isn't causing you to perspire." (Casino Royale) •..

1 8 . . . Wfa5 ?! This occurred in the aforementioned Esserman - Schoch, Philadelphia 2009, and Black fell hard: a

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Mayhem i n the Morra

20 . .if7t!! Q;>xf7 2 l .e8='Wt! l:!hxe8 22.l:!fl t 'it>g8 23 .'Wxa7 +- (or 23.l:!xe8t +-) Amazingly, I discovered this position during an independent analysis in 2009, only to learn after the Van Wely game that it had all already been played in the brilliant game VI. Zakharov - Gusev, Tula 200 1 . 1 9J::lae l Vc6 Black somehow coordinates for a powerful battery, and again threatens to castle long. 20Jif3 Q;>ds 2 l .dxe7t �xe7 2 1 . . . 'iil c7 22.l:!c3+-

the defender would still have to memorize and endure 50 moves of pain j ust to score half a point. And this makes me more than satisfied! I doubt such preparation would be acceptable for aspiring professional players, desperate to win against the "unsound" Morra! Nevertheless, I will reproduce up to the starting position of this sharp king and pawn finale, just so no one complains that we did not cover Dvoretsky­ like endgame studies in this book! 24.'Wxh8t Q;>c7 2 5 .'We5t d6 26.l:!f7t Q;>b6 27.'Wd4t 'Wc5 28.'Wxc5t dxc5 29.l'!xb7t Q;>xb7 30 . .id5t Q;>a7 3 l ..ixa8 Q;>xa8 32.Q;>f2 Q;>b7 33 .Q;>e3 Q;>c6 34.Q;>e4= It sure doesn't look drawn, does it!? 24JU6t Q;>c7 25J��xc6t hc6 26..if7! Putting an end to the drawing dream. Suddenly Black's rooks are paralyzed.

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22Jhe7! As we saw in the notes to in Esserman Schoch. 22 Q;>xe7 23.Vxg7t Q;>d6 Sacrificing the queen for two rooks, and the computer sees light at the end of the tunnel in the form of "O.OO". ..•

In his notes to the Van Wely game, Grandmaster Golubev extensively analyzed 23 . . . Q;>ds out to a drawn king and pawn endgame at around move 50 after several difficult, only moves for Black. Let me be clear: I have no intention of draining out the Morra in such a fashion. Even if this interesting endgame is in fact drawn,

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26 J:iac8 27.g4!± White, meanwhile, j ust goes to make a queen after h2-h4. Chess is a very simple game sometimes. Sorry, computer, better luck next time! Clearly, the world's greatest assassins have too much pride to willingly enter such positions as Black. Van Wely, for one, was already scouring for earlier improvements minutes after the game, and so shall we. •.

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Chapter 7 - The Professional's Choice - lLl ge [00] 7

Theory 11 Earlier Van Wely Imp rovements l .e4 c5 2.d4 c:x:d4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 � c6 5.�a e6 6 ..ic4 a6 7.0-0 � ge7 8 ..ig5 f6 9 ..ie3 b5!? I O . .ib3

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1 0 ... � a5!? GM Kevin Spraggett suggested this logical improvement (a move he has played with success) after the game.36 Black's idea is attractive - he aims to lop off the Italian bishop, finish his development, then dominate on the b?-h l diagonal. But Black wastes precious time in the process - the wily gambiteer must therefore seize the moment.

A very risky, counter-intuitive, but serious attempt. Black yet again postpones his kingside development, waiting for White to show his hand. Now White has a few choices which drastically differ in style. l l .liJd2!? This seems strange to me, but White managed to win in an epic computer vs. computer tournament battle. Unlike l l . liJ d4, White refuses to exchange knights, while f4-f5 still beckons. If l l . liJ d4, then l l . ..llJxd4 1 2 . .Axd4 llJ c6! and Black's pieces instantly spring to life. l l .a3! ?00 is definitely not in the gambit spirit, but is completely playable! White waits in turn, taking the extra time to preserve his Italian bishop, and in the next few moves simply plans to bring his Morra rooks to c 1 and d 1 . As a result of Black's backwards development, the chances are level. Lastly, our old friend 1 l .liJdS (and the related 1 l .a4 b4 1 2 .liJdS) must be checked. Surely Van Wely has mined this mayhem, and now I leave you alone to do the same. Spies must keep a secret or two! Please be advised - wear protection in your search, everything is not what it seems. l l . . .llJaS 1 2.f4 dS 1 3 . .Af2 llJxb3 1 4.Wfxb3 Wfd6 I S J'!ad l Wfxf4 1 6.a4 8

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Complete chaos! 1 6 . . . .Ac6 1 7.axb5 axbS 1 8 . llJ f3 Wfd6 1 9.!!fe l '>i/f7 20.llJd4 Ad? 2 1 . llJ dxb5 Wfc6 22.llJa7±

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Mayhem in the Morra

Wa6 23.1'!a i Wd6 24.llJab 5 Wc6 25.exd5 llJxd5 26.llJd4 l'!xa i 27.llJxc6 l'!xe i t 28.i.xe i i.xc6± Equidistance - VoidChessiCC, Internet 2006, and in this "advanced" humans and computers death match, White won in 9 5 moves (see the rest in the supplemental games section) . I wonder who got more tired, the operators or the silicon beasts? n .llJd4! With I I .i.xe6?! dxe6 1 2.Wxd8t mxd8 1 3 .i.b6t 'it>e8 I 4 .i.xa5+ White regains the pawn, but Black has all the chances in the endgame with the bishop pair. Van Wely saw this possibility during the game, but rejected it, fearing White's drawing chances. Such is the dilemma when professionals face lower rated players - the need to win (to maintain rating and/or collect a prize) may drive us to make inferior moves! But true gambiteers do not seek slightly worse endings out of the opening! 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 a

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l l . .. llJxb3 Here too, Black can consider: I I . . .i.b7!? 1 2.Wh5t! g6 I 2 . . . llJg6?! can be met by 1 3.f4-+ or by I 3.1'!ad i angling for lDxe6, as in some variations below.

I 3 .Wh4 g5 The top choice of the "fearless" and often senseless computer. Bond: "Who was the insider, who was the traitor?" Natalya: "Boris, Boris Grishenko." Bond: " KGB, or military?" Natalya: "Computer programmer." (GoldenEye) 1 3 . . . llJ ec6 1 4.llJxe6! dxe6 1 5 .i.xe6± i.c8 1 6.1%fd l +I 4.Wh5t llJ g6

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I 5 .llJxe6! I 5 . f4!?00 It's hard to resist a King's Gambit. I 5 . . .dxe6 I 6.i.xe6� i.c8?! I6 ... i.d6 I7 .l'!ad I! I'd rather not put a definite evaluation to this position, but rest assured, White is better. The attacking themes echo those of 9.lDg5! from the chapter "Into the Deep". I 7.1'!ad I i.xe6 I 7 . . . We7 I 8.llJd5+­ I 8.1'!xd8t l'!xd8 I 9.i.b6+1 2.Yfxb3!? 1 2.lDxb3oo, retaining the possibility ofWh5t while allowing the knight to plunder c5, also unleashes wild complications. But speedily mobilizing the heavy pieces seems more powerful.

Chapter 7 - The Professional's Choice - lDge [00] 7

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20."Wc2 0-0 2 1 .l:!c l !±

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Chess's equivalent of the AK-47, the "triple barrel" on the Morra's favorite firing range the c-file!

•••

1 2 . . . .!tJ g6 1 3 .l:!fd l ! 1 3 .f4!? ic5 1 4.l:!ac l 0-0 1 5 .l:!fd l -+ ( 1 5 .ltJ cxb5 ? "Wb6) 1 5 . . ."Wb6? 1 6.itJd5! 13 ... "Wc7 1 3 . . . "We7? hoping to escape with . . . "Wf7 followed by . . . ie7, is a pipe dream: 1 4 . .!tJ dxb5! axb5 1 5 .ltJxb5 @f7 1 6. ltJ c7 l:!a5 1 7."Wb8 "Wd8 1 8 .ib6± 1 4.l:!ac l "Wb7 1 5 .f4

After 1 2 . . . .!tJ c6!? 1 3 . .!tJxc6 dxc6 Black possesses the bishop pair, a solid structure, plus a pawn to boot. But his total lack of development still should push the evaluation slightly in White's favor. 1 4.l:!fd l We? 1 5 .a4 l:!b8 ( 1 5 . . . b4 1 6 . .!tJ e2;!;) 1 6.axb5 axb5 1 7.l:!a7 l:!b7 1 8.l:!a8 l:!b8 1 9.l:!da l Black must tread carefully to avoid falling off the cliff. 1 3J�acl ttl c6

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1 5 . . . b4 1 5 . . . ic5 1 6 . .!tJ cxb5 +1 6 . .!tJ a4 "Wxe4 1 7.ltJxe6! dxe6 1 7 . . . "Wxe6? 1 8.itJb6 Wxb3 1 9.axb3± 1 8 .l:!c4! "Wb7 1 9 .itJ b6± ie7 1 9 . . . l:!b8 20."Wa4t 'tt> f7 2 l ..!tJxc8 l:!xc8 22.l:!d7t+-

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14.ttld5!? Natalya: "You're like, boys with toys." (GoldenEye)

1 78

Mayhem i n the Morra

1 4 .lt:Jce2!?oo is also playable, if rather insipid. 14 ... exd5 1 5.exd5 .!LJxd4?! 1 5 . . . lt:Ja5!? 1 6.Ehc7 lt:Jxb3 1 7.lt:Jxb3 .!d6 1 8 .l:'k2 .!b7 ( 1 8 . . . 0-0 1 9 . .!c5±) 1 9.lt:Ja5± 16.hd4 �d6 1 6 . . .'1Wb8 1 7.!'i:fe 1 t �d8 ( 1 7 . . . �f7 1 8.d6t �g6 1 9 .'1Wg3t �f7 20.!'i:c7+- 007 heaven!) 1 8 .'1Wg3 '1Wxg3 ( 1 8 . . . d6 1 9.'1We3 +-) 1 9 ..!b6t \Wc7 20 . .!xc7#

1 6 . . . \Wf4 1 7.!'\fe l t �f7 1 8 .d6t �g6 1 9 .'1Wd3t �f7 ( 1 9 . . . \Wf5 20.!'i:e4! 'tt> f7 2 1 .Ek5 +-) 20 . .!e5 ! fxe5 2 1 .'1Wd5t +-

Theory III Lines with h6 -

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l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.lDxc3 e6 5 . .!LJ f.3 lDc6 6.i.c4 a6 7.0-0 lD ge7 s.i.g5 h6 Finally we dissect Kasparov's preferred choice against Landa. This is firmer than the creaking 8 . . . f6, however 8 . . . h6 (as well as still softening the g6-square) does not fight for the central e5-square, which can ultimately lead to Black's doom in many key variations. 9.i.e3! Not 9 . .!h4?! as previously discussed. On e3 the bishop exerts a more global influence. 9 ... lDg6 The alternative is 9 ... b 5 ! ? IO . .!b3.

17.!'i:felt 'tt> ds Boris: "Yessss, (GoldenEye)

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lnvinnncible!"

1 7 . . . �f7 1 8 . .!c5 '1Wxc5 1 9.d6t+18.�b4! Sorry, Boris!

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Now we look at A) 1 0 . . . lt:Ja5 and B) 1 0 . . . .!b7.

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18 J�b8 1 9.�a5t gb6 20.�xb6t �xb6 21 .hb6# .•

A) 1 0 . . . lt:Ja5 Forcing matters. Black will gain the two bishops with his pawn advantage to boot, but as in the previous example, the great loss of time behind . . . b5/ . . . lt:J a5xb3 offers White full-blooded compensation. 1 1 .!'\e l !N d6 l l . . . .!b7 transposes to I O . . . .!b7 1 1 .!'i:e 1 ! lt:Ja5 below. 1 I . . .lt:Jxb3 1 2.\Wxb3 promises White compensation, as raids on d5 loom if the black knight ever leaves its awkward post. 1 2.lt:Jd4!

179

Chapter 7 - The Professional's Choice - lLl ge [00] 7 Beautiful variations await, combining lLld4 and lLld5 motifs with Scheveningen-style themes. Study them well! 1 2 . . . g6!? 12 ... ll'lxb3 1 3.�xb3 e5 1 4. ll'l c2! .ie6 1 5 .lt'l d5� f5 1 6.lt'lcb4 fxe4 1 7. ll'l c7t �xc7 1 8 .�xe6 �d7 1 9.�b3 �b7 20J'!ad l aS 2 1 .ll'ld5 ll'lxd5 22.�xd5 a4 23.�d l Black labors heavily on the light squares. 23 . . . .ie7 24.�h5 t 'it>f8 2 5 .�f5 t 'it>g8 26.�xe4±

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A clever castling attempt, but . . . 1 3 . .id5 ! ! Bond: "You know I've missed your sparkling personality." Zhao: "How's that for a punch line." (Die another Day) 1 3 . . . exd5 1 3 . . . �b8 1 4.b4� 1 4.ll'lxd5! ig7 1 4 . . . ll'lxd5 1 5 .exd5 .ie7 ( 1 5 . . . f6 1 6.lt'lc6 ll'lxc6 1 7 . .ib6t �e7 1 8 .dxc6 .ie6 1 9.�e3±) 1 6.b4± 1 5 .ll'l f5 !

Christmas Jones: "Who are you?" Bond: " I work for the British government." (The World is Not Enough) 1 5 . . . gxf5 1 5 . . . ll'lxd5 1 6.ll'lxg7t 'it>f8 1 7.�xd5 .ib7 ( 1 7 . . . �b8 1 8 . .ia7 �b7 1 9 . .id4±) 1 8 .ll'l e6t! fxe6 1 9.�xe6± 1 6 . .ib6 �d7 1 7.exf5 'it> f8 1 8 .�xe7 �xf5 1 9 . .ixa5± B) 10 ... .ib7 l l .�e l ! Target in range. l l . . .lt'la5 l l . . . lt'l g6 1 2.ll'ld5!� l l . . .d6 1 2 .a4 b4 1 3 . ll'l d5 exd5 1 4.exd5 ll'la5! ( 1 4 . . . ll'le5?! 1 5 .a5!+- f6 1 6.ll'lxe5 fxe5 1 7.�f3! �b8 1 8 . .ia4t 'it>d8 1 9 . .ib6t 'it>c8 20.�h3t) Bond: "You looked like a man on the edge of losing control." Graves: "It's only by being on the edge that we know who we really are, under the skin." (Die Another Day) 1 5 . .ic2 g6 ( 1 5 . . .f6?! 1 6 . .ig6t 'it>d7 1 7 . .if7±) 1 6 . .id4 �g8 1 7 . .if6 l'!c8 1 8 .�e2�

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1 2.ll'le5!N The comment "8 ... h6 does not fight for the central e5-square" is now taken out of the abstract and into the concrete. 1 2 . .id5 ! ?N is an idea for those who wish to live on the edge. . . 1 2 . . . exd5 1 3 .exd5 d6 14 . .if4 f5 ( 1 4 . . . ll'l c4?! illustrates the dangers lurking at every corner: 1 5 .b3 ll'l b6 1 6.ll'le4+- ll'l bc8 1 7.l'!c l 'it>d7 1 8.ll'lxd6 a

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1 80

Mayhem in the Morra

tt:lxd6 1 9.�xd6 'it>xd6 20.tt:le5 'WeB 2 l .'Wf3 E:cB 22.'Wf4 E:xc l 23.tt:lc4t 'it>d7 24.'Wd6t \t>cB 25.tt:lb6#) 1 5 .E:e6 'it>f7 1 6.E:xd6 'WeB 1 7.E:d7! It's almost worth sacrificing the bishop on d5 j ust for this move alone. 1 7 . . . 'it>gB 1 B .E:c7 'WdB 1 9.'We2 �cB 20.tt:l h4� 1 2 . . . 'Wc7 a) 1 2 . . . tt:lxb3 1 3 .�b6! 'WeB 1 4.'Wf3 tt:l f5 ( 1 4 . . . f6? 1 5 .'Wh5 t g6 1 6.tt:lxg6 tt:l xg6 1 7.'Wxg6t \t>e7 1 B.axb3 'WeB 1 9.�c5t d 6 20.�xd6t \t>xd6 2 I .'Wxf6+-) 1 5 .axb3 �d6 1 6. 'Wg4 �xe5 17 .exf5 Perhaps Black can defend, although in practice, once his dark-squared bodyguard goes, so should his king. 1 7 . . . �f6 1 B .�d4! �xd4 1 9.'Wxd4 0-0 20.f6--+ b) 1 2 . . . d6 1 3.tt:lxf7! Knights were made to charge forward, after all. 1 3 . . . 'it>xf7 1 4.'Wf3t \t>gB 1 5 .�xe6t \t>h7 1 6.tt:l d5� tt:l xd5? 1 7.exd5+- �cB 1 B .�d4 �xe6 1 9 .dxe6 tt:l c4 20.'Wf5t 'it>gB 2 1 .'Wf7t \t>h7 22.e7 +- Ouch. 1 3.�f4 d6

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1 4.tt:\xf7! \t>xf7 1 5 .'Wh5 t 'it>gB 1 5 . . . tt:l g6?? 1 6.'Wf5 t +1 5 . . . g6 1 6.'Wf3--+ 1 6.�xe6t \t>h7 1 7.E:ad l ± 1 7.�xh6 g6 1 B.'Wf3 tt:l f5oo Christmas Jones: "Can you put that in English, for those of us who don't speak spy?" (The World is Not Enough) 1 7 . . . E:dB

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1 B .�xh6! g6 1 B . . . gxh6 1 9 .'Wf7t �g7 20.�f5t+1 9.'Wf3 tt:l f5 1 9 . . . 'it>xh6 20.'Wf6+1 9 . . .�xh6 20.'Wf7t �g7 2 1 .E:d3+20.�g5 ! The point behind the "waiting move" 1 7.E:ad 1 - the bishop now comes to g5 with a kick. 20 . . . E:eB 2 l .�xf5 gxf5 22.'Wh 5 t+-

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1 0.�b3! As in Esserman - Van Wely. Black must now play 1 0 . . . d6 or 1 0 . . . �e7, allowing tt:l a4-b6 with a bind and full compensation. Tempting fate, however, leads to annihilation. l O ... bS?! l l .� dS! A spitting image of the Van Wely game. I was confident of claiming this as a novelty,

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Chapter 7 - The Professional's Choice - lt:l ge [00] 7 until discovering it had been played in a hidden correspondence game. But to quote Tal, perhaps the World Champion closest to the Romantic spirit of James Bond: "I smoke, I drink, I gamble, but postal chess is one vice I do not have.".l7

1 3 ...ti'f6 1 3 . . . .ib7 1 4.lt:lxe5 lt:lxe5 1 5 .f4 (or 1 5 . .if4+-) 1 5 . . . lt:J c4 1 6 . .ixc4 bxc4 1 7.Ei:e l +14)iJxe5 tlJxeS 1S ..id4 1 5 . f4 lt:Jc4 1 6 . .ixc4 bxc4 1 7.Ei:e l ± 1 S ...ti'xd6 1 5 . . . .ixd6 1 6. f4 0-0 1 7. fxe5+-

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l l . .. exdS l l . . . Ei:b8 1 2.EI:c l ± Eilmes 2006.

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K. Jones, e-mail

12.exd5 c!lJ ceS 1 2 . . . lt:l a5 1 3 .Ei:e l .ie7 1 4.d6 lt:J xb3 1 5 .axb3 0-0 1 6.�d5 EJ:b8 1 7.dxe7 lt:J xe7 1 8 .�d6± Gripping . . .

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Vesper: " How was your lamb?" Bond: "Skewered. One sympathizes." (Casino Royale) 16J�el �e7 1 7.he5 ti'xd l 1 8J'�axdl 0-0 l 9.�d5 "The name's Bond, James Bond."

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"I'm going to refute this opening in week."

- Grandmaster Vadim Milov

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1 84

Mayhem i n the Morra

A sequel rarely lives up to the original, but alas, I shall try. After 6 . . . �c5 (or 6 . . . �b4) ,

Swiftly ending the ... lt:l ge7 dream after only six moves. So Black must first include 5 . . . lt:l c6 6.�c4. Then on 6 . . . �c5 7.0-0 lt:l ge7, White explodes in the center with 8 .e5!, threatening the binding lt:l e4, and Black's plans go up in smoke. And upon 6 . . . �b4 7.0-0 lt:l ge7, White unveils a subtle queen sortie, revealed only in the final act.

Marc Esserman - Vijayan Harvard (blitz) 20 1 1 a

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Black solves his dark-squared bishop's troubles once and for all. Only then does he aim for . . . lt:lge7/ . . . 0-0, thus smoothly finishing his development and, at last, "taking over the world" . But we've heard that tale before. Yes, Black's setup is more or less bulletproof to the standard shot �g5 , as the bishop has already escaped f8's orbit, so the knight can simply ignore the empty pin. Therefore, in order to foil the . . . lt:l ge7 henchmen, the gambiteer must pull out a few more creative gadgets from his briefcase. Against the premature 5 . . . �b4?!, White has the dazzling 6.\Wd4!.

In blitz and bullet, the Morra Gambit can be even more lethal than in classical chess. Even if Black surgically proves a reckless gambiteer's onslaught to be no more than smoke and mirrors, he may lack the time on the clock to convert his advantage. On the flip side, when I give the insane handicap of 45 seconds or less (in this case 38 seconds) vs. 5 minutes to weaker opponents in money games, the Morra remains my best hope to defuse both the adversary and the ticking clock. l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.tLlxc3 e6 5.tLlf3 .ib4?! A premature sally. After White's centralizing crusher, the necessity for . . . lt:l c6 before . . . �b4 will become painfully evident. 6.W/d4! .ixc3t Black cedes the bishop pair and the dark squares, but this bleak moves still remains the lesser of the two evils.

Casually returning the pawn with 6 . . . lt:lc6 meets an unpleasant surprise: 7.\Wxg7 \Wf6

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Chapter 8 - Early Bishop Out - lD ge [00] 7 Reloaded?

I O .ixh7t! A rare bolt, the classic "Greek gift" bishop sacrifice in the Morra (the bishop almost always posts on c4) . •

I O f8 1 5 .'Wh5! hxg5 1 6.if5! f6 1 7.ig6+Siicing and dicing. In hostile territory, I decided to handle 6 . . . ib4 as if it were 6 . . . ic5 , an ominous sign. Bond: "What's your plan for the bomb?" Renard: "You first, or could it be you don't have a plan?" (The World is Not Enough) 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 a

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Chapter 8 - Early Bishop Out - lLl ge [OO] ? Reloaded? No longer coming with tempo, but I'm improvising. Sarkar, unimpressed, looked on curiously. Renard: "How sad, to be threatened by a man who believes in nothing." Bond: "And what do you believe in?" 9 ... ll:lgxe5! The Joker: "I believe, whatever doesn't kill you, simply makes you . . . stranger." (The Dark Knight) IO.ll:lxe5 ll:lxe5 I I .Yfd4

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My deep plan, returning to the well of W!d4 to try and down Sarkar again. If now 1 1 . . . tLl c6, then 1 2.Wlxg7, and if 1 1 . . .d6 or l l . . .f6, then 1 2.j,xe6 and 1 3 .Wfxb4 . . . Renard: ''A man tires of being executed." 1 1 £6! With a wide smile! I slunk back in my chair, absorbing the shock that I had been had, for on 1 2.j,xe6? Sarkar sticks in the dagger blow: 12 . . . tLl c6!-+ Renard: "No hard feelings Mr. Bond, but now, we're even, and soon, you'll feel nothing at all."42 Depressed and down a full two central pawns, I somehow gathered myself and managed to swindle a draw. But certainly not as a result of the opening. As far as I'm concerned, Justin got his Morra revenge. •••

•••

lfz-lf:z

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Jacek Stopa - Alexandra Kosteniuk St. Louis (rapid) 20 1 1

Ivana: "Do you know what we do in Russia to keep warm?" Austin Powers: "I can guess, baby." Ivana: "We play chess." Austin: " I guessed wrong."43 I .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.ll:lxc3 e6 s.ll:la ll:l c6 6 ..ic4 .ib4 7.0-0 ll:l ge7 s ..ig5 8 . tLl b 5 ? ! debuted in a clash of two theoretical titans from the golden age of chess, GMs Igor Zaitsev and Semyon Furman, who curiously enough, were both also loyal seconds to Karpov. In this duel Furman, as Black, got the upper hand, proving the knight raid too optimistic: 8 . . . d5! 9.exd5 exd5 1 0 . .ixd5 tLlxd5 1 1 .Wfxd5 0-0+ Despite giving back the pawn, Furman retained a distinct advantage with his two bishops roaming the open board. The game ended in a draw but remained a clear theoretical victory for Black.

In the " Kings vs. Queens" rapid tournament last fall in St. Louis, five leading male players faced off against top female opponents in a tense round-robin format. Young IM Stopa, already an Evans Gambit disciple, showed up inspired by our European 20 1 1 summer tour, vowing to play the Morra - the sexiest opening in chess - in each and every game he could. He had already defeated IM Fierro in the Morra Declined, but now Women's World Champion GM Kosteniuk was on to his womanizing ways. As Bond speeds in a sleek car, another speeder approaches. Caroline: " I enjoy a spirited ride as much as the next girl but. . . Who's that?" Bond: "The next girl." (GoldenEye) 8 ...Yfa5�! Black should ignore the pin and simply castle, exposing 8 .j,g5 to be full of hot air.

1 92

Mayhem i n the Morra a) 1 0 . . . 0-0 1 1 .a3 ! Exploiting the unusual post of the black bishop as retreating it to c5 leads to b2-b4 forking, but 1 1 . . . i.d6 also fails to satisfY: 1 2.dxc6 Wfc7 1 3.cxb7 i.xb7 1 4.Ek 1 ± b) 1 0 . . .l2J d8 1 l .d6 lLl f5 1 2.a3 i.xd6 1 3 .Wid3! 0-0 1 4. b4 Wfc7 1 5 .i.xd8! and now: b l ) 1 5 . . J%xd8?

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9.lLlbS?! During the interviews, Stopa revealed that never before in his career had he lost to a woman. And had he just found the most vigorous blow, he would have deprived Kosteniuk of the opportunity to sully his pure record: 9.lLld5!N Ripping the now helpless black queen, as well as the entire position, apart. Bond: "Black queen on the red king, Ms . . . ?" "Solitaire." Bond: "My name's Bond. James Bond." Solitaire: "I know who you are, what you are, and why you have come. You have made a mistake. You will not succeed." (Live and Let Die) 9 . . . exd5 1 0.exd5

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1 0 . . . h6 As usual with lLld5, Black has many defenses but all roads lead to mayhem:

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1 6.i.xf7t! �xf7 1 7.Vfixf5 t �g8 1 8. l2J g5 +­ Jinx: "What do predators do when the sun goes down?" Bond: "They feast." 1 8 . . . Wc4 1 9.Vfixh7t �f8 20.:gfe 1 i.e? 2 1 .:ge4 Vfid5 (2 1 . . .Wfg8 22.Vfig6 i.xg5 23.Vfixg5+-) 22.Wih8t Wg8 23.:gf4t i.f6 24.:gxf6t Miranda: "Mr. Bond here was just explaining his Big Bang theory." Jinx: "Oh, I think I got the thrust of it." (Die Another Day) 24 . . . gxf6 2 5 .Vfixf6t �e8 26.:ge 1 t +b2) 1 5 . . . Wxd8! 1 6.Vfixf5� White has clear­ cut compensation for the pawn in the form of massive development and soon dominant central rooks, but mating remains a long way off. Miranda: ''I'm afraid you'll never have that pleasure, M r. Bond." (Die Another Day) 1 l .i.f4! lLl g6 1 1 . . . lLl d8?! 1 2.a3± 1 2.i.g3 Black should j ust give back the piece to minimize the suffering, but stubbornness leads to further friction. 12 ... l2Jd8?! 1 3 .We2t �f8 1 4.a3 i.e?

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Chapter 8 - Early Bishop Out - lL'l ge [00] 7 Reloaded?

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1 5 .h4! h5 1 5 ... d6 1 6.:B:fe l -+ 1 6.b4 Wl'b6 1 7.id3 d6 1 8 .i.xg6 fxg6 1 9.:B:fe l Wfc7 20.:B:ac l Wl'd7 2 l .:B:c3

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9 ... d5 I O.exd5 exd5 l l ..i£4 0-0 1 2 ..id3 �d8 1 3 ..ic7 Xenia: "You think you can hurt me?" 1 3 ...�d7 14.a3 .taS 1 5 ..ixa5 �haS 1 6.�e5 Xenia: "You think you can break me?" 1 6 ...�d8 1 7J:�el � ac6 1 8.�f3 �g6 19.�a4 j,d7 20.�b3 � £4+ Elektra: "I 've always had a power over men."

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2 l . . . .if6 2 1 . . . llJ f7 22.:B:e3+- The triple barrel reloaded! Xenia: "You don't need the gun, Commander." 22.:B:c7!+Bond: "She always did enjoy a good squeeze." (GoldenEye} Of course, for the faint of heart, such sensual play is unnecessary, as the simple 9 . .id2!N secures the bishop pair and a dry positional advantage: 9 . . . 0-0 1 0.a3 .ixc3 l l ..ixc3;!;

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2 I ..ifl Vfb6 22.Yfa4 �g6 23.�dl a6 24.�xd5 .ie6 25J�xe6 fxe6 26.�xe6t 'i!th8 27.�d6 �xb2 Elektra: "You should have killed me when you had the chance. But no, you couldn't. Not me."

194

Mayhem in the Morra

28J�dl �ce5 29 ..ic4 �xf3t 30.gxf3 � e5 3 I .i.d5 �U6 32.Ve7 Ve2

searched for the right approach here - many moves came and went into the night, until ultimately I hit upon the right idea. Bond: "There may be one critical element here I may have overlooked." (The World is Not Enough) s.Vc21 8 7 6

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Xenia: "This time, Mr. Bond, the pleasure will be all mine." 0-1

Early Bishop Out Theory I 6 ib4 -

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l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 e6 5.�f3 �c6 5 . . . .ib4?! 6.'1Wd4 lt:lc6 7.Vf!xg7 Vf!f6 8 .i.h6! i.e7D 9.e5! This shatters the fragile Black defenses.

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9 . . . lt:lxe5 1 O.lt:le4 lt:lxf3t ( 1 O . . . i.b4t 1 1 . ltl fd2±) 1 1 .gxf3 Wxf3 1 2.i.g2!+6.i.c4 i.b4!? 7.0-0 � ge7 For a long time after the Sarkar game I

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am convinced this original positional approach is best. The queen slides to c2, when White readies to meet Black's unavoidable . . . d5 break with i.d3 , fully coordinating the queen and bishop. On . . . i.xc3, White may recapture with Wxc3 , keeping the pawn structure whole, or even bxc3 with the queen's rook sliding to b 1 , depending on circumstance. Lastly, White's king's rook will take up its natural post on d 1 . The following variations demonstrate the concrete realities of the subtle 8 .'1Wc2. 8 ... d5!? The alternative is: 8 . . . 0-0!? 9.�d 1 ltl g6 1 0 .i.e3 White brings his pieces to their optimal squares, waiting for Black to show his hand. 1 0 . . . a6! ? Th e most optimistic, shooting for rapid queenside expansion. The more restrained 10 . . . b6!?oo is also possible.

195

Chapter 8 - Early Bishop Out - lL! ge [OO] ? Reloaded? 1 0 . . . i.xc3 ? l l .�xc3 �f6 1 2 .�xf6 gxf6 1 3 .�d6± is a simple variation showcasing the virtues of 8 .�c2. l l .i.e2! 8

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With 8 . . . d5 , Black asks for and receives fireworks. 9J�dl .ixc3 1 0.bxc3! Voluntarily wrecking the structure for dynamic factors. The natural 1 0.�xc3?! here fails both strategically and tactically. After . . . d5 breaks, she belongs on c2 to form a powerful queen and bishop battery. No surprise then, that Black can force a favorable simplification: 10 . . . �a5!+ l l .�xa5 ( l l .�xg7?! �g8!+) 1 1 . . . 4Jxa5 1 2.i.b 5 t i.d7 1 3 .i.xd7t f7

1 9 gxc6 20.dxc6 Ylfd8 2 1 .c7 Ylfc8 22.�c4! ..•

12 ..1£4 i.g4 13.gcl YlYd7 14.h3 i.h5 1 4 . . . i.xf3 1 5 .W/xf3± Shockingly, Black finds himself completely handcuffed. Now the white queen swings towards a5. 1 5 . . . Ei:d8 1 6.Wlc3 Wif5 1 7.Wb4 Wd7 1 8 .Wa5 +8

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22 ... bxc4 23 ..ia4t � d7 24.hd7t �xd7

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Certainly not what Larsen had in mind. a

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15.Ylfd3 i.g6 1 5 . . . h6 1 6.lfld2! b5 1 7.Ei:c6! +-

16.YlYd4+Complete domination.

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24 . . .Wxd7 25 .Wb8t Wfc8 26.Wxc8#

25.Ylfxd6t �e8 26.Ylfc6t Ylfd7 Dr. Kaufman: "Wait, I'm j ust a professional doing a job." Bond: "Me too." [bang] (Tomorrow Never Dies)

Chapter9 Taylor's Temple of Doom

6...ttJf6 7.e5!±

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6...a6 7.0-0 ttJf6

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8.�e3!?=

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8.b4!?+

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8.�f4! 8...e6 9.Wfe2�

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8...�g4 9.h3! 9...�xf3 10.Wfxf3 �e6 1l.�fd1 11...Wfa5!?=

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1l...Wfb6!? 12.Wfe2!�

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1l...Wfb8!? 12.�e2!�

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9...�h5 10.g4!?� 10.Wfb3!?�

214 214 215,229

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Mayhem in the Morra

At last, we enter Taylor's treacherous Temple of Morra Doom.45 Be sure to clutch your thematic swords at all times, for many a youthful gambiteer has toured the dark bowels of the Morra's underbelly, only to become its eternal guest, ultimately reduced to skull and ash. After . . . lLlc6, . . . d6, . . . a6, and . . . lLlf6,

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the Taylor's doors pry open. In 1 972 the trailblazer Ken Smith stepped inside, but never escaped, leaving behind two bloody losses vs. grandmasters Evans and Mecking. Later, IM Timothy Taylor penned "The Taylor Defense", celebrating these brutal defeats and the demise of the Morra in general. And so, the temple of Morra tombstones grew and grew, until eventually, the defense dominated over the theoretical landscape. Among the Taylor's modern gatekeepers who have all published extensively chanting the virtual death of the Morra: IMs Palliser, Silman, Ginsburg,46 and GMs Gallagher and Ftacnik. Such loud cries surely have sent chills down any brave buck daring to play the gambit. In 2003, as a naive lad, I recklessly dove head first into the temple, novelty in tow, challenging Taylor himself in the pit. Alas, I too shared Ken Smith's fate, but now, after many years of languishing, I have found a way out (ironically

with the help of modern computers, the very beasts thought to have destroyed all romance in chess)! On 7 ... lLlf6, Black threatens to dissolve White's activity with the lava-like liquidating . . . j,g4xf3 and . . . lLle5xc4 . White, with only a move to react, must decide how he wishes to be remembered. On the insipid 8.h3(??), Black responds 8 ... e6! with a diabolical laugh, transforming into a Scheveningen a tempo up. Instead, I offer three inspiring whip-cracking strikes for varied Morra spirits. For the novice/ those who detest thick theory - the simple 8.j,e3!?, sleekly sidestepping the temple of pain. For the hopeless Romantic - the wild Evans-Morra Gambit, 8 . b4(?!). While the swashbuckling 8 . b4 borders on unsound, that hasn't stopped me from exacting a quick pound of flesh with it from many Morra doomsayers over the yearsY And for the professionals/ truth-seekers - the silicon-laced 8 .j,f4, a grenade which finally allows the gambiteer to bust out of the Temple of Doom . Therefore, the theoretically trumpeted Taylor Defense is no refutation, unless of course, by refutation Black wishes to fight for equality as White gallops off into the sunset. Before we embark on a trip through doom and gloom, Black has some booby-traps of his own to wade through before he can properly set up Taylor's triumph.

Taylor lntro - 6 �f6?! ...

I .e4 cS 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 d6 s.�f3 � c6 6 ..ic4 �f6?! Black makes three logical developing moves, and yet already falls victim to one of the Morra's many snares. In my youth, this position, which showcases the Morra's natural shining compensation throughout the landscape, deeply impressed me; it still does today.

Chapter 9 -Taylor's Temple o f Doom

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

.iD..t.E• �

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�ra- J•r•• . ,% ....% ....%� ,

_ /......� �� .%� . ----��r� ,� �� � � �m� --��r� � ���% � r� 8 r[j ;� 8 �r� �----Z�w�---- �-� .

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Black must not venture 7 . . . lLlxe 5 ?? as 8.lLlxe5 dxe5 9.i.xf7t! rakes in the queen. In a blitz tournament of mine here as a child vs. one of Miami's roughest hustlers, I later decided to toy with my desperate opponent (not a good idea on many levels} . Eventually I promoted to a lone bishop and knight to try and execute the tricky mate in under 30 seconds, but failed shamefully, never hearing the end of it in colorful language. My advice now - promote to a queen and spare yourself.

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8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

White's knight grazes freely on b 5 , eyeing the forking lLlc7t, and soon his comrade joins the fray. In light of the sweeping tactical sequence to follow, Black must first play 6 . . . a6! to prevent such incursions on the b5-square. Only then may he continue . . . lLlf6 and erect Taylor's Temple.

9 .. J�b8 9 . . . lLle6 l O.i.xe6 i.xe6 l l .lLlc7t +-; 9 .. .'.t>d7?? 1 o.lLlxe5 t lt>e8 l l .lLlc7#

We shall flash through 7 . . . lLlg4!, Black's only hope for survival, later on. After 8 . exd6! White achieves a lively attack in the open fields.

8.%Yxd8t To be or not to be for Black, but both captures lead to not being.

8 �xd8 •••

8 . . . c;!;>xd8 9.lLlg5! and Black's king must "suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune." (Shakespeare: Hamlet, Act Ill, Scene 1).

10.�xe5 After Black finds the only move to save his hide, White menaces mate. Now the king flees his chamber.

206

Mayhem in the Morra

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1 o . . . llJe6 1 1 ..ixe6 .ixe6 1 2 . lLl c7t i>d8 1 3 .lLlxe6t fxe6 1 4.lLl f7t+- No matter which way the king turns, forks abound!

l l .lLlc7t Heedless headhunting! As Black can harness defensive possibilities on the run, we will showcase Rybka's murky but powerful 1 1 . .if4± in the advanced material.

l l ... 'it>e7 12.i.e3 Shooting for mate in one yet again.

12 c;!?d6?! •••

Tired of daggers flying his way, the foolhardy Black monarch charges the field, taking matters into his own hands. Yet in such hostile territory, he cannot possibly hope to slay one of White's vigorous knights and live to tell the tale. Black may parry the danger with 1 2 . . . b6, but after 1 3 .0-0, White's rooks crash into the center with a clear advantage (although a forced win remains elusive) .

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White plays it "safe", decisively spearing his majesty to the b8-rook at the end of the 5-piece diagonal shish kebab. Once upon a time, I believed the bold 1 3 .lLlb5t, luring the king to e5, led to a forced mate or material gain - but the resilient machine cured me of this delusion. Still, with the king fighting on e4 amidst a slew of white pieces, I find the computer's dry assessment of draw by perpetual check hard to stomach. I urge you to prove it wrong! 1 3 . . . 'it>xe5 1 4.f4t 'it>e4 Charge! 1 5 .'it>e2 e5! And with no mate on the horizon, the lone king chuckles his way back to e6 and retreats further into his cave to celebrate his bounty.

1 3 .li:Jh5 .•

1 3 . . . 'it>xc7 1 4.llJxf7t 'it>d7 1 5 . 0-0-0t 'it>e7 White doesn't go for the rooks, but rather lashes the king for his misadventures: 1 6.lLlxd8 �a8 1 7.�he 1 +-

I4.� b5t! c;!?cs 1 4 . . . 'it>e7 1 5 .lLl g6t Neeeeigh! 1 5 . . . hxg6 1 6 . .ixb8+- Antipova - Lihovid, Nizhnij Novgorod 1 999.

1 5 .le3t c;!?b4 •

Run, run, run.

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Chapter 9 -Taylor's Temple of Doom

16.a3t ®a5 17.b4t .lxb4t 1 8.axb4t ®xb4 19.®d2

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The white king waves farewell to his enemy before 20J!hb l # delivers the execution. Before pounding on the temple doors, we rustle in the Taylor's theoretical weeds.

Taylor 8.J.e3!? -

7... tll f6

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After 8.e5?! dxe5 9.�xd8t ltJ xd8+ we see that 6 . . . a6! has deprived White of the pivotal attacking point b 5 , and so he must restrain his attacking lust for later. With 8 .�e3 , the gambiteer responds to Black's flexible strategy with a psychologically challenging waiting move of his own. Black should now calmly head for the beaches of Scheveningen with 8 . . . e6, when White's bishop remains slightly misplaced on e3 as opposed to the more imposing post f4 (see Chapter 3) . Nevertheless, not only can White overcome this minor theoretical defect in an unscripted fight, but many hardcore Taylor worshippers may not even have a clue about the Scheveningen structures - they will either handle the resulting positions poorly, or stubbornly insist on their beloved . . . �g4 exchanging motif.

8 ....ig4

I .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.c!t�xc3 tll c6 5.tll f3 d6 6.i.c4 a6! 7.0-0

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Black must not prematurely proclaim the Taylor, for 7 . . . �g4? catches whiplash: 8.�xf7t! c.t>xf7 9.ltJg5t es 1 o.�xg4 ltJ f6 l l .�e6+­ Shattering false idols.

Extreme dogma! Black lusts after his exchanging fantasy, but White flees the pin, thus coolly regaining his pawn while sidestepping Taylor's Temple.

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9.�b3! e6 IO.�xb7 tll a5! l l .�b4 lllxc4 Black may take solace in his trades, but they've cost him that oh so precious pawn!

208

Mayhem in the Morra

12.�xc4 .ix£3 13.gd3

Marc F.sserman - Michael Goeller Kenilworth Simul 2010

Not out of the woods yet, Black must rush to finish developing before he loses his hide.

13 ...J.e7 14.�c6t � d7 1 5J:Ud l �c8! 8

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With 1 6.1'l:xd6!? White is itching for a tussle. Black must grab the rook, then insist on a queen trade, else his king will remain locked in the center: 16 ... J.xd6 1 7.�xd6 �b8 1 8 .�c6 �c8 ( 1 8 . . . 'tt> e7 1 9.:Sd l and mayhem erupts, for example 1 9 . . . �c8? ? 20.:Sxd7t! �xd7 2 l .J.c5t+- reaps the rook.) 1 9.�d6 �h8= Denying White the fight he seeks.

16 .. J:�xc8 17.:Sacl White retains an ever-so-slight advantage. Despite his slightly mangled kingside pawn structure, his active rooks and potential outside passed pawn offer him chances to carry on in the endgame. Those who wish to avoid dense theoretical Taylor tomes may always find an ally in 8 .J.e3 . But don't worry swashbucklers, you're next. Prepare yourself as we descend into the temple. Watch out for snakes and other harrowing creatures.

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For over ten years I've kept the Romantic Evans Gambit-like thrust 8.b4 in my stash of weapons vs. the Taylor. Objectively, against the most prepared opponents, it should amount to naught. Mter all, White weakens his queenside while not developing a piece. But enough of 8 .b4's negatives, for now.

8 ....ig4 Black must not nibble on the poisoned pawn with 8 . . . tLl xb4, as 9 .J.xf7t! 'tt> xf7 1 0 .�b3t leads to a prolonged siege, with his king wasting away in the middle of the board. White may even venture 9.e5!?, as 9.dxe5?? surrenders the queen to 1 o .J.xf7t.

9.b5 We may summarize b4-b5 as a daring raid to distract Black before he gathers the time to complete his trite liquidating maneuvers. But can Black summarily punish White in time?

9 ... �e5? Black sticks to the plan, but the scenery has changed.

209

Chapter 9 -Taylor's Temple o f Doom 8

Marc Esserman - Eric Rodriguez

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Internet (bullet) 2009

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l .e4 c5 2.d4 cx:d4 3.c3 dxc3 4.ttlxc3 ttl c6 s.ttlf3 d6 6 .ic4 a6 7.0-0 ttlf6 8.b4 .ig4

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Black should not soften the queenside foundations with the ambitious: 8 . . . b5

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to.tihe5! Legal's famous pseudo-sacrifice appears 260 years later in the " Evans-Morra" . Of course, Black must not pluck the queen. But his position turns to ash.

10 dxe5

1 o J.xd 1 1 l .J.xf7# •••

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l l .ti'b3! Hitting f7 while cloaking another threat.

l l ...e6 12.bxa6 bxa6 1 3.ha6± I've unleashed this cutting tactic a number of times, and it always sends a chill down the spine of the dazed Taylorphile. Black cannot snap the bishop as '11Mb 5t snatches the rook, and so, way ahead in development with an outside passed a-pawn to boot, I went on to win rather routinely.

... 1-0

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9.J.e2 This original retreat ensures that the Taylor structure breaks. I give one deathly variation pit. 9 . . . e6 1 0.a4 bxa4 1 1 .'11Mxa4 J.d7 1 2 .b5! Black's b5-pawn has turned to dust. Now White's b5-pawn pounds away at the a-file pin. 12 ... ll'le5 1 3 .'11Ma 5! 'Wxa5 1 4Jha5 ll'l xf3t 1 5 .J.xf3 J.e7 1 6.e5 ll'ld5 1 7.ll'lxd5 exd5 1 8 .J.xd5 �a7 The rook makes a last stand against the swift a-pawn, but still sadly sheds his life. 1 9.b6+-

Not too scary so far, right? Make sure to light your torches - it's going to get darker.

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210

Mayhem i n the Morra

9.b5 J.xf3

In the spirit of the Taylor, Black keeps to his exchanging policy. Ironically, almost all of my opponents here from amateurs to grandmasters have made the same choice, except for Taylor himself, who played the icy 9 . . . axb5 first.

lO.gxS Of course not I O.'Wxf3? tt:\e5 , satisfying Black's trading urges.

10 ... axb5 The alternative is: I O . . . tt:\e5 ! ?

1 3 . . . !!xb7 1 4.'Wa4! Regaining the material or mating. 1 4 . . . :!'!d7! 1 4 . . . tt:\b6? ? 1 5 .tt:\xd6# 1 5 .'Wxc4 g6 White retained a slight pull thanks to his outside a-pawn in Esserman - Sharma, Internet (blitz) 20 1 0. We now escape these catacombs and return to the main path.

l l .�xb5!

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l l .bxa6! I first traversed these breathtaking paths while studying Burgess's 1 994 Smith-Morra work, and they inspired me to take up 8.b4 for years to come. l l . . .tt:lxc4 1 2.axb7! White has jettisoned his bishop, but a dangerous b-pawn looms, and Black must return the material or else face destruction. 1 2 . . . :!'!a7 1 2 . . . !!a5?! 1 3.'Wb3! tt:lb6 1 4 . .ie3+- and Black is powerless. Both 1 4 . . . tt:lfd7 1 5 .!!ab l and 1 4 . . . tt:lbd7 1 5 .tt:\b5 ! followed by 1 6.:!'!ac l are crunching. 1 3 .tt:\b5!? The gambiteer may be able to improve with 1 3.'Wb3!N±, simply protecting the pawn and heading to queen. If 1 3 . . . tt:\b6, then either 1 4.a4! or 1 4 . .ie3, unleashing a plethora of pins.

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This novel recapture, which I first played against Taylor, injected new life into the chaotic 8 . b4. White's knight pressurizes d6 and c7 as Black struggles to castle. If l l . . . e6, then 1 2 . .if4 crackles, and if l l . . .g6, then the bishop may find a new target from b2 . . .

l l . .. g6 1 1 . . . :!'!c8 may meet a similar doom as the game after 1 2.'Wb3 .

12.ti'b3! Before the king can even think about castling, he gets the whip!

12 ... � e5 1 2 . . . e6? is pulverized by: 1 3 . .ixe6! fxe6 1 4.'Wxe6t i.e? ( 1 4 . . . 'We7 1 5 .tt:\c7t �d8

21 1

Chapter 9 -Taylor's Temple of Doom 1 6 .Wxe7t flxe7 1 7 .lDxa8+- and the knight flies out to b6) 1 5J:\d l !+-

,� �- �-� ����-ii.!� : �i-da-� �,���� ��;� �Wfffi"��

�6 1

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� ····

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up the darkness. 1 4.flxe5 ! White must n o t give u p such a radiant bishop unless he has something forcing in mind . . . 1 4 . . . l2Jxe5 1 5 .l"i:ac l Threatening I 6.l2Jc7t followed by discoveries. 1 5 . . . l"i:c8

%rij x! ..

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White's queen slashes and burns. The finish with lD d6 and Wf7# cannot be stopped. 1 5 . . . W f8 ( 1 5 . . . d5 I 6.ilf4+-) I 6.l2Jxd6! ilxd6 1 7.ilh6# a

13.�b2! Properly posting the bishop on the long diagonal where it will cause the greatest mischief. I hurled 1 3 .flf4 a few years prior: 1 3 . . . l2Jxc4 1 4.Wxc4 l"i:c8 1 5 .Wa4 Wd7? ( 1 5 . . . lD d7! 1 6.l"i:ac l ±) I 6.l"i:ac l l"i:b8 1 7.l"i:c7+Esserman - Gormally, Internet (blitz) 2006.

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1 6. l2J xd6t! A bit of foreshadowing. 1 6 . . . exd6 I 7 .flxf7t! Setting the king's residence ablaze. 1 7 . . . l2Jxf7 1 8 .We6t We7 1 8 . . . fle7 1 9.l"i:xc8 +1 9.l"i:xc8t lD d8 20.Wd5 ± White's centralized queen glows. Black, still in chains, cannot properly fend off l"i:b l xb7. Ah, Black exhales, having finally exchanged off the two minor pieces. But normal breathing lasts bur a move, for now his king falls gravely ill.

14.ffxc4

14 .. Jk8 a

13 ...tihc4

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White has several options after: 1 3 . . . l2Jfd7 I will provide a scintillating variation to light

The c-file is creaking, the long diagonal is cracking, the white queen is prying, and the black king is crying.

15.ffa4 ffd7 1 6J�acl+Even in the Temple of Doom, the c-file proves a beacon of hope.

Mayhem i n the Morra

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Unfortunately, must agree with Grandmaster Ftacnik when he argues in his 20 1 0 tome, Grandmaster Repertoire 6- 1he Sicilian Defence, that Black can simply avoid 8 . . . .ig4 altogether and play the resilient:

1 7 . . . '11Nxc6 I S . :!:'k l crushes brutally: 1 8 . . . '11Nd 7 1 9.tt'lc7t The most accurate amongst many. 1 9 . . . '1t>d8 20.tt'le6t '11N xe6 2 1 .'11N a 8t md7 22.'11Nc8# May the king rest in peace.

fu White cannot provide an explosive counter (9.b5?! fails) , the lunging 8 . b4 now turns out to be nothing more than a positional weakness, as Black yet again successfully morphs from a Taylor to a Scheveningen . Of course, White is worse, but not clearly "lost", and may hope for a trick or two - so if you feel the reward of 8 . b4 outweighs the risk (remember, many Taylorphiles lack the feel for the Scheveningen's waters), then by all means, unleash.

l S.'i;YaSt 'i;Yds 19.�xd6t!

9.b5?!

First 1 9.'11Nxc6t, intending 1 9 . . . '11Nd7 20.'11Na 8t '11Nd 8 2 I .tt'lxd6t is a shade more accurate, but that is the only inaccuracy in this bullet encounter which features some of my finest preparation.

9 ...axb5 10.�xb5 fi.e7

8 ... e6

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16 .. Jk6 17J:txc6 bxc6

19 ... exd6 20.'i;Yxd8t �xd8 2 1 ..ix£6t 1-0

9.a3+

The simplest of Black's options.

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Taylor - 8 b4 e6! l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 �c6 5.�f3 d6 6.i.c4 a6 7.0-0 �f6 8.b4

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l l .. .c!ihe4! 1 2J�el 0-0 13J:txe4 d5+

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However, if you're still ready to gamble your tournament life on 8 . b4, I urge you to study e

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Chapter 9 -Taylor's Temple of Doom Esserman - Taylor, Las Vegas 2003, a haunting tale I have buried in the supplemental games section along with my memory of it. If you remain blinded by the darkness of White's prospects after 8 . . . i.g4 9 . b 5 axb 5 1 o.tLlxb5 e6, then move along to the last corridor, as we finally visit the pounding, pulsating heart of Taylor's Temple.

Taylor - 8.if4! and 1O.g4 l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 d6 5.�f3 � c6 6 ..ic4 a6 7.0-0 � f6 s . .tf4!

Around 2007-8, still tormented by my 2003 defeat and losing faith in the dashing 8 .b4, I began to conclude, along with the help of an early version of Rybka, that this simple bishop moved offered the counter-refutation to the Taylor's enshrined "refutation" of the Morra. Only in January of 20 1 2 did I realize that I also had another ally attempting to raze the Taylor walls, for in 2007 GM Karsten Mueller published an article hailing 8 .i.f4 as the solution to Black's exchanging bloodlust. Well, he didn't quite put it that way! Later, IM Langrock revised his earlier book's flawed recommendation against the Taylor in favor of 8 .i.f4 in his second edition, chiefly following Mueller's analysis.48 Thus, we have reached a consensus in the strength of 8 .i.f4 as the starting point, but from here, our paths diverge in the temple, as I will offer a far more violent approach echoing the chaos of 8 . b4 . Black can now drift yet again into a Scheveningen, but unlike after 8 .h3(?) , 8 .i.e3 ! ? or 8 . b4?!, he will no longer obtain any theoretical advantage from doing so, for 8 . . . e6 9 .We2 i.e? 1 0J!fd 1 We? 1 l .E!:ac l transposes directly into the . . . a6/ . . . Wc7 main line (see Chapter 3 ) .

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Each chess move, no matter how similar it may look to another, contains its own life force. A great case in point are the differences between 8 .i.e3 !? and 8 .i.f4!. 8.i.e3 calmly develops the bishop to a healthy square, and while it does not fight for the prime central terrain, it allows White to win back the pawn after 8 . . . i.g4 with 9 .Wb3 e6 1 0.Wxb7. 8 .i.f4, on the other hand, drives a firm stake in the center. It stops Black's . . . ll:\e5 liquidating desires in many variations, urges on the devastating possibility e4-e5 , and spits fire at the d6-pawn. However, the hyper-active 8 .i.f4 fails to regain the gambited pawn on 8 . . . i.g4, unlike its more delicate brother. So White ventures 9.h3, postponing Wb3 until a more opportune time . . . 9 .Wb3 ?! e6 Take a moment to try and grasp why White cannot grab on b7 before watching as I send the queen into the lava pit. 1 0.Wxb7? tLl a5 1 1 .Wb4

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Mayhem i n the Morra offer more than enough compensation for the pawn, and the Taylor worshippers must try to equalize, if their egos can stomach it.

10.g4!?

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l l . . . e5!! We're deep inside the temple now. With a simple, single strike, Black resurrects the Taylor bishop, allowing it to return to d7 with a vengeance. If l l . ..d5, the queen slides to a4, just like after 8 . .ie3 . 1 2 . .ig3 d5 1 3 .%Va4t .id7!-+ And White fries.

9 ...i.h5!? 9 . . . .ixf3!? Dogmatic exchanging no longer soothes Black's pain, for the bishop beats on e5 and d6. 1 0.%Vxf3

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Mueller's principal innovation, which seems sharpest, but in its chief variation leads to balanced endgames.49 Unfortunately, I don't envision more than equality for White. But the German GM should be praised for his find, for I don't see more than equality for Black, either!

1 o . ..ig6 l l .e5! .

The thematic break on e5 with the bishop on f4, which you may see again in the thickets of variations to come.

l l ... dxe5 12.�xe5 �xeS 1 3.he5 Yfxd l !

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l O . . . tlJe5? l l ..ixe5 dxe5 1 2-l:'!:fd l The Morra rooks and heavy pieces ravage. 1 2 . . . %Va5 1 3 .tlJd5 ttJxd5 ( 1 3 . . . !:!.c8 1 4-l:'!:ac l ) 14 . .ixd5+So Black must bend with 1 0 . . . e6 to flee to safety, but after I U'!:fd l , the d6-pawn wails. I subject this position to exhaustive analysis in a labyrinth of advanced material. Rest assured, White's two bishops and unrelenting pressure

If Black stubbornly refuses t o exchange, then the white queen j umps to 8, and up against a massive developmental disadvantage, the defender will come to regret his decision. I now briefly reduce I O.g4!? to equal rubble before we move on to sharper, Morra middlegame mayhem.

14JUxd l 1 4.Ei:axd l e6 1 5 .ttJb5 ! ? Ei:d8! 1 6.ttJc7t?! rJ;;e7 1 7 . .ic3 Ei:d6+ 1 8 . .ib4 rJ;;d 7 locking the knight in doom.

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Chapter 9 -Taylor's Temple o f Doom

14... e6 1 5 ..ie2!i The main strategic theme behind 1 O.g4. White's bishops besiege the queenside. Black must defend tenaciously. 1 5 . lD b 5 E:d8 1 6.E:xd8t �xd8 1 7J'� d 1 t lDd7! 1 8 . lD d6 .ixd6 1 9 . .ixd6 .ie4 reaches approximately equality, White's bishops compensating for the pawn.

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Aiming to stop at least one of the slinging bishops.

17J�acl � c6 lS ..iO .ie7 1 9.�b5!? 0-0! 0-0

2 1 .E:b6

E:xa2

20.�d4 �xd4 2 U�xd4 .if6 22.gb4 gadS Black solves his problems with the incoming . . . E:d2. You may investigate any revolving door along the way during these extended lines, but I doubt you will find anything greater than Nevertheless, 1 O.g4 remains an excellent practical gun to carry in your Morra holster. =.

But let us return to the moment before 1 O.g4 and try to find the blow that tears out the beating heart ofTaylor's defense.

I O.'ff b 3!

16 ..ig3 � b8!

20.E:xc6

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 d6 s.�a � c6 6 ..ic4 a6 7.0-0 �f6 8 ..if4! .ig4 9.h3! .ihS!?

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Note the accuracy required for Black to keep the balance, a testament to Mueller's idea.

1 9 . . . axb5 22.E:xb5;!;

Taylor - 8.!£4! and IO.Bb3!

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IM Langrock brands this the "positional" alternative to 1 0.g4, but misses 1 0 .Wb3's absurdly savage possibilities in the dim surroundings of theory's end. First off, White now threatens e4-e5 , so that if Black fires a blank such as 1 O . . . E:b8, then 1 1 .e5 {or 1 l .g4 .ig6 1 2.e5) whips up a sweltering attack. But why can't Black simply play 1 O . . . e6 as before, you may ask? Then the second, penetrating point of 9.h3! reveals itself - the bishop can no longer return to d7, and so White gallantly collects the b7-pawn with an overwhelming advantage: 1 1 .Wxb7 lD a5 1 2 .Wb4 .ixf3 ( 1 2 . . . e5?? Wa4+-) 1 3 .gxf3 lD xc4 1 4.Wxc4±. Unlike the line after 8 . .ie3!?, Black cannot finish developing with 1 4 . . . -ie?, as after 1 5 .Wc6t, the d6-pawn and his entire position collapse.

216

Mayhem i n the Morra

So Black must defend the b7-pawn somehow. Now find a few moments of complete solitude to mimic tournament conditions. Put yourself in the hot seat of a devout Taylorphile, and try to muster a defense. Then compare your work with the blood curdling lines I am about to show. After this exercise, you may fully appreciate the practical power of 1 0.Wb3 .

I O . . . Wc7?! places the queen in the line of the Morra rook's fire. l l .l'l:ac l ! e6 1 2 .g4 .ig6 1 3 .l'l:fe l Setting up the irresistible shot e4-e5, while our old friend tDd5 may also feature. 1 3 . . . ie7 I 4.e5 dxe5 1 5 .tD xe5 .id6

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1 2 . .ixb5t! axb5 1 3 . tD xb5!+- lD d7 ( 1 3 . . . tD c6 1 4.Wxa8! Wxa8 1 5 . tD c7t+-) 1 4.l'l:ac l ! Black grovels for mercy. . . 1 4 . . . e6 1 5 . tD c7t We7 1 6 . .ixd6t . . . but receives none. I 6 . . . Wxd6 1 7.Wb4t tD c5 1 8 .Wxc5t Wd7 1 9 .l'l:fd l t+1 2 ..ie2 e6 1 3 .ig5 !-+ Black still struggles to develop.

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Brace yourself. l O . . . tDa5?! Black fires another empty shot. l l .Wa4t tDd7! The alternatives are worse: a) l l . . .tDc6 1 2.g4! _ag6 1 3 .e5 dxe5 I 4.tDxe5+­ Wa5 ( 1 4 . ..l'l:c8 1 5 .tDxc6 l'l:xc6 1 6 . .ixa6!) 1 5 .Wb3! tDxe5 I 6.Wxb7 l'l:d8 1 7.b4!+- The b2-b4 thrust returns with a vengeance. b) l l . . .b5?

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1 6 . .ixe6! 0-0 ( 1 6 . . . ixe5 1 7.ixe5 tD xe5 1 8 .lD b5 +-) 1 7. tDd 5 lDxd5 1 8 . .ixd5 ± Clearly, the black queen should avoid the c-file. 1 0 . . . b5?! For those who opted for Rybka's first instinct, this hyper-active yet obvious move, " [you] choose poorly." (Guardian Knight, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)

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217

Chapter 9 -Taylor's Temple of Doom l l .tt:lxb5!!N You didn't really think we'd play the tame l l . .te2, did you? Now watch in horror (or delight) as Black's position disintegrates into ashes and dust. l l . . .tt:la5 a) l l . . .axb5 12 . .txb5 E:c8 1 3 . tt:l d4+- A Ia Chicago Defense pinning themes from Chapter 5 . 13 ... Wfb6 1 4.E:ac l Wfxd4 1 5 .E:xc6 �d8 1 6.E:xc8t �xc8 1 7 . .ta6t �d7 1 8 .Wfb5t �e6 1 9 .Wff5# All but an eerie silence remains. b) l l . . .E:b8 1 2.tt:lg5! Going for the j ugular, a Ia tt:l g5-themes from previous Morra massacres. Black is defenseless:

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b l ) 1 2 . . . E:xb5 1 3 .ixf7t ( 1 3 .ixb 5 ± also leads to pain, but it's more Romantic to head-hunt.) 1 3 . . . .txf7 ( 1 3 . . . �d7 1 4 .Wfe6t �c7 1 5 .Wfc4!+- with c-file rage and ferocious forks.) 1 4.Wfxf7t �d7 1 5 .E:fd l +-

Now E:xd6t hangs over the black king, and 1 5 . . . �c8 is punished by 1 6.E:ac l . b2) 1 2 . . . e6 1 3 . .txe6! Naturally! 1 3 . . . fxe6 1 4.Wfxe6t .te7 1 5 . tt:l xd6t+- White's knights must be fed.

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With the queen and knight under attack, of course it's best to sacrifice again! 1 2.tt:lxd6t!! The return of tt:lxd6! (see Esserman Rodriguez, page 209) . Buyer beware, this bombshell's not only tactical, but laced with positional venom. 1 2 . . . Wfxd6! ? We teeter on the cliff as the lava pit boils below - knights and queens dangle move after move after move. 1 2 . . . exd6 1 3 .Wfa4t tt:l d7 1 4 . .td5 ! ±

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Black's knight, now "under arrest" , remains entombed: 1 4 . . . E:b8 1 5 .tt:l d4 tt:l b7 1 6.b4+1 3.Wfa4t Wfc6

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Mayhem in the Morra Sweating bullets? I warned you. But don't despair, j ust imagine how the timid Taylorphiles will feel. Take a breath of fresh air if you must, then another moment of silence, and suffer to find a defense for Black, as before. Then proceed into the abyss.

l l . .. � a5?! l l . . .�d7?! Not this time! 1 2 .tt:\d5 ! tt:\a5 a

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1 4.i.b3!! This brilliant rejoinder connects the combination at its seams. Black's knight, under assault, cannot move and so freezes in air. And exchanging queens offers no respite, for the ravenous Morra rooks then put the king out of his misery. 1 4 . . . �xa4 1 4 . . . �b5 1 5 .tt:\d4! �xa4 1 6.i.xa4t tt:\d7 1 7.1'!ac l +- Eyeing 1 8 .1'!c7 or the ridiculous 1 8 .1'!c5, hounding loose pieces from the a­ to the h-file. 1 5 .i.xa4t �d8 1 6.1'!fd l t �c8 1 7.1'!ac l t �b7 1 8 .1'!c7t �b6 1 9.1'!dc l +And the white queen laughs from up above. 1 0 . . . �d7! For those rare breeds who found this controlled move (which we will analyze separately later) , "You chose wisely." (Guardian Knight, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)

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1 3 .i.b 5!! Keep your eye on the 5th rank. 1 3 . . . axb5 1 4.1'!xc8t �xc8 1 5 .�xb5t tt:\c6 1 6.tt:\xf6t! gxf6 1 7.�xh 5 ± The Taylor bishop could never anticipate such a fate. l l . . . e6?! Clever, but flawed. 1 2.�xb7 tt:\a5 !? 1 2 . . . ixf3 8

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l l J�acl!?

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1 3 .ixa6! White has bigger pieces to capture. 1 3 . . . 1'!c7 1 4 .�b5 ih5 1 5 .tt:\d5!+- ( 1 5 .ie3 followed by ib6, as in the Chicago Defense, a

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219

Chapter 9 -Taylor's Temple of Doom is also good enough) 1 5 . . . exd5 1 6.l: hc6 E:xc6 1 7.Wxc6t+- The possibility of exd5 and an eventual .ib5 ensures that the black king is buried alive in the center. 1 3 . .ib5t! axb5 1 4.Wxb 5t lD c6 More Chicago Defense themes. 1 4 . . . ltJ d7 1 5 .Wxh5 1 5 .lDa4!± Pins and needles. 1 1 . . . ltJ d7! If you found this subtle retreat, I'll see you in the advanced material.

12.%Ya4t %Yd7 1 2 . . . ltJ c6 1 3 . .ixa6! A prelude to the climax. 1 3 . . . E:a8 ( 1 3 . . . bxa6 1 4. ltJ d 5 +-) 1 4 . .ixb7! E:xa4 1 5 . .ixc6t±

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sides before escaping Taylor's Temple forever. I will keep my comments sparse and analysis intense, so only brave souls should venture forth.

Theory I 6.)i�f6?! -

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4Jthc3CD d6 5.�f3 � c6 6 ..ic4 � f6?! Most opponents who play the careless 6 . . . ltJ f6?! are too inexperienced to handle the violence after 7.e5. Nevertheless, I include the best computer defenses. In all lines, White retains at least a pull.

7.e5 dxe5 Black best chance of survival is: 7 . . . ltJg4!

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1 3 .Wxa5? E:xc4 is less convincing.

13 ...%Yxa4 1 3 . . . bxa6 1 4.ltJd5! Wxa4 1 5 .E:xc8 t c;!;>d? 1 6.ltJb6t c;!;>e6 1 7.lDg5#

14Ji�xa4 �hcl 15J'�xcl bxa6 16J'�c8t xf7 1 0.e5! Now neither 1 0 . . . d5 1 1 .exf6--+ nor 1 O . . . dxe5 1 1 .tt:lxe5t± is satisfactory for Black, while 1 O . . . tt:l h 5 ? 1 I .tt:lg5 t c;t>g6

222

Mayhem i n the Morra

1 2.e6!+- is a disaster, for example 1 2 . . . lD xf4 1 3 .lDf7 '11Be 8 1 4.'11Bg4t �f6 1 5 . lD e4#. 8 . . . g6?! Black lacks the necessary central control for such extravagance: 9.e5! dxe5 l O.lDxe5 lDxe5 (1 o . . . e6 1 1 .'11Be 2 .ig7 1 2 .lDxc6 bxc6 1 3 .1'%ad l followed by 1 4 . .id6±) 1 1 .'11Bxd8t �xd8 1 2 . .ixe5±

9.h3! .be!? to:�Yx£3 e6! Under pressure, Black has no choice but to adopt a compromised Scheveningen structure to complete his development ( l O . . g6?! gets squashed by 1 1 .1'%fd l ) . To counter White's two bishop advantage and the heavy incoming fire on the d6-pawn, the defender must trust in a firm control over the d4- and e5-squares.

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23.l:!h6! Bone-chilling. 1 4. lD d 5 ! exd5 1 5 .exd5 lDe5 1 6.'11Bg3 '11Bd7 1 7.l:!xc8t '11Bxc8 1 8 . .ixe5 dxe5 1 9 .d6 .id8 1 9 . . . .ixd6 20.'Wxg7+20.'11Bxe5t �ffi 2 l .d7 '11Bc 6 22.'11Bb 8 '11Bb 6

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Landing on the mined c-file naturally leads to doom . A few thematic examples follow. 1 2 .1'%ac l i.e? 1 2 . . . lD e 5 ? ? 1 3 . .ixe5 dxe5 1 4. ttJ b5+1 3 . .ib3! 1'%c8 1 3 . . . 0-0 1 4.lDd5 A Ia lDd5! in the Scheveningens Part I I . 1 4 . . . exd5 1 5 .exd5 lDxd5 1 6 . .ixd5 l:!ac8 1 7.b4 'Wb6 1 8.'\1Be4 l:!fe8 1 9.'11B f5 !!ffi ( 1 9 . . . .if6 20 . .ie4+-) 20 . .ixf7t �h8 2 l ..ixd6 .ixd6 22.l:!xd6 'Wxb4

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After dismissing the alternatives, we will examine three queen moves ( l l . . .'Wa5 , l l . . . 'Wb6, and 1 1 . . . '11Bb 8) in great detail. Each either directly or indirectly holds the d6-pawn, and each requires a unique handling.

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l l . . . .ie7? 1 2.e5±

23 . .ic4 l:!g8! 24.b4 We? 2 5 .'11Bxc7 .ixc7 26.d8'11B t .ixd8 27.l:!xd8t �e7 28 .l:!xg8 ttJxg8 29.�fl ;j; Black i s not out o f the woods yet.

1 1 ... '11Bc7?!

l l . . . ltJ d7

l l . ..Wa5!? We look quickly at three other options:

223

Chapter 9 -Taylor's Temple of Doom Further clasping at the dark squares fails to impress, so long as White does not prematurely dive for d6. 1 2.Wfg3! You will see this queen shift over and over in these narrow passageways. 1 2 . .ixd6? .ixd6 1 3 .!!xd6 lLl ce5 1 4.Wfe2 Wfc7 1 5 .!!d4 0-0 1 6.ib3 lLl c5+

Although White now lacks an immediate b2-b4 strike, the slithering .ia4 ensures that Black cannot meekly return the d6-pawn and equalize. 1 2 . .ixd6?? ixd6 1 3 .!!xd6 lLle5 1 4.Wfe2 Wfc5-+ shows why the bishop must vacate the premises. 1 2 .-ifl !?= If a Taylorphile wishes to "refute" the Morra here, he must clasp onto his extra d6-pawn. Yet as we shall see, the lurking lunge b2-b4! makes this quest pure fantasy.

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1 2 . . . lLl ce5 12 . . . lLl de5?! 1 3 .id5 gives White a dangerous attack. For example: 1 3 . . . exd5 1 4.exd5 lLl e7 1 5 .ixe5 dxe5 1 6.d6 lLl c6 1 7.d7t �e7 1 8 .lLld5t �e6 1 9.!!ac l +1 3 .ie2 h5 1 4.h4! Black's bishop and king remain entombed. 1 4.!!ac l h4 1 5 .Wfe3 i.e? would allow Black more freedom. 14 ... !!c8 1 5 .!!ac l g6 16 ..ig5 ie7 1 6 . . . Wfa5 1 7.b4! Wfxb4 1 8 . lLl d5 +1 7.!!xd6--+ I first faced the clever l l . . . Wfa5 during some 20 1 0 marathon Morra blitz sessions vs. a tenacious Taylor specialist, Arun Sharma. I offer three possible bishop retreats, each posing subtly different problems. If White wishes, he can force Black to steer for sterile equality after 1 2.ie2!? or 1 2.-ifl ! ? , but in the final analysis, 1 2.ib3!? offers the best chance for a full-blooded struggle.

12.i.b3!?ii

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1 2 . . . ie7!= Black maintains objectivity, concedes the pawn, and hopes for a draw (the mentality Sharma adopted in our blitz sessions in this line) . a) 1 2 . . . !!d8 1 3 .b4! lLl xb4 1 4.!!ab 1 !!d7 ( 1 4 . . . .ie7 1 5 .id2± With lLl e2 ideas. 1 5 . . . Wfc5 ?! 1 6. lLl a4 Wfa5 1 7.!!xb4 d5 1 8 .!!c4+-) 1 5 .id2 lLl c6 ( 1 5 ... i.e7 8

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224

Mayhem in the Morra

1 6.ltle2! Note that such a deft retreat would be impossible if White's bishop stood on e2. 1 6 . . . d5 1 7.exd5 '%Vxd5 1 8 . .ixb4 '%Vxf3 1 9J!:xd7!±) 1 6.ltld5 '%Vd8 1 7. ltl b6 !'!:c7 1 8 . .ic3� With a boa constrictor's grip. b) 12 ... ltle5 1 3 .'%Ve3! !'!:d8 ?! ( 1 3 . . . .ie7 1 4.b4!-+ or 1 3 . . . ltl fd7 1 4.'%Vg3�)

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1 4.'%Va7!± A surprising invasion. 1 4 . . . !'!:d7 1 5 . .ib5! ltl c6 1 6 . .ixc6 bxc6 1 7.'%Va8t+13 . .ixd6 .ixd6 1 4.!'!:xd6 0-0 1 5 .!'!:ad l !'!:ad8= 1 2 . .ie2!?= Stopping . . . ltl e5 and allowing the '%Vg3 shift plus b2-b4 possibilities.

spirit!} and simply expand on the queenside with 1 3 .a3!?�, followed by b2-b4 and !'!:ac l , at your own risk. b) After 1 2 . . . ltle5?! both 1 3 .'%Vg3 and 1 3 .'%Ve3 offer White excellent prospects as the e2-bishop keeps the h5-square under lock and key. 1 3.a3! This forces the action regardless. 1 3 .b4! ? no longer sparkles, as after 1 3 . . . ltl xb4 1 4.!'!:ab l !'!:d7 1 5 .id2 i.e?, the move 1 6. ltl e2! is impossible. 1 3 .!'!:ab l ! ?� i.e? 1 4.b4 ltl xb4 1 5 .id2 d5 is also unclear. 1 3 . . . ie7 1 4.b4 Wb6 1 4 . . . '%Vc7 1 5 .b5-+ 1 5 .ie3 '%Vc7 1 6.!'!:ac l '%Vb8 1 6 . . . 0-0 1 7.ltld5-+ 1 7.Wg3 0-0 1 8 . .ih6 ltl e8 1 9 . .ie3 ltl f6 White must either choose to repeat or look for some other way to keep attacking. So overall 1 2.-ifl ! ? (allowing an immediate b2b4) marginally seems the better of these two bishop retreats. 8

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1 2 . . . !'!:d8!? If Black chooses to hold on to the extra pawn delusion, the proper punishment now slightly differs in execution. a) Again, Black should lack an ego with 1 2 . . . ie7, allowing 1 3 . .ixd6= . But you may refuse to regain the pawn (true Romantic

2 1

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..

Here too, Black has several other tries: 1 2 . . . .ie7 1 3 .ia4! 1 3 .ixd6= 1 3 . . . Wc7

Chapter 9 -Taylor's Temple of Doom

1 3 . . . 0-0 1 4.i.xc6! bxc6 1 6.�xd6± 1 3 . . . e5 1 4.b4-+

1 5 .�xd6 i.xd6

225

i.e? 1 6.WI'g2 A Ia Scheveningens from Chapter 2, but with the queens in exotic places. 1 2 . . . ltJ e 5 ! ? 1 3 .WI'e2 i.e? 1 4 .i.d2! ?� 0-0 1 5 .�ac l ! Black's queen may now fall into the pit. 8

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1 4.i.xc6t!? 1 4.e5!? 14 . . . Wfxc6 1 4 . . . bxc6 1 5 .e5 dxe5 1 6.i.xe5 Wl'b7 1 7.WI'g3-+ 1 5 .�ac l 'Wb6 1 6.WI'g3 1 6.b4 0-0 1 7.a3 ltJ d?oo 1 6 . . . 0-0 1 6 . . . ltJ h 5 1 7.i.e3-+ ltJ xg3 ( l ? . . . Wfxb2 1 8 .WI'f3 ltJ f6 1 9 .i.d4-+) 1 8 .i.xb6 ltJ h 5 1 9 .ltJa4!;!; 1 7.i.xd6 i.xd6 1 8 .Wfxd6 Wfxd6 1 9 .�xd6 �fd8 20.�cd l �xd6 2 l .�xd6;!;

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1 5 . . . ttJ c6! 1 5 . . . �ac8 ? ? 1 6.ltJd5+1 5 . . . �fc8 ?! 1 6.ltJd5 'Wd8 1 7 .i.a5 !-+ 1 5 ... 'Wb6 1 6.i.e3 'Wa5 1 7. f4 ( 1 7.i.d2=) 1 7 . . . ltJ ed7 ( l ? . . . ltJ c6 1 8 .'WfL.�) 1 8 .g4-+ 1 6. ltJ d5 Wl'd8 1 7. ltJ xe7t Wfxe7 1 8 .i.a4�

1 3 .ia4! .

The tactics now flow violently on the weakened light squares, ultimately leading to Black's king. 8

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Endgame specialists, rejoice! 12 . . . Wfh5 ? ! 1 3 .g4! Wl'g6 1 4.i.a4 e5 ( 1 4 . . . �c8 1 5 .'We3 i.e7 1 6.i.xc6t �xc6 1 7.WI'a7±) 1 5 .i.e3

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13 b5? ...

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226

Mayhem in the Morra

13 . . .�e7 1 4.e5!± lLld5 1 5 .lLl xd5 exd5 ( 1 5 . . . �xa4 1 6. tt:l c7t+-) 1 6.�xc6t bxc6 1 7.exd6 �xd6 1 8 .�g3 �xf4 1 9 .�xg7 E&f8 20.E&e l t d? 2 l .�g4t± 13 ... �b6 1 4 .tt:l d 5 ! ± 1 3 . . . E&d7 1 4.b4!� �h 5 1 5.�xc6 bxc6 1 6.�d3 ± 1 3 . . . tt:ld7!? 1 6.E&xd6t

1 4.�xc6 bxc6

1 5 .�xd6 �xd6 a

14.e5± tLlxe5 1 5 . .L:e5 bxa4 1 5 . . . dxe5 1 6.E&xd8t �xd8 1 7.tt:lxb5 axb5 1 8 .�xb5t e? 1 9 .�b7t d6 20.E&c l +-

16.�xf6 gxf6

12.'?;Ye2!;t

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1 2.�b3 E&ad8! 1 3 .�a4 no longer has the same sting, as the queen vigilantly guards c6. 1 2.�xd6?? �xd6 1 3 .E&xd6 �b4!+

12 ...i.e7!? 1 2 . . . E&c8 ?! presenting more pitfalls if White grabs the d-pawn, though it is otherwise harmless: 1 3 .�b3! ( 1 3 .�xd6?? tt:l d4+) 1 3 . . . E&d8 ( 1 3 . . . �e7 1 4.�xd6 �xd6 1 5 .E&xd6 0-0 1 6.e5 lLle8 1 7.E&d7t)

17 ...exd5 1S.'?;Yxf6 E:g8 20.E&acl+-

1 9.E:el t

@d?

Theory III- 11...¥Mb6 l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.tLlxc3 d6 s.tlJ£3 tLlc6 6.i.c4 a6 7.0-0 t[}f6 s.i.f4! i.g4 9.h3! .L:£3!? lO.'?;Yx£3 e6! l l .E&fdl '?;Yb6!? Another treacherous path which White must navigate skillfully.

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1 4.tt:ld5! exd5 1 5 .exd5t tt:l e7 1 6.�a4t tLl d7 1 7.E&e l ± 1 2 . . . tt:l d7!? 1 3 .�e3 ( 1 3 .�xd6? �xd6 1 4.E&xd6 tt:l d4!-+) 1 3 . . . �c7 1 4. f4!� b5

227

Chapter 9 -Taylor's Temple of Doom

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1 3 . . . ixd6 I 4.:!'!xd6 0-0! 1 5 .:!'!ad l 1 5 .e5!? lLl h 5 ! 1 6.lLle4 lLl f4 1 7.'Wc2 :!'!ad8 1 8 . lLl g5 g6 1 9 .'Wd2 Black remains under pressure but can hold after: 1 9 . . . lLl xe5! 20.:!'!xd8 'Wxd8 2 I .'Wxf4 lLlxc4 22.lLlxe6 fxe6 23 .'Wxc4 'Wd5= 1 5 . . . :!'!fd8 1 5 . . . :!'!ad8 ?! 1 6.e5 :!'!xd6 1 7 .:!'!xd6 lLl e8 1 8 .:!'!d7-+ lLl c7 1 9 . .id3± 1 6.e5 :!'!xd6 1 7.:!'!xd6lLJe8 1 8 .:!'!d7 :!'!d8

h

1 5 . .ib3 (Or 1 5 .lLlxb5!? with more Chicago themes. 1 5 . . . axb5 1 6 . .ixb5 lLl a7 1 7.:!'!ac l 'Wa5 1 8 . .ixd7t 'tt> xd7 1 9 .:!'!c5 !±) 1 5 . . . lLlc5 1 6. f5-+ 1 2 . . . lLle5?! 13 . .ib3 �e7 1 4.ia4t± The b6queen now blocks . . . b5 defensive possibilities. 1 2 . . . :!'!d8! ? 1 3.ie3 'Wa5 ( 1 3 . . . 'Wc7 1 4.:!'!ac l -+) 1 4. f4 �e7 ( 1 4 . . . 'Wh5 1 5 .Wf2!±) 1 5 .a3 0-0 1 6.Wf2 lLl d7 1 7.b4 'We? 1 8 .:!'!ac l ;!:; White's two bishops, activity, and space offer more than enough compensation for the pawn.

13.obd6!? This time, White can take the pawn.

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Seemingly coasting to draw-land but . . . 1 9 . .ixe6! fxe6 20.'Wh5 Black still must sweat.

14J�xd4! �xd4

1 3 .a3!?� at your own peril!

1 4 . . . ixd6 1 5 .:!'!xd6 'Wxd6 1 6.e5±

1 5J�M l �b6 1 6.he7 rtJxe7 17.e5! �d7 18.�g4!i Black's king nears the precipice . . .

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13 ... �d4?!

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This attempt at the d6-trick backfires. Black must only aim to equalize here:

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228

Mayhem i n the Morra

18 J�hg8 •.

1 8 . . . tt:Jxe5? 2 l .l"i:e l +-

1 9.Wg5t f6 20.Wxg7t tt:J f7

19.:gd6!+. . .And now falls into oblivion.

19 ...Wfc7 1 9 . . . Wc5 20.l2ld5t exd5 2 l .l"i:xd7t �e8 22.ixd5 l"i:f8 23.Wf5+-

20.l"i:xe6t! fxe6 2 1 .Wfxe6t g6 1 5 . .ic2t Wh5 I 6.Wh3#) 1 3 . .ie3 Wb7

adopt the signature maneuver of his defense: l l . . .Wb6! 1 2 ..ie3 1 2 . .ixe6?! leads to naught: 1 2 . . . fxe6 1 3 . � xe6 This now comes without tempo, and after the incoming . . . �e5 the c8-bishop will punish White's invading knight. 1 3 . . . g6+

�, �-��-�· �· �g� � �:\��A!�£ !i% £ ,81 : �v t �·� �%�J �� 3 ���� � . �� ' · · � �� - - %� �-- - - %rli"" 8

:i

7 6

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�

--,_,(-- - - - - '%0'0

2

h

We arrive at Finegold's cherished main line. Black's queen, though in the nether realms on b7, has effectively avoided a heavy meteor shower from White's rooks on c l and d l . Although lacking the life-force e4-pawn, all of White's pieces remain highly charged, yielding him excellent long-term compensation. Before leaving this position in the dust for now and cruising forward, note that the immediate strike 1 4.�xf7?! 'lt>xf7 1 5 . .ixe6t 'lt>xe6 1 6 . .ic5t fails as after 1 6 . . . �e5 !-+ Black weathers the storm.

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1 2 . . . Wb7! As is typically the case in the gambit, if Black secures his queen he also solves the Morra problem. But even here, he must watch for streaking comets! 1 3 .l':!ac l � c5!+ 13 ... 0-0 1 4. � c6h Wxc6 1 5 .�d5!± and yet again the queen burns. 8

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l l . . ..ib7?!

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Even as I overtly threaten to turn e6 into a wasteland, Finegold surprisingly refuses to

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12.i.xe6! fxe6 1 3.�xe6 V;l!b6 14.�d5!? The knights cannot be bothered by meager pawns, but rather have the king on their mind. 14 . .ie3! harassing the queen still further, would

236

Mayhem in the Morra

Finegold Refutation

leave Black lost in cold space forever: 14 .. .'1Wc6 1 5 .tt:ld5 mf7 1 6.tt:lg5t mf8 1 7.E:ac l +-

14 ...hd5 1 5.exd5 fl:le5 1 6 ..ie3 YlYb7 17.f4 �c4 1 8.i.d4±

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l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.fl:lxc3 d6 5.fl:l6 e6 6.�c4 a6 7.0-0 i.e7 8.YlYe2 �f6 9.B:dl b5

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Although a piece down, White's powerful central pieces emit rays of energy. Most importantly, the e6-knight severs the board in two, effectively reducing Black's rooks to spectators in the fight while their rivals wait to destroy the helpless king. Under intense pressure, Finegold collapses.

10.e5!

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We have liftoff! The gambiteer now sacrifices a second pawn, and the bishop pair, for nebulous compensation . . .

10. . .bxc4 l l .ex£6 gxf6

l l ...ixf6? 1 2.if4! ie7 13.ixd6! ixd6 14.lLle4±

18 ... c!thd5 19 ..ixg7 ggs 20J�xd5+- �d7 21 .fl:lc5t �c6 22.fl:lxb7 gxg7 23.YlYe4 �c7 24.b3 �b6 25.gcl t �d7 26.fl:lc5t �e8 27.B:xd6 With "refutations" and egos at stake, Finegold resists until the bitter end, whereas I, savoring the moment, purposely prolong the inevitable, if only to send an encrypted message that he has not heard the last of the Morra Gambit.

27... B:c8 28J'�c6 B:b8 29.�e6 �f7 30.Il:lxg7 .i£6 3 1 .gc7t �g8 32.�h5 fl:ld7 33.B:xd7 fi.e7 34.YlYxe7 h6 35.gcc7 b4 36.1t:!f6t �h8 37.h4 a5 38.YlYh7# I had won the battle, but not the analytical war.

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In the "Finegold Defense" , the authors dismiss this line, giving only 1 2 .'\Wxc4?! ib7+. Of course, nothing could prepare them for the dazzling supernova explosion to come.

237

Chapter 1 0 - Finegold's Final Fro n tier

12.c�d2!!± Shattering all the principles faster than the speed of light. Despite an ultra-dynamic position, White moves the same piece twice in the opening, in addition to blocking in the rook and bishop! It's the Morra Gambit, not the Benoni, after all. Yet even while possessing extra material and the two bishops, Black still cannot find a defensive salvation. White's knights will soon swarm on c4 and e4, and the seemingly secure black king will suddenly disappear into a black hole. A remarkable find, revealing not only the solution to the Finegold riddle, but also the power of dynamic developmental compensation to dominate over static positional and material factors in even the haziest of attacks.

White's minor pieces form a globular cluster in the center. We'll peer into this constellation in the advanced material . 1 2 . . . tLl d7?! 1 3 . tLl xc4 tLle5 13 ... d5 1 4. tLl xd5! exd5 1 5 . tLl d6t 'iil f8 1 6 . .ih6t 'it>g8 1 7.%Vg4# With the king lacking proper cover, mates of this type light up the sky in the variations to come. 1 3 . . . %Vc7 1 4 . .if4 tLle5 1 5 . tLl xd6t ( 1 5 . .ixe5 dxe5 1 6.�ac l ±) 1 5 . . . ixd6 1 6.�xd6 %Vxd6 1 7.tLle4 V9e7 1 8 .tLl xf6t Wxf6 1 9 . .ixe5±

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6 5

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1 4. tLl xd6t! .ixd6 1 5 . tLl e4+When such logical developing moves fail, you j ust know the defender is in for a rough interstellar adventure.

3

2 1

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12 ... a5?!

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1 2 . . . tLl c6!? 1 3 . tLl xc4 d5 14 . .if4 0-0 a) 1 4 . . . ib7?

Black has several other options: 12 . . . .ib7!? 1 3 .tLlxc4 �g8 1 4. tLl e4! d5 1 5 . .if4±

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1 5 .�xd5! Black's king comes crashing out a

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238

Mayhem i n the Morra

of orbit. 1 5 . . . exd5 1 6. ttl d6t �f8 ( 1 6 . . . �d7 1 7.'1Wg4t+-) 1 7 . .ih6t �g8 1 8 .'1Wg4# b) 14 . . . d4 1 5 .'1Wf3 .ib7 1 6. ttl e4 e5 l ?.l:!e l !±

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1 7 . . . ttla5 1 8.ttlxa5 ffxa5 1 9 . .ixe5! fxe5 ( 1 9 . . . '1Wxe5 20.ttlxf6t �f8 2 1 .'1Wxb7+-) 20.ttl f6t .ixf6 2 1 .'1Wxf6+- Outer space can be a very scary place! 1 5 .'1Wf3± Even more powerful than 1 5 .�d3!? or 1 5 . .ih6! ?. Black's airy king now floats about in a zero-gravity environment. 1 5 .. .'Jih8 1 6.ttlxd5! exd5 1 7.�xd5 '1We8 1 7 . . . .id7 1 8 .�ad l +1 8 .ttld6 .ixd6

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1 9 . .ig5 !+0r 1 9 . .ixd6+-. 1 9 . . . fxg5 20.'1Wf6t �g8 2 l .�xg5# 1 2 . . . '1Wc7!? 1 3 .ttlxc4 d5 13 . . . .ib7 14 . .if4 e5 1 5 .�ac l exf4 1 6. ttl b5 +-

Space's version of a queen out in Siberia with no heat (see Chapter 1 ) .

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1 4.�xd5! Black's position now teeters upon the event horizon . . . 1 4 . . . .ib7! The rook must not be captured, else Black falls into the zone where light never escapes: 1 4 . . . exd 5 ? 1 5 . ttl xd5 Black must choose between being swiftly mated or shedding massive amounts of material from pulsating knight forks. l 5 . . . '1Wd8 ( 1 5 . . . '1Wb7 1 6. ttl d6t+­ or 1 5 . . . '1Wd7 ttlxf6t+- or 1 5 . . . '1Wa7 1 6.ttld6t �d8 1 7. ttl xf7t+-) 1 6. ttl xf6t �f8 17 . .ih6# 1 5 .�d l ± �g8 1 6. ttl e4

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The centralized, charging knight forces Black to part with his raking b7-bishop. When all the dust clears, White smoothly flies to a superior ending, with his Morra rooks and potential outside passed pawn leading the way.

239

Chapter 1 0 - Finegold's Final Frontier 1 6 . . . ixe4 1 9 . .ie3±

1 7."11Mxe4 "11M c 6

1 8 ."11Mx c6t ll'l xc6

13.�xc4 .ia6 l 3 . . . d5 I 4.ll'lb5! Now the knights invade through a different wormhole. 1 4 . . . .ia6 ( 1 4 . . . .ib7 1 5 . .if4±)

15 ... exd5 16J:�xd5 �d7 1 6 . . . "11M c7 1 7. ll'l xa5!+- Gaze upon this quasar and you shall find that although White only has three pawns for the piece, Black simply cannot move and should resign immediately!

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1 5 .l:'� xd5! exd5 1 6.ll'lcd6t �d7 1 7 . .if4 .ixbS ( 1 7 . . . .ixd6 1 8 ."1Wg4t±) 1 8 ."11M xb5t ll'l c6 1 9."11Mxd5 +- The queen arrives through the p�� tal to pay the king an up-close personal VISit.

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If 1 7 . . . 0-0, then 1 8 . .ih6! followed by Wg4t bursts forth. If 1 7 . . . .ib7 then 1 8 . ll'l xb7 "11Mx b7 1 9 J!d8t beams while 1 7 't..l r.-. d7 1s met by ' I S J'!xd7 �d7 1 9 . .if4+-. Lastly, if nothing else, .if4 followed by :!:!e I may flash in the not too distant future. ·

• • •

14."\Wf3! d5

a

17Jhd7! a

1 5.�xd5!

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White's encircling pieces form rings around the enemy, ultimately driving the hapless defender into a black hole.

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Black spirals into the abyss, past the point of no return.

17 ... cj;lxd7 18.ti'd5t cj;les 19.fi'c6t cj;lf8 2o . .ih6t cj;lgs 2 I .fi'f3+The inevitable Wg4t or Wg3t leads to nothingness for the black king.

240

Mayhem in the Morra

Theory I - 9 �bd7 ...

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.ltJxc3 d6 s.lt:J£3 e6 6.J.c4 a6 7.0-0 J.e7 8.'11*fe2 lt:J f6 9J'�dl! 9 . e 5 ! ? was m y old weapon vs. Finegold's Defense, and it is also playable, offering White full compensation for the pawn in the form of active piece play after 9 . . . dxe5 I O.lt:Jxe5!?oo (or I O.:gd l ! ?00) . But of course, it does not allow Black the opportunity to fall into the hole after the awesome 9.:gd l b5?! I O.e5!.

9 ... lt:Jbd7!? Black avoids the pit, but fails to achieve the ambitious queenside expansion that Finegold's Defense aims for.

1 2 . . . W/a5 ? is an even worse spot for the queen: 1 3 . lt:J xf7 :gxf7 1 4.W/xe6+Black's attempt to drum up the desired queenside activity with 1 2 . . . b 5 ? fails to: 1 3 . lt:J c6 Wfe8 1 4. lt:J xe7t Wfxe7 1 5 .i.d6±

13.J.b3 lbxe5 14.he5 Black has done well to exchange off some firepower, but no further easy solutions remain. His queenside remains tied in knots, while White eyes transfers of force to the kingside in the form of i.c2 followed by lt:J e4 and crushing rook lifts.

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10.e5!

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14.. J�d8 h

Again, the gambiteer strikes in the center, as usual counting on his pieces to swirl up counterplay once devoid of the clamping e4pawn.

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Chasing the e5-bishop is weaker: 14 . . . lt:J d7?! 1 5 .i.d4 Wfa5 1 5 . . . i.c5 I 6. lt:J a4 Wla5 1 7.lt:Jxc5 1 8 .W/e5+-

10 ... dxe5 l l .lt:Jxe5 0-0 12.J.f4i �b6 The queen skirts the pin and guards the sensitive e6-grid, but still blocks in the b-pawn, thus freezing Black's queenside. The claustrophobic 1 2 . . . W/e8, meanwhile, presents the defender with cramping problems of an altogether different sort after 1 3 .:gac l .

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lt:Jxc5

24 1

Chapter 1 0 - Finegold's Final Frontier 1 6.tlJd5!± 1 6.l:!d3 ! ?--+ 1 6 . . . .ic5 1 6 . . . exd5 1 7.Wfxe7± 1 7 . .ixc5 Wfxc5 1 7 . . . tlJxc5 1 8 . tlJ e7t 'kt>h8 1 9 . .ic2 Menacing mayhem with .ixh7t. 1 9 . . . h6 20.Wfe5± 1 8 .l:!ac l WaS 1 9 . tlJ e7t 'kt>h8 20.tlJxc8+-

With Black's pieces stranded on the outer rims of the board, he cannot muster a defense. Figure out why for entertainment!

1 5J�xd8t YlYxdS 16JM 1 i Black's rook remains compressed, and the clock is ticking before the big bang. 8

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6 5

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1 8 YlYd8 19.tlJxf6t YlYxf6 20.l:!d3!

3

•.•

20.Wfe5!? would be a prelude to the climactic explosion.

2 1

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16 YlYb6?

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20 b5

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•••

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One last desperate developing attempt . . .

2 I .YlYe4 gbs

•••

2 1 . . .l:!a7 22.Wfc6+-

1 6 . . . .id7!? 1 7 . .ic2-+ 1 6 . . . Wia5 1 7.h3! Preventing the freeing . . . tlJ g4 thrust. Black stays stifled. 1 7 . . . b5?! 1 8 . .ixf6 ( 1 8 .Wif3!? l:!a7 1 9 . .ixf6 .ixf6 [ 1 9 . . . gxf6±] 20.Wfc6+-) 18 ... .ixf6 1 9 .Wfe4 l:!b8 20.tlJd5!± .id8 2l . .ic2 g6 22.b4+-

22.YlYe5! gas 23.YlYc7+-

Theory II - 9 b5 ...

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 d6 5.�f3 e6 6 .lc4 a6 7.0-0 j,e7 s.YlYe2 �f6 9.gd l ! b5 1 0.e5! bxc4 l l .exf6 gxf6 12.�d2!!± .lb7!? •

Attempting to solve the problems in earthly "Chicago" fashion leads to cosmic annihilation :

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1 2 . . . l:!a7?! 1 3 .tlJxc4 d 5 1 3 . . . l:!d7 1 4 . .ie3 .ib7 1 5 .tlJ a4± 1 4 . .ie3 l:!b7 1 4 . . . l:!d7 1 5 . .ib6+1 5 .l:!ac l

242

Mayhem in the Morra

The Morra rooks rage.

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1 5 . . . �g8 1 5 . . .�d7 1 6.\Wf3 ( 1 6.lt:lxd5 !?-t) 1 6 . . . �c6 ( 1 6 . . . lt:l c6 1 7.lt:lxd5 exd5 1 8 . �xd5 0-0 1 9.lt:lb6!±) 1 7.\Wg3 lt:l d7 1 8 .4J d6t �xd6 1 9.\Wxd6 \Wc7 20.\Wa3-t Keeping the king in firing range. 1 6.4Jb6 �d7 16 . . . �xb6 1 7.�xb6 \Wxb6 1 8 .lt:lxd5+1 7.lt:lbxd5 exd5 1 8 .4Jxd5+- �e6 1 9.lt:lxe7 \Wxe7 20.�c5 \Wc7 2 l .�a3 White's rooks are a sight to behold.

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14 ... d5

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1 4 . . . �xe4 1 5 .\Wxe4 d5 1 6.\Wxh?±

1 5.i.f4! 1 5 .\Wh5!?

15 ... e5 White's three minor pieces Roar in air, but as Tal mused, the defender "can only take them one at a time" .

1 6.i.e3! 1 6.�ac l ! ? 8

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6 5

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2 1 . . .\We5 2 l . . . lt:l c6 22.\We4 �b6 23 .\Wxh7!+22.\Wd3 \Wa5 23.�c5 \Wb6 24.\Wc3 Mates abound.

13)l:hc4 gg8 14.llJe4!± Finally, we visit White's globular cluster of pieces in the center after the critical 1 2 . . . �b7.

4 3

2 1

��������=-�

1 6 ... £5

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Black is in trouble: 16 . . . lt:l c6 1 7.�b6 \Wd7 1 8 .�c5 ±

g

Chapter 1 0 - Finegold's Final Frontier 1 6 . . . d4?! 1 7 .ixd4! The bishop swarms from all angles. 17 . . . exd4 1 8 .ll:lxf6t �f8 1 9 .lLlxg8 Wxg8 20 ."Wg4t Wh8 2 1 .l:!xd4± 1 6 . . . l:!g6 1 7.l:!ac l ! ( 1 7. f4!?) 1 7 . . . ll:l c6 ( 1 7 . . . d4 1 8 .ixd4+-) 1 8 ."Wf3!-+

17 ..ib6 ffd7 The board's spectacular piece distribution is a stargazer's dream. Now White releases a furious combination which lights up Finegold's Defense and the night sky.

1 8.�cd6t! % �%Qj

7

�. -j_�·� �----

%

�--

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�/.._ __ ;

3

��mv� b

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s .. .t2:J bd7

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m� g

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After 5 . . . id7 6.ic4 White menaces '1Wxd4 and the defender cannot rest: 6 . . . dxc3 (6 . . . b5 7.ib3 a5 [7 . . . dxc3 8.ltJxc3 ±] 8 .'1Wxd4±) 7.ltJxc3± The piece count may be even but the first player's freewheeling game nets Black's 4th move a clear assessment as dubious.

6.Wfxd4 a6 7.i.e2 bS 7 . . . '1Wa5 8.if3± 7 ... ltJ b6 8 .c4 e6 9 .ie3! ltJ a4 l O .id l ! No respite! 1 O . . ltJc5 I l .ltJc3± .

s.i.O Wfb6 9.Wfxb6 lbxb6

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10.d6 lbfd5 l l .dxe7 he7±

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And White converted his extra material into victory (see the supplemental games) .

... 1-0

Morra Declined - 3 ... d5 4.exd5 �xdS l .e4 cS 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dS 3 . . . ltJ c6 transposes into the main line after 4.cxd4 d5 5 . exd5 Wfxd5 6 . ltJ f3

4.exd5 WfxdS S.cxd4! True to gambit style, White trusts in the dynamic strengths of his position. Before Black can blockade and destroy the isolated pawn, the possessor of the isolani hopes that his superior space and development will produce game-changing threats that will ultimately win the day.

265

Chapter 1 2 - Morra Declined - Potpourri Black's policy of seeking quick, mass exchanges here results in a modest but pronounced advantage for White with no risk moving forward, as his d4-knight dominates the otherwise symmetrical board.

6.ltH'3 e5 The decliner cannot expect to fight successfully in a classical isolated queen pawn duel here as the incoming lt'l c3 will win White a critical tempo - in isolated pawn positions, it's all a matter of timing. Therefore, Black typically prefers the more radical approaches of the text and the theoretically dubious 6 . . . �g4, both of which force action in the center in their respective ways. 6 . . . e6 7.lt'lc3 �b4 8.�d3 lt'l f6 9.0-0 '\Wd6 1 0 .a3 �xc3 l l .bxc3 0-0 1 2.E:e 1 b6 1 3 .�g5 ±

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•.•

Of course, opening up the board against the powerful prelates would lead to disaster: 9 . . . exd4?! 1 0. lt'l xd4 lt'l xd4 1 1 .'1Wxd4±

lO.lLle5 lLlxe5 l l .dxe5 lLl e7 For now the struggle remains semi-closed and for the next few moves the bishops fail to come into their own. This tabiya has been debated for one hundred years with no clear consensus, but I feel White retains a clear advantage after the counter-intuitive: 8

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White's raking bishops and superior development more than compensate for his slightly mangled pawn structure. See also Tal - Dzindzichashvili, New York (blitz) 1 99 1 , in the supplemental games, for an instructive "isolani" effort from the great world champion.

7.lLlc3 .ib4 s ..id2 .ixc3 Black trades the bishop pair for time, while entrenching his queen in the center.

9.Lc3

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Nimzowitsch introduced the creative plan 1 2.Wa4t!? �d7 1 3 .'1Wa3 , which prevents Black from castling for the moment. Although he won brilliantly vs. Chajes, modern analysis

266

Mayhem in the Morra

shows that the queen sortie leads nowhere: 1 3 . . . .ic6! 1 4.l'!d 1 '\We6 1 5 .l'!d6 '\Wf5 and Black's queen weasels out, the king castles, and the knight jumps to d5. We now pick up the action in the following game, which reached this position via a c3Sicilian.

Marinos Kuijf- Eelke Wiersma Leeuwarden 1 99 5

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1 4...lYe6

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1 4 . . . l'!e8 ? ? 1 5 .J.xe7 +-

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12 . . . 0-0 13J:�dl

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White puts further compromised e4-pawn.

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pressure

1 4 . . . tLl c6!? This daring but desperate exchange sacrifice is the machine's first choice, but it should not suffice - and it j ust shows how dire the decliner's position has become! 1 5 .J.xf8 'kt>xf8 1 6.'\Wb5 .ie6 1 7 . .ie2± a6 1 8 .'\Wc5t �g8 1 9. 0-0! 'Wxb2 8

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on

7

the

13 ....lYxa2 The computer-like defense 1 3 . . . '\Wc6 1 4.l'!d6 '\Wa4 1 5 .b3 'Wa3 may be Black's only salvation. 1 6.'\Wd2! White's queen gets out of the king's bishop's way while threatening to trap her counterpart. 1 6 . . . '\Wc5 ( 1 6 . . . tLl c6?? 1 7.l'!xc6 bxc6 1 8 .J.b4+-) 1 7.J.c4! The press is on.

14..tb4! The chief idea. Instead 1 4.'\Wxe4 J.f5 1 5 .'\Wxb? l'!ad8 1 6.'\Wxe? led to a draw in the battle of the Sveshnikovs and many other games: 1 6 . . . l'!xd l t 1 7.'tt> xd 1 'Wb 1 t 1 8 .'kt>d2 '\Wc2t 1 9 .'tt> e3 lh-Y2 V. Sveshnikov ­ E. Sveshnikov, Di Roseto 20 1 0.

6 5

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20 .J.xa6! l'!xa6 2 1 . '\W xc6+So the black queen beats a sad retreat as White's bishops now roam free. The rest is a rout.

1 5.lYxe4 ges 1 5 . . . J.d7 1 6.J.c4+-

1 6 ..lb5

267

Chapter 1 2 - Morra Declined - Potpourri 8

7

Black resigned, as 2 1 . . .�xd8 22.i.xc6 tt:l xc6 23.i.xd8 tt:lxd8 24.�d l ! tt:l c6 2 5 .Wxc6 crunches.

5

3 d5 with 6 ig4

6

1-0

4

...

3

...

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 '!Wxd5 5.cxd4 � c6 6.�f3 .ig4!?

2 a

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16 � c6 17.0-0

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•••

The tactics begin to flow.

17 i.d7 •••

1 7 . . . %Vxe5? 1 8 .Wxe5 �xe5 1 9.i.xc6+-

ISJUel gadS 19 ..id6 �xeS?! a

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A variation of dubious lineage. Now White once again tosses on his gambit hat.

7.�c3!

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20 .ic7!+-

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•

The "elephants" (Russian for bishops) will not be denied.

20 i.c6

I cannot in my right mind recommend the meek retort 7 .i.e2, allowing Black to reach a comfortable isolated queen pawn structure. However, now the decliner's world turns upside down.

7 ...hf3

The schemer must take the bait - otherwise he won't last ten moves:

7 . . . Wd8? 8.d5 ttle 5 ? 9.ttlxe5! i.xd l l O .i.b5 t +-

•••

20 . . . i.xb5 2 l .�xd8 �xd8 22.i.xd8 tt:l c6 23 .%Vb l %Vd7 24.Wf5 ! +-

7 . . . Wa5 8.d5 0-0-0 9.id2! ttle5 1 0. ttl b 5 i.xB l l .Wc2t+7 . . . Wd7?? Believe it or not I've gotten this trap many rimes against strong players in blitz -

268

Mayhem in the Morra

there must be something about that queen and bishop battery! 8.d5 tLla5 9.�b5 +-

1 5 .�xa7 +-; Instead, the defense hones in upon the lost creature on a8 . 1 4.fxe3 e5! 1 5 .dxe6t fxe6 1 6.�b5 t c;t>ds 1 7 .:B:ac l �b4 t 1 8 . \t>c2 �d6 While White remains "up" an exchange, his position gives off an unfriendly odor. 8 . . .'�h5 ? ! 9.d5 0-0-0 1 0.Wfa4 tLle5 1 l .�e3 lLl xf3t 1 2.\t>d 1 tLl d4t 1 3 .\t>c l ±

8 .. :9'xd4

9.Wfxd4 �xd4 b

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The alternative is: 8.tLlxd5!? For a few years I thought this simple capture, which temporarily wins the exchange, closed the door on this suspicious system, and the computer agreed. But Black has a cunning defense, proving that the old maxim "knights on the rim are dim" is true after all, or at least it is in this line . . . 8 . . . �xd l 9 . tLl c7t \t>d7! l O.tLlxa8 �h5 l l .d5 tLld4 1 2.�e3 tLl c2t 1 3 .\t>d2

The decliner emerges up a clear pawn with a far healthier pawn formation. Yet, on the other hand, his kingside lies entombed. Meanwhile, White's blade-like bishops are ready to cut.

IO.�b5! In the principal variation, both knights will end up buried in the corner. But because of the gambiteer's freedom of movement, he will be first to rescue the cavalry, which ultimately leads to White's enduring advantage. s

7 6

�- � ��.�

zq

··-�--.�--. �� �� �� �

'""z� �� -----Z� ----.Z�

� � 5 �i·� � � � � ��w-0 � �w0 �� � 2 {)j{j*P �wJ[jJ[j 4 3 1

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I O � c2t!?

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.•.

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1 3 . . . tLlxe3! Black's knight wisely refuses to join his counterpart at the end of the earth, even for a "free" rook: 1 3 . . . tLl xa 1 ? 1 4.�b5t \t>d8

10 . . . tLl e6?! 1 1 .tLlxa7!! A fantastic shot, only made possible by Black's total lack of development. 1 l . . .:B:xa7 1 2.�b5t \t>d8 1 3 .�e3 :B:a8 ? ( 1 3 . . . :B:a6 1 4.�xa6 bxa6 1 5 .\t>e2± c;t>es 1 6.:B:ac l f5 1 7.:B:hd 1 \t>f7 1 8 .:B:c6 and the a­ and b-pawns should make queens.)

269

Chapter 1 2 - Morra Declined - Potpourri

1 3 � £6!? ...

13 . . . e5?! 1 4.Ae3 White's bishops again save the day. 14 . . . r,!;>c6 ( 1 4 . . . b6 1 5 . .ib5t r,!;>c8 1 6.r,!;>e2 r,!;>b7 1 7.�c l ! J.d6 [ 1 7 ... r,!;>xa8 1 8 .�c8t+-] 1 8 .J.c6± White's knight is salvaged whereas Black's steed will fall.) 1 5 .J.h3 b6 1 6.r,!;>e2 r,!;>b7 1 7.�xa l r,!;>xa8 1 8 .f4!± The elephants are j ust beginning to stomp. b

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1 4.J.b6t r,!;>cs 1 5 Jk l t r,i;>bs 1 6.Ad7+- Slicing and dicing. 1 0 . . . 0-0-0?! I I .ltlxd4 �xd4 1 2 .Ae3 �d6 1 3 .ha7 b6 1 4.Aa6t! r,i;>ds 1 5 .Ab8! Chop, chop, chop. 1 5 . . . �d7 1 6.J.b5 +I O . . . e5!? In the 20 1 0 Olympiad, Topalov tried to revitalize 6 . . .J.g4 with this bold exchange sacrifice. Rather than chase the rook, he put all his faith in his centralized knight. While he ultimately struggled and almost lost to GM Stevie (an opponent 200 points his inferior) , I nevertheless urge advanced players to study the former world champion's effort in the supplemental games section so you may form your own opinion. 1 I . ltl c7t r,!;>d7 1 2.ltl xa8 .ib4t 1 3 .r,i;>d 1 ltl e7± is my opinion!

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1 3 . . . g6? is a feeble attempt which meets a similar fate: 1 4 .i.e3 Ag7 1 5 .Ab5 t r,!;>c8 1 6.Axa7+- Axb2 1 7.r,!;>e2 ltl f6 1 8 .�b l Ae5 1 9 .�c l t r,i;>ds 20 . .ib6t i.c7 2 I .i.xc7t r,!;>cs 22.ltl b6# 1 3 . . . �c6!? The luxury behind Black's king travelling to d7, but few humans would be com fortable embarking upon such a journey. Now, by playing only moves, the decliner may live only to reach a tortuous ending. 1 4. f4 e6 1 4 . . . ltl f6?! 1 5 .J.g2t ltl d5 1 6. ltl c7 �xc7 1 7 . .ixd5 e6 1 8 .J.e4+1 5 .Ag2t r,i;>bs 1 6 . .ixb7 .id6 1 7.Ae3 ltle7 1 8 . r,i;> c l �b8! 1 8 . . . ltl d5 1 9.ha7± 1 9 .�d 1 �xb7 1 9 . . . ltl d 5 20 . .ixd5 exd5 2 l .�xd5t r,!;>c6 22.�a5 �xa8 23.�a6t r,!;>d5 24. r,i;>b 1 ltJ b3 2 5 . axb3;t With a long technical phase ahead. 20.�xd6 ltl d 5 2 l .�d8!

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270

Mayhem in the Morra

2 1 . . .ltlb4 2 1 . . . 'tt> c6 22. 'tt> b 1 ltl xe3 (22 . . . :l:!d7?! 23.:l:!xd7 'tt> xd7 24 . .ixa7 ltl b3 25.axb3 'tt> c6 26.ltl b6!+-) 23.fxe3 :l:!d7 24.:l:!xd7 'tt> xd7 25.'i!fxa 1 I leave it to the endgame experts to determine if Black can hold. 22.:l:!c8!± An already surreal position reveals yet another otherworldly move. The rook simultaneously secures White's knight on a8 while confining Black's on a l , all while generating mating threats on c5!

1 5.ie3 b6?! 1 5 . . . g6! 1 6 ..ixa7 .ih6! Fighting tooth and nail for the corners. 1 7. ltl b6 'tt> c 7 ( l ? . . . :l:!d8 1 8 .'tt> e 2 ltl c2 1 9 . ltl c4t 'tt> e6 20.:l:!d U :) 1 8 .f4! ( 1 8 . .id3 ? :l:!d8 1 9.'tt> e 2 ltl h 5+) 1 8 . . . ixf4 1 9 . .id3! e5 20.'tt> e 2 e4 2 I ..ib l The corner siege continues!

1 6.�d2± e6 17J�cl ! Morra mayhem o n the c-file.

14.ib5t! The bishops show no mercy to the weary.

1 8..if4t e5 19J�k6t �d5 1 9 . . . 'tt> d 7 20.:l:!xf6t+-

20.�c7t �d4 2 I .ie3# 1 4 . . . 'tt> c8 1 5 .if4 ltld5 1 6 . .ig3±

Chapter 13 Crushing 3 d3 with the Morra-Maroczy: squeeze, squeeze, destroy!52 . . .

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l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3 . c3 d3 4.�xd3 4... d5? .ib5t±

272

4...d6 5.c4! 'Ll c6 6.h3! g6 7.'Ll f3 .ig7

274

8.ctJ c3?! .ixc3t!oo

276

8.0-0! 'Ll f6 9.'Ll c3 0-0 lO ..ie3±

280

272

Mayhem in the Morra

The stultifying Scheveningen/Hedgehog

I'm shocked that the cowardly 3 . . . d3

In these structures, the decliner continues with his passive strategy, curling his pieces up into a ball on the first three ranks and lying in wait for White to overstep. But so often in the Hedgehog, it is Black who can't take the squeezing, sticks his head out, and gets stomped.

Marc Essennan - Edward McHugh a

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remains so popular at all levels, from amateur to professional. Who knows what motivates the decliner to make this meek pawn push, be it fear, laziness, arrogance, or all of the above. No matter what our scheming antagonist may be feeling, he most certainly dreams of taking the struggle to the quiet backwaters, where despite giving back the pawn and starting out at a clear disadvantage, he hopes to outmaneuver and bore the drifting, listless gambiteer. However, after 4 . .txd3 and 5 .c4! Black's fantasy faces reality in the shape of the concrete positional tower of pain better known as the Maroczy Bind. Soon White's knights flow to f3 and c3, the bishops patrol d3 and e3, and after castles and We2, with the rooks fortifYing c l and d l (and always throw i n a quick h2-h3 to stop any . . . tt:lg4 or . . . .tg4 tricks) , it's almost as if we have a Morra Gambit with an extra pawn wedging on c4. Of course, the move order matters, but that's easy to master. Gasping for air, the decliner may try to exchange pieces, so remember to avoid all unnecessary liquidation so that the suffering schemer suffocates within the confines of his narrow position. If you think you've squeezed enough, feel free to squeeze some more before finally delivering the fatal blow in dashing style.

Parsi pp any 2009

I .e4 c5 2.d4 cx:d4 3.c3 d3 4 ..L::d3 d6 Radical simplification fails brutally as after 4 . . . d5?! 5 . .tb5t White cleanly wins a pawn.

5.c4! The squeeze is on.

5 ... � £6 6.� c3 e6 7.� f3 .te7 8.YlYe2 � bd7 9.0-0 0-0 1 0.h3! Preventing any . . . tt:l g4-e5 molestations upon .te3 .

lO YlYc7 l l ..ie3 a6 1 2J'�acl b6 13 ..ib l ! •.•

8

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6 5

4 3

2 1

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Safely tucking the bishop away where it cannot be swapped for Black's desperate

Ch. 1 3 - Crushing 3 . . . d3 with the Morra-Maroczy: squeeze, squeeze, destroy! 27 . . ttJ xd5 28.exd5 :!'%ee8 29.i.f6± White's bishops suddenly triumph.

273

knights. As we shall see repeatedly, b l is the optimal square for the light-squared bishop in the Morra-Maroczy. Not only does it perform important defensive work in the center, but it aims straight at the heart of the enemy king through the e4-stronghold.

27... �g6

13 ...J.b7 14J:Ud1 gac8 1 5.b3

29 �hS 30.h5 � e5 3 1 .Y!fh4 geeS 32Jic3 Y!fdS 33.gg3 b5 34.cxb5 axb5 35.gfl

.

and

2S ..ixf6 gxf6 29.h4 The final nail . •..

Shoring up all the loose ends. With the foundation cemented, White soon builds a high-rise.

1 5 ... gfeS 1 6.�d4 .if8 17 ..ig5! So that the bishop stars in the kingside onslaught after the suffocating f2-f4.

17 ...Y!fbs 1 S.f4 The dark side of space is weakness, but White has none. Staring out at the emerging skyscraper, Black rushes to bulldoze, yet only reduces his own position to rubble.

Completely paralyzed, Black resigned, as mate is inevitable after the merciless :!'%f4-g4.

1-0

Marc Esserman - John Fedorowicz US Chess Lea gue, Internet

2011

l .e4 c5 2.�6 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.c3 d3 5.hd3 d6 5 . . . d5?! 6.exd5 1Mfxd5 7.0-0 ltJ c6 8 .c4± With a large lead in development.

6.c4 �f6 7.�c3 a6 S.0-0 � bd7 9.h3 Y!fc7 1 0 ..ie3 .ie7 u .gcl b6 12.Y!fe2 .ib7 1 2 . . . ltJ e 5 ? ! 1 3 . ltJ xe5 dxe5 1 4.c5! 1 5 . ltJ a4± Chaos on the c-file ensues.

bxc5

13 ..ib 1 0-0

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1 S e5?! 1 9.fxe5 gxe5 20.i.f4 geeS 2 1 .�£5 �e5 22 .ig5 �ed7 23..if4 ..•

•

Prolonging the agony.

23 ... � e5 24 ..ig5 �ed7 25.Y!f6 Brick by brick.

25 ... � e5 26.Y!fg3 ge6 27.�d5 The cavalry maims.

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14.�d2!?

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Overprotecting the e-pawn still further,

274

Mayhem in the Morra

while leaving the rook on f1 where it will immediately participate in the impending kingside pawn storm. A more refined approach, with two years more gray in my hair.

Still, the bishop belongs on g7 after 3 . . . d3, when it will at least exert a powerful grip over the critical h8-a l diagonal.

5.c4 i.g7 6.�f3 d6 14 .. JUe8 1 5.a3 With no weaknesses, I'm ready to greedily grab as much space as my heart desires.

15 ...i.f8 16.b4 !:!ac8 17.£4 ti'b8 18 ..id3! With great space comes great responsibility!

18 ... !:!c6 19.ti'f2 J.a8 20.g4!± A great wall of pawns.

20... c.!.>h8 2 l .g5 ttlg8 a

7.h3!

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Absolutely vital now. The proud c4 and e4 tag team plans to squeeze, suffocate, and silence, but they leave the d4-square highly compromised in their wake. White must secure this battleground, else Black responds . . . ig4 and eventually . . . ll:l c6, . . . i.xf3 and dominates the board with . . . ll:l d4. a

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And somehow I misplayed my advantage and almost lost! As Emmanuel Lasker mused, "the hardest game to win is a won game" , but surely it's even harder to win a lost position!53 '12-lfz

The Dragon Returns Marc Esserman - Zbynek Hracek New York 2009

I .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 d3 4 ..ixd3 g6 The Dragon returns, but without the fire.

7... �£6 8.0-0 0-0 9.� c3 � bd7 The knight belongs on c6 in a pure Dragon, fighting for the prime central real estate. Hracek's Dragon now slowly shapeshifts into what we already know to be a harmless Hedgehog.

IO ..ie3 b6 l l .!:!cl .ib7 12 ..ib l a6 1 3.ti'e2 !:!e8 14.!:!fdl ti'b8 The moves require little commentary. Black, although a strong Grandmaster, seemingly shuffles to and fro throughout his tight quarters. White, meanwhile, applies the plaster before expanding.

Ch. 1 3 - Crushing 3 . . . d3 with the Morra-Maroczy: squeeze, squeeze, destroy! 8

A chessically shocking, but psychologically understandable error. Hemmed in, Black lashes out, preventing the g2-g4 bulldozer while loudly asserting his presence. Yet he had no choice but to stay small but solid, and brace for White's heavy machinery to try to rip through. Now the b3-knight flies in from the reserves, j oining the fray before White's collective forces set the compromised Dragon structure ablaze.

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1 5.b3 � c5 16.�d2

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Rock and hammer.

16 ... e6 17.b4 � cd7 1 8.�b3 gc8 19.£4 ffc7 20.ffel

23.�d2 gbs 24.�f3 .!as 25JUt Readying to raze.

25 ... tVds 26.£5! exf5 27.exf5 .ixf3 2S.ffxf3 � e5 29.ffdl d5 30.cxd5 �xd5 3 1 .�xd5 ffxd5

The queen turns her attention towards the ultimate prize, while also tempting a misstep.

20 .. J�e8 20 . . . �xc4?! 2 1 .:gxd6 �xb4 22.e5± seals the deal.

2 t .fff2 gac8 22 ..id3 The bishop dutifully returns to its more active post, no longer fearing exchange. 8

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33 ffxc4 34.gxc4 �xc4 35 ..if4 Eibc8 36.ffd7 h7 37 .ig5 �e5 38.ffb7 gc6 39 ..if6 Eixf6 40.Eixf6 h6 41 .Eid6 h4 42.ffe4 h 5 43.gd5 .if6 44.�£4

32 . . . � xd3 33.gxf7t+-

The game's first tactic, and a devastating one.

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Black resigned, as 44 . . . �g7 45 .�g4t 'it>h6 46.�xh4# leaves no doubt. At the time, Hracek was the highest rated player to fall to

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Mayhem in the Morra

the Morra in classical tournament play. . . until Van Wely fell in 20 1 1 .

1-0 Even world champions cannot escape correction, should not have escaped - the Morra-Maroczy's death squeeze.

Those swashbucklers who j ust can't wait to sacrifice a pawn may play 1 2.c5!? here, with a serious initiative: 1 2 . . . dxc5 1 3 .e5 tLle8 1 4.i.e4;!;

Internet (blitz) 2008

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 d3 4.hd3 g6 5.c4 J.g7 6.�6 �c6 7.h3 d6

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First and foremost, d7 belongs to the f6knight, where it may seek an exchange or further positional pressure via c5 or e5. In addition, Ponomariov would have the option to radically alter the nature of the struggle with . . .i.xc3 should the white knight develop to c3.

l l .� c3 a6 12 ..ie3

TheDarkKnight {Esserman) Ruslan Ponomariov

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The gambiteer should delay the natural development of the queen's knight until it can no longer be lopped off by the swooping Dragon bishop. 8.ll:k3?! is met by 8 . . . i.xc3t! 9.bxc300 wrecking the pristine Maroczy structure. From here I suffered a painful defeat in Esserman - Kudrin, Foxwoods 2003, when Black's dark-squared deficiencies were overshadowed by White's mangled formation.

8 ... �£6 9.We2?! An imprecise move order. White should continue 9.tLlc3, followed by 1 0.i.e3 , 1 1 .1:'i:c l , and only later 'We2 and E:fd l .

12 ... gb8 l 3.gacl ge8

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I play routinely (typical for blitz!), not capitalizing on my great opponent's series of inaccurate moves. After 1 4.c5!± dxc5 1 5 .i.xc5 White plays a Morra without gam biting a pawn!

14 ...Wa5 15.i.b l b5 1 6.cxb5 Again, thrusting the c-pawn allows the Morra rooks to reap a large advantage: 1 6.c5! tLlg4 ( 1 6 . . . dxc5 1 7.e5+-) 1 7.hxg4 i.xc3 1 8 .cxd6 exd6 { 1 8 . . . i.xg4 1 9 .b4! 'Wxb4 20.'Wd3+-) 1 9.E:xd6 E:ed8 20.'Wd3+-

16 ... axb5 17.�d5 �xd5?! 17 . . . b4! ? with mutual chances.

1 8.exd5± � e5 1 9.�d4!

Ch. 1 3 - Crushing 3 . . . d3 with the Morra-Maroczy: squeeze, squeeze, destroy! "Just a second . . .

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"

23 ... b4 "Honey!"

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Avoiding exchange, thus allowing Black's lone knight to acutely feel the squeeze. 20.f2f4 beckons, but the only defense still leads to long-term pain.

19 ... e6?! 1 9 . . . f5 20.f4 lLl f7 ± 2 1 . lLl e6 .!xe6 22.dxe6 lLl d8 23.g4! We will see the conclusion to such a suffocating, sweltering attack in JungleDacha vs. IsamOr next.

20.£4+Now, I digress. Groggy in the morning while visiting my family, I logged onto the ICC, sending out an open 3-minute challenge. Low and behold, ex-FIDE World Champion Ponomariov accepts and the game abruptly begins (ah, the joys of Internet chess} . Somewhere around the first few seconds, I hear a shout from across the house: "Honey, come downstairs, pancakes are ready. . . "

20 ... exd5 2 1 .fxe5 "One moment mom, I'm kind of up a piece against a World Champion . . . "

2 1 . dxe5 22.ltk6 .•

"I don't care who you're playing, get down here now, the food's getting cold!"

22 ...hc6 23J:�xc6

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"Arghhhh!" Amidst the chaos, I missed an easy win by 24Jk5 +-, and Ponomariov's mobile pawn mass ultimately pancaked me. As consolation, the pancakes were tasty and still hot. The moral of the story: never give World Champions pancake odds.

... 0-1

JungleDacha (Esserman) IsamOr (IM Ortiz) Internet (blitz) 20 1 0

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Mayhem i n the Morra

25.f5! The archer on b 1 slings arrows from afar!

25 ... gxf5 26.1Yxf5 1Yb2 27.1Yxh7t £8 28.gfl t i.f6 29.1Yh8#

Borba (Esserman) Oligarkh (GM Jobava) -

White now lacks direct kingside attacking prospects without his light-squared bishop, fortunately he still resides within Maroczy's palace, a grand structure which always packs a powerful positional punch.

1 3.1Yxd3;!;

lnrernet (blitz) 2005

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 d3 4..ixd3 � c6 5.c4 g6 6.ttlf3 i.g7 7.h3 d6 8.0-0 �f6 9.ttlc3 0-0

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1 3 ...i.e6 14.b3 YlYa5 1 5 ..id2!? a

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It took me some time to grasp the proper move order, but you will not need to suffer as I did: l O . .ie3! tt:ld7 l l .!'!:c l ! Preventing the shattering . . . .ixc3 . l l . . . tt:l de5!? 1 2 . .ie2 tt:lxf3t ( 1 2 ... .ie6 1 3 .b3 Wfa5 1 4.Wfd2t) 13 . .ixf3t Black manages to trade off one pair of minor pieces, but still faces a protracted struggle against the bind.

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1 5 .a4!?t permanently stifles Black's freeing . . . b5 break, at the expense of the b4-square.

1 5 ... gfc8 1 5 . . . Wh5?! 1 6. tt:l d 5 ! cuts the swmgmg queen's range of motion: 1 6 . . . i.xd5 ( 1 6 . . . tt:le5 1 7.tt:lxe5 dxe5 1 8 . tt:l xe7t±) 1 7.cxd5 tt:le5 1 8 . tt:l xe5 i.xe5 1 9 .!'!:c7±

10 ... ttld7 l l .i.e3 �c5 Missing the chance to shake things up: l l . . . .ixc3! 1 2 .bxc3 Wfa500

12.E!acl �xd3 Jobava wisely exchanges, but even this does not fully solve his problems, as will be evident in the instructive variations to come. While

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Ch. 1 3 - Crushing 3 . . . d3 with the Morra-Maroczy: squeeze, squeeze, destroy!

279

16.Wfe2?!

17JUdl

Blitz rubbish, though White still stands superior! However, after 1 6.a4! the bind sinks its prophylactic teeth in: 1 6 . . . Wfh5 1 7.tLld5 �xd5 1 8 .exd5 tLle5 1 9 .tLlxe5 �xe5 20.�c3 �xc3 2 1 .l"i:xc3

1 7. tLl d 5 �xd5 1 8 .exd5 tLle5 1 9. tLl xe5 �xe5 20 .�c3 �xc3 2 1 .l"i:xc3;!;

17 ... a6 1 8 . .te3 WfaS 19 ..td2 1 9 .tLld5--+

1 9 .. J�ab8 20.�a4 Wfd8 2 l .c5± The bishop and queen's little duet ends with a bang.

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Only the heavy pieces remain, but the decliner still suffers endless strain. As a result of 1 8 .exd5! the gambiteer turned boa-constrictor holds Black's e7-pawn under lock and key. Devoid of any counterplay via the standard . . . b5/ . . . f5 anti-Maroczy pawn thrusts, the schemer must return to his passive roots. After harassing the hapless defender on e7 to the point of cries for mercy, only then does White launch a quick and painless mating attack to put the black king out of his misery. An ideal textbook Maroczy bind! 2 l . . .a6 22.l"i:e 1 l"i:c7 23 .Wfd4 l"i:ac8 24.l"i:ce3 l"i:e8 2 5 . f4 The final phase. 25 . . . Wfh4 (25 . . . Wfh6 26.f5 +-) 26.l"i:e4 Wfh5 27.�h2 Now g2-g4 beckons. 27 . . . Wfh6 28.f5 gxf5 29.l"i:h4 Wfg7 30.Wff4+- Next comes Wfxf5 followed by raging rook lifts.

16 Wfd8 ..•

Even super-grandmasters cannot help but move listlessly when facing the Morra-Maroczy squeeze. 1 6 . . . Wfh 5!? 1 7.l"i:fe l 1he rook targets e7 from its perch. 1 7 . . . tLle5 1 8 .tLl xe5 Wfxe2 1 9.l"i:xe2 �xe5 20.tLld5 �xd5 2 l .exd5 �f6 (2 l . . .a6 22.g4 b5 23.c5!±) 22.g4!± Banishing the bishop.

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2 l . .. � d4 22.«�hd4 .ixd4 23.cxd6?!

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23.�f4± works the pin.

23 ...Wfxd6? 23 . . . exd6!

24Jhc8t .ixcS 25..ie3 e5 26.Wfd2 b5 27.� b2 .tb7 28 ..ixd4 exd4 29.Wfxd4± I went on to win in a time scramble.

... 1-0 We shall leave 3 . . . d3 in the dust after wit­ nessing two more brutal attacks.

JungleDacha {Esserman) - macia (GM Deepan) Internet (blitz) 20 1 0

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 d3 4 ..ixd3 d6 5.c4 g6 6.h3 .ig7 7.�6 � f6 8.0-0 0-0

280

Mayhem i n the Morra

9.ttlc3 ttlc6 lO.i.e3!

2 l .Yfg3 .lf7

At last the proper move order.

10 ...i.e6 l l J3cl �d7 12.b3 a5 13 ..lb l ttl c5 14.'1We2 b6

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1 5 .tt'ld5! stops any queenside intrigue: 1 5 . . . a4?! 1 6.b4 tt'l d7 1 7.a3± 1 5 . . . a4!? 1 6 . .lxc5 bxc5 1 7. tt'l xa4 'IW a5� Black, with a powerful dark-squared presence, gets to showcase his pawn-down skills.

15 ...'\Wcs

16.�d5 Yfb7 17.Yfd2 Sounding the invasion alarm .

17 .. JUc8 18.i.h6 Taking a swipe at the Dragon's head.

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Either attacking with pieces or the h-pawn first should suffice. 22.tt'lh4 e6 23.tt'lc3 a4 24. tt'l b 5 +- and the Dragon's tail thrashes no more.

22 ... b5 23.cxb5 Yfxb5 24.h5 Beating down the gates.

24 � e5 .•.

24 . . . .lg7 2 5 . .lxg7 s!rxg7 26. tt'l h4 '1Wb8 27.hxg6 hxg6 28.e5! tt'l xe5 29.f4+- Watch for the b 1 -bishop out of the corner of your eye in the variations to come.

25.�d4 Yfd7 26.ttlf5+-

18 ...i.h8 19.'1Wg5 ga7

Morra maiming. Taking the exchange with 26. tt'l b6 is also winning, of course.

A typical lifeless move for the besieged defender vs. the Morra-Maroczy.

26 ... '\Wes 27.£4 � c6 28.hxg6!?

20.'1Wh4 f6 The Dragon bishop lives on but it would probably rather be dead. 20 . . . a4?! 2 1 .b4 tt'l d7 22.b5+20 . . . .lxd5 2 l .exd5 tt'le5 22.tt'ld4±

2 8 . tt'l dxe7t! Silicon butchery. 28 . . . tt'lxe7 29.tt'lxd6 '1Wd7 30.tt'lxc8 '1Wxc8 3 l . f5 g5 32 .'1Wd6+- gc7 33 .'1Wd8t '1Wxd8 (33 . . . .le8 34.gxc5 gxc5 3 5 .'1Wxe7 +-) 34.gxd8t .le8 3 5 . gxe8t s!rf7 36.gf8#

28 ... hxg6 29.�h4 'i!?h7

Ch. 1 3 - Crushing 3 . . . d3 with the Morra-Maroczy: squeeze, squeeze, destroy! 8

33.c!iH5t �£8 34.�xd6

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Good enough to induce resignation, but 34.�h4 is pure barbarism: 34 . . . gxf5 3 5 .�h6t �g8 36.4J xf6#

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Marc Esserman - Igor Sorkin

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New York 2009

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30.e5!+- The patient bishop finally completes mission "squeeze, squeeze, destroy." 30 . . . fxe5 (30 . . . �xh6 3 1 .lLlxg6 .ixg6 32 . .ixg6 �xg6 33.�h3t!+-) 3 l . f5 ! Plowing the road. 3 l . . .e4 (3 l . . .�xh6 32.fxg6 .ie6 3 3 . lLl f5t .ixf5 34 . .ixf5 �g7 3 5 .�h3 �g8 36J:hc5 dxc5 37 . .ie6+-) 32.fxg6t .ixg6 33 . .ie3 .ie5 34.4J f4 .if7 3 5 .l'!xc5 dxc5 36 . .ixe4t �h8 37.lLl hg6t .ixg6 38.lLlxg6t+-

30 i.g7 •••

30 . . . �xh6?? 3 1 . 4J f5#

3 I .i.xg7 �xg7 Only a headless Dragon remains.

32.Yfg3 e5 32 . . . �h7 33.e5+-

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We are forged gambiteers not only in victory but in the flames of defeat. Here, not fully trusting that a headless Dragon is a dead Dragon, I retreated to eventual equality with the insipid l .�d2?? and later lost. In the post­ mortem, after the horrifying discovery of a missed brilliancy, I would vow to frenetically look for blood in such positions until ultimately the variations would paint the black king red. How would you splash the canvas here?

U�c3!! Of course I considered this lift, seemingly drenching the rook, but stopped there. Now White's pieces elegantly combine to slash and burn, with the b l -bishop once again the hidden hero.

l . .. �xd5 1 . . . e6 2.l'!g3 displays an overwhelming show of force: 2 . . . 4J c6 3 . 4J f4 (Even the unnecessary a

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282

Mayhem in the Morra

3.lLlxf6t lLlxf6 4.llJxg6 ixg6 5.1:%xg6t hxg6 6.Wfxg6t e7!N 1 S . .ig5t ltJ Sf6+ 1 6. dxeS ? lLl xeS-+ 1 3 . . . .ie7 1 4. h4!? An ambitious attempt at revival. 1 4."WhS?! g6 I S ."Wh6 .if8 1 6."Wh3 .ig7+ 1 4."Wg4?! tLl e3! Pinpoint precision. I S . .ixe3 tLl xeS 1 6."WhS ( 1 6."Wg3 ? lLl xd3-+ Kouvatsou - Nikolov, Agios Kirykos 20 1 0) 1 6 . . . "Wxd3

297

Chapter 1 4 - The Noxious 3 . . . tC! f6

1 5.Wg4!?

1 7. li:l xe6 Wg6!+

Wolff had a chance for the history books with a fantastic combinational torrent rivaling Morphy's Romantic gems. 1 5 .Wh3! j,xd6 method.

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1 4 . . . j,b5 1 4 . . . j,xg5?! I S .j,xg5--+ 1 4 ... 9c7 I S .j,b2 is unclear. For example: 1 5 . . . h6 ( 1 5 . . . li:l f4 I 6.j,f1 remains unclear, although I might admit to slightly preferring Black.) 1 6. li:l f3 0-0 ( 1 6 . . . ltJ 7b6 1 7. li:l d4 j,xh4 1 8 .lC!xc6 Wxc6 1 9 . li:l d2�) 1 7.g3 !!fd8 1 8 .9e2 li:l 7b6 1 9 . li:l d4 li:l a4 20.li:lxc6 Wxc6 2 I .We400 I S .j,e4 lC!xe5 1 6.ib200 Purists who remain unconvinced of the merits of 1 2. ltJ g5 or in my suggested improvement at move I 0 above should pore over the supplemental material covering ?.j,c4 for salvation.

1 6. li:l xe6+- is a butcher's

1 5 . li:l xe6!! The artist's approach. I 5 . . . Wxf3 a) 1 5 . . . ixd6 1 6.Wh3+b) 1 5 . . . fxe6 1 6.9g4! Black's clumped army can merely huddle around the king and brace for impact. 1 6 . . . 9f7 ( 1 6 .. .'kt>f7 I ?.j,gS h5 [ 1 7 . . . 9g7 1 8 .9xe6#] 1 8.Lf6 hxg4 1 9.j,xh8 +-) 1 7.l!xe6t c;t>ds I S.j,gS t li:l7f6 1 9 .!!xf6! li:lxf6 20 .j,c4! Wide brushstrokes! 20 . . . 9g7 (20 . . . j,d? 2 I .ixf7 j,xg4 22.j,xf6t c;t>d? 23.ltJ d2+-) 2 1 .9e6+- The white queen triumphantly lands where the black pawn once stood to deliver the decisive blow. 1 6. ltJ g7t

13.96+- We7 1 3 . . . ltJ 5f6 1 4.9f4+-

14.exd6 9£6 a

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I 6 . . . c;t>ds I 7.l!e8# Spectacular!

1 5 ....lh6 1 6 ..ld2?! Here too, Wolff missed an opportunity with 1 6. ltJ xf7! j,xc i 1 7.li:lxh8 Wxh8 1 8 .!!xc l +-, eventually winning in a prosaic ending after the text move .

... 1-0

298

Mayhem in the Morra

We will now see some serious sacrificial mayhem as 1 2 .lt:Jg5 slashes and burns against Black's setup with 5 . . . e6 and 6 . . . b6.

1 1 .0-0 ltl d7 l l . . .dxe5?! 1 2. lt:Jxe5 lt:J d7 1 3 . .ib5 +-

s . .e6 and 6...b6 Setup - 12.�g5 1ntroduction .

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 lt:J f6 4.e5 ltJd5 5.ltlf3 e6 6.cxd4 b6

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How to cause chaos? Compare this position to the formation after l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.lt:Jxc3 e6 5 . lt:J f3 a6 6 . .ic4 b5 7 . .ib3 .ib7 8 . 0-0 d6 from the chapter " Into the Deep" .

Historically an extremely popular variation of the c3-sicilian. The schemer first aims to secure the h l -a8 diagonal before dissolving White's center with . . . d6. However, as he postpones kingside development, Morra mayhem will soon engulf the board. 6 . . . tt:Jc6!? is another viable move order. Now White must again choose between the main line after 7 ..ic4 d6 (see the supplemental games) , or the Tiviakov style 7.a3 and 8 . .id3 (see Markovic - Zakic, Nis 1 997, on page 340) .

7.lt:Jc3! Eliminating Black's best piece at the price of a spoiled pawn structure. But the gambiteer, conditioned to giving the c3-pawn, cannot be daunted by such things as a fragile c3/d4 complex, for he soon plans to sacrifice not j ust a pawn, but pieces as well!

7... lt:Jxc3 8.bxc3 Wc7 9 .id2 .ib7 10 .id3 d6 •

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You should find the answer:

12.ltJg5! "WhySoSerious?"58 - The Joker. As in the Morra Accepted, once the c8-bishop leaves the defense of the e6 Scheveningen structure, lt:Jg5 followed by Wh5/lt:Jxe6 violence lurks. 1 2.!%e 1 ! ? The other main line for those curious. The decliner should be able to endure but the air could get heated.

299

Chapter 1 4 - The Noxious 3 . . . ttJ f6 12 . . . dxe5 1 3 .li'lxe5 li'l xe5 1 4J�xe5 .id6 1 5 .gh5!? 1 5 . .ib5t!? .ic6 1 6.Wif3! gc8! ( 1 6 ... 0-0-0?! 17 . .ixc6 .ixe5 1 8 .h3 c.i?b8 1 9.a4± when a brutal attack more than compensates for the exchange.) 1 7 . .ixc6t Wfxc6 1 8 .d5 Wfb7! seems to equalize. 1 5 . . . g6 1 6 . .ib5t!

13.ffh5 g6 14.ffh3! "And I thought my jokes were bad." - The Joker. li'l xe6 greets the schemer. Instructive games and dense analysis follow, proving that even if Black can survive by finding the most absurdly difficult defenses, the gambiteer will always be pressing for the win while, most importantly, having all of the fun!

14 i.e7 1 5J�ae l a6 ..•

Stopping the possible menacing pin .ib5, but at the expense of a crucial tempo. Now White unveils the primary weapon in the attack, the slicing f2-f4 backed by the tanks on e 1 and fl . The dediner's feeble construction will soon burn.

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1 6 . . . c.l?e7! 1 6 . . . .ic6 1 7.Wff3!-+ 1 6 . . . c.i?f8 1 7 . .ih6t c.l?g8 1 8 .Wfd2!� 1 7.gh3 1 7.Wfg4 gxh 5 1 8 .Wfg5 t c.i?f8 1 9 .Wfh6t c.l?e7 20.Wfg5t= 1 7 . . . h500 with mutual chances.

12 ... dxe5 We now pick up the action in Vadja Marjanovic, Bucharest 2000, which reached this position after various earlier transpositions.

After 1 6 . . . .ixg5 1 7.fxg5� Black's dark squares are left to rot, although this was his only chance. We will showcase the often necessary . . . .ixg5, removing the dangerous g5beast at grave positional cost, shortly. 8

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Woohahaha.

17 dxc3 .•.

Too late! 3 . . . dxc3, winning a pawn, was best. 1 7 . . . 0-0 a

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300

Mayhem in the Morra

Drazen Sermek - Alberto David Bled 1996

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.d tl:\f6 4.e5 tl:\ds s.tl:\f3 e6 6.cxd4 b6 7.ltlc3 lt!xd 8.bxd '!Wc7 9.i.d2

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1 8 . f5!+Sit back and watch the kingside crumble. 1 8 .. .1'hf7 1 8 . . . gxf5 1 9.l:!xf5 ! exf5 ( 1 9 . . . l:!xf7 20.l:!xf7 cj{xf7 2 l .�xe6t+-) 20 .l:!xe7 l:!xf7 2 1 .l:!xf7 cj{xf7 22.�xh7t cj;le8 23 .�g6t �f8 (23 . . . cj;ld8 24.�g5t cj;lc8 2 5 .�e8t �d8 26.�xd8#) 24.�h6t cj;le7 2 5 .�g5t � f8 26.�xf5 t cj{g8 27.�h7t �f8 28 .�e7t �e8 29.�g6# Mate, mate, always mate. 1 9.fxg6 l:!xfl t 20.l:!xfl tt:lf8 2 l .g7 2 1 .gxh7t cj;lhg 22 .l:!f7 +2 l . . .cj{xg7 22.�h6t cj{g8 23 .�xh7t! tt:lxh7 24.�g6t cj;lhg 2 5 .Eif7+Pulverizing.

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9...i.b7

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The alternative move order 9 . . . d6! ? fails to alleviate Black's misery as after 1 0 .�d3 ttJ d7 1 l .tt:lg5! the schemer must suffer the main line with l l . . .�b7 1 2. 0-0, as l l . . .�e7?! gets blasted by 1 2.exd6 �xd6 1 3 . tt:lxf7! cj{xf7 1 4.�f3 t +-.

10.i.d3 d6 11.0-0 tl:\d7 12.ltlg5! dxeS 13.'\Whs g6 I4.'1Wh3

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White had the last laugh and went on to win.

30 1

Chap ter 14 -The Noxious 3 . . . lLlf6

14....ig7?! The bishop must stand on e7 as the last line of defense against White's raging attack. But some optimists have simply fianchettoed and turned a blind eye to danger, thus allowing a luminous fireworks display.

1 5 . . . i.f6 1 6.i.b5 a6 ( 1 6 . . . i.c6 1 7. tLl xe6+-) 1 7. tLl xe6 fXe6 1 8 .Wfxe6t i.e? 1 9.i.g5 ±

15J�ael! 1 5 . tLl xe6?! is flawed but instructive. 1 5 . . . £Xe6 1 6.Wfxe6t Now Black must choose 1 6 . . . @d8+ rather than: 16 . . . @ f8? 1 7.i.c4 tLl f6

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16.f4! e4 17.he4 he4 18J!�xe4 �f6 19.Elxe6t fxe6 20.Yfxe6t Black resigned, in view of 20 . . . @f8 2 l .i.c l ! +-. " I like this job, I like it." - The Joker. a

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1-0

1 8 .i.c l ! ! +- The ultimate silencer!

Emre Can Daniel Ludwig -

Vung Tau City 2008

15 a6 •••

1 5 . . . h6? 1 6.i.xg6±

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 �f6 4.e5 �d5 5.�f3 e6 6.cxd4 b6 7.�c3 �xc3 8.bxc3 Yfc7 9..id2 i.b7 10. .id3 d6 11.0-0 �d7 12.�g5! dxe5 13.Yfh5 g6 14.Yfh3 .ie7 15.Elael

1 5 . . . i.d5

The critical position. Now the decliner has a number of defenses, all leading to mayhem.

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1 6.c4! i.xc4 1 7.�c l It's Morra time. 1 7 . . . b5 1 8 .i.xc4 bxc4 1 9 .tLlxe6! fXe6 20.Wfxe6t @ d8 2 l .i.g5t @ c8 22 .:gxc4+-

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302

Mayhem i n the Morra

15...i.d5!? Mter 1 5 . . . �xg5? 1 6.�xg5± there are tremors rippling through the dark squares. 1 5 . . . a6! ? 1 6. f4 �xg5 1 7. fxg5 0-0 1 8 .l:!e3--+ 1 5 . . . '\Wd8! ? Just begging to b e hit.

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1 5 . . . '\Wd6!? The computer's top choice - bulking up on e6.

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1 6.lLlxe6! fxe6 1 7.'1Wxe6 1 7.�xg6t?! hxg6 1 8 .'1Wxh8t �f8fi 1 7 . . . '1Wc7 a) 1 7 . . .l:!f8 1 8 .�g5+- ltJf6 ( 1 8 . . . a6 1 9. f4! is crushing) 1 9.�b5t lLl d7 20.l:!xe5 :1!£7 2 l .�xe7 l:!xe7 22.'1Wg8# Picturesque. b) 1 7 .. J!c8 1 8 .�xg6t hxg6 1 9.'1Wxg6t mf8 20.dxe5 White's down a piece or two, but Black's down a king. 20 . . . :1!c6 2 1 .e6 '\W e8 22.�h6t :1!xh6 23 .'1Wxh6t mg8 24.:1!e3+-

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must admit White's dominance. 1 8 .�b 5 ! Wd8 1 9. c4! '\Wd6 20.'1Wh3! exd4 20 . . . a6 2 l .�b4!± 20 . . . '1Wc7 2 l .c5--+ shreds the c-file. 2 l .�f4+-

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1 6.�e4! So the gambiteer must get creative. After 1 6. f4!? Black lives: 1 6 . . . �xg5! ( 1 6 . . . exd4?! invites entropy down the f-file. For example: 1 7. f5 ! exf5 1 8 .�xf5 gxf5 1 9.ltJxf7 Wx£7 20.:1!xf5t ltJf6 [20 . . .�f6 2 1 .Wh5t Wg8 22.�h6! ltJf8 23 .:1!efl ! '1Wc6 24.:1!g5 t+-l 2 l .�f4! Wc6 22.Wh 5 t mgs 23.:1!g5 t Wf8 24.Wh6t Wf8 2 5 .Wg7+-) 1 7. fxg5� 0-0 1 8 .Wh6 We7 1 9.:1!e3 f5 !fi The typical defensive scheme in action . 1 6 . . . �xe4 1 7. lLl xe4 W d 5 1 8 . dxe5 lLl xe5

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Perhaps the most fascinating of all the variations here. The materialistic machine at first sides with the schemer, but eventually

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Chap ter 14 -The Noxious 3 . . . lDf6 1 9.c4 ll'lxc4 20.i.b4!� 20.i.c3 e5+ 20 .. Jk8 2 l .i.c3 2l.i.xe7 cJ:;xe7 22.YMh4t cj:}f8 23 .YMh6t cJ:;e? = 2 1 . . .l:l:f8 22.ll'lf6t i.xf6 23.i.xf6�

16.£4! Ludwig has temporarily averted disaster on e6, but the tanks still plow forward. 1 6.YMh6?! i.f8 1 7.Wh3 i.e? 1 8 .Wh6=

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303

H ighlighting the sort of defensive abilities required for the schemer to survive to a middlegame. 20 . . . .ih 1 ?! 2 l .l'l:h3 h5 22.gxh6 cj:; h8 (22 . . .cJ:;h7 23 . .ixg6t fxg6 24.We7t+-) 23 .dxe51he thrust h6-h7 �i.g5-f6/e7 hangs over the black king's head. 2 1 .i.e2 if3 22.i.xf3 exf3 23.!l:exf3 Black's still a pawn up, but the pain continues. 23 . . . !l:ae8! 23 ... e5 24.!l:h3 h 5 2 5 . gxh6 cJ:;h? 26.!l:hf3 We6 (26 . . . f6 27.dxe5 ll'lxe5 28 .!l:xf6 !l:xf6 29 .Wxf6 Wxf6 3 0.!l:xf6± Let the endgame fun begin.) 27. d 5 ! YMxd5 2 8 .YMe7 cJ:;g8 29.c4 We6 30.Wxe6 fxe6

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Again , the knight must be snapped off - an unpleasant reality for the decliner: 16 . . . i.xg5! 1 7. fxg5 0-0 1 8 .Wh4 Wc6 1 9 .!l:e3h Boldness as always. 1 9 . . . i.xg2 20 .!l:f2

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3 l .h7t cJ:;hs (3L. .cJ:;g7 32.i.h6t cJ:;xh6 33 .!l:xf8+-) 32 .!l:f7! !l:xf7 33 .!l:xf7 ll'lc5 34.ic3 ll'ld3 3 5 .!l:d7 +- White triumphs after 35 moves of pure precision. 24.i.c 1 24.Wh6 !l:e7 2 5 .!l:h3? f5 !+ The defensive saving grace reappears. 24 . . . f6 2 5 . gxf6 !l:f7 26 . .ia3 e5 27 . .ie7� This may be Black's best, but the battle rages afresh .

17.cxd4 YMd6

1 7 . . . i.xg5 1 8 . fxg5 Wc6 1 9 .!l:f4�

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18.£5! It's over. White's overwhelming forces rip through.

304

Mayhem in the Morra

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22.he6! Eixg5

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23.'ffxf7t @ds 24.i.xd5+- 'ffxd5 25.r!e8t rtlc7 26.'ffxd5 !!xeS 27.r!cl t

22 . . . i.xe6 23.\Wxf7#!

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Black resigned, in view of: 27 . . . Wd8 28 .\WaSt @ e? 29.:1!e l t+- "WhySoSerious?"

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1--0

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Ogulcan Kanmazalp Aleksa Strikovic -

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Istanbul 2010 a

18...gxf5

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1 8 . . . i.xg5 1 9.i.xg5 0-0 20.'\Wh6± exf5 2 l .i.xf5 f6 (2 1 . . .l:he8 22J'!xe8 !!xeS 23.i.xd7+-) 22.i.xg6 hxg6 23 .\Wxg6t @ h8 24.:1!e3 i.e6 25 .:1!e4+1 8 . . . exf5 1 9 .i.xf5 gxf5 20.\Wxf5 !!f8 (20 . . . :1!c8; 20 . . . 0-0-0 " Run, Forrest, run!" 2 l .i.f4 i.e6 22.\Wc2t+-) 2 l .i.b4! \Wxb4 22.\Wxd5 0-0-0 23 .\WaSt lL!b8 24.:1!c l t @ d? 25 .lL!xf7 !!c8 26.\Wb?t @e6 27.d5# Woohahahaha.

A parting shot for the Alapin-Morra's ltJg5 .

I.e4 c5 2.ll:H'3 e6 3.c3 ttlf6 4.e5 ttld5 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 b6 7.ttlc3 ttlxc3 8.bxc3 'ffc7 9..id2 d6 10..td3 ttld7 11.ttlg5! .tb7 12.0-0 dxe5 13.'ffh5 g6 14.'ffh3 i.e7 15J�ae1 .idS 16.f4i.xg5 17.fxg5 r!c8

19..ixf5! Lg5 1 9 . . . lL!f6 20 .i.d3± and the tanks fire at will.

20..ixg5 r!g8 21.'ffh5 h6 Children, cover your eyes.

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1 8 .\Wh6!± is stronger, and a searing attack follows. But it is certainly not as spectacular as the game!

18...hc4 19.hc4 'ffxc4 20.r!cl Vfa6?!

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The c-file magic hypnotizes the grandmaster. But only an absurd resource could save him: 20 . . . \Wxd4 t ! 2 l .i.e3 !!xc l 22.:1!xc l ?! 22.i.xd4 E:xfl t 23. @xfl exd4+

Chap ter 14-The Noxious 3 . . . lLlf6

305

The Morra Returns -Analysis

22 . . . Wb4!-+ 23 . .td2! 23 .1:k8t ? ? ctle7 24.Ei:xh8 We 1 # And now. . .

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 �f6 4.e5 �d5 5.�f3 �c6 The decliner's last Alapin hideout. But soon he'll be living the nightmare of 3 . . . dxc3 all over again as we unleash chaos with a barrage of Morra themes.

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23 . . . Wa4!-+ A miraculous escape! Instead 23 . . . Wxd2? would only draw: 24.Ei:c8t ctle7 2 5 .Wa3t lLl cS 26.Wxa7t lLl d7 27.Wa3t!=

21..lb4! Razor sharp!

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21...exd4

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Offering up the c-pawn, which the schemer may "win" with . . . lLl b6.

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6 �b6 •••

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22.Wd3!+- When possible, I strongly advise to hang your queen to please the raucous crowd.

22...Yfb7 23.Yff3! 1--0

6 . . . e6! ? is a viable transposmon, although I 've only seen this move order a few times in the 1 00+ games I 've had here. In my experience, when decliners play 5 . . . lLl c6, they overwhelmingly intend to meet 6 . .tc4 with the instantaneous 6 . . . lLl b6. Nevertheless, so you are not surprised by a schemer, on 6 . . . e6 you may enter the hyper-aggressive variation 7.cxd4 d6 8.0-0 .te7 9.We2 featured in the supplemental games, or proceed more positionally with 9.a3 ! ? followed by a swift .td3 as in the Tiviakov games covered earlier (see Kharlov - Gallagher, Calcutta 200 1 ) .

7..ib3 d6 7 . . . d5 transposes to the main line after 8.exd6.

306

Mayhem in the Morra

7 . . . dxc3! ? Almost never ventured! Hardly a shock, for our declining antagonist will scheme until the bitter end. But soon, he will have no choice but to stare down mayhem. 8.lLlxc3� Welcome back, Morra Gambit. We've missed you. 59

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8 . lLl g 5 ! "WhySoSerious?" I t's Fried Liver time! 8 . . . d5 a) 8 . . . lLl xe 5 ? 9 .Wfxd4± �g7?! 1 0.�xf7t! �f8 l l .liJe6t+- illustrates the preliminary tactics which j ustify the raid. b) 8 ... e6?! Remember, ... g6 plus ... e6 just doesn't fly in a Dragon! 9 . cxd4 d6 1 0.Wff3! Wfd7 l l .Wff6 �g8 1 2. lLl xh7 �g7 ( 1 2 . . . �e7 1 3 . lLl c3 "Come on, come on, I want you to do it, I want you to do it, come on, hit me." - The Joker. 1 3 . . . lLl xd4 1 4.�g5 !±) 1 3 .Wfxg7!+- Woohahaha. 9.exd6 e6 l O.Wf£3! A scholar's mate?

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8 . . . d6 9.0-0!-+ 9.exd6!? Wfxd6 1 0.Wfxd6 exd6 l l .lLl b 5 �b8 1 2.�f4-+ Inflicting damage. 9 . . . dxe5?! 1 0.Wfxd8t lLl xd8 1 0 . . . xf7 1 3 .tt:l g5 t-+

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9 . . . .tf5?! 1 0. tt:l xd4 We restore the material balance, if only for a moment before busting through the center: 1 0 . . . tt:lxd4 1 l . cxd4 e6 1 2. tt:l c3 i.e? 1 3 .'Wf3 0-0 1 4.d5!±

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One of the schemer's most popular attempts in his search for sterility. But try as he might to impose order, chaos will come. The rarer alternatives do not impress. 9 . . . dxc3 Very unschemerly! 1 O .'We2!? The bold swashbuckler's move. 1 0. tt:l xc3 'Wxd 1 1 l .�xd 1 J\g4 1 2. tt:l b 5 �c8 1 3 .Ae3 a6 1 4 ..ixb6 axb 5 1 5 .�d5;t with a permanent press. 1 0 . . . cxb2 Ah, another Danish-Morra. 1 0 . . . 'Wf6?! 1 I . tt:l xc3 .ig4 1 2. tt:l e4 '1Wg6 1 3 .Axf7t! �xf7 1 4. tt:l fg5t �e8 1 5 .Wxg4± Jerez Perez - Matuszewski, Rewal 2007. 1 1 . .ixb2�

9 ... e6!? 10.cxd4 i.e? 1 1 . tt:l c3 -+ Black with his offside b6-knight struggles to contain the enormous dynamic energy of the isolated pawn. The steed has travelled too far from its optimal post on f6 (where it simultaneously defends the kingside and eyes the turbulent d5-square) . White swiftly capitalized on such misfortune with a bruising attack in the supplemental game Karpatchev - Rauschenbach, Griesheim 2002. 9 ... d3?! The Morra double-declined (first . .. tt:lf6, then . . . d3!) . Very soft indeed! Denied a clear path through the main door (c3 ) , the knight, nostrils flaring, storms through the side entrance: 1 0. tt:l a3 ! ± Af5 ( 1 0 . . . a6 1 I.Ae3 tt:l d7 1 2. tt:l g5 e6 1 3 . tt:l e4± and the queen will put the cowardly pawn out of its misery.) 1 1 .tt:l b 5 '1Wd7 1 2.�e l a 6 1 3 . tt:l bd4 tt:l xd4 1 4.Axf7t!+­ " I like this job. I like it." - The Joker.

10.�a3! " Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We are. . . tonight's entertainment." - The Joker.

308

Mayhem in the Morra

Will the decliner at long last face his worst fears and take on c3? For years, I believed that the liquidating IO . .ixe6 VMxe6 l l .tlJxd4 ll:\xd4 1 2. cxd4!? with rapid development (although such exchanges generally play into the schemer's hands) offered serious chances for a chaotic advantage. But I cannot resist I O . tlJ a3 , both for objective reasons, and because, well, it's j ust too much fun! However, if you're ever in need of a second bazooka, see Esserman - Sasikiran, Internet (blitz) 20 I I , for a wild throwdown.

- Schandorff, Gothenburg 2005, in the supplemental games.) 1 6 . . . We8 1 7.tlJxe7t Wxe7 1 8 ..ie3 ll:\d5 1 9.id4;!:; with c3-c4 to come. The gambiteer, possessing the better bishop and an aggressive queenside pawn majority, must put on his technical torture hat and punish the decliner for such insipid play.

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On the other hand, continuing with the policy of "trade, trade, draw" leads to long-term positional pain for Black: I O . . . .ixb3 I I .Wxb3 Wd5 ! ? Tried b y such a titan a s Kramnik, albeit vs. the c3-Sicilian. I doubt the 1 4th World Champion would decline the challenge of 3 . . . dxc3! . a) For l l . . . dxc3?! stay tuned . . . b ) l l .. .e6 1 2.tlJb5 Neiiighhh. 1 2 . . . Wd7 1 3 .tlJbxd4 ll:\xd4 1 4.ll:\xd4 .ie7 1 5 .:Bd l 0-0 1 6.ll:\f5! (For 1 6.ie3!? see Pavasovic

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1 2. tlJ b 5 :Bc8 1 3 .ll:\fxd4 If Black rushes to exchange on b3, the pressure on the a-file, which at first seems slight, may become unbearable. 1 3 . . . ll:\xd4 1 4.ll:\xd4 e6 1 5 .:Bd l ic5 1 5 . . . .ie7? ! 1 6 . .ie3!± ll:\c4? 1 7. tlJ b 5 ! +- Wf5 1 8 .ll:\xa7 ll:\xe3 1 9 .tlJ xc8 ll:\xd l 20.:Bxd l and White coasted to victory in Doncevic Juhnke, Bundesliga 1 98 5 . 1 5 . . . Wxb3 1 6.axb3 became a-file annihilation in Zarnicki - Van Wely, Buenos Aires 1 995: 16 ... a6 1 7. b4!� .ie7 1 8 . b 5 ! ± axb 5 1 9.:Ba7!± Mass trading does not always lead to draws! 1 9 . . . b4 20.:Bxb7 tlJ d 5 2 l .tlJ f5 ! See page 343 for the finish. I 6.Wb 5 t Wd7!? A schemer who has studied the theoretical tomes of the c3-Sicilian may believe that this obvious counter guarantees precious equality after 1 7.We2 We7, but the gambiteer has another vision. The Joker: "We really should stop all this fighting or we' ll miss all the fireworks." Batman: "There won't be any fireworks." (The Dark Knight) 1 6 .. .'i!le7?! 1 7.We2± and Black's king roasted in Benjamin - Wolff, New York 1 996.

309

Chap ter 1 4 -The Noxious 3 . . . ltJf6

1 I .tt:lb5 ? ! Wxd l 1 2.�xd l �c8 1 3 . .ixe6 fXe6 1 4. bxc3 tt:lc4+ Morozevich - To palov, Monte Carlo (rapid) 2002. l l .'?Ne2?! is thematic, but flawed: l l . . . .ixb3 1 2 .tt:lb5 '?Nb8 1 3 .axb3 e6 and the gambiteer slams into a brick wall.

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1 7.'?Nfl ! ! A sublime, game-changing retreat, clearing the e-file for outrageous action. 1 7 . . . '?Nc7 1 7 . . . '?Ne7 1 8 .tt:lf5! '?Nf6 1 9 .'?Nb 5 t �c6 20 .tt:ld4 .ixd4 2 l .�xd4 0-0 22 . .ig5 '?Nf5 23.'?Nxf5 exf5 24.�b4± The decliner, euphoric over surviving the opening, now crashes into the reality of a depressing ending. 1 8 .tt:lb5 '?Nb8 1 9 .g3± And we laugh heartily at the black queen's return to Siberia.

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� �� �it��-JI

�·� r�.t.r�l. ,, _ ,,_, liff� � � .... , z

, .... z

: �� � �� �� � �� � ''�ll.j0 �� �� 3 ��,�� �� �®'0 2

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W�8Wt!J

8� •

�-- -Z�f•:=-- a

ll.i.xe6!

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The schemer dares . . . dxc3 only because White's common attacking plans are known to fail. However, after this freestyling, super­ rare capture, Black won't know where to turn.

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i.� �-� �B ••-��--.�--� , .�� ... ,z

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-----Z

...... ,.. ,z

� � �� � �� � : �� � �� �� . �� 3m ' mfl' ·'� �m·%�!0." 2

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8lflfi(7��Jll�f!J

·� a

ll...Yfxdl

�vm:�

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l l . . .'?Nxe6! ? N 1 2 .tt:lb5 '?Nd7 1 3 .We2 �c8 ( 1 3 . . . �d8 1 4 . .if4--+ is promising for White; 1 3 . . . 0-0-0 1 4.tt:lxc3� results in a Morra with the black king on the c-file!) 1 4.bxc3 a6 1 5 .�d l We6 1 6.Wxe6 fXe6 1 7.tt:lbd4� W ith similar mayhem to the main line below.

12J:ixdl fxe6 13.bxc3iiii Alas, we're a pawn down. What else is new? Well, the irrepressible Morra rooks now shift from the c- and d- to the b- and d-files, and maybe even the e-file. And, of course, the decliner's extra pawn is now in the form of one of those mangled creatures on e7 and e6 (take your pick) , stunting his development. Naturally, we've got compensation for the material, and then some. I 'll finish with a bang.

13...�a4 1 3 . . . a6? 1 4 .�b l !± or 1 3 . . . !'i:c8 1 4.�b l --+ .

14.�b5N gcs 15..if4--+

310

Mayhem in the Morra 27.h3t 'kt>h5 30.l:!xh6#

28 .J.xf4

h6

29 .l:!f5 t

gxf5

16.�xe5 �xeS 1 6 . . . a6 1 7. lLl xc6 l:!xc6 ( 1 7 . . . axb5 1 8 .ll'la7!±) 1 8 . ll'ld4 l:!xc3 ( 1 8 . . . l:!c4 1 9. ll'le6 ll'lxc3 20 .l:!d8t 'kt>f7 2 1 .l:!e l � ) 1 9 .l:!ac l ! The Morra rooks return with a vengeance! 1 9 . . . l:!xc l 20 .l:!xc l 'kt>f7 2 1 .l:!c7 b6 22.lLl f3±

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•••

The schemer squirms to escape the gripping bind in all variations. "A little fight in ya. I like that." - The Joker. 1 5 . . . h6!? 1 6.ll'lc7t 'kt>f7 1 7.ll'le5t ll'lxe5 ( I 7 . . . 'kt>g8 ? 1 8 .ll'lxc6 bxc6 1 9.ll'lxe6 ll'lxc3 20J:!d7±) 18 .J.xe5 ll'lxc3! ? 1 9.l:!d3 lLl d 5 20.l:!f3t ll'lf6 2 1 .l:!e l g 5 22.ll'lxe6!--+ 1 5 . . . g6!? 1 6.ll'lc7t 'kt>f7 1 7.ll'lg5t 'it>g8 1 8 .ll'lgxe6 ll'lxc3 1 9 .l:!d2 i.g7 20.lLlxg7 'kt>xg7 2 l .l:!e 1 Mayhem and maiming awaits but the slightest inaccuracy.

a

b

c

d

20.�e6! gc8 2I.�fl!

e

f

g

h

2 1 .l:!acl?? lLl e2 t-+

2I...�d5 22.gadl±

8

The rooks rage. Wooohaha.

7 6

We conclude with a battle between two of my close friends, FMs Eric Rodriguez and Charles Riordan. However, in this one, I'll be picking sides. Can you guess which one?

5 4 3 2

Eric Rodriguez- Charles Riordan a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

2 l . . .e5? (2 1 . . . 'kt>f7! 22.ll'le6�) 22.l:!d7t +­ 'it>f6 23 .J.h6! l:!hg8 (23 . . . l:!hd8 24.J.g7t Headhunting. 24 . . . 'kt>f5 25 .l:!f7t 'kt>g4 26.f3 t 'kt> h 5 27.g4t 'kt>h4 28 .J.f6t g5 29.l:!xh7#) 24.f4! exf4 25 .l:!e6t 'kt>f5 26.l:!f7t 'it>g4

US Chess League , Internet 2011

I.e4 c5 2.d4! Rodriguez, tired of ten-plus years in the Catalan, unleashes his first ever Morra Gambit. Boy, does he deliver!

Chap ter 14 -The Noxious 3 . . . tLlf6

2... cxd4 3.c3 �f6 4.e5 tLld5 s.tLlf3 tLlc6 6..ic4! tLlb6 7.i.b3 d5 8.exd6 �xd6 9.0-0 .ie6 lO.tLla3! i.xb3 ll.�xb3 dxc3?! 3 . . . dxc3 , winning a pawn, was better.

31 1

14.tLlxe6! " WhySoSerious?" - The Joker.

14... &e6 15.�xe6t Ae7 16-l:�el!N 1 6.ig5? We5!+

8

After 1 6J!d l ?! � f8 1 7.Wf5t if6 Black survived and later won in Alsop - Lange, e-mail l 997. Note that here the 1 8 .i.h6? lunge is simply refuted by 1 8 . . . We5 .

7

6 5

4

16 .. 'i!?f8 .

3

2

a

12.tLlb5!

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

"You've changed things. Forever. There's no going back" - The Joker.

12...�b8 Back to Siberia she goes.

13.tLlg5! "And here . . . we . . . go!" - The Joker.

13...e6 Having been on the receiving end of too many maniacal Morra tLl xe6 assaults, Eric knows what to do.

c

17J:�e3!?

d

e

White has an alternative way to win: 1 7 .Wf5 t ! ? if6 I 8 .ih6! tLld5 ( I 8 . . . �g8? 1 9 .We6t � f8 20.Wxf6t �g8 2 1 .Wxg7# or 1 8 . . . �f7 1 9 .if4 Wd8 20.E:ad l +-) 1 9 .E:e6! gxh6 20.E:xf6t tLl xf6 2 1 .Wxf6t Wg8 22.tLld6 Wf8 23 .We6t �g7 24.tLl f5t+­ Woohahahaha.

17 �c8 .•.

1 7 . . . Wd8 1 8 .E:f3t if6 1 9.if4 tLl c8 20.ih6! +­ "How about a magic trick?" - The Joker.

18J�f3t .if6 19J��xf6t! "I just did what I do best. I took your little plan and turned it on itself" - The Joker.

19... gxf6 20 .th6#! •

312

Mayhem i n the Morra

I leave you with the Joker philosophy, an inspiration for the gambiteer: "Do I really look like a guy with a plan? Do you know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it. I j ust doooo things. They're schemers . . . schemers trying to control their little worlds. I'm not a schemer. I try and show the schemers how. . . pathetic . . . their attempts to control things really are. You were a schemer. You had plans. And look where that got ya." - The Joker. May the Romantic style once again reign supreme in the 2 1 st century.

Appendix Supplemental Games

"I've always considered the Morra a bit of a joke... It's a perfecdy reasonable choice for those playing with ratings of 1900 and below. But if we decide to give the Smith­ Morra Gambit an honest grade as to its true theoretical worth, we have to throw it on the garbage heap along with other 'toss it out and cross your fingers' systems."60 -

IM

Jeremy Silman

314

Mayhem in the Morra

Siberian Wilderness RawFishStomach {Esserman)- RolMar (IM) Internet (blit z) 20 1 1

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4. .!lJxc3 .!lJc6 5 . .!lJf3 e6 6.i.c4 'Wfc7 7.0-0 .!lJ£6 8.lLlb5 'W!b8 9.e5 .!lJg4 lO.i.f4 a6 l l ..!iJd6t hd6 1 2.exd6 b5

ClubberLang {Esserman)- Elgransenor (GM Gormally) Internet (blit z) 2005 a

13.i.b3

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

13.�d5!!±

13 ... f5? 14.i.xe6! dxe6 1 5.d7t i.xd7 16.i.xb8+- gxb8 17.'W!d6 gds 1 8.gfel .!lJf6 19.gxe6t i.xe6 20.'W!xe6t .!lJe7 2 l .gel .!lJe4 22 . .!lJe5 gf8 23 . .!lJc6 gd7 24 . .!lJxe7 g£6 25.'W!g8t xe7 26.0 gf8 27.'W!xg7t e8 1-0

Esserman- N.N. (GM) Internet (blit z) 20 10

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.lLlxc3 e6 5 .!lJf3 .!lJc6 6.i.c4 'Wfc7 7.0-0 .!lJ£6 8.lLlb5 'Wfb8 9.e5 .!lJg4 IO.i.f4 a6 l l .lLld6t i.xd6 12.exd6 b5 13.i.d3 •

I3.�d5!!±

13 ... f5?

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.lLlxc3 .!lJc6 5 . .!lJa e6 6.i.c4 .!lJ£6 7.0-0 'W!c7 s.lLlb5 'W!b8 9.e5 lLlg4 IO.i.f4 a6 l l ..!iJd6t hd6 1 2.exd6 0-0 13.h3 .!lJ£6 14.i.b3!? 14.tt:le5!

14 ... lLlh5 1 5.i.h2 f5?

3 15

Appendix - Supplemental Games

16.i.c2 1 6.tLlg5! tl:lf6 1 7.tLlxe6 dxe6 1 8 .d7 Vlia? 1 9 .dxc8 =Vli!+-

16 ... b5 17.g4 fxg4 1 8.hxg4 � f6 1 9.g5 � d5 20. � h4 t£lcb4

a

b

c

b

c

d

e

d

e

f

g

h

f

g

h

14 ..ixe6! fxe6 1 5.tya2± tyd7 1 6. � a4 � d4 17. � xd4 exd4 18.gxc8 tyxc8

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

2 l .i.xh7t! �xh7 22.tyh5t �g8 23. � g6 �U5 24.tyhst �fl 25. � e5t �he5 26 ..ixe5 �g6 27.'!1lY:xg7t �f5 28J:iae1 i.b7 29.Wih7t �xg5 30.f4t �g4 3l .tyg6t �h4 32J'�e2 1-0

The Scheveningens Marc Esserman - Ian Mangion Kenil worth Simul 20 10

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4. � xc3 � c6 5. � f3 d6 6 ..tc4 e6 7.0-0 .te7 s.tye2 � f6 9J�d1 e5 10 ..ie3 0-0 l l .Elacl i.e6 1 2.b4 a6 13.a3 gc8?

a

19. � b6 tyes 2o.tyxe6t tyf7 2 l .tyxf7t �xfl 22J�xd4 gds 23.f3 � e8 24. �fl � c7 25.Eld3 � e6 26J�c3 .if6 27.gc4 g6 28. � d5 .lg7 29.a4 gd7 30.g3 h5 3 l .f4 .ih6 32. �e2 .ig7 33.h3 .iffi 34.g4 hxg4 35.hxg4 .tg7 36.g5 �d8 37.b5 axb5 38.axb5 t£le6 39.b6 � d8 40.Ek7 �e8 4 1 .£5 1-0

Marc Esserman - Mark Kernighan Kenil worth Simul 20 10

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4. � xc3 d6 5. � f3 e6 6 ..ic4 .te7 7.0-0 � c6 s.tye2 � f6

Mayhem in the Morra

316

9J�dl e5 lO..ie3 0-0 l l .!:lacl .ig4 1 2.h3 .ih5 13.g4 .ig6 14. � h4! c,f,>hs 1 5.c�:H5

28.%Yc7 28.g5! gxf7 29 .Wfxa5!+-

1 5 .li:lxg6t!?hxg6 1 6.a3 li:ld7 1 7.Wfd2!;!;

28 ...%Yxf6 29.!:lfl %Yd8 30.%Yxd8 l:::!xd8 3l ..id5 !:ld7 32JU8t c,f,>g7 33.!:la8 b6 34.g5 h6 35.h4 hxg5 36.hxg5 c,f,>h7 37.c,f,>f2 c,f,>g7 38.c,f,>f3 � b7 39.l:::!xa7 �c5 40J��a8 �d3 4l .a4 � c5 42.a5 bxa5 43.b6 a4 44.l:::!a7 a3 45 ..ie6 l:::!b7 46 ..id5 l:::!d7 47J�xa3 !:ld8 48.l:::!a7t c,f,>hs 49.b7 � d7 50.!:la8 � b8 5 l ..ie6 c,f,>g7 52 . .ic8 � c6 53.b8=%Y �xb8 54.l:::!xb8 d5 55J�b7t c,f,>hs 56 . .ie6 d4 57J�c7 e4t ss.c,t,>xe4 dxe3 59.c,t,>xe3 gbs

15 ... � e8

59 . . . gd3t 62 .±>h4+-

Go.±>f4

gr3t

6L±>g4

gg3t

60.l:::!c8t 1-0

Mladen Zelie- Andrej Grilc Bled 1994

16 ....ig5! 17.b4 i.xe3 18.fxe3 i.xf5 1 9.exf5 �£6 20.b5 � aS 2 l . �xf6 %Yxf6 22 . .id5 l:::!ac8 23.%Yd2 l:::!xcl?! 23 . . . b6!oo

24Jhc1± %Yd8 25.%Yc3 %Yb6 26.Lf7 g6 27.£6 %Yd8

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4. � xc3 � c6 5. � f3 d6 6 ..ic4 e6 7.0-0 �£6 8.%Ye2 .ie7 9.gdl e5 lO . .ie3 0-0 l l .gacl .ie6 1 2.b4 i.xc4 1 3.%Yxc4 gc8 14.%Yb3 � g4?!

317

App endix - Su pp lemental Games

8

10 . .ig5

6

1 0 ...Yfa5 1 1J�cl+-

1 0 . .la4t lLl d7 ll..ixd7t �xd7 1 2 . lLl b6±

7

l l ..la4t+- lLl d7 1 2 . .lxd7t �xd7 1 3 . lLl e 5 t dxe5 1 4. lLl b6t g7

Chicago Defense

13.Wff3+- lild7 14 ..ig5 1 4.tt'lc6+-

Marc Essennan - N.N. (GM)

14 ...lile5

Interne t (bli tz) 20 I 0

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.lbxc3 e6 5.lbf3 d6 6 ..ic4 a6 7.0-0 b5 8 ..ib31h7 9 ..ie3 gd7 lO.liJd4 .ib7 l l .f4 b4 12.f5! e5

a

b

1 5 ..ia4t! .ic6

c

d

e

f

g

h

1 5 . . . ci>f8 1 6.tt'le6#!

16 ..ixc6t lilxc6 17.lbxc6 Wfd7

14 ... ge7 1 5 .lbd5 .ixd5 16.exd5 17 ..ia4t gb5 1 8.Wfh5t g6 1 9.Wff3

gb7

Black resigned, as 19 . . . Vfie7 can be met by either 20.gacl! or 20.�g5 ! .

1-0

Edward Friedman- Roman Dzindzichashvili Chicago 199 1

l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.lbxc3 e6 5.lilf3 lbc6 6 ..ic4 d6 7.0-0 a6 8.Wfe2 b5 9 ..ib3 ga7 IO ..ie3 gd7 l l .gacl .ib7 1 2.a4 b4 1 3.lilb l .ie7 14.lbbd2 lbf6 1 5.lbc4 Wfb8 16.liJfd2 0-0 17.lilb6 gdd8 18 ..ic4 lile5 19 ..ixa6 lbxe4 20.lbxe4 .ixe4 2I..ib5 d5 22 ..id4 .if6 23 ..ic5 lbg6 24.Wfd2

Mayhem in the Morra

320

13.%Yg3!? 1 3 .�e2!

a

b

c

d

e

24...Lg2 25.¥Nxb4

f

g

h

25.'it>xg2 lt:l h4t-+

13...h6 14.£4 h5 15.h3 b6 16.i.e3 i.£5 17..id4 �US 18J�ael �g8 19J�e3 d5 20J�d1 l£le4 2I.l£lxe4 dxe4 22J�ee1 %Yd6 23.%Yg5 VNe6 24..ie5 gf7 25.b3 gcs 26.gd4 b5 27J�ed1 gh7 28.%Yh4 ¥Nb6 29.�h2 ¥Na5 30.a4 a6 31.gd5 %Yb6 32..ia1 g£8 33.axb5 axb5 34.b4 ghf7 35.gc5 ¥Ne6 36J�xb5 %Yb3 37J�bd5 ¥Nxb4 38.¥Ng5 %Yb6 39.i.e5 %Yb3 40,gd7 ¥Ne6 41.gd8 gh7 42,gxf8t �xf8 43.%Yg3 �f7 44.h4 e3 45,gel e2 46,gxe2 ghs 47.¥Ng5 gcs 48.ge3 gc2 49..id4 J.e4 50..ic5 gc4 51.ge2 VN£6 52.¥Ng3 gxc5 53,gxe4

25...i.f3 26J:�c3 i.xc3 27.¥Nxc3 %¥£4 28.Ek1 d4 29.¥Nc2 d3 30.%Yc4 ¥Ng5t 31.�fl ¥Ng2t 0-1

Slaying the Dragon Supermichi- Granja Velha Internet ( freest yle) 2007

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.c�hc3 l£lc6 5.lt:lf3 g6 6.J.c4.ig7 7.e5 l£lxe5 8.l£lxe5 he5 9.hf7t �xf7 10.%Yd5t �g7 11.¥Nxe5t l£1£6 12.0-0 d6

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

The game was drawn on move 88 . ...t/z-¥2

h

The Professional's Choice- tLlge[00]7 Michael Adams- William Watson Great Britain (ch), Eastbourne 1990

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.l£lxc3 lt:lc6 s.l£1£3 e6 6.i.c4 l£lge7 7.i.g5 f6 8..ie3 �g6 9.0-0.ie7 a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

32 1

App endix - Su pplemental Games

Equidistance- VoidChessiCC 7

Internet (frees ryle) 2006

6

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.ttlxc3 �c6 s.tt:Ja e6 6..ic4 a6 7.0-0 �ge7 8..ig5 f6 9..ie3 b5 10..ib3 .ib7

4 3

2

7

1 a

10.Ve2

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

I O. lD b 5 !

10...a6 11.ttla4 Vc7 12.ttlb6 gbs 13J;acl 0-0 14.gfd1 f5 15.exf5 gxf5 8

6 5

4 2 a

b

c

b

c

d

e

d

e

f

g

h

f

g

h

11.ttld2 ttla5 12.£4 d5 13..ifl �xb3 14.Vxb3 Vd6 15.B:ad1 Vx£4 16.a4 .ic6 17.axb5 axb5 18.ttlf3 Vd6 19.B:fe1 i>f7 20.ttld4 .id7 21.ttldxb5 Vc6 22.ttla7 Va6 23.B:al Vd6 24.ttlab5 Vc6 25.exd5 ttlxd5

7

6 5

4 3

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

16.Vd3 i>h8 17.tllxd7 .ixd7 18.Vxd7 Vxd7 19.B:xd7 tl:J£8 20.B:d2 .lb4 21.B:e2 B:d8 22.a3 .ic5 23.ha6 he3 24J;xe3 bxa6 25.B:xc6 B:b5 26.b4 a5 27.bxa5 B:xa5 28.g3 B:dd5 29.B:c8 i>g8 30.B:b3 i>f7 31J3b7t ttld7 32.ttle5t 1-0

a

26.tl:Jd4 gxa1 27.�xc6 B:xe1t 28..ixe1 .lxc6 29.Vc4 .ib7 30.Vb5 .ia8 31.Vd7t .ie7 32.ttlxd5 hd5 33..ib4 B:e8 34..ic5 .ib3 35..lxe7 gxe7 36.Vd3 .idS 37.Vxh7

Mayhem i n the Morra

322

Konstantin Landa- Garry Kasparov

gb7 38.Yfc2

US SR Cloc k Simul 1988

l.e4 cS 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 �c6 S.ttlf3 e6 6.i.c4 a6 7.0-0 ttlge7 S.i.gS h6 9.i.h4 d6 IO.Yfd2 gS ll.i.g3 ttlg6 12.gadl i.e? 13.i.b3 ttlgeS 14.ttlxeS dxeS IS.Yfe3 YfaS 16.ttldS .ids 17.gcl .id7 18.gcS b5 19.Yff3 exdS 20.i.xdS 0-0 21.YfhS �h7 22.i.xf7 ttle7 23.gxeS Yfb6

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

38...gb4 39.h3 gb3 40.h4 �g8 41.�h2 f5 42.g3 ga 43.Yfg2 �f7 44.Yf8t �g6 4s.b4 gd3 46.g4

7

6

a

4 3

2

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

46...£4 47.Yfbl i.e4 48.Yfa2 �£6 49.Yfc4 ge3 SO.�gl gg3t Sl.�£2 �eS S2.Yfc7t �d4 S3.Yfd6t �c4 S4.Yfxe6t .idS SS.YfcSt �b3 S6.Yff5 gat S7.�e2 ge3t S8.�d2 i.c4 S9.Yfxf4 White won on move 9 5 .

1-0

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

24.gxgS Yf£6 2S.i.dS YfxgS 26.YfxgS hxg5 27.ha8 i.b6 28.i.b7 i.cS 29.i.a8 .ie6 30.i.b7 aS 31.b3 .ic8 32.i.a8 i.a6 33.i.d6 gxas 34.i.xe7 g4 3S.gdl gcs 36.i.h4 gc2 37.h3 gxh3 38.gxh3 .ics 39J::idS b4 4o.gb5 .ic7 41.i.e7 �g6 42.h4 gelt 43. �g2 gc3 44.hSt �f7 4S..igS i.h3t 46.�gl .ig4 47.i.e3 i.h3 48.gb7 i.d7 49.h6 �g6 so.ga7 gc2 Sl.ga6t .ic6 S2.�g2 �h7 S3.�f3 gc3 S4.ga7 �g6 SS.ga6 �h7 S6J::!a7 ¥2-¥2

LarryC (GM Christiansen)- mojo Internet (blitz) 2010

l.e4 cS 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.ttlxc3 ttlc6 s.ttlf3 e6 6.i.c4 a6 7.0-0 b5 8.i.b3 ttlge7 9.i.g5 i.b7 10.a4 h6 ll.i.h4 b4 12.C��dS d6

323

App endix - Su pp lemental Games

Mladen Zelie- Sasa Martinovic 7

Spl i t 2007

6

I.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 �c6 5.�a e6 6..ic4 a6 7.0-0 �ge7 8..ig5 f6 9..ie3 �g6 10..ib3 b5 11.�d5 llb8 12J�cl exd5 13.exd5 �ce5 14.�xe5 �xe5 15.d6

5

4 3

8

1 a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

l3.a5! exd5 14.exd5 �b8 15J�el �d7 16.�d4 �c5 17.�f5 g5 18..ig3 �xb3 19.Wfxb3 .ig7 20Jhe7t 1-0

Marc Esserman - TitoMC (IM) Internet (bl it z) 20 12

7

5

4 3 1 a

I.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 �c6 5.�a e6 6..ic4 a6 7.0-0 b5 8..ib3 �ge7 9..ig5 f6 10..ie3 �g6 11.�d5 llb8 12Jkl!

b

c

b

c

d

e

d

e

f

g

h

f

g

h

15...Wfa5 16..ia7 liaS 17.Wfd5 �c6

7

6 5

4 3 1 a a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

12...�a5? l3.�c7t �f7 14.�xe6 Wfe7 15.�c7t �xb3 16.Wfd5t Wfe6 17.�xe6 dxe6 18.Wfxb3 And White won smashingly. ...1-0

18.llxc6 .ib7 19.Wff7t �d8 20..ib6t 1-0

Mayhem i n the Morra

324

JungleDacha (Esserman)- IsamOr

Marc Esserman- Eric Hansen

Internet (blit z) 20 I 0

Blind fo ld B ar , Edmonton 2009

l.e4 cS 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.lLlxc3 llJc6 s.lLl£3 e6 6.�c4 llJge7 7.�g5 h6 8.�e3

l.e4 cS 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.lLlxc3 e6 s.llJ£3 a6 6.�c4 lLle7 7.�g5 lLlbc6 8.0-0 �c7 9.�el f6

8.tt:lb5

8...lLlg6 9.0-0 a6 10.�b3 bS ll.liJdS! exdS 12.exd5 lLlaS 13.�el �e7 14.d6 lLlxb3

a

15.dxe7?!

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

1 5 .axb3! 0-0 1 6.'�d5 :8:b8 1 7. dxe7 tt:lxe7 1 8 ."Wd6±

1S...lLlxe7 16.axb3 d6?!

12... fxg5 13.d6 �cS 14.�e5 �b6 15.dxe7 �xe7 16.�xg5 �f6 17.�c2 �xb2 18.�bl �c3 19.�b3 �c7 20.lLlh4 g6 2l.�g4 dS 22J;f3 Game adjourned due to drunkenness.

1 6 . . . 0-0!

Early Bishop Out �ge[00]7 Reloaded? -

17.�f4 dS 18.�e2 �a7 19.�e3? 1 9 .�e3! :8:d7 20.�c5!+-

19...�b7 20.�c5 And I went on to flag my opponent in a sloppy effort.

1-0

Lionel Kieseritzky­ Conrad Vitzthum von Eckstaedt P aris 1846

The first and only Morra Gambit game - until 1 0 1 years later!

l.e4 cS 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.lLlxc3 lLlc6 S.llJ£3 e6 6.�c4 a6 7.0-0 �cS!?

325

App endix - Su pp lemental Games 8 . . . d6!�

9..ib3 �f6? 10.e5 tllg4 ll.�e4 .ib4 12.�fg5? 1 2.�d2±

12... �cx:e5 13.h3 �f6 14.Y;Yd4

b

a

SJ:�el?!

d

c

e

f

g

h

8.e5?! f5!� Note that this defensive resource was unavailable in the games Esserman Guzman (page 1 86) and Esserman - M ilov (page 1 8 8) as the black knight already stood on e7 (when 9 .exf6 would then crush) . 8 .�f4! This is the only . . . �c5 move order where we delay the e4-e5 thrust, instead waiting for . . . lLl ge7 before clamping down on the dark squares. 8 . . . d6 8 . . . lLl ge7 9.e5-+ 8 ... b5 9 .�d3! Preparing for a future kingside assault. 9 . . . lLl ge7 (9 . . . d6 1 O.e5!±) 1 O .:!::!:c 1 �b6 1 1 .e5!?-+ (or 1 l .�d6!?-+) 9.a3!-+

5

4 3

2

a

14 i.xel?

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

..•

1 4 . . . ltJc6+

15.�d6t ®f8 16.Y;Yxe5+- Y;Yc7 17.tllgxf7 .ib4 18.i.h6! .ixd6 19.Y;Yxf6 ®es 20.Y;Yxg7 gf8 21.�g5 2 l .�d 1 !+-

2I...Y;Yc5 22.�e4 Y;Yes 23J�el .ib7 24..ixe6 dxe6 25.Y;Yxb7 gbs 26.�xd6t Y;Yxd6 27.gxe6t Y;Yxe6 2S.Y;Yxb8t ®d7 29.Y;Yxf8 1-0

Graham Burgess- Jacobsen G l amsb je rg 1992

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cx:d4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 �c6 5.�f3 e6 6..ic4 .ic5 7.0-0 �ge7 s..i£4 8.e5!-+ Esserman - Guzman , Altamonte Springs 2007 (see page 1 86) . a

8...b5

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

8...a6 9.e5 0-0 IO.�e4 fi.a7 II..ig5 Y;Yc7

Mayhem in the Morra

326

Alex Lenderman- Gregory Braylovsky Ne w Yor k (r apid ) 2005

I.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 �c6 5.�f3 e6 6..ic4 a6 7.0-0 �c7 SJ�iel! 8.lL:ld 5 ! ! -+

8...d6?! 9.i.f4!± A Scheveningen reloaded!

9...�f6 IOJ�cl! .ie7 a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

12.�f6t! gxf6 13..ixf6 �£5 14.�d4 h6 I 4 . . . lL:lxe5 1 5 .lL:lxf5 exf5 1 6.1Mfh 5 +-

15.�xf5 �xe5 16.�g4t �xg4 17.�e7t c.t>h7 18..id3#

BatsFrightenMe (Esserman) - RiverDolphin lnterner (blir z) 2008

I.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 e6 5.�f3 a6 6..ic4 �c6 7.0-0 �c7 SJ�el! �ge7

8

7

6 5

4 3

2 1

a

ll.e5?!

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

I I .lL:ld5 ! Pow! l l . . . exd5 1 2.exd5 lL:la7! ( 1 2 . . . 0-0 1 3 . dxc6 bxc6 1 4.l' he7!±) 1 3 . .ib5t lL:lxb 5 1 4 .l'!xc7 lL:lxc7 1 5 . .ixd6 lL:lfxd5 ( 1 5 . . . lL:lcxd5 1 6 . .ixe7 lL:lxe7 1 7.1Mfb3-+) I 6.Wa4t .id7 ( 1 6 . . . 'it> f8 1 7.l'!xe7!) 1 7.We4 .ie6 1 8 . .ixc7 lL:lxc7 1 9 .Wxb7 .id6 20.l'!d l ±

ll...dxe5 12.�xe5 �d8?! 1 2 . . . lL:lxe5!??

13.�f3 �xe5 I4.he5 0--0 15Jkdl Wb6 16.�g3 gds 17.gxd8t �xd8 IS.gdl 1Mff8 19.Wf3 �d7 20.i.g3 ga7 2l.a4 b6 22.Wc6 �c5 23.b4 .id7 24.�xb6+- gb7 25.Wa5 �xa4 26.�xa4 gxb4 27.gxd7 gxc4 28.h3 We8 29.�b6 gc5 30.�d2 h6 3I.J.d6 .ig5 32-i.£4 1-0

327

App endix - Supp lemental Games

Houdini 1.5x-Deep Rybka 4 Boston 20 11

i>f5 36 .ic3 b5 37.�h6t i>e6 38.h3 gg3 39.tl::!g4 gds 40J�el 1-0 •

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.ti)xc3 tl::!c6 s.tl::!a e6 6..ic4 a6 7.0-0 Y!fc7 8..ib3!? tl::!f6 9.tl::!d5 exd5 10.exd5 .ib4 ll.dxc6 dxc6 12..ig5 Y!le7 13.a3 .ia5 14.i.f4 i.g4 15.i.d6 Y!le4

Taylor's Temple of Doom Robert Fischer- Viktor Korchnoi Buenos Aires 1960

l.e4 c5 2.tl::!f3 a6 3.d4 cxd4 4.c3 dxc3 5.�xc3 �c6 6..ic4 d6 7.0-0 �f6 8 .ig5 e6 9.Y!fe2 .ie7 lO,gfdl Y!fc7 ll.gad 0-0 12.i.b3 h6 13.-i£4 e5 14..ie3 Y!ld8 15.tl::!d5 tl::!xd5 16.hd5 .id7 17.tl::!d2 tl::!b4 18..ib3 i.g5 19.hg5 Y!fxg5 20.�f3 .ig4 2l.gc7 Y!lds •

8

7 a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

16.Lf'lt i>xf7 17.Y!Ib3t i>g6 18.�e5t i>h6 19.Y!Ig3 l'!hg8 20.Y!Ih4t i.h5 21.£4 Y!f£5 22.i.e7 i.d2 23.g4 g5

6 5

4

3 1 a

22.gxb7

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

22.l'!xf7! l'!xf7 23 . .ixf7t c;t>hs 24.h3 .ixf3 2 5 .Wfxf3 ll:\c6 26 . .id5;!;

22..,gbs 23.gxb8 Y!fxb8 24.h3 La 25.Y!Ixf3 tl::!c6 26.Y!Id3 tl::Jd4 27..ic4 aS 28.b3 Y!fb4 29.£4 i>h7 1/2-lfl

Mayhem in the Morra

328

wHySoSeRiOoOus (Esserman)Lalu (Sharma) Internet (bl it z) 20 10

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 ttlc6 5.ttlf3 d6 6.J.c4 a6 7.0-0 �f6 8.b4 J.g4 9.b5 axb5 10.�xb5 Lf3 ll.gxf3 e6 12.i.f4 �e5 13Jk1 gc8 14..ixe5 dxe5

8

7

6 5

4 3

2 1

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

16...ttle5 17.J.xe5 'ilYxe5 18.'ilYb3 J.xd6 19.'ilYxa4 ttlxe4 20.'ilYb3 'ilYh2t 21.�£1 'ilYh1t 22.�e2 'ilYxg2 23.'ilYe3 ttlg3t 24.�d2 �f5 25.'ilYb6 h5 26.�c3 .le5t 27.�b4 Wfg5 28.�b3 ttld4t 29.�b4 'ilYe7t 0-1

a

15.'ilYa4?!

b

c

d

e

f

g

Finegold's Final Frontier

h

1 5 .ttl a7! �c7 1 6.ib5 t ttl d7 1 7.�xc7 Vff xc7 1 8 .'Wcl!±

15... �d7 16.gfd1 i.e7 1 6 . . . ic5!+ 1 7.ttld6t i.xd6 1 8.gxd6 Vffg 5t!-+

17.ttla7 gas 18.J.b5 1 8 .�xd7!

Marc Esserman- Chow Ch ic ago 2000

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.ttlxc3 d6 5.ttlf3 e6 6. .ic4 J.e7 7.0-0 ttlf6 8.Wfe2 a6 9.gd1 b5 10.J.b3 1 0 .e5! bxc4 ll.exf6 gxf6 1 2. ttl d2!!±

10... �bd7 11.ttld4 J.b7?! l l . . .Vff b 6!

1-0

Marc Esserman- Timothy Taylor Las Veg as 2003

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.�xc3 ttlc6 5.�f3 d6 6.J.c4 a6 7.0-0 �f6 8.b4 i.g4 9.b5 axb5 10.ttlxb5 e6 1l.i.f4 i.e7 12.h3 Lf3 13.'ilYxf3 0-0 14JUd1 ga4 15.gacl Vffa5 16.�xd6

8

7

6 5

4 3

2 1

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

329

Appendix - Supplemental Games

12..be6! fxe6 13.�xe6 Vfbs 14.�d5 g6 15..if4! .bd5 16.exd5 �e5 17J�acl ga7 18.�e3 gb7 19.£4 �ed7 20id4 h6 2U�c6+2l.E:e I 'it>f7 (2 I . . .E:h7 23.'Wc2+-) 22.lLlg5t +-

22.E:c6

22J�dcl?!

b

c

d

e

Paul Morphy- Alexander Beaufort Meek Ne w Yor k (blind fo ld ) 1857

lLl xd5

I.e4 e6 2.d4 c5 3.d5 e5 4.£4 d6 5.c!Llf3 .ig4 6.fxe5 .ixf3 7.Yfxf3 dxe5 8.i.b5t �d7 9.�c3 �gf6 10.i.g5 i.e?

21... t>f7

a

Morra Declined- Potpourri

f

g

h

22.lLlg5t! hxg5 23 .'We6t 'it>f8 (23 . . . t>e8 24.i.xf6 lLl xf6 2 5J'k8t+-) 24.fxg5 'We8 2 5 .E:fl 'Wf7 26.E:c8t t>g7 27.'Wxf7t t>xf7 28.E:xh8+-

a

b

c

d

!�d6 ... d6 12·0-0-0

e

f

g

h

B.:xi

Aron Nimzowitsch - Frank Marshall Ne w Yor k 1927

22..,ge8 23.�c7 �f8 24.Yfd3 24.lLlxe8±

24..J�e4� 25.�e6 gxd4 26.�xd4 �c5 27.Yff3 b4

l.c4 �f6 2.d4 e6 3.�6 c5 4.d5 d6 5.c!Llc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6

27 . . . 'Wa7!?

28.£5 g5 29.�e6 �fe4? 30.Yfh5t 1-0

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

330

Mayhem in the Morra

7.�d2 �bd7 8.�c4 �b6 9.e4 .ig7 10.�e3 0-0 1l..id3 �h5 12.0-0 .ie5 13.a4 �f4 14.a5 �d7 15.�c4 �xd3 16.Y;Yxd3 f5 17.exf5 )3xf5 18.£4 .id4t 19..ie3 hc3 20.Y;Yxc3 �f6 21.Y;Yb3 )3xd5 22.£5 gxf5 23.i.g5 gd4 24.�b6t c4 25.Y;Yc3 axb6 26.Y;Yxd4 'i!?g7 27.)3ae1 bxa5 28.)3e8 Y;Yxe8 29.Y;Yxf6t 'i!?gs 30..ih6 1-0

Paul Morphy- Paul Journoud P aris 1858

a

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.�£3 e5 4..ic4 i.e? 5.c3

b

c

b

c

d

e

d

e

f

g

h

f

g

h

15.a4 .ig5 16.axb5 axb5 17.�e4 .ixcl 18,gfx:cl �c4 19.�c5 i.cS 20.�d4 �f4 2l.b4 �e5 22..id1 �ed3 23.�xd3 �xd3 24.gcb1 )3fe8 25.i.f3 .id7 26.i.e2 .i£5 27.)3d1 �b2 28.)3d2 �c4 29.hc4 bxc4 8

7

6 5

4 a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

5...d6 6.Y;Yb3 dxc3 7.i.xf7t 'i!?f8 8.�xc3 �c6 9.hg8 )3xg8 10.0--0 Y;Yes 1l.�g5 hg5 12.hg5 .ie6 13.�d5 h6 14.£4 Y;Yd? 15.fx:e5t 'i!?eS 16.�c7t Y;Yxc7 17.Y;Yxe6t ...1-0

Milan Matulovic- Dragoljub Janosevic Yugosl avi a (ch ) , Novi Sad 1955

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 �f6 5.i.b5t �bd7 6.Y;Yxd4 a6 7.i.e2 b5 s.i.£3 Y;Yb6 9.%Yxb6 �xb6 10.d6 �fd5 1l.dxe7 he7 12.�e2 .ib7 13.�d2 0-0 14.0--0 gadS

3

2 1

a

30.£3 .id3 3l.'i!?f2 g5 32.gel i>f8 33.ga2 gxe1 34.i>xe1 gd6 35.ga8t 'i!?e7 36.)3a?t 'i!?ds 37,gxf7 'i!?cs 38.ga7 g4 39.fx:g4 )3£6 40.�£3 ge6t 4I.'i!?f2 ge2t 42.'i!?g3 )3b2 43,ga1 gc2 44,ga3 .ifl 45.�e1 gb2 46.ga8t 'i!?b7 47,gf8 .id3 48.�xd3 cxd3 49.gds d2 50.'i!?f3 )3c2 5l.'i!?e3 )3xc3t 52.i>xd2 gb3 53.gd7t i>c6 54,gxh7 gxb4 55.h3 gb2t 56.'i!?e3 )3xg2 57.i>f3 gg1 58.ge7 1-0

33 1

App endix - Su pp lemental Games

Mibail Tal- Roman Dzindzicbasbvili

Hrvoje Stevie- Veselin Topalov

Ne w Yor k (blitz ) 1991

Khan ry Mans iys k (ol ) 2010

l.e4 c5 2.ftlf3 ttlc6 3.c3 d5 4.exd5 '!Wxd5 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 e6 7.ttlc3 '!Wd6 8.i.d3 ttlf6 9.0-0 i.e7 10.ge1 0-0 11.i.g5 gds 12.'1We2 ttlb4 13.i.c4 i.d7 14.gad1 .ic6 15.ttle5 i.d5 16.ttlxd5 ttlbxd5

1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 '!Wxd5 4.d4 cxd4 5.cxd4 ttlc6 6.ttlf3 i.g4 7.ftlc3 .ixf3 8.gxf3 '!Wxd4 9.'1Wxd4 ttlxd4 10.ttlb5 e5!? 11.ttlc7t i>d7 12.ttlxa8 i.b4t 13.i>d1 ttle7 14.£4 I 4oi.e3 :gxa8 1 5oi.c4!?N

a

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

17.gd3 h6 18.i.cl gac8 19.gg3 i>f8 20.i.b3 gc7 21.'1Wf3 gdc8 22.i.d2 a6

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

1 5ooo:gdg a) 1 5 .'iite 8 1 6oi.xd4 :gdg 1 7 bl 'it>e7 23..ig2 b6 24.ghfl .ic5 25J�d2 h5 26..id5 g5 27.6 a5 28JUdl gf5 29..ie4 gxe5 30J�d5 gxd5 3U�xd5 f6 32.'it>c2 .id6 33.gd2 .i£4 34J�fl f5 35..id5 �c5 36.ge2t 'it>f6 37.'it>c3 b5 38.'it>d4 .id6 39..ig8 g4 40.fxg4 hxg4 4l.'it>d5 �e4 42.a4 bxa4 43.gxe4 fxe4 44.'it>xd6 'it>£5 45..ic4 'it>£4

MUan Matulovic- Zdravko Vospemik Yugosl avi a (ch ) , Novi Sad 1955

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 d3 4.i.xd3 g6 5.�6 d6 6.0-0 .ig7 7.h3 �f6 8.c4 0-0 9.�c3 b6 lO..ie3 �bd7 ll.gcl .ib7 12..ibl gc8 l3.�d2 ges 14.b4 'ffc7 15.Yfib3 Yfibs 16.a3 'ffa8 17JUdl .ic6 18.6 �£8 19 .ia2 �e6 •

a a

46..ie2

b

c

d

e

f

46.'ific5! e3 (46 . . . Wf3 47.�d5!

g +-

h

) 47.�e2!

+-

46...g3 47.hxg3t 'it>xg3 48.'it>c5 'it>fl 49..ih5 'it>el 50.'it>b5 'it>d2 51. 'it>xa4 'it>c2 52.'it>a3 e3 53..ie2 a4 54..ia6 'it>cl 55.'it>a2 'it>c2 56..ic4 'it>ct 57..ib5 'it>d2 58.'it>bl e2 59.i.xe2 'it>xe2 60.'it>c2 'it>el 6l.'it>c3 'it>dl 62.'it>b4 'it>c2 63.'it>xa4 'it>xb2

b

c

b

c

d

e

d

e

f

g

h

f

g

h

20.�d5 Yfib7 2l.�fl b5 22.cxb5 i.xb5 23.�£4 .id7 24.Yfid3 �xf4 25..ixf4 .ia4 26..ib3 .ib5 27.Yfid2 g£8 28.'ffa2 �d7 29.gxc8 'ffxc8 30J�cl Yf!a6 3l.�e3 �b6 32.gc7 .i£6 33.�g4 �d7 34..ixf'lt 'it>hs 35..ie3 �b6 36.�xf6 exf6 37.'ffe6 'it>g7

l/2-1fz

a

App endix - Su pp lemental Games

333

38.h4?! 3 8 .W/e7 mates outright.

38...i.d7 39.�e7 gxf7 40.i.h6t! ®xh6 41.�xf7 �e2 42.�ffit ®h5 43.�xf6 �e1t 44.®h2 �xh4t 45.�xh4t ®xh4 46Jha7 .ie6 47.a4 .ic4 48.a5 tL!a4 49.a6 ®g5 50J�a8 d5 5 1.a7 dxe4 52J�b8 .id5 53.gb5 1-0

Alex Lendennan Lubomir Ftacnik -

Phil adel phia 2006

a

A crushing positional masterclass by then-1M

36J�b5

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

Lenderman against a reputable Grandmaster.

36.h4! gxh4 (36 . . . h6 37.hxg5 hxg5 3 8 .W/h3t 'tt>g7 3 9 .W/h5 +-) 37 .Wh6+-

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 d3 4.c4 g6 5..bd3 .ig7 6.tLlf3 c!Llc6 7.0-0 d6 8.h3 b6 9.c!Llc3 .ib7 10..ie3 c!L!f6 1U�cl 0-0 12.b3 c!Lld7 13..ib1 a6 14.�d2 gbs 15.c!Lld4 c!Llxd4 16.i.xd4 c!Llc5 17,gfd1

36...�a7 37.c!Llxb6 c!Llxb6 38Jhb6 .be4 39J�bxd6 gxd6 40.�xa7 gxd2t 4I.®e1 gdd8 42.c5 .b£5 43.�e7 gm

a a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

17...a5 18.�e3 i.xd4 19J:�xd4 f6 20.f4 �d7 21.ge1 e5 22,gd2 �e7 23.f5 g5 24J��ed1 gfd8 25.i.c2 .ic6 26.a3 c!Lla6 27J:�b1 tLlc7 28.b4 axb4 29J�ixb4 c!Lla8 30..ia4 .ib7 3I.i.b3 ®hs 32.c!Lla4 �c7 33.c!Llc3 gbc8 34.®fl �c5 35.c!Lla4 �a5

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

44..if7 ®g7 45..ie6t ®g6 46.hc8 gxc8 47.c6 .ie4 48.c7 hg2 49.a4 h5 50.®fl .bh3 51.�d8 h4 52.a5 g4 53.a6 g3t 54.®g1 .if5 55.a7 h3 56.a8=� 1-0

334

Mayhem i n the Morra

Morra Declined- The Noxious 3 �£6 •••

ClubberLang (Esserman) Yuri Razuvaev

13.h4 1 3 . lLl a3 ! ±

-

1 4. lLl a3 ±

I.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 tl:!f6 4.e5 �d5 s.'i!Yxd4 e6 6.�6 tl:!c6 7.'i!Ye4 f5 8.'i!Ye2 'i!Yc7 9.g3 b6 IO.ig2

a

10...i.b7

b

c

d

e

f

13 g6 14.a3?! •..

lnrer ner (blit z) 2005

g

h

1 0 . . .ltkb4! l l .c4 ia6 ( l l . . .b 5 ? ! 1 2.a3 !;:!;) 1 2.b3 b5 1 3 .a3 bxc4 1 4.axb4 cxb3 1 5 .13xa6 Wxclt 1 6.Wdl00

11.0-0 h6 12J��dl �de7

14 i.g7 15 .if4 0--0-0 16.c4± g5 17.hxg5 tl:!g6 18.tl:!c3 tl:!x£4 19.gxf4 a6 20.tl:!d5! exd5 2l.cxd5 a? 29.Wxh4+-

24...E:g8 25.tl:!d6 .ia8?

a

f

a

b

c

d

335

App endix - Su pp lemental Games 27.We3 .ixd5! 28 .l:!xc7 E:xg2t 29.�fl E:hl#

Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu- Alejandro Ramirez Dec ameron 2003

26. fl E:xf4 27.dxc6 Finally!

27...dxc6 28.Wfe3 E:g4 29.e6 E:xg2 30.e7+­ J.h6 3l.e8=Wft gxe8 32.Wfxe8t a7 33.�c8t b7 34J3d7

l.e4 c5 2.�f3 �c6 3.c3 �f6 4.e5 �d5 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 d6 7..ic4 e6 8.0--0 .ie7 9.Wfe2 0-0 10.�c3 �xc3 ll.bxc3 dxe5 12.dxe5 Wfa5 13.Wfe4!?

Black resigns. The finish could be: 34 . . . .ixc l 3 5 .tLld6t �a7 36.E:xc7t .ib7 37.E:xb7#

1-0

Marc Esserman- StepByStep (IM) I n ternet (bl ir z) 20 12

l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 �f6 4.e5 �d5 5.�f3 d6 6.Wfxd4 e6 7.�bd2 �c6 8.J.b5 .id7 9.hc6 hc6 10.0-0!?

13...Wfa4 1 3 . . . Wxc3 ! ? 1 4 . .id2 Wa3 1 5 . E:ab 1 � Black must take care, for example: 1 5 . . . Wa4 1 6.:B:fcl E:b8 1 7.tLlg5 .ixg5 1 8 . .ixg5 b6 1 9.E:b3+-

14.J.g5 h6 15.he7 �xe7 16J�ab1

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

10...Wfb6?! 1l.�c4 Wfxd4 12.�xd4 d7 13.gd1 c7 14.exd6t+- hd6 15.�xd6 1 5 .tLlxc6 �xc6 1 6.tl:lxd6 �xd6 1 7.c4+-

15...xd6 16.c4 �b4 18..ie3t xc4 19.b3t

17.�c2t

c5

1 9 .tLla3#!

19... c3 20..id4t 1-0

a

16...gbs

b

1 6 . . . .id7!?

c

d

1 7 . .id3

e

f

g

( 1 7 .E:b4?!

h .ic6!f±)

336

Mayhem i n the Morra

1 7 . . .'�xe4 1 8 . .ixe4 .ic6 1 9 . .ixc6 bxc6 20.c4 :B:ab8 2l.:B:fd 1 :B:fd8 (2 l . . .a5! 22.h3 :B:b4 23 .:B:xb4 axb4 24.:B:d7 lt:l g6 2 5 .l'l:c7 :B:a8 26.:B:xc6 :B:xa2=) 22.:B:xd8t :B:xd8 23.h4t Mamedyarov - Ramirez, Wijk aan Zee 200 5 .

17J�ib4! '!Wc6 18.Ve3 b6?! 1 8 . . . a5! 1 9 . .ib5 lt:l d 5 ! 20.'1Wa7 'Wb6 2 1 .'Wxb6 lt:lxb6 22.:B:d4 restricted White to a slight initiative in Can - Saric, Sibenik 2006.

19..id3 Ab7 20.Eig4 lt:\£5 21 .ixf5 exf5 22.c�� d4 Vc8 23JU4 g6 24J�h4 hS 2S.EixhS! •

Black resigned, faced with: 25 . . . gxh 5 26.'Wg5t i>h7 27.'Wxh5 t i>g7 28.'Wg5t i>h8 29.lt:lxf5+-

1-0

Mircea Parligras - Trajce Nedev

26 .ig5 .ic6 27.'1Wh4 .ixg5 28.t£JxgS 1-0 •

Dusko Pavasovic- Viktor Erdos Rog as k a Sl at in a 2009

l.e4 cS 2.c3 t£Jf6 3.eS t£JdS 4.t£Jf3 e6 S.Ac4 t£Jc6 6.d4 cxd4 7.cxd4 d6 8.'1We2 .le7 9.0-0 0-0 10.t£Jc3 dxeS ll.dxeS t£Jxc3 12.bxc3 '!WaS 13..id2 Eid8 14.Eife1 '!Wa4 1S.Ab3 '!Wg4 16.ic2 id7 17J�ad1 '!WhS 18.h3 gac8 19.'tt>h2 f5 20.exf6 h£6 8

7

6 5

4

Dresden (ol ) 2008

l.e4 cS 2.c3 lt:lf6 3.eS lLldS 4.d4 cxd4 s.t£Jf3 d6 6.cxd4 lt:lc6 7.Ac4 e6 8.0-0 fi.e7 9.'1We2 0-0 10.t£Jc3 lLlxc3 ll.bxc3 dxeS 12.dxeS Vas 13.Ad2!?

3

2 1

a

8

b

2I..igS! 'tt>hs

c

d

e

f

g

h

7

2 l . . . .ixg5 22.lt:lxg5 23 . .ixh7t±) 23.:B:xd7 +-

5

22.Ve4 eS 23.gd6 .txgs 24.t£Jxg5 Ae8 2S.g4

6 4

'Wxg5

(22 . . . 'Wxe2

2 5 .:B:xd8!? :B:xd8 26.:B:d 1 ! :B:xd 1 27 .'Wf5!+-

3

2S '!Wh4 26.'1Wf3 J.hS 27J�h6! '!WxgS

2

•••

27 . . . .ixg4 28 .l'l:xh7t 'Wxh7 29.lLl f7t mg8 30.i.xh7t +-

1

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

13 J�d8 14J�fe1 Ad7 1S.J.b3 VcS 16.'\We4 ie8 17J:tac1 Eid7 18.h4 lLlaS 19 .ic2 g6 20.hS t£Jc4 21.Ah6 gdS 22.hxg6 hxg6 23.Vf4 gadS 24Jie2 t£Ja3 2S i . b3 Eid3

27 . . . gxh6 28.'Wf6t i>g8 29 . .ixh7#

•.

•

•

2sJ:txh7t 'tt>gs 29J�xhs '!Wf4t 30.'!Wxf4 ex£4 31..ib3t 1-0

337

App endix - Supp lemental Games

Evgeny Sveshnikov- Lembit Oil

Michele Godena- Fabio Bruno

Ku yb yshev 1986

Frascari 2006

l.e4 c5 2.c3 �£6 3.e5 �d5 4.d4 cxd4 5.�f3 �c6 6.cxd4

l.e4 c5 2.�f3 e6 3.c3 lLlf6 4.e5 �d5 s..ic4 d6 6.d4 cxd4 7.cxd4 �c6 8.0-0 .ie7 9.%Ye2 0-0 IO.�c3 �xc3 ll.bxc3 dxe5 12.dxe5 YNc7 13.%Ye4 b6 14..ig5 .ib7 15..id3 g6 16..tf6!?

6 . .ic4!

6...d6 7.Ac4 e6 8.0-0.ie7 9J�Ye2 0-0 IO.�c3 dxe5 ll.dxe5 �xc3 12.bxc3 b6!? 13.%Ye4 1 3 . .id3! ?oo

13...%Yc7

8

7

6 5

4 3

2 1

a

16...%Yd8

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

1 6 . . . lLl b4!? 1 7.Wlh4 lLl d 5 1 8 .lLlg5 h 5 1 9 .Wfxh 5 ! lLl xf6 ( 1 9 . . . gxh 5 20 . .ih7#) 20.Wfh6 Wfxe5 2 l ..ixg6 fXg6 22.Wfxg6t c;!{h8 23 .Wfh6t=

I7.%Yh4 ge8 18.�g5 h5 19.%Yg3 .tx£6

14...g6 15..th6 gd8 16.gadl .ib7 17.%Yf4 gd5 1 7 . . . lLl a5!+ 1 8 .lLlg5 f5 !� 1 9 . lLl xe6? Wfc6-+

18..ie4 gxdl 19.gxdl gd8 20.gxd8t lYxd8 21.h4 lYdl t 22.'�h2 YNa4 23.lLlg5 �d8 24.f3 .idS? 25.lLlxh7! 1-0

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

20.�xf7!+- �xf7 21.%Yxg6t �ffi

h

338

Mayhem i n the Morra

2 l . . .�e7 22.Wfh7t 24.Wfxh7+-

'it>f8

23.exf6

Vladimir Jakimov - Sergei Rublevsky

Wfxf6

Plovdiv 20 10

22.exf6 fie? 23J'Ue1 �ed8 24.flh6t �g8 2S.fig6t �£8 26.¥Nh6t �g8 27J::le3 h4 28.�e4 tt:)es 29.�xeS 13dS 30.�e4 1-0

Alisa Melekhina- Alex Shabalov

I.e4 cS 2.c3 �f6 3.eS �dS 4.d4 cxd4 s.tt:)f3 e6 6.cxd4 d6 7..ic4 �b6 8..id3 �c6 9.i.gS 9 . 0-0! llJ b4 l O.i.g5 i.e? 1 l .i.xe7 Wfxe7 1 2 . llJ c3 dxe5 1 3 .dxe5 i.d7 1 4 .i.e4 transposes to the game.

9 i.e7 10.he7 fixe7 1l.�c3 dxeS 12.dxe5 J.d7 13.0-0 �b4 14..ie4

Philadelphia 20 1 1

..•

I.e4 cS 2.c3 tt:)f6 3.eS �dS 4.�f3 e6 S.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 d6 7.i.c4 i.e7 8.0-0 0-0 9.fie2 tt:)c6 10.tt:)c3 tt:)xc3 ll.bxc3 dxeS 12.dxeS flc7 13.fle4 b6 14..igS .ib7 1S.J.d3 g6 16..if6 �fd8?! 17.fie3-+ gd7 18.�ad1

7

6 5

8

4

7

3

6

2

5

1

4

a

3

14...J.c6

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

1 4 . . . �d8 1 5 .a3! i.b5 1 6. llJ xb5 1 7.l'!fxd l llJ4d5 1 8 .llJ d6t �f8 1 9 .a4±

1 a

18... tt:)aS?

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

1 8 . . . Wfd8 1 9 .Wfh6 ( 1 9 .i.c2! i.xf6 20.�xd7 Wfxd7 2 l .exf6 'Wd8 22.Wff4-+) 1 9 . . . Wff8 20.'Wh3 i.xf6? (20 . . . h6!f!) 2 l .i.xg6+- hxg6 22.exf6! llJ d4 23.l'!xd4 1 -0 Brynell - Nedev, Batumi 1 999.

l'!xd 1

1S.a3 �4dS 16.fic2 gc8 17.�d4 i.a4 18.fld3 �xc3 19.bxc3 ficS 20.hb7 gc7 21.i.e4 fixeS 22J'Uel± figS

19.tt:)gS+- J.xf6 20.exf6 gadS 2I.�e4 1-0

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

339

App endix - Su pp lemental Games

17.i.xb7 ga7 18.i.f3 h6 19.ttlb3 ttlxa4

23J�ab1 23 .i.f5 ! g6 24.lt:'lxe6 fxe6 2 5 .i.xe6 �e7 26.Wld6!+-

23... g6 24.h4 YfcS 2S.hS YfxhS?

1 9 . . . i.e? 20.i.e3 �a6 2 l .i.e2+-

20.tLlxcS ttlxc5 2l.i.e3 gc7 22.gxaS ttlb3 23J::!a8t i.c8

25 . . . Wfxc3! 26.lt:'lb5 i.xb5 27.Wfxb 5 t xh7 27.hxg6t 'it>g7 28.gh5 ghs 29 .gee5-+)

23J�k1t c.!?bs 24.gb1 �xa2 24 . . . gd l t! 2 5 .gxd l ic5-+

25.hd8+- i.c5 26.�g3t c.!?aS 27.�c7t c.!?bs 28.�a6t 1-0

343

App endix - Su pp lemental Games

Dusko Pavasovic- Lars Scbandorff

Pablo Zarnicki- Loek van Wely

Gothenburg 2005

Buenos Aires 1995

l.e4 c5 2.c3 �f6 3.e5 �d5 4.�f3 �c6 s..lc4 �b6 6..ib3 d6 7.exd6 Y!Yxd6 8.�a3 .ie6 9.d4 cxd4 10.�b5 Y!Yd7 ll.�bxd4 .lxb3 12.Y!Yxb3 e6 13.0-0 �xd4 14.�xd4 i.e7 15J:�dl 0-0 16..le3

l.e4 c5 2.c3 �f6 3.e5 �d5 4.�f3 �c6 5.d4 cxd4 6.i.c4 �b6 7..ib3 d6 8.exd6 Y!Yxd6 9.0-0 i.e6 10.�a3 .ixb3 II.Y!Yxb3 Y!Yd5 12.�b5 gc8 13.�fxd4 �xd4 14.�xd4 e6 IS.gdl Y!Yxb3 16.axb3 a6 17.b4 .le7 8

7

7

6

6 5

4 3

2

1 a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

16... �c8 17.i.f4 a6 18.�f3 .id6 19..ixd6 �xd6 20.Y!Yb6 :!!Ud8 2U�d4 Y!Yc6 22.Y!Yxc6 bxc6 23J�adl �b7 24.�fl �£8 25.�e5 gxd4 26.gxd4 �d8

1 a

b

d

c

e

f

g

h

18.b5! axb5 19.:!!:!:a7 b4 20.gxb7 �d5 21.�f5 i.£8 22.c4! :!!:!:xc4 23.�e3 �xe3 23 . . . :!!:!: c 5 8 7 6 5 4 3

4

2

3

a

2

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

27J3d7 �e8 28.gc7 gb8 29.�c4 �£8 30J3a7 gb5 3 U:!:xa6 :!!:!:c5 32.�b6 �e8 33.a4 1-0

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

24.tt:\ xd5 :!!:!: xd5 2 5 .l::!. xd5 exd5 26 . .id2 .ie7 27 . .ixb4 .ig5 2 8 J:'!.b8t .idS 29 . .ia5 'it>d7 30 . .ixd8 :!!:!: x d8 3 l .:!!:!: xd8t 'it>xd8 32.i>fl +-

24.:!!:!:b8t �e7 25..ixe3 f5 26.b3 :!!:!:c7 27.:!!:!:xb4 g6 28..lb6 �f6 29.gb5+- :!!:!:e7

344

Mayhem in the Morra

30.i.dS c;!.>f7 31.Le7 L..e7 32.g3 g5 33J�d7 h5 34J:{bb7 ges 35.b4 e5 36.gb6 f4 37.c;!.>fl gas 3S.gbb7 ges 39.c;!.>e2 c;!.>e6 40.gxe7t gxe7 41.gxe7t c;!.>xe7 42.c;!.>d3 c;!.>d6 43.c;!.>e4 f3 44.c;!.>xf3 1-0

The Morra Reversed!

4.dxc6 �xc6 5.i.g2 �f6 6.�c3 i.c5 7.�h3 0-0 S.0-0 h6 9.c;!.>h1 f!e7 10.£4 e4 11.�fl i.f5 12.�a4 Lfl 13.gxf2 gfdS 14.e3 8

7

6

RolfWetzell-Vadim Martirosov Bosron 20 1 1

Tired of being on the losing side o f history (see Esserman - Martirosov and Esserman "Unnamed teammate" from Chapter 1 ) , FM Martirosov takes my advice and switches sides, bur not colors! Behold the Morra Reversed vs. the g3-English.

l.c4 e5 2.g3 d5 3.cxd5 c6!

5

4 3

2 1

a

14...gd3

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

1 4 . . . llJ b4!+

15.a3 �a5 16.�c3 b5 1 6 . . . 'We6!?

17.flc2 1 7.llJxb5 lLl b3-+

17...f!e6 1 7 . . . gc8 1 8 . .ifl 'We6 1 9 . .ixd3 exd3 20.'Wd l lLl b3 2 1 .gb l a5!-+

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

1S..ifl �b3 19.gb1 a6 20.i.e2 gadS 21.i.d1 �d4! 22.exd4 e3 23.dxe3 gxc3! 24.flxc3 �e4 25.f!e1 �xflt 26.f!xf2 f!e4t 27..if3 flxb1 0-1

Endnotes Smith-Morra Gambit, Finegold Defense, page 1 28 . A reference t o Tal's famous quote: " I like t o take m y opponents into a dark forest when two plus two equals five." 3 Kieseritzky as you may know was a famous player of the Romantic era, probably most well known for his immortal defeat at the hands of Anderssen in the Immortal Game. 4 Cynics could argue that Morphy knew the gambit to be rubbish, but as this book will show, Morphy would have swum freely in its waters. It is safe to say that the Morra's disappearance in the Romantic era can be dismissed as an historical oddity. 1 Zurich 1953 International Chess Tournament, Bronstein 6 After 22.�xf7! instead of 22.�xb7, White is pressing for the win in Fischer - Korchnoi 1 960 (see the supplemental games) 7 The Smith-Morra Gambit's other namesake is the obscure chess player Pierre Morra, who published a series of articles in 1 9 5 0 on the gambit. 8 http:/ I main. uschess.org/ obituaries/ smith. php 9 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Defence,_Smith%E2%80%93Morra_Gambit 1 0 Sorry, Wing Gambit fans, but despite Bronstein's admiration for this opening in his last work David vs. Goliath: Fighting the Computer, I do not think modern analysis backs up the soundness of the winged gambit! 1 1 " Raj lich: Busting the King's Gambit, this time for sure." http:/ / www. chessbase.com/newsdetail. asp?newsid=8047 12 The a2-g8 diagonal is often nicknamed the "Italian" diagonal as the bishop posts to c4 in the famous Italian Opening. u l l . . .�d7 1 2 .lL!xe5 dxe5 1 3 .�xe6 �xb5 1 4.�xf7t �xf7 1 5 .Wfb3t �g6 1 6.Wfc2t �f7 1 7.Wfb3t= with perpetual check, and therefore White must do better than 1 o.�f4?!. 1 4 I only found this shocking "novelty" in the summer of 20 1 1 while preparing for my opponent in the bathroom of my motel room in the Spanish Alps well after 3 a.m. Not ideal artistic conditions, but sometimes one must make do, for my roommate, IM Stopa, was sound asleep in the main chamber. As a result of our European adventure, IM Stopa, already an Evans Gambit disciple, is now a Morra convert, with one of his games featured later. Throughout the tour, he desperately wanted to see j ust one of my Morra Gambits appear on the board for pure entertainment value. But alas, it was not to be, and my grandmaster opponent greeted me bright and early the next morning with l . . . e5 and a wry smile. Later, much to my chagrin, I learned that my "novelty" had been flushed down the proverbial toilet, as 1 3 .�d5 ! ! had also been independently analyzed in IM Trent's 20 1 0 Smith-Morra Gambit DVD (oops, I only watch movies on DVD) . My Morra version of the famed Topalov vs. Kramnik "toiletgate" scandal. May you all have better Morra Gambit bathroom experiences! IS Those in the 7.lL!gf3 Tarrasch and in the Milner-Barry Gambit in the Advanced variation, in particular! 1

2

346

Mayhem in the Morra

6

I first learned of this great zwischenzug from Burgess and Nunn's sparkling analysis of the position in Winning with the Smith-Morra Gambit. 1 7 http:/ /equotes.wetpaint.com/page/Bruce+Lee+Quotes 1 8 http:/ / www. nytimes.com/2009/ 1 0/25/ crosswords/ chess/25chess. html 1 9 http:/ I en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Tal 20 7he Dark Knight, 2008 2 1 Fighting the Anti-Sicilians, pages 2 1 8-9. 22 M y System and Chess Praxis 23 More references to Nimzowitsch's famous "lust to expand" quote in M y System. 24 Inspired by Morpheus' words to Neo in 7he Matrix: "You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes." 2 5 But this may j ust be wishful thinking for Black!! Delve into the analysis of the supplemental game LarryC (GM Christiansen) - BlackSky, Internet (blitz) 2003, featuring 1 1 . ttl d4!?, for the ultimate truth. Unclear may in fact drift towards ±! 6 2 7he Dark Knight, 2008. 27 A reference to the 1 999 Sci-Fi thriller 7he Matrix. 2 8 Richard II, Act V, Scene V. 29 In fact, it is more accurate to play 1 I .i.g5 t! after 1 O .'it>f6, as the black king should retreat to g7 on both 1 1 . ttl e4t and 1 I .i.g5t, when the bishop move then offers more attacking chances in the resulting variation. 3 0 I found this powerful improvement to Langrock's analysis in his Modern Morra Gambit 2006, but he later corrected his error and also gives 1 0. ttl b 5 ! in his 20 1 1 edition. Just one case of two analysts independently arriving at similar conclusions! 3 1 I first learned of this move and the subsequent ideas from Burgess's excellent 1 994 Morra Gambit book. 32 Langrock, for one, makes such a sober assessment in his Modern Morra Gambit, 2006. 33 The awkward 1 3 .We3 ! ? , as recommended in Langrock's 2006 work, is perfectly playable. The queen then repositions to h4 via h6 and the bishop posts on g5. But I prefer the deeper 1 3 .We2. 34 From Russia with Love, 1 963. 35 http:/ / www.uschess.org/content/view/9 1 84/ 520 6 3 http:/ /kevinspraggett.blogspot.co. uk/20 1 1 /08/upset-at-us-open.html 37 http:/ I en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Tal 3 8 Tide inspired from the blockbuster sequel 7he Matrix Reloaded. 39 On my birthday, I received the inspiration to play these daring sacrifices from a very similar effort of FM Burgess which I read in his Morra book as a kid (see the supplemental games) . 1

• •

40 41

42

Tomorrow Never Dies Upon the rare line 7 . . . .!Ll c6!? it becomes premature to play 8.e5?! as Black has the defensive resource 8 . . . f5 !. I nstead the gambiteer should hurl 8 .i.f4! first, and only then thrust e4-e5 . See analysis of the supplemental game Kieseritzky - Vitzthum von Eckstaedt, Paris 1 846(!) , for more details.

7he World is Not Enough Austin Powers: 7he Spy Who Shagged Me 44 Austin Powers: 7he Spy Who Shagged Me 4 5 Tide inspired by the blockbuster Indiana jones and the Temple ofDoom.

43

Endnotes

347

46

M r. Ginsburg has even gone as far to dub the Taylor Defense "Old Faithful" after Evans' and Mecking's historic wins (http:/ I nezhmet. wordpress.com/2008/ 1 0/ 1 6/uscl_week_8/) . 47 Though not Taylor's! 4 8 Even Tartakower trumpeted the move way back in 1 9 50, but certainly without knowing 8 . .tf4's implications for 2 1 st century Morra theory. 49 Endgames - the German GM Mueller's specialty! 50 Langrock's main variation in Modern Morra Gambit, 20 1 1 . 5 1 Credit to Senior Master Matthew Herman for finding this spectacular finish to the combination. Before showing him this variation, I had missed 23J3e7t ! , only concluding that 23.:!'!xe6t draws. 5 2 A variation of Nimzowitsch's famous maxim "restrain, blockade, destroy" from his classic M y 53

System.

No doubt many commentators have tried to make light of Lasker's maxim in a similar manner - one such variation including "the hardest game to win is a lost game" (http:/ /www. chessville. com/Quotes/ misc_trivia_quotes_point_and_counterpoint.htm) . 54 In a 20 1 1 US Chess League article, while annotating my game vs. Van Wely, I questioned the valor of those who decline with 3 . . . tt:l f6 in the following fashion: "This move is VERY NECESSARY. Grandmaster Loek Van Wely is a man of principle, a man who never shies away from a challenge, from a duel. Thus, even though many view him as a strictly positional player, you can also argue that he is also a man from the 1 9th century's Romantic era, and for this I have the utmost respect for him. However, when GM Alejandro Ramirez annotated this game in this month's Chess Life, he argued that "this move [3 . . . dxc3] is unnecessary" , that 3 . . . tt:l f6! is best, and mused, "Why do people take on c3? It will remain a mystery to me." Alejandro, my friend, I must now poke some more fun at you in good humor while answering your question . When Lady Gaga calls your name in her famous hit single ALELLELELLEALLELELELEjandro, she is singing to the Alejandro who takes on c3, not the Alejandro who meekly declines with 3 . . . tt:l f6. I believe this answers the question to the best of my abilities." 5 5 GM Jesse Kraai loves to say this about the Morra and my games. In fact, we may give him credit for coining this one-liner that I knew from living but never put into words. 56 Of course Sveshnikov, the great c3-Sicilian expert, did not play the Morra to start. I merely show the Morra move order for instructional value. 57 Also independently analyzed on GM Spraggett's blog in July 20 1 1 (http://kevinspraggett. blogspot.com/20 1 1 /07 /upset-in-phily.html) . 58

The Dark Knight

Inspired by Agent Smith's comment to Neo in The Matrix Revolutions: " M r. Anderson, welcome back. We've missed you." 60 http://www. jeremysilman.com/book_reviews_js/Modern_Mora_Gambit.html 59

Works Cited Books Aagaard & Shaw: Experts on the Anti-Sicilian, Quality Chess 20 1 1 Bronstein: Zurich 1953, International Chess Tournament, Translated by Jim Marfia, Dover Publications 1 979 Bronstein & Voronkov: David Against Goliath: Fighting the Computer, Olms 2006 Burgess: Winning with the Smith-Morra Gambit, Batsford 1 994 Ciaffone & Finegold: Smith-Morra Gambit, Finegold Defense, Bob Ciaffone 2000 Ftacnik: Grandmaster Repertoire 6: lhe Sicilian Defence, Quality Chess 20 1 0 Langrock: lhe Modern Morra Gambit, First Edition, Russell Enterprises, Inc. 2006 Langrock: lhe Modern Morra Gambit, Second Edition, Russell Enterprises, Inc. 20 1 1 Nimzowitsch: Chess Praxis, Quality Chess 2007 Nimzowitsch: My System, Quality Chess 2007 Palliser: Fighting the Anti-Sicilians, Everyman Chess 2007 Sergeant: Morphy's Games of Chess, Dover Publications 1 9 57 Shakespeare: Hamlet, Simon & Schuster 2003 Shakespeare: Richard II, Empire Books 20 1 2

Articles Bird: Esserman and Sadvakasov lhrill in Sturbridge, Chess Life Online 2009 http://www. uschess.org/ content/view/9 1 84/ 520 Golubev: Esserman - Vtm we(y, Chess-news. ru 20 1 1 http:/ I chess-news. ru/ sites/ default/ files/ u5/ Games/ Obzory/ essevanvelygO . htm Grivas: A Black Repertoire against the Morra, Yearbook 8 8 , New In Chess 2008 Short: Short stories, New In Chess #8 20 1 1 Harding: Has the Morra Gambit been Revived?, Chess Cafe 2007 http:/ /www. chesscafe.comltext/kibitz 1 34. pdf Hays: In Memoriam - Kenneth Ray Smith, uschess.org 1 999 http:/ I main. uschess.org/ obituaries/ smith. php Raj lich: Busting the King's Gambit, this time for sure, Chess Base 20 1 2 http:/ /www. chessbase.com/ newsdetail.asp?newsid= 804 7 McClain: An Often-Shunned Opening, for Good Reason, New York Times 2009 http:/ /www. nytimes.com/2009/ 1 0/25/ crosswords/ chess/2 5chess. html Spraggett: Upset at US Open, Blogspot 20 1 1 http:/ /kevinspraggett. blogspot.com/20 1 1 /08/upset-at-us-open.html Spraggett, Kevin: Upset in Phi(y, Blogspot 20 1 1 http:/ /kevinspraggett.blogspot.com/20 1 1 /07 /upset-in-phily.html

Works Cited

Films From Russia with Love, Dir. Terence Young, Eon Productions 1 963 Goldfinger, Dir. Guy Hamilton, Eon Productions 1 964 Live and Let Die, Dir. Guy Hamilton, Eon Productions 1 973 GoldenEye, Dir. Martin Campbell, Eon Productions 1 99 5 Tomorrow Never Dies, Dir. Roger Spottiswoode, Eon Productions 1 997 The World is Not Enough, Dir. Michael Apted, Eon Productions 1 999 Die Another Day, Dir. Lee Tamahorj , Eon Productions 2002 Casino Royale, Dir. Martin Campbell, Eon Productions 2006 Quantum ofSolace, Dir. Marc Forster, Eon Productions 2008 Austin Powers: International Man ofMystery, Dir. Jay Roach, New Line Cinema 1 997 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Dir. Jay Roach, New Line Cinema 1 999 Austin Powers in Goldmember, Dir. Jay Roach, New Line Cinema 2002 The Matrix. Dir. Andy Wachowski & Larry Wachowski. Warner Bros. 1 999 The Matrix Reloaded. Dir. Andy Wachowski & Larry Wachowski. Warner Bros. 2003 The Matrix Revolutions. Dir. Andy Wachowski & Larry Wachowski. Warner Bros. 2003 Forrest Gump, Dir. Robert Zemeckis, Paramount Pictures 1 994 Gladiator, Dir. Ridley Scott, DreamWorks Pictures 2000 Indiana jones and the Temple ofDoom, Dir. Steven Spielberg, Lucasfilm 1 984 Rocky II, Dir. Sylvester Stallone, United Artists 1 979 The Dark Knight, Dir. Christopher Nolan, Warner Bros. Pictures 2008 Wall Street, Dir. Oliver Stone, 20th Century Fox 1 987

349

Game Index Marc Esserman - Boris Kreiman, Sturbridge 2002 Marc Esserman - Gregory Braylovsky, New York (rapid) 2003 Marc Esserman - Kapil Chandran, Sturbridge 20 1 0 Paul Morphy - Duke Karl & Count Isouard, Paris 1 8 5 8 Lev Milman - Jaan Ehlvest, New York (rapid) 2003 Lev Milman - Carlos Obregon, Villa Giardino 2002 RawFishStomach (Esserman) - Mincho, Internet (blitz) 20 1 1 Marc Esserman - Mark Ginsburg, Miami 2007 Marc Esserman - Emmanouil Kazakos, Paleochora 20 1 1 Marc Esserman - William Collins, Harvard (blitz) 20 1 0 Marc Esserman - Thomas Bartell, U S Chess League, Internet 2009 Marc Esserman - John Fedorowicz, US Chess League, Internet 20 1 1 Mikhail Tal - Neibult, USSR 1 99 1 Milan Matulovic - Aleksandar Bradvarevic, Yugoslavia (ch) , Sombor 1 9 57 Marc Esserman - Anya Corke, Harvard (blitz) 20 1 1 Ben Hague - Jim Plaskett, West Bromwich 2005 Semon Palatnik - Garry Kasparov, Kislovodsk 1 982 Marc Esserman - Phillip Nutzman, Somerville 2009 wHySoSeRiOoOus (Esserman) - Reti, Internet (blitz) 20 1 0 Marc Esserman - Matthew Herman, Internet (blitz) 20 1 1 Marc Esserman - Justin Sarkar, Miami 2008 Mikhail Tal - Bent Larsen, Candidates Match ( 1 0) , Bled 1 965 Marc Esserman - Vadim Martirosov, Harvard (blitz) 2008 Marc Esserman - Hikaru Nakamura, US Masters, Chicago (!) 2000 Marc Esserman - Renard Anderson, World Open, King of Prussia 2007 JJRambo (Esserman) - emcf (GM Cordova) , Internet (blitz) 2008 Robert Fischer - Samuel Reshevsky, USA (ch) , New York 1 9 5 8 WhYsOSeRiOus - Smallville (Nakamura) , Internet (blitz) 2008 Marc Esserman - Alexander Shabalov, Ledyard 2008 Marc Esserman - Alexander Ivanov, Sturbridge 2008 Marc Esserman - Jayson Lian, US Chess League, Internet 2008 Borba (Esserman) - Talion (GM Kamsky) , Internet (blitz) 2005 Konstantin Landa - Garry Kasparov, Moscow Clock Simul 1 988 Marc Esserman - Loek Van Wely, US Open, Orlando 20 1 1 Marc Esserman - Vijayan, Harvard (blitz) 20 1 1 Marc Esserman - Yilmer Guzman, Altamonte Springs 2007 Marc Esserman - Vadim Milov, Philadelphia (blitz) 2008 Marc Esserman - Justin Sarkar, Berkeley 2008 Jacek Stopa -Alexandra Kosteniuk, St. Louis (rapid) 20 1 1

25 32 37 39 39 59 59 62 64 65 68 75 78 79 80 87 94 94 99 1 00 1 03 1 19 1 22 1 26 1 30 1 40 1 53 1 56 1 58 1 59 161 1 62 1 65 1 68 1 84 1 86 1 88 1 90 191

Game I ndex

Marc Esserman - Michael Goeller, Kenilworth Simul 20 I 0 Marc Esserman - Eric Rodriguez, Internet (bullet) 2009 Marc Esserman - Ben Finegold, Internet (blitz) 2006 Robert Fischer - Jorge Rubinetti, Palma de Mallorca I 970 Marc Esserman - Eli Vovsha, US Chess League, Internet 20 1 0 Paul Morphy - N.N., New Orleans Simul I 8 5 8 Milan Matulovic - Dragoljub Janosevic, Yugoslavia (ch) , Novi Sad I 9 5 5 Marin us Kuijf - Eelke Wiersma, Leeuwarden I 99 5 Marc Esserman - Edward McHugh, Parsippany 2009 Marc Esserman - John Fedorowicz, US Chess League, Internet 20 I 1 Marc Esserman - Zbynek Hracek, New York 2009 TheDarkKnight (Esserman) - Ruslan Ponomariov, Internet (blitz) 2008 JungleDacha (Esserman) - IsamOr (IM Ortiz) , Internet (blitz) 20 I O Borba (Esserman) - Oligarkh (GM Jobava) , Internet (blitz) 200 5 JungleDacha {Esserman) - mada {GM Deepan) , Internet (blitz) 20 1 0 Marc Esserman - Igor Sorkin, New York 2009 Andrei Deviatkin - Vasily Papin, Moscow 2006 Evgeny Sveshnikov - Sergey Yuferov, Moscow 2006 Sergei Tiviakov - Omar Almeida Quintana, Banyoles 2006 Sergei Tiviakov - Reynaldo Vera, Merida 2006 Patrick Wolff - Alexander Stripunsky, US Chess League, Internet 20 I I Drazen Sermek - Alberto David, Bled I 996 Emre Can - Daniel Ludwig, Vung Tau City 2008 Ogulcan Kanmazalp - Aleksa Strikovic, Istanbul 20 I 0 Eric Rodriguez - Charles Riordan, US Chess League, Internet 20 1 1 RawFishStomach (Esserman) - RolMar (IM) , Internet (blitz) 20 I I Esserman - N.N. (GM), Internet (blitz) 20 I O ClubberLang {Esserman)- Elgransenor (GM Gormally) , Internet (blitz) 2005 Marc Esserman - Ian Mangion, Kenilworth Simul 20 I 0 Marc Esserman - Mark Kernighan, Kenilworth Simul 20 I 0 Mladen Zelie - Andrej Grilc, Bled I 994 kklinheib {Esserman/GM Friedel) - ChessRaptor, Internet (blitz) 2008 LarryC (GM Christiansen) - BlackSky, Internet (blitz) 2003 Marc Esserman - N.N. (GM) , Internet (blitz) 20 I O Edward Friedman - Roman Dzindzichashvili, Chicago 1 99 I Supermichi - Granja Velha, Internet (freestyle) 2007 Michael Adams - William Watson, Great Britain (ch) , Eastbourne I 990 Equidistance - VoidChessiCC, Internet (freestyle) 2006 Konstantin Landa - Garry Kasparov, USSR Clock Simul I 988 LarryC (GM Christiansen) - mojo, Internet (blitz) 20 I O Marc Esserman - TitoMC (IM) , Internet (blitz) 20 I 2 Mladen Zelie - Sasa Martinovic, Split 2007 JungleDacha {Esserman) - IsamOr, Internet (blitz) 20 1 0 Marc Esserman - Eric Hansen, Blindfold Bar, Edmonton 2009

35 I 208 209 234 252 252 258 263 266 272 273 274 276 277 278 279 28 1 284 286 290 292 294 300 30 I 304 3IO 3I4 3I4 3I4 3I5 315 3I6 317 3I7 3I9 3I9 320 320 32 I 322 322 323 323 324 324

352

Mayhem in the Morra

Lionel Kieseritzky - Conrad Vitzthum von Eckstaedt, Paris 1 846 Graham Burgess - Jacobsen, Glamsbjerg 1 992 BatsFrightenMe (Essennan) - RiverDolphin, Internet (blitz) 2008 Alex Lenderman - Gregory Braylovsky, New York (rapid) 2005 Houdini 1 .5x - Deep Rybka 4, Boston 20 1 1 Robert Fischer - Viktor Korchnoi, Buenos Aires 1 960 wHySoSeRiOoOus (Esserman) - Lalu (Sharma) , Internet (blitz) 20 1 0 Marc Essennan - Timothy Taylor, Las Vegas 2003 Marc Essennan - Chow, Chicago 2000 Paul Morphy - Alexander Beaufort Meek, New York (blindfold) 1 8 57 Aron Nimzowitsch - Frank Marshall, New York 1 927 Paul Morphy - Paul Journoud, Paris 1 8 5 8 Milan Matulovic - Dragoljub Janosevic, Yugoslavia (ch) , Novi Sad 1 9 5 5 Mihail Tal - Roman Dzindzichashvili, New York (blitz) 1 99 1 Hrvoje Stevie - Veselin Topalov, Khanty Mansiysk ( ol) 20 1 0 Milan Matulovic - Zdravko Vospemik, Yugoslavia (ch) , Novi Sad 1 9 5 5 Alex Lenderman - Lubomir Ftacnik, Philadelphia 2006 ClubberLang (Essennan) - Yuri Razuvaev, Internet (blitz) 200 5 Marc Essennan - StepByStep (IM) , Internet (blitz) 20 1 2 Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu - Alejandro Ramirez, Decameron 2003 Mircea Parligras - Trajce Nedev, Dresden (ol) 2008 Dusko Pavasovic - Viktor Erdos, Rogaska Slatina 2009 Evgeny Sveshnikov - Lembit 011, Kuybyshev 1 986 Michele Godena - Fabio Bruno, Frascati 2006 Alisa Melekhina - Alex Shabalov, Philadelphia 20 1 1 Vladimir Jakimov - Sergei Rublevsky, Plovdiv 20 1 0 Jan Timman - Florian Handke, Amsterdam 200 1 Spartak Vysochin - Spas Kozhuharov, Istanbul 2006 Marc Esserman - Iryna Zenyuk, Philadelphia 2009 Miroslav Markovic - Srdjan Zakic, Nis 1 997 Andrei Kharlov - Joseph Gallagher, Calcutta 200 1 Aleksandr Karpatchev - Rainer Rauschenbach, Griesheim 2002 Eros (Esserman) - babloo (GM Sasikiran) , Internet (blitz) 20 1 1 Dusko Pavasovic - Lars Schandorff, Gothenburg 2005 Pablo Zarnicki - Loek van Wely, Buenos Aires 1 99 5 RolfWetzeU - Vadim Martirosov, Boston 20 1 1

324 325 326 326 327 327 328 328 328 329 329 330 330 33 1 33 1 332 332 334 335 335 336 336 337 337 338 338 339 339 340 340 34 1 34 1 342 343 343 344

Variation Index Chapter 1 l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.tihc3 tll c6 s.ltlf3 e6 6.J.c4 6 . . Yii c 7 7.0-0 lt:l f6 8 . lt:l b5! Wb8 9 . e5! 33 9 . . . lt:Jxe5?! 1 o . lt:l xe5! lt:lxe5 1 1 .�e 1 34 1 1 . . . Wb8 12.Wd4!+- 34 1 1 . . .Wc5 12.ifl !± 35, 37 9 . . . lt:l g4 10 .if4! 45 1 o . . . lt:lxe5? 1 1 . lt:lxe5 lt:l xe5 12.ixe6! dxe6 13.�c l +- 46 10 . . . a6 1 1 . lt:\ d6t ixd6 12.exd6 46 12 . . . b5?! 13.id5!!± 46, 3 1 4 12 ... 0-0 13. h3! 48 13 . . . b5?! 14.id5!� 48 13 . . . lt:l f6 14. lt:l e5!� 49, 3 1 4 6 ... lt:l f6! 7.We2! We? 8 .e5 5 1 8 ... d5?! 9 .exf6 dxc4 10.ig5!± 52 8 . . . lt:l g4 9 .if4 52 9 . . . d5 10 .ib3!� 52 9 . . . f6 52 10.lt:Jd5!?� 54 10.lt:J b5!?� 54

Chapter 2 l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4. � xc3 � c6 s.tll f3 d6 6 ..ic4 e6 7.0-0 � f6 8.�e2 .ie7 9J�dl 9 . . . Wc7? 10.lt:J b5!± 59, 71 9 . . . 0-0? 1 O .e5!± 1 4 9 ... id7 10. lt:l b5;!; 72 9 . . . e5 10.ie3! 0-0 1 1 .�ac l 66, 72 1 1 . . . ig4 12. h3! 72 12 . . . ih5 13.g4! ig6 14 . lt:J h4!;!; 73, 3 1 6 1 2 . . . ixf3 13.Wxf3 � c 8 14.We2!;!; 60 1 l . . .ie6 12.b4! 66, 74, 3 1 6 1 2 . . . lt:lxb4 13. lt:l xe5� 66, 74 12 . . . a6 13.a3! �c8?! 14.ixe6! fxe6 15.Wa2!± 67, 315 1 1 . . .id7 12.a3� 68

354

Mayhem in the Morra

Chapter 3 l .e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4. � xc3 � c6 s. � f3 d6 6..ic4 e6 7.0-0 7 . . . fi.e7 8 .%Ve2 a6 9.E!:d l Wc7 1 0.fi.f4! ltl e 5 ? ! I l .fi.xe5! dxe5 1 2.E!:ac l ± 83 7 . . . ltl f6 8 .We2 a6 9.E!:d l Wc7 I O.if4! 85 I O . . . ltle5?! I l .ib5t!± 78, 85 I O . . . ie7 79 l l .e5!? (?!) ltl h 5 ! 1 2.ig5 !+ 82, 88 l l . . .dxe5? 1 2. ltl xe5 lLl xe5 1 3 .fi.xe5± 82 I l .Ei:ac l ! 0-0 1 2.ib3 79 1 2 . . . E!:d8/E!:e8/id7 1 3 .ltl d 5 ! -+ 80 1 2 . . . %Vb8 1 3 .e5! ltl h 5 91 1 4 .ig5 dxe5 1 5 .ixe7 ltl xe7 1 6. ltl xe5� 92 1 4 .fi.e3! ? dxe5 1 5 .fi.b6!00 94

Chapter 4 l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4. � xc3 e6 s. � f3 a6 6 ..ic4 b5 7 ..ib3 .ib7 8.0-0! 8 . . . d6 9.ltlg5!-+ 99 8 . . . b4 9.ltld5! exd5 I O.exd5 1 04 I O . . . id6 l l .E!:e l t 1 07 l l . . .lLle7 1 2.ltlg5! 0-0 1 3 .Wh5!+- 1 08 l l . . .'ktlf8 1 2 .%Vd4!± 1 09, 1 1 1 I O . . . d6 105 I l .Wd4!?oo 1 05 l l . . . ltl f6 1 2.Wxb4! ± 1 05 l l . . . ltl d7 1 2.E!:e l t ltl e7 1 3.Wxb4 ltl c5 1 4.fi.f4oo 1 1 6 I l .Ei:e l t ! ie7 1 1 7 1 2 .Wd4!? 1 1 1 1 2 . . . ltl f6?! 1 3 .Wxb4!± 1 05, 1 1 7 1 3 . . . ic8 1 4.if4 0-0 1 5 .E!:xe7± 1 05, 1 1 7 1 3 . . . Wc7 1 4 .ig5 ! ± 1 1 7 1 2 . . . 'ktff8 1 3 .Wxb4 fi.c8 1 4.fi.f4oo 1 19 1 2.ltld4!?-+ 3 1 7

Chapter 5 l.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4. ltl xc3 e6 s. � f3 a6 6 ..ic4 6 . . . b5 7.ib3 d6 8.0-0 E!:a7?! 9 .ie3 E!:d7 I O. ltl d4!± 122, 3 1 9 6 ... d6 7.0-0 ltl c6 8 .We2 b5 9 .ib3 E!:a7 I O.ie3 E!:d7 l l .E!:fd l !!-+ 132 l l . . .ib7 1 2.ltlg5!-+ 136 l l . . .ie7 1 2.ltlxb5!-+ 130, 134 l l . . . ltl f6 1 2.ltlxb5!-+ 134

Variatio n I ndex

Chapter 6 l .e4 c5 2.d4 cx:d4 3.c3 dxc3 4. � xc3 4 . . . g6 5 . tLl f3 .ig7 6 . .ic4 d6?! 7.Wfb3! ± 1 41 4 . . . tLl c6 5 . tLl f3 g6 6 . .ic4 1 48 6 . . . d6 7.Wfb3!;!; 1 47 6 . . . .ig7 7.e5! tLl xe5 8 . tLl xe5 .ixe5 9 . .ixf7t 'it>xf7 1 0.'\Wd5t 1 42 1 0 . . . e6? l l .Wfxe5 Wff6 1 2 .Wfc7± 151 1 0 . . . )!;g7 l l .Wfxe5t tLl f6 1 2.0-0 d6 1 3 .Wfe2!;!; 151, 320

Chapter 7 l .e4 c5 2.d4 cx:d4 3.c3 dxc3 4. � xc3 e6 s. � f3 � c6 6 ..tc4 6 . . . tLl ge7 7 . .ig5 ! f6 8 . .ie3 tLl g6 9 . 0-0 .ie7 l O. tLl b 5 ! -+ 159 6 . . . a6 7.0-0 tLl ge7 8 . .ig5 ! 1 68 8 . . . f6 9.-ie3 1 69 9 . . . tLl g6 l O . .ib3! 1 69 1 0 . . . .ie7 l l .tLla4!;!; 1 69 1 0 . . . b5 l l .tLld5!!-+ 1 69 9 . . . b5 1 0.ib3 1 75 I O . . . .ib7 l i . tLl d 5 ! ? -+ 1 75, 323 l O . . . tLla5 l i . tLl d4!-+ 1 76 8 . . . h6 9 . .ie3 1 78 9 . . . tLl g6 l O.ib3 1 80 1 0 . . . ie7 l l . tLl a4!� 1 69 I O . . . b5 I I . tLl d 5 ! ! -+ 1 69, 1 80 9 . . . b5 l O.ib3 1 78 I O . . . tLla5 l l .l:'!:e l !-+ 1 78 1 0 . . . ib7 l l .l:'!:e l ! tLla5 1 2. tLl e 5 ! tLl xb3 1 3 . .ib6!-+ 1 80

Chapter 8 l .e4 c5 2.d4 cx:d4 3.c3 dxc3 4. � xc3 e6 5. � f3 5 . . . .ib4? 6.'\Wd4!± 1 84, 194 5 . . . ic5 6 . .ic4 tLl e7 7.0-0 a6 8.e5!;!; 1 88 5 . . . tLl c6 6.ic4 1 86 6 . . . .ic5 7.0-0 1 86 7 . . . tLl ge7 8 .e5!;!; 1 86 7 . . . a6 324 8.e5?! f5 ! ? 325 8 . .if4!-+ 325 6 . . . .ib4 7.0-0 tLl ge7 8 .Wfc2!� 194 6 . . . a6 7.0-0 Wfc7 196 8.l:'!:e l !-+ 196, 326 8 . tLl d 5 ! ! -+ 199

355

356

Mayhem i n the Morra

Chapter 9 l .e4 cS 2.d4 c:x:d4 3.c3 dxc3 4. � xc3 � c6 S. � f3 d6 6 ..ic4 6 . . . ttJ f6 7.e5! 205 7 . . . dxe5 8 .Wfxd8t 205 8 . . . ttJ xd8 9 . lD b 5 ! !!b8 l O. lD xe5± 205, 220 8 . . .