Join NM Sam Copeland as he breaks down this animal of a chess game of which Paul Morphy himself would be proud. Don’t miss this battle between Stoofvlees and Stockfish from the 15th Computer Chess Championship on Chess.com!
[Event “CCC15: Preliminary Round (1|1)”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2020.08.24”]
[Round “1”]
[White “Stoofvlees”]
[Black “Stockfish”]
[Result “0-1”]
[ECO “A01”]
[GameDuration “00:01:57”]
[GameEndTime “2020-08-24T12:30:49.686 PDT”]
[GameStartTime “2020-08-24T12:28:52.302 PDT”]
[Opening “Nimzovich-Larsen attack”]
[PlyCount “48”]
[TimeControl “60+1”]
[Variation “Modern Variation”]
1. b3 e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. c4?! (3. e3 {The best-by-test way to play.} 3… Nf6 4.
Bb5 Bd6 5. Na3 Na5 {a famous line.}) 3… Nge7!? {This is very interesting.
Stockfish intends a pawn sacrifice} (3… Nf6 {After this, the pawn sacrifice is
no good. In the game, the knight on e7 can reach c6 at the perfect moment.} 4.
Nf3 d5? 5. Nxe5 ±) 4. Nf3 d5!? {Offering a very promising pawn sacrifice.} 5.
cxd5 (5. Nxe5 Nxe5 6. Bxe5 d4 7. e3 Nc6 {also gives good compensation.}) 5…
Nxd5 6. Nxe5 Nxe5 7. Bxe5 Qe7 8. Bb2 Nb4 {with a big threat…} 9. e3 (9. Nc3??
Nd3#) 9… Bf5 10. Na3 {forced to defend c2.} 10… O-O-O 11. Bc3 {Freeing b2
for the knight, but this gets CRUSHED by Stockfish’s 12th move. Even engines can
be punished for unprincipled play at times.} (11. d4 Qg5 {is also good
compensation. White lacks moves.}) (11. Be2 Nd3+ 12. Bxd3 Bxd3 13. Nc4 f6! ⩱
{and since the bishop on d3 cannot be removed by Ne5 or Nb2, Black is doing
great. The bishop is a monster.}) 11… Nd5! {White has defended against Nd3+,
but now there are more direct threats: a3 and c3 are both loose.} (11… Nd3+?!
12. Bxd3 Bxd3 13. Nc4 f6 14. Nb2 ⩲) 12. Bb2? {losing.} (12. Nb5! {The best try,
but Black gets a fantastic position.} 12… a6 13. Nd4 Nxc3 14. dxc3 c5 15. Qh5
Be4 16. Nf3 ∓) 12… Nxe3!! -+ {BOOM! This just wins.} 13. fxe3 (13. Qe2 Nxf1
14. Qxe7 Bxe7 15. Rxf1 Bd3 16. Rg1 Bc5 -+) 13… Qh4+ 14. g3 (14. Ke2 Bg4#)
14… Qe4 15. Rg1 Bb4 {threatening d2 and e3.} 16. Nc4 {defending both squares.}
16… Rxd2!! {A brilliant sacrifice that recalls Rxd7 in the opera game.} 17.
Nxd2 Rd8 {[%csl dd2][%c_square d2;square;d2][%cal de4e3,de3g1][%c_arrow
e4e3;from;e4;to;e3,e3g1;from;e3;to;g1]} (17… Qxe3+ {also winning.}) 18. Rg2
(18. Bc1 Qxe3+ 19. Qe2 Qxg1 {White has an extra piece but no moves. The rook on
a1 is soon trapped.} 20. a3 Bc3 21. Ra2 Bb1 -+) 18… Qxe3+ 19. Be2 (19. Re2
Rxd2!! 20. Rxe3 Rxb2+ 21. Qd2 Bxd2+ 22. Ke2 Bxe3+ 23. Kxe3 -+) 19… Rxd2 20.
Kf1 (20. Qxd2 Qxd2+ 21. Kf1 Qxb2 -+) 20… Rxd1+ 21. Rxd1 Bh3 22. Bg4+ (22. Bh5
Qe4 -+) 22… Bxg4 23. Rd8+ Kxd8 24. Bd4 Qe1# 0-1
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