Queen sacrifice

IM Malcolm Pein November 1, 2023

 

THE PACE slowed in the third round of the FIDE Grand Swiss in Douglas, with only one decisive game on the top dozen boards.
As a result, no player had a perfect score. On top board, Dutch international Erwin L’Ami took no chances with the white pieces and held Fabiano Caruana to a draw.
The field of 114 invited players has an average rating of 2636, and the top two finishers over the 11 rounds will earn the right to compete in the 2024 Candidates tournament.
Shreyas Royal continued his excellent start. The 14-year-old from Woolwich was better for most of his six-hour game against Mateusz Bartel, but could not convert an advantageous endgame.
Royal moved to 1.5/3 and was paired against Pentala Harikrishna, ranked 26th in the world.

D Lazavik – R Wojtaszek
Catalan

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 a5 6.Bg2 0–0 7.Qc1 Be7 8.0–0 Nbd7 9.Bf4 c6 10.Rd1 a4 11.Qc2 h6 12.Ne5 (Not 12.Nc3 dxc4!, 12.a3!?)
12...Qb6 13.Nxd7 (If 13.Nd2 Qxd4)
13...Bxd7 (13...Nxd7 14.c5 Qa7 preparing e6–e5 looks all right for Black, as the c5-pawn can become weak)
14.c5 Qa7 15.Nc3 Rfc8 16.Rab1 b6 17.cxb6 Qxb6 18.Nxa4 Qa7 19.b3 c5! (The only way to play, otherwise Black is a pawn down for nothing)

20.Nxc5 (20.dxc5 Bxa4 21.bxa4 Bxc5 puts Black in complete control)
20...Bxc5 21.dxc5 Rxc5 22.Qd2 Qxa2 23.Rb2 Qa6 24.Bxh6? (24.Be5 Ne8 25.Bd4 keeps an edge)
24...gxh6 25.Qd4 (This was White’s idea, the rook and knight are attacked)

25...Qa1!! 26.Qd2 (Effectively resigning. 26.Rxa1 Rxa1+ 27.Bf1 is today’s puzzle)
26...Qa3 27.Rbb1 Kg7 28.g4 Rac8 29.g5 Ng8 30.Qd4+ Kf8 31.gxh6 Nxh6 32.Ra1 Qxb3 33.Qh8+ Ng8 34.Rd3 Rc3 0–1

Black to play and win:

Show Answer

 

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