The Ideas behind the King's Gambit

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Introduction

Play through games here: x/pgn4web/collection.html?pgnfile=x/pgn/booklets.pgn?initialGame=115 The King's Gambit has a romantic reputation which is both attractive and misleading. It has had a romantic history, but has not passed through chess history unchanged. On the contrary, each generation has had its own opinions and favourite variations, and the King's Gambit has evolved into a fully modern opening. It does have some peculiarities, but this makes it a useful hunting ground for the specialists like Joe Gallagher and the Spanish GM Illescas. But Nunn and Short have also dabbled with it, and its virtues have been defended in correspondence play by Bangiev.

  Below, I will introduce the main ideas for each side, but try to draw out some of the development of modern positional ideas.

 


Ideas for White

The King's-side attack

MacDonnell Alexander - De la Bourdonnais Louis [C37] London m 54, 1834
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. Nc3 gxf3 6. Qxf3 Bh6 7. d4 Nc6 8. O-O

 

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8... Nxd4 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Qh5+ Kg7 11. Bxf4 Bxf4 12. Rxf4 Nf6 13. Qg5+ Kf7 14. Raf1

 

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14... Ke8 15. Rxf6 Qe7 16. Nd5 Qc5 17. Kh1 Ne6 18. Rxe6+ dxe6 19. Nf6+ 1-0

  Great panache from the legendary Scot.

The King's-side attack: the open f-file

Spielmann R - Tarrasch S [C30] Karlsbad, 1923
1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. c3 Bg4 5. fxe5 dxe5 6. Qa4+ Bd7 7. Qc2 Nc6 8. b4 Bd6 9. Bc4 Nf6 10. d3 Ne7 11. O-O Ng6 12. Be3 b5 13. Bb3 a5 14. a3 axb4 15. cxb4 O-O 16. Nc3 c6 17. h3 Qe7 18. Ne2 Bb8 19. Kh2 Ba7 20. Bg5 h6 21. Bxf6 Qxf6 22. Nfd4 Qd6 23. Nf5 Bxf5 24. Rxf5

 

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24... Nf4 25. Rf1 g6 26. R1xf4 exf4 27. e5 Qe7 28. Rf6 Kg7 29. d4 Bxd4 30. Bxf7 Bxe5 31. Qxg6+ 1-0

 

The King's-side attack: vulnerable f7 point

Bronstein,David - Dubinin 15th USSR Champ (??), 1947
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 h5 6. Bc4 Rh7 7. d4 Bh6 8. Nc3 Nc6

 

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9. Nxf7 Rxf7 10. Bxf7+ Kxf7 11. Bxf4 Bxf4 12. O-O Qxh4 13. Rxf4+ Kg7 14. Qd2 d6 15. Raf1 Nd8 16. Nd5 Bd7

 

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17. e5 dxe5 18. dxe5 Bc6 19. e6 Bxd5 20. Rf7+ Nxf7 21. Rxf7+ Kh8 22. Qc3+ Nf6 23. Rxf6 Qxf6 24. Qxf6+ Kh7 25. Qf5+ Kh6 26. Qxd5 Kg6 27. Qd7

1-0

The central majority

Bangiev A - Podrezov [C34] corres ARG, 1986
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e5 Nh5 5. d4 d5 6. c4 g5 7. g4 Ng7 8. Nc3 Bb4 9. Rg1 h5 10. h3 dxc4 11. Bxc4 c5 12. d5 Nd7 13. Bd2 Nb6 14. Qe2 hxg4 15. hxg4 Bd7 16. a3 Ba5 17. Ne4 Bxd2+ 18. Nfxd2 Qe7 19. d6

 

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1-0

The King's Gambit Endgame

King's Gambit endgames sometimes seem to be a law unto themselves, with Black often having an extra Pawn they can't make use of - namely, a backward f-Pawn. White may have some returns for the Pawn in central control and extra piece activity, and out of these a win can be spun. These are of course all good general positional principles, rather than anything peculiar to the gambit, it's just that entering an ending a Pawn up is usually more promising!
Spassky B - Matanovic A [C32] Belgrade, 1964
1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. d3 Nf6 5. dxe4 Nxe4 6. Be3 Qh4+ 7. g3 Nxg3 8. Nf3

 

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8... Qe7 9. hxg3 Qxe3+ 10. Qe2 Qxe2+ 11. Bxe2

 

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Black has two Bishops but White has better central control, better development and will find good posts for the Knights. The upshot is that White can make better progress with his Pawn majority.

11... Bg4 12. Nc3 Bb4 13. Ng5 Bxe2 14. Kxe2 Bxc3 15. bxc3 h6 16. Kd3 Rf8 17. Nf3 Na6 18. Rae1+ Kd7 19. c4 f6 20. Kd4 b6 21. f5 Nc5 22. Nh4 Rfe8 23. Re6!

 

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23... g5 24. Ng6

[24. Ng2 Nxe6+ 25. fxe6+ Ke7 26. Ne3 Rh8 27. g4]

24... Nxe6+ 25. fxe6+ Rxe6 26. dxe6+ Kxe6 27. Rxh6 Kf7 28. Ne5+ fxe5+ 29. Kxe5 c5 30. Kf5 Ke7 31. Kxg5 Rf8 32. Rh2 Kd6 33. g4 Rg8+ 34. Kf4 Rf8+ 35. Kg3 Ke5 36. Re2+ Kd4 37. g5 Kxc4 38. Kg4 Kc3 39. g6 c4 40. Kg5 b5 41. g7 Q

 


Ideas for Black

The vulnerable White King

LaBourdonnais L - Cochrane J [C37] Paris, 1821
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. Ne5 Qh4+ 6. Kf1 f3 7. g3 Qh3+ 8. Kf2 Qg2+ 9. Ke3

 

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9... Bh6+ 10. Kd3 d5 11. Bxd5 Na6 12. c3 c6 13. Bxf7+ Ke7 14. Bb3 Nc5+ 15. Kc2 Nxe4 16. Qf1 Bf5 17. Qxg2 Nf2+ 18. d3 fxg2 19. Rg1 Rd8

 

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20. Bxh6 Nxh6 21. Rxg2 Nxd3 22. Nxd3 Bxd3+ 23. Kc1 Rhf8 24. Nd2 Nf5 25. Bd1 Ne3 26. Rg1 Bf1 27. b3 Rf2

 

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28. Rxf1 Nxf1 29. Nxf1 Rxd1+ 30. Kxd1 Rxf1+ 0-1

The vulnerable White King's diagonal e1-h4

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We can see this in its simplest form in the Classical: 2...Bc5 3. fxe5?? and 3...Qh4+ reminds White that the f-Pawn opens up the King's-side with risks for both Kings. This isWhy White nearly always plays 3. Nf3, or, if not, a move of the Queen or Bishop to create a flight square.

  A more complex instance of the same thing is seen in the Cunningham:

 

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Now 4. Nc3 Bh4+ and we have more trouble for the King (by no means fatal here).

4. Bc4 and now rather than snatch at the check, 4..Nf6! (Euwe) and now 5. e5 Ng4!, with 6. h3 being ruled out because of the vulnerable diagonal.

Hang on to the f-Pawn

Kinlay,J - Nunn,J [C36] London, 1977
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 d5 4. exd5 Nf6 5. Bb5+ c6 6. dxc6 Nxc6 7. d4 Bd6 8. O-O O-O 9. Nbd2 Bg4 10. c3 Bc7 11. Nc4 Ne7 12. Ba4 b5 13. Bxb5 Qd5 14. Na3 Qh5

 

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The play on the Queen's-side has distracted White's pieces, and the f-Pawn forms the apex of a King's-side attack.

15. Bd3 Ned5 16. Nc4 Rae8 17. h3 Ne3 18. Bxe3 fxe3 19. hxg4 Nxg4 20. Nce5 Rxe5 21. dxe5 e2 22. Bxe2 Bb6+ 23. Qd4 Qh6 24. Rae1 Rd8 25. Bc4 Rxd4 0-1

 

Central counter

Spielmann,R - Bogoljubov,E [C33] Carlsbad, 1923
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3 c6 5. d4 Bb4 6. Qf3 d5!

  In so many King's-Pawn openings, this is the recipe for Black.

7. exd5 O-O 8. Nge2 cxd5 9. Bd3 Bg4

 

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10. Qxf4 Bxe2 11. Kxe2 Nc6 12. Be3 Re8 13. Rhf1 Qe7 14. Rf3 Rad8 15. Kf1 Rd6 16. Qh4

 

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The game approaches its crisis.

16... Bxc3 17. Bg5 Bxd4! 18. Bxf6 Qxf6 19. Qxh7+ Kf8 0-1

 

Return the Pawn for development (counter-sacrifice)

Hartston,William - Spassky,Boris [C36] Hastings, 1966
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 d5 4. exd5 Nf6 5. Bb5+ c6 6. dxc6 Nxc6 7. d4 Bd6 8. Qe2+ Be6

 

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Black has developed with lightning speed.

9. Ne5 O-O 10. Bxc6 bxc6 11. Bxf4 Nd5 12. Bg3 f6 13. Nf3 Bxg3+ 14. hxg3 Re8

 

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White's development still lags.

15. Kf2 Bf5 16. Qc4 Kh8 17. Nc3 Ne3 18. Qc5 Ng4+ 19. Kg1 Qd7 20. Rf1 Bxc2 21. Rh4 Ne3 22. Rc1 g5 23. Rh6 Bg6 24. Na4 Ng4 25. Rh3 Qe6 26. Qc3 Qxa2 27. Nc5 Re3 28. Qd2 Rae8 0-1

The flight to the Queen's-side

Rubinstein A - Hromadka K [C30] Mahrisch Ostrau, 1923
1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. Bc4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. d3 Bg4 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 Nd4 9. Qg3 Qe7 10. fxe5 dxe5 11. Kd1 c6 12. a4 Rg8 13. Rf1 h6 14. Ne2 O-O-O

 

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Although in this game Black falls prey to Rubinstein's mastery, the switch must always be anticipated by White.

15. Nxd4 Bxd4 16. c3 Bb6 17. a5 Bc7 18. Be3 Kb8 19. Kc2 Ka8 20. Rf3 Nd5 21. Bg1 Nf4 22. Qf2 Bb8 23. g3 Nxh3 24. Rxf7 Qd6

 

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And a blow long anticipated by White makes fitting use of the f-file invasion:

25. Qb6 Rd7 26. Bc5 Rxf7 27. Bxd6 Rf2+ 28. Qxf2 Nxf2 29. Bc5 1-0

 

 

The development of the King's Gambit

The Romantic King's Gambit

The playing-over of games like these is always a pleasure.
Anderssen,A - Kieseritzky,L [C33] London "Immortal game", 1851
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 Qh4+ 4. Kf1 b5 5. Bxb5 Nf6 6. Nf3 Qh6 [6... Qh5] 7. d3 (?) [7. Nc3] 7... Nh5 (?) [7... Bc5] 8. Nh4? [8. Rg1 /\ 9.g4 8... Qb6 9. Nc3 c6 10. Bc4 Qc5 11. Qe2+- ] but not [8. Ke2?! Qb6 9. Nc3 c6 10. Bc4 Ba6and ] 8... Qg5 [8... g6] 9. Nf5 c6 (?) [9... g6] 10. g4? [10. Ba4] 10... Nf6 (?) [10... g6] 11. Rg1 cxb5? [11... d5?][11... h5] 12. h4 [12. Qf3? h5]12... Qg6 13. h5 Qg5

[13... Nxh5? 14. gxh5 Qf6 15. Nc3 Bb7 16. Bxf4 g6 17. Nxb5+- ]

14. Qf3 Ng8

[14... Nxg4 Euwe 15. Rxg4 Qxh5 16. Bxf4+- ]

15. Bxf4 Qf6 [15... Qd8 Reti] 16. Nc3 Bc5

 

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17. Nd5 (?)
17.d4! /\ 18.Nd5
17... Qxb2 18. Bd6?

[18. d4][18. Be3][18. Re1]

18... Bxg1 19. e5 Qxa1+

[19... Ba6 20. Nc7+ Kd8 21. Nxa6 Qxa1+ [21... Bb6 22. Qxa8 Qxc2 23. Qxb8++- ] 22. Ke2]

20. Ke2

 

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1-0

 

Rosanes,J - Anderssen,A [C39] Breslau, 1863
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5

 

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5... Nf6 6. Bc4 d5 7. exd5 Bd6 8. d4 Nh5 9. Bb5+?

[9. Nc3! Qe7!] or [9. O-O!]

9... c6 10. dxc6 bxc6 11. Nxc6 Nxc6 12. Bxc6+ Kf8!

 

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[12... Bd7 13. Bxd7+ Qxd7 14. O-O]

13. Bxa8 Ng3 14. Rh2 [14. Kf2!] 14... Bf5 15. Bd5 Kg7 16. Nc3 Re8+ 17. Kf2 Qb6 18. Na4

[18. a4 Be5 19. Nb5 a6-/+ ]

18... Qa6 19. Nc3

[19. c4 Qxa4 20. Qxa4 Re2+ 21. Kg1 Re1+ 22. Kf2 Rf1##]

19... Be5

 

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20. a4

[20. dxe5 Qb6+ 21. Ke1 Qg1+ 22. Kd2 Qe3##]

20... Qf1+!! 21. Qxf1 Bxd4+ 22. Be3 Rxe3 23. Kg1 Re1## 0-1

 

The Classical King's Gambit

This is not to say that nineteenth-century games were without science. As well as being spiced with a fiery imagination, the Gambit of this era was also tempered and hardened with cold reasoning.

 

Morphy,P - Medley,G, London, 1858
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 Nf6 6. Bc4 d5 7. exd5 Bd6 8. d4 Nh5

 

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9. Nc3!

  Morphy so often showed how the correct path in an opening was to ignore the immediate attack in favour of development.

[9. Bb5+ trying to force a win, was previously played]

9... Bf5 10. Ne2 Qf6 11. Nxf4 Ng3 12. Nh5 Nxh5 13. Bg5 Bb4+ 14. c3 Qd6 15. O-O Ng7

 

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16. Rxf5 Nxf5 17. Qxg4 Ne7 18. Re1 h5 19. Qf3 Rh7 20. Bb5+ c6 21. dxc6 bxc6 22. Nxc6 Nbxc6 23. Bxc6+ ... 1-0

 

Steinitz V - Zukertort I [C39] it, 1882
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 Nf6 6. Bc4 d5 7. exd5 Bg7 8. Nc3 O-O 9. d4 Nh5 10. Ne2 c5

 

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This is a move of Paulsen's, whose positional sense was surprisingly modern. The motive is to break up the White centre, which here crashes with disastrous results for the White King.

11. c3 cxd4 12. cxd4 Nd7 13. Nxd7 Bxd7 14. Qd3 Rc8 15. Nxf4 Re8+ 16. Kd1 b5

 

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17. Nxh5 bxc4 18. Qa3 Bxd4 19. Bd2 Qb6 20. Bc3 Re3 21. Re1

 

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21... Bxc3 22. Rxe3 Qxe3 23. bxc3 Qg1+ 24. Kd2 Qxg2+ 25. Ke3 Re8+ 26. Kd4 Qe4+ 27. Kc5 Qe7+ 28. d6 Qe5+ 29. Kxc4 Qe4+ 30. Kb3 Rb8+ 31. Qb4 Rxb4+ 32. cxb4 Qd3+ 33. Kb2 Qd4+ 0-1

 

Steinitz W - Schlechter C [C39] Vienna, 1897
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 Bg7 6. d4 Nf6 7. Bc4 d5 8. exd5 O-O 9. Nc3 Nh5 10. Ne2 c5

 

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A few years later, Steinitz, and the Gambit, have moved on. The next move, due to Blackburne, abandons the centre in order to dispose of the f-Pawn and exploit the loose Black set-up.

11. Nxf4 Ng3 12. Ne6 fxe6 13. dxe6 Bxe6 14. Bxe6+ Kh8 15. Qxg4 Nxh1 16. Be3

 

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16... cxd4 17. Bxd4 Qxd4! 18. Qxd4 Nc6 19. Nxc6 bxc6? 20. Qc4 Rab8 21. O-O-O! Bxb2+ 22. Kd2 Nf2 23. Rb1 Rbd8+ 24. Ke2 Bg7 25. Rb7! Rd4 26. Qxc6 Re4+ 27. Kd2 Rd4+ 28. Ke3 Nd1+ 29. Ke2 Bh6 30. Bf7! Rdd8 31. Qxh6 1-0

"A fascinating game, and because of its surprising twists, quite foreign to present-day play. ... We can appreciate the ability of the old-time masters to assess far quicker than we are able today, a sound evaluation of intricate variations of this nature." -- Konig.

The Modern King's Gambit

In the last Gambit tournament in 1914 the King's Gambit was not played once. Had the opening died?

  Rubinstein, the arch-classicist, Reti, the hypermodernist, and Spielmann, the last Romantic, were invited to revise the Larobok i Schach after the war. They thought they had only to add a few wrinkles to the old lines, but found that many lines were incompatible with the new views of the centre. Rubinstein in particular took up the variation to defend his conclusions in practice, and added many brilliancies to the canon of the Gambit. The Swede Stoltz read and believed...


Stoltz,G - Samisch,Fritz [C39] Swinemunde, 1932
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 Nf6

 

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6. d4

  Rubinstein concluded that this was the correct way to proceed, although the move was known to Philidor.

[6. Bc4, played previously, is met of course by 6...d5]

6... d6 7. Nd3 Nxe4 8. Bxf4 Qe7 9. Qe2 Bg7 10. c3 h5 11. Nd2! Nxd2 12. Kxd2 Qxe2+ 13. Bxe2 Bf5 14. Rhf1 Nd7

 

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Despite the Queen exhange, the attack thunders on.

15. Nb4 Nf6 16. Bb5+ Bd7 17. Rae1+ Kd8 18. Bg5 Bxb5 19. Rxf6 1-0


Rubinstein,Akiba - Yates,Frederick [C34] Hastings, 1922
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxd5 Qxd5 7. d4 Be7 8. Bd3 g5 9. Qe2 Bf5 10. Bxf5 Qxf5

 

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11. g4!? Qd7 12. Bd2 Nc6 13. O-O-O O-O-O 14. h4 f6 15. c4 Qxg4?! 16. hxg5 fxg5 17. d5 Nb4 18. Qxe7 Nd3+ 19. Kc2 Qxf3 20. Qe6+ Kb8 21. Rh3

 

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-+-+q+-+
+-+p+-X-
-+p+-X-+
+-+s+d+r
pPkB-+-+
+-+r+-+-
21... Qxd1+ 22. Kxd1 Nf2+ 23. Ke1 Nxh3 24. Qxh3 h5 25. Bc3 g4 26. Qh4 Rhg8 27. Qxh5 g3 28. Bd4 Rde8+ 29. Kd2 Ref8 30. d6 cxd6 31. Qh6 Ka8 32. Qxd6 Rd8 33. Qc5

 

j+-T-+t+
Xx+-+-+-
-+-+-+-+
+-Q-+-+-
-+pB-X-+
+-+-+-X-
pP-K-+-+
+-+-+-+-
33... Rxd4+ 34. Qxd4 g2 35. Qg1 Rg3 36. b4 a6 37. Ke2 f3+ 1/2-1/2

 

The Contemporary King's Gambit

Our understanding of the positional ideas behind the Gambit has not advanced much, but progress continues to be made. The positional advantages that the Gambit offers can be pursued through modern endgame technique as well as if they arose through any other opening (Bronstein-Ragozin), and the sundry variations are by no means exhausted.

  So these days, you can play to out-prepare (Hebden-Geller) or out-play (Polgar-Flear) your opponent. Even if the preparation goes astray (Spassky-Fischer), the win for Black will not be always a matter for technique, as the game remains open and complex.

 

Bronstein D I - Ragosin V [C36] izt, 1948
1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 exf4 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bb5+ Nbd7?!

  A failure of nerve.

6. O-O Nxd5 7. c4 N5f6 8. d4 Be7 9. Bxf4 O-O 10. Ba4 Nb6 11. Bb3 Bg4 12. Nc3 c6 13. Qd2

 

t+-D-Tj+
Xx+-LxXx
-Sx+-S-+
+-+-+-+-
-+pP-Bl+
+bN-+n+-
pP-Q-+pP
R-+-+rK-
13... a5 14. a3 a4 15. Ba2 Nbd7 16. Rae1 Re8 17. Ng5 Bh5 18. Kh1 Bg6 19. Nf3 Nh5 20. Be3 Qc7 21. Qd1 Qa5 22. Bd2 Qa7 23. c5 b6 24. Bg5 Bxg5 25. Nxg5 Nhf6!? 26. Rxe8+ Rxe8 27. Qxa4 Qxa4 28. Nxa4 bxc5 29. dxc5 Re2 30. Bc4 Rc2 31. Bb3 Re2 32. Nf3 Ne4 33. Bd1 Re3 34. Kg1 Ndxc5 35. Nxc5 Nxc5 36. Re1 Rxe1+ 37. Nxe1

 

-+-+-+j+
+-+-+xXx
-+x+-+l+
+-S-+-+-
-+-+-+-+
P-+-+-+-
-P-+-+pP
+-+bN-K-
37... Kf8 38. Kf2 Ke7 39. Ke3 Kd6 40. b4 Na6 41. Be2 Nc7 42. Nf3 Nd5+ 43. Kd4 Nf4 44. Bf1 f6 45. Nd2 Ne6+ 46. Kc3 Nc7 47. Nc4+ Ke7 48. Nb6 Nb5+ 49. Kb2 Bf5 50. a4 Na7 51. Kc3 h5 52. Kd4 Kd6 53. Nc4+ Kc7 54. Kc5 Bd7 55. Nd6 h4 56. Be2 f5 57. g3 hxg3 58. hxg3 Nc8 59. Nxc8 Bxc8 60. Bf3 Bb7 61. a5 g5 62. Bg2 f4 63. gxf4 gxf4 64. Bf3 Ba6 65. Bxc6 Be2 66. b5 f3 67. a6

 

-+-+-+-+
+-J-+-+-
p+b+-+-+
+pK-+-+-
-+-+-+-+
+-+-+x+-
-+-+l+-+
+-+-+-+-
[67. a6 f2 68. b6+ Kd8 69. a7 f1=Q 70. a8=Q+ Ke7 71. Qe8+ Kf6 72. Qf8+ Kg5 73. Qxf1 Bxf1 74. b7]

1-0

 

Hebden M - Geller E [C36] Moscow, 1986
1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 exf4 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bc4 Nxd5 6. O-O Be6 7. Bb3 Be7 8. c4 Nb6 9. d4 Nxc4

 

tS-Dj+-T
XxX-LxXx
-+-+l+-+
+-+-+-+-
-+sP-X-+
+b+-+n+-
pP-+-+pP
RnBq+rK-

10. Bxf4 O-O?! 11. Qe2 b5 12. Nc3 a6 13. a4! Nc6 14. axb5 Nxd4 15. Nxd4 Qxd4+ 16. Kh1 Rab8 17. Rxa6 Bd6 18. Ra4! Bxf4 19. Bxc4 Qd6 20. Rd1 Qe5 21. Bxe6 fxe6 22. Re4 Qg5 23. g3 Bd6 24. Rxe6 Qf5 25. Kg2 Bc5 26. Rd5 Qf2+ 27. Qxf2 Rxf2+ 28. Kh3 Bd6 29. Re2 Rxe2 30. Nxe2

 

-T-+-+j+
+-X-+-Xx
-+-L-+-+
+p+r+-+-
-+-+-+-+
+-+-+-Pk
-P-+n+-P
+-+-+-+-
This is better for White, although by the end Mark was fighting for a draw.

30... Re8 31. Nc3 Re6 32. Kg2 Kf7 33. Rf5+ Kg6 34. g4 Re3 35. Rh5 h6 36. Kf2 Rd3 37. Ke2 Rd4 38. h3 Rb4 39. Nd1 Kf6 40. Kd3 Be5 41. Nc3 Rxb2 42. Ne4+ Ke6 43. g5 g6 44. Rxh6 Kf5 45. Rh7 Rxb5 46. Rf7+ Ke6 47. Rh7 Rd5+ 48. Ke3 Ra5 49. Kd3 Ra3+ 50. Kc4 Kf5 51. Nc5 Rc3+ 52. Kb4 Rc1 53. Nd7 Bg3 54. Nf6 Rb1+ 55. Kc4 Rh1 56. Kd3 Be5 57. Ng4 Bg3 58. Nf6 Ra1 59. h4 Ra3+ 60. Ke2 Ra4 61. Rf7 Bh2 62. Kf3 Rf4+ 63. Kg2 Rxh4 64. Nh7+ Kg4 65. Nf8 Bd6 66. Nxg6 Rh2+ 67. Kf1 Kxg5 68. Ne7 Rd2 69. Nf5 Bf4 70. Ng7 1/2-1/2

 

Polgar,J - Flear,C [C33] Hastings/SW,11,22, 1989
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 Nf6

After 3...d5 the Polgars have been playing 4. exd5, getting into a line of the Modern Defence.

4. d3

 

tSlDjL-T
XxXx+xXx
-+-+-S-+
+-+-+-+-
-+b+pX-+
+-+p+-+-
pPp+-+pP
RnBqK-Nr
This modest move intends to reach a playable middlegame with an extra central Pawn. Black is objectively equal but can be outplayed.

4... d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nf3 Nb6 7. Bb3 Bd6 8. Qe2+ Qe7 9. Nc3 Bg4 10. Qxe7+ Kxe7 11. Ne4 Bxf3 12. gxf3 Nc6 13. Nxd6 cxd6 14. Bxf4 Nd4 15. Kf2 Nxb3 16. axb3 a6 17. Ra5 Kd7 18. b4 Rhe8 19. c4 Re6 20. b5 axb5 21. Rxb5 Kc6 22. Rc1 Ra2

 

-+-+-+-+
+x+-+xXx
-SjXt+-+
+r+-+-+-
-+p+-B-+
+-+p+p+-
tP-+-K-P
+-R-+-+-
23. Rb3! Nd7 24. d4 Rf6 25. Bg3 b6 26. Re1 d5 27. cxd5+ Kxd5 28. Re7 Kc4 29. Rc3+ Kb4 30. Rc2 Kb3 31. Rd2 Ra7 32. d5 b5 33. d6 Rf5 34. Rd3+ Kc2 35. Rc3+ Kxb2 36. Rc7 1-0

 

Spassky,Boris - Fischer,Robert (2) [C39] Mar del Plata, 1960
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 Nf6 6. d4 d6 7. Nd3 Nxe4 8. Bxf4 Bg7 9. Nc3?! Nxc3 10. bxc3 c5

 

tSlDj+-T
Xx+-+xLx
-+-X-+-+
+-X-+-+-
-+-P-BxP
+-Pn+-+-
p+p+-+p+
R-+qKb+r
11. Be2 cxd4 12. O-O Nc6 13. Bxg4 O-O 14. Bxc8 Rxc8 15. Qg4 f5=/+ 16. Qg3 dxc3 17. Rae1 Kh8 18. Kh1 Rg8 19. Bxd6 Bf8 20. Be5+ Nxe5 21. Qxe5+ Rg7 22. Rxf5 Qxh4+ 23. Kg1

 

-+t+-L-J
Xx+-+-Tx
-+-+-+-+
+-+-Qr+-
-+-+-+-D
+-Xn+-+-
p+p+-+p+
+-+-R-K-
23... Qg4

[23...Qg3-/+]

24. Rf2 Be7 25. Re4 Qg5 26. Qd4 Rf8 27. Re5 Rd8 28. Qe4 Qh4 29. Rf4 1-0

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