Sicilian Sozin B88
IM Abram Khasin
GM Mikhail Tal
USSR (ch) 1956

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bc4 e6 7.O-O a6 8.Be3 Qc7 9.Bb3 Be7 10.f4 b5 11.f5 Nxd4 12.Qxd4!?

Usual is 12.Bxd4 b4 13.Ne2 (13.Na4!?) 13...e5 14.Be3 O-O with chances for both sides.

12...O-O 13.fxe6

Probably better is 13.a3 or 13.Rad1.

13...Bxe6!

If 13...fxe6, then 14.Nd5!? is an interesting possibility.

14.Rad1 Rac8 15.Kh1 Rfd8 16.Nd5 Bxd5 17.exd5 Nd7 18.Qf4 Bf6 19. Bd4 Re8 20.c3 Re7 21.Bc2 Bxd4 22.Qh4 Nf8 23.Rxd4 Re2 24.Bf5 Rce8 25.Rb4 Rd2 26.Be4 Qe7 27. Qe1?

According to Tal, after 27.Qf4 Re2 28.Qf3, Black has nothing else but 28...Rd2 29.Qf4 Re2, etc., with a repetition of position.

27...Rxd5 28.Qf2 Re5 29.Bd3 Nd7 30.Rf4 Nc5!

An introduction to the six moves of a complicated, but forced, variation. Black must anticipate an obligatory sacrifice of the Queen and see that, in the end, White also faces inevitable loss of his Queen. The net profit is substantial: a piece!

31.Rxf7

After 31.Bb1 Re2 32.Qf3 Re1, White is lost.

31...Nxd3 32.Qf3 Re1! 33.Qd5

Or 33.Rxe7 Rxf1+ 34.Qxf1 Rxe7. The tactical point is that White cannot play 35.Qxd3 due to 35...Re1 and mate, nor can he avoid the imminent 35...Re1.

33...Qxf7! 34.Qxf7+ Kh8 35.Kg1 Rxf1+ 36.Qxf1

Another important tactical point: 36. Kxf1 leads to 36...Re1 mate!

36...Re1 0-1

The classical example for this theme is the following game:

Ruy Lopez C84
James Mason
David Janowski
Monte Carlo 1902

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Nc3 d6 7.Bxc6+ bxc6 8.d4 exd4!?

Modern theory claims that 8...Nd7 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Be3 O-O leads to equality. In my opinion, White's position is at least preferable.

9.Nxd4 Bd7 10.b3 Qb8 11.Bb2 Qb7 12.Re1 O-O-O

Black's idea of long castling here is very original and, despite his loss in this game, deserves further examination.

13.Qd3 Rhe8?!

Deutsche Schachzeitung (1902) suggests 13...c5! with a good game for Black.

14.b4 Bf8 15.Rab1 d5 16.e5 Ng4 17.Nf3 g6 18.h3 Bf5 19.Qd2 Nh6 20.a3 Ng8 21.Nd4 Be6 22.Na4 Nh6 23.Qc3 Nf5 24.Nxc6 Rd7 25.Nd4 Nxd4 26.Qxd4 Bf5 27.Rbc1 Qc6 28.Nc3 h5 29.Ne2 Bh6 30.f4 Bf8 31.Qf2 Be6 32.Nd4 Qb6 33.Rb1 Bf5 34.Bc3 Be4 35.a4 c6 36.a5 Qa7 37.Rb2 Rb7 38.Reb1 Kd7 39.Kh1 Reb8 40.Qe1 Be7 41.Nb3 Rb5 42.Bd4 Qb7 43.Bc5 Bxc5 44.bxc5!

After 44.Nxc5+ Rxc5 45.bxc5 Qxb2 46.Rxb2 Rxb2 White cannot win -- Mieses.

44...Rb4 45.Qh4 Kc8 46.Qf6 Qd7 47.Kh2 Qe6 48.Qh8+! Kd7

49.Nd4!! Rxb2 50.Qxb8! Rxb8 51.Rxb8

Now Black cannot save his Queen. White's profit here is a transition into easily winning endgame.

51...Kc7 52.Nxe6+ Kxb8 53.Nd4 Kc7 54.g4 h4 55.c3 Kd7 56.Kg1 Kc7 57.Kf2 Kd7 58.f5 gxf5 59.gxf5 Kc7 60.Ke3 Bg2 61.Nf3 Bxh3 62.Nxh4 Bg4 63.Kf4 Be2 64.Nf3 Bxf3 65.Kxf3 1-0

Profiting by a temporary sacrifice of the Queen is feasible in all stages of the game. Here are two examples which should be known as opening traps.

Scotch C45
IM Steen Fedder
Peter Norby
Copenhagen 1975

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qh4 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Nxc6 Qxe4+ 7.Be2 dxc6 8.O-O Qh4 9.Bf3 Be6?

ECO shows only 9...Nf6 when Black stands slightly better.

10.Ne4 Rd8?

Loses. Not much better is 10...h6? 11.Qd4! It seems that the only defensive chance was 10...Qe7.

11.Bg5! 1-0

How simple is that! After 11...Rxd1 12.Raxd1, Black's Queen is trapped and cannot take more than one minor piece with her. Net profit from this short tactical operation -- an Exchange.

Caro-Kann Classical B19
IMC John Adams
E. Ott
Corr. 1967/68

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Qc7 11.Bd2 Ngf6 12.O-O-O e6 13. Kb1 O-O-O 14.c4 c5 15.Bc3 cxd4 16.Nxd4

One of the basic positions for this variation. ECO shows only 16...a6, which automatically means 16...a6 is an obligatory move. Black uses another continuation in this game; therefore, it is considered a mistake. It is worth knowing how to refute it.

16...Bc5? 17.Nb5 Qb6 18.b4! a6

If 18...Be7 19.Bd4, or if 18...Bxf2 19.Nd6+ and 20.Nxf7.

19.bxc5 Nxc5

Seen through rose-colored glasses, the situation seems to be not so bad for Black. If White's Queen retreats, then 20...axb5 with clear advantage, while 20.Bd4 axb5 is sharp and unclear. But . . .

20.Qd6!! 1-0

What a surprise! After 20...Rxd6, 21.Rxd6 Black's Queen is trapped, and after 21...axb5 22.Rxb6 Na4 23.Ba5 White remains with an extra piece profit.

Finally, let's see a case where the idea of profiting by a temporary sacrifice of the Queen is an important part in a tactical operation of a larger dimension.

King's Indian Attack A04
GM Arthur Bisguier
IM Andrija Fuderer
Goteborg (izt) 1955

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.g3 Nf6 4.d3 b6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.O-O g6 7.Nh4

According to Pachman, a better plan is c3, Nbd2, Re1, intending d3-d4.

7...Nc6 8.f4 Bg7 9.Nd2 O-O 10.c3 Nd7 11.a4?!

This allows the opening of the a-file which offers Black immediate strong counterplay on the queenside. More consistent is 11.f5 -- Pachman.

11...a6! 12.f5 b5 13.axb5 axb5 14. Rxa8 Qxa8 15.fxg6 hxg6 16.Ndf3 Qa2 17.Rf2

If 17.d4? cxd4 18.cxd4 Qa7!, etc.

17...Qb1! 18.Nd2 Qa1

But not 18...Qxd3?? 19.Rf3.

19.Qc2 Nde5

Threatening 20...Nxd3!

20.Bf1 Ng4 21.Re2 b4! 22.Nb3 Qa7! 23.c4 Qa4! 24.Nf3 Ra8 25. Bg5 Bc8 26.Re1 Nge5! 27.Nxe5 Bxe5!

Threatening 28...Nd4 and wins.

28.Ra1

Falls into the thematic variation. However, after 28.Rc1 Nd4 29.Nxd4 Bxd4+ 30.Kh1 b3, followed by 31... Qa2, White's position is hopeless.

28...Qxb3! 0-1

After the forced 29.Qxb3 Rxa1, White has no defense, for example: 30. Kf2 Nd4 and Black wins the Queen with the profit of a Rook, or 30.Qc2 Bh3 31.Kf2 Rf1+! and White again loses his Queen. In case of 30.Be3, the most simple win is 30...Bh3 31.Kf2 Rxf1+ 32.Ke2 Nd4+ 33.Bxd4 Bxd4 34.Qa4 Rf2+ 35.Ke1 Rxb2, etc.

In last few years, the continuation 2. Nc3 against the Dutch Defense has been quite popular. The idea of a quick e2-e4 reflects the contemporary trend for more dynamic chess and 2.Nc3 is a welcome plan, especially for attacking players. In the following games attention is focused on examples with new or unnoticed ideas, which at same time demonstrate typical mistakes and tactics in this continuation.

Dutch A80
GM Peter Leko
J. Tornyai
Kecskemet 1992

1.e4 d6 2.d4 f5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.Nf3 fxe4

A new try. 5...g6 6.exf5 gxf5 7.Qe2 Bg7 8.Bc4! d5 9.Bb5 O-O 10.O-O is known, with advantage for White.

6.Nxe4 e5 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.Nxf6+ gxf6?

8...Qxf6 was mandatory.

9.Ng5!

Initiating a decisive attack.

9...fxg5 10.Qh5+ Kd7 11.Bxg5 Be7 12.Bf5+ Kd6 13.O-O-O+ Nd4 14. Bf4! Kc6

No better is 14...c5, for example, 15. Bxc8 exf4 16.Bxb7 Rb8? 17.Rxd4+! cxd4 18.Qd5+ Kc7 19.Qc6 mate.

15.Be4+ Kb6 16.Bxe5 c5 17.c3 Qg8 18.cxd4 Bg4 19.dxc5+ Kb5 20.a4+ Kxa4 21.Rd4+ Ka5 22.b4+ 1-0

Dutch A80
Christian Steudtmann
IM Thomas Casper
East Germany 1979

1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 g6?! 3.h4! Bg7 4.h5 d6

Larsen's suggestion, instead of 4... Nc6 5.Nf3 d5 6.Bf4 a6 7.e3 as in Debarnot--Larsen, Las Palmas 1976, with better chances for White.

5.e4 Nc6 6.Be3 e5 7.dxe5 dxe5?

Now Black loses material. He should try 7...Nxe5!?

8.Qxd8+ Nxd8 9.Nb5 Ne6 10.hxg6 hxg6 11.Rxh8 Bxh8 12.Bc4 Ke7 13.O-O-O! c6 14.Bxe6 Bxe6 15.Nc7 Rc8 16.Bc5+ Kf6 17.Nxe6 b6

Or 17...Kxe6 18.Rd6+ Kf7 19.Rd7+ and 20.Rxb7.

18.Rd6 bxc5 19.Nxc5+ Kg5 20.Nf3+ Kh5 21.Rd1! fxe4 22.Nxe4 Bf6 23. Nxf6+ 1-0

Dutch A80
FM Martin Pribyl
Peter Minich
Trnava 1990

1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 g6?! 3.h4! Nf6 4.h5! Bg7

After 4...Nxh5 5.Rxh5! gxh5 6.e4 White has excellent compensation for the sacrificed Exchange.

5.hxg6!?

A new continuation, even better than 5.h6 Bf8 6.Bg5 d5 7.Qd2 e6 8. O-O-O Bb4 9.f3 O-O 10.Nh3 c6 11.a3! (11.e4? Qa5!) Ba5 12.e4! with advantage, Mohring--Knezevic, Hradec Kralove 1977-78. Deserving of attention is 8...Be7!?, an unnoticed proposal by Mohring.

5...hxg6 6.Rxh8+ Bxh8 7.Qd2! Bg7 8.Qg5 Kf7 9.Nf3 Nh7

If 9...d6? 10.Nh4.

10.Qh4 Kg8 11.e4 Bf6

Or 11...d6?? 12.Bc4+ and wins.

12.Qh6 Nf8 13.exf5 gxf5 14.Bg5 d5 15.O-O-O Be6 16.Bxf6 exf6 17.Bd3 Nc6 18.Rh1 Qe7

19.Bxf5! Bxf5 20.Nxd5 Qd6

If 20...Qg7 21.Nxf6+ Kf7 22.Ng5+ and White wins.

21.Nxf6+ Kf7 22.Ng5+ Ke7 23. Qg7+ 1-0

Dutch A80
Thomas Farrand
FM David Rumens
England (ch) 1977

1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 f5 3.e4 dxe4 4.Bg5?! g6! 5.Bc4 Bg7 6.Nge2 Nc6

Black has the advantage according to ECO and this game does not change the assessment.

7.d5 Ne5 8.Bb5+ c6 9.dxc6 Qxd1+ 10.Rxd1 bxc6 11.Nd5? Kf7 12.Nc7 Rb8 13.Ba4 e6 14.Nd4 Ne7 15. Bxe7 Kxe7 16.b3 Nd3+! 17.Rxd3 exd3 18.Nxc6+ Kd6 19.Nxe6 Kxe6 20.Nxb8 Bb7 21.Nd7 Bxg2 22.Rg1 Bc3+ 0-1

Dutch A80
IM Gyula Meszaros
M. Weteschnik
Kecskemet 1994

1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.Bf4!?

A new continuation, not mentioned in ECO, which looks quite promising.

4...e6?!

For 4...g6, see the next game. In my opinion, Black should try 4...Nf6, and if 5.f3 exf3 6.Nxf3 e6 7.Bc4 Bd6 8.Qd2 O-O 9.O-O c6, as in Gelfand-P. Nikolic, Munich 1994, or 5.Bc4 c6, followed by ...Nb8-d7-b6.

5.f3!? Nf6 6.fxe4 fxe4 7.Bc4 Bb4 8. Nge2 O-O 9.O-O Bxc3 10.Nxc3 Nd5?

Overlooking White's tactical possibility. Black should play 10...c6, intending 11...Qe7 and 12...Nbd7.

11.Nxd5 exd5 12.Bxc7! Qg5

Probably 12...Rxf1+ 13.Qxf1 Qg5 offers more defensive chances.

13.Rxf8+ Kxf8 14.Qe2! Be6

If 14...dxc4 15.Rf1+ Ke7 (15...Bf5 16.Qxe4 g6 17.Qxb7) 16.Qxe4+ Be6 17.Qxb7 Qd5 (or 17...Bd5) 18.Bd8+! and wins.

15.Rf1+ Kg8?

The decisive mistake, after 15...Ke7 16. Bb3 Black is clearly worse, but still alive.

16.Qxe4! 1-0

Dutch A80
IM Gyula Meszaros
Laszlo Kriszany
Bern (G/5) 1994

1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.Bf4!? g6 5.Be5 Nf6 6.f3 Nc6

6...Nbd7?? loses immediately to 7. Nb5! Nxe5 8.dxe5 Nd7 (8...Nd5 9. Qxd5!) 9.e6 Ne5 10.Qxd8+ Kxd8 11.O-O-O+ 1-0, in another Meszaros--Kriszany game, Bern (G/5) 1994.

7.Bb5 Bg7 8.fxe4 fxe4 9.d5 Bg4 10.dxc6! Bxd1 11.cxb7+ Kf8 12. Rxd1 Qb8 13.Bc6! 1-0

Dutch A80
GM Lev Polugaevsky
IM Zenon Franco
Havana (ol) 1966

1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 Ne4?

Another poor continuation is 3...h6? 4.Bxf6 exf6 5.e4 Qe7 6.Qh5+ Qf7 7.Qxf7+ Kxf7 8.Bc4+ Kg6 9.exf5+ Kh7 10.Bf7 g5 11.fxg6+ Kg7 12. Nge2 Bb4 13.Ng3 Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 1-0, Platonov--Schipers, 1976.

4.Nxe4 fxe4 5.f3! d5 6.e3 Bf5 7.fxe4 Bxe4 8.Ne2 h6?

Maybe 8...Qd6!?, but already White stands much better.

9.Bf4 Nc6 10.Nc3 Bg6 11.Bd3 Bf7 12.O-O e5? 13.dxe5 Qd7

14.e6! Qxe6?

Loses, but also after 14...Bxe6 15. Qh5+ Kd8 16.Rad1 Black's position is hopeless.

15.Nb5! 1-0

Dutch A80
IM Vladas Mikenas
Anatoly Alekseev
USSR 1972

1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 d5 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Be7 6.Bd3 Nbd7?!

Usual is 6...O-O 7.O-O Ne4.

7.Ne2 Ne4 8.Nf4 Nxg5 9.Nxg5 Nf8

The variation 9...Bxg5 10.Nxe6 Qe7 11.Nxc7+ Kd8 12.Nxa8 seems to be in White's favor.

10.Nf3 Bd6 11.h4 c6 12.Qe2 Qc7

Another possibility is 12...Qe7, intending ...Nd7-Nf6.

13.g3 e5?

Black should keep the center closed; thus, 13...Bd7 and 14...O-O-O is better.

14.dxe5 Bxe5 15.Nxe5 Qxe5 16.O-O-O Bd7 17.c4! dxc4 18.Bxc4 O-O-O

19.Qd3! Ng6 20.Qa3 a6 21.Nd3 1-0

For if 21...Qe4 22.Bxa6 bxa6 23. Qxa6+ Kc7 24.Nc5, or 21...Qc7 (21... Qe7) 22.Nc5 Ne5 (22...Qb6 23.Nxd7 Rxd7 24.Be6) 23.Bxa6 bxa6 24. Qxa6+ Kb8 25.Rd4 and wins.

Dutch A80
GM Vladimir Bagirov
Vladimir Danov
Moscow 1967

1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 d5 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Be7 6.Ne2!?

A forgotten strategical idea for control of the e5-square which deserves serious attention.

6...h6?! 7.Bxf6 Bxf6 8.Nf4 O-O 9.c3 b6

If 9...Qe8 10.h4! with advantage.

10.Ng6 Re8 11.Nfe5! Bb7

Probably 11...Bxe5!? should be played.

12.f4 a6 13.Qh5 Nd7 14.g4! Nf8 15.g5 Bxe5 16.Nxe5 hxg5 17.fxg5 g6

Loses, but after 17...Qe7 18.g6 Black is helpless against the threat Rh1-g1-g3-h3.

18.Nxg6 Nxg6 19.Qxg6+ Kf8 20. Be2 Qe7 21.h4 1-0

Six Recent Romantic Stories
Each of the six games presented below is a story in itself, but they also have something in common. They represent the recent trend toward dynamic, tactical chess, and the romantic style which dominated the chess scene more than one hundred years ago, where the first and foremost goal was: Get at the opponent's King as quickly as possible!

These days we see more and more openings from the Romantic Era appearing in all levels of tournaments. It should be noted that rediscovering these openings is not an easy task. In the past hundred years, many variations well known to the Romantics have shrunk to only few lines in recent books or simply disappeared altogether.

This is the reason why we see so many opening mistakes and novelties in all our examples. Finally, I must say my choice of the games is not accidental. I have always associated Romanticism mainly with openings in which White posted his Bishop on c4, creating immediate pressure against f7 -- the weakest spot around Black's King.

Bishop's Opening C23
IM Roland Berzinsh
IM Viesturs Meijers
Latvia 1995

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4

The Bishop's Opening is perhaps more than 500 years old! It is mentioned in the famous Gottingen Manuscript, 33 pages in Latin proven to be the work of Lucena, and dated by historians somewhere between 1490 and the end of the fifteenth century.

2...c6 3.Nf3

The modern line. Many old, and some recent, books give only 3.d4 d5 4.exd5 cxd5 5.Bb5+ Bd7 6.Bxd7+ Nxd7 7. dxe5 Nxe5 and now 8.Qe2 Qe7 9. Nc3 O-O-O 10.Bf4 Ng6, equal -- Bilguer, or 8.Ne2 Nf6 9.O-O Be7 10. Nbc3, a variation by Lisitsin, assessed by Sovremeny Debiut, and by ECO, as slightly better for White. But White's advantage looks to me to be only symbolic in nature.

3...d5 4.Bb3 Be6 5.O-O

White gains nothing with 5.Nxe5 Qg5.

5...dxe4 6.Nxe5 Bxb3 7.axb3 Bd6?! 8.d4 exd3?!

9.Nc4!!

One of those diabolical moves which very easily escapes attention. Suddenly Black's King is forced to stay in the center with two open files, a fool-proof recipe for approaching disaster.

9...Be7

If 9...Nf6, 10.Qxd3 Be7 (11...Bc7 12.Re1+) 11.Qxd8+ Kxd8 12.Nb6 or 11...Bxd8 12.Nd6+.

10.Qg4 Nf6

Perhaps 10...Kf8 is the only more or less acceptable continuation.

11.Qxg7 Rg8 12.Qh6 dxc2 13.Nc3 Nbd7?

14.Re1 1-0

Because there is no real defense against the threat 15.Nd6 mate, for example, 14...Qc7 (14...Qb8) 15.Bf4, or 14...Nc5 15.Qxf6.

Two Knights C55
FM Martin Neubauer
IM Zoltan Gyimesi
Stockerau 1993

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d4 Bxd4

If instead 5...exd4, White has the option 6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4 7.Re1+ Be6 8.Ng5, transposing into the Max Lange Attack, in the Romantic Era one of the most analyzed opening variations. For the gambit 6.c3!?, see the next game.

6.Nxd4 Nxd4 7.Bg5 c6

I suppose that this is a novelty. Recent books recommend 7...d6, while Black's best continuation, according to Schlechter, is 7...Ne6, and if 8.Bh4 Qe7. Let remind you of an amusing, but also instructive, game from Romantic times: 7...h6 8.Bh4 g5? 9.f4! gxf4 10.Rxf4! exf4 11.Qxd4 O-O 12.Bxf6 Qe8 13.Bh8 1-0, Rosentretter--Hoffer, Berlin 1897.

8.f4 Qb6

Perhaps the point of the novelty is if now 9.Kh1 Nxe4, but Black forgets that in Romantic openings a player cannot be frightened by the loss of a small, or even a large, amount of material, as long as a promising assault against the opponent's King is in the offing. White shows no fear of the menaced discovered check.

9.fxe5! Ne6+ 10.Kh1 Nxe4 11.Bh4 O-O 12.Bxe6 dxe6 13.Nc3! Qb4 14.Qh5 Nxc3 15.bxc3 Qc5

If 15...Qxc3, 16.Rad1! Qxc2 17. Qxf7+! and White wins.

16.Qg4 Kh8

If 16...Qxe5?, 17.Bf6.

17.Rad1 h6

Two Knights C55
Arwanitakis--Frank
Austria (team ch) 1997

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.c3!? Nf6

After 5...dxc3 6.Nxc3, we have a transposition into the Goring Gambit with the Bishop on c5, which is not the best continuation for Black.

6.O-O Nxe4 7.cxd4 Be7?

Black doesn't know this opening well and enters a bad variation. The normal recommendation, 7... d5 8.dxc5 dxc4 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8, leads, according to Gligoric, to approximately equal chances.

8.d5 Nb8 9.Re1 Nd6 10.Bd3 O-O 11.Bf4

ECO gives only 11.Nc3, claiming an advantage, but players of the White pieces need to know a little bit more, namely the typical attacking patterns after 11...Ne8 12.d6! Nxd6 13.Bf4 Ne8 14. Bxh7+! Kxh7 15.Rxe7! Qxe7 16.Nd5 Qd8 17.Ng5+ Kg6 18.Qd3+ f5 19.Qg3 Nc6 20.Ne6+ Kf7 21.Nxd8+ Nxd8 22. Re1 Ne6 23.Qh3 g6 24.Qh4 and White won in Gullsen--Brody, 1897.

11...b6?!

In case of 11...Ne8, White should play 12.d6! Nxd6 13.Nc3.

12.Nc3 Bb7 13.Re3 Bf6 14.Ne5 Na6

Black probably knows many things about development, pawn structure and weak or strong squares, but obviously he does not know that, first and foremost, the goal in Romantic openings is to attack! The rest of this story consists of trivial tactics, but is pleasant to see.

15.Bxh7+! Kh8 16.Qh5 Re8 17. Bg6+ Kg8 18.Qh7+ Kf8 19.Qh8+ Ke7 20.Nc6 mate

Such a double-mate with a family check is a rare find.

Guioco Piano C53
Paul Weaver
Dean Rommeo
Portland OR (G/15) 1993

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 f5

This time Black is trying to surprise his opponent. Who remembers this continuation?

5.d4

Now, perhaps, it is Black who is taken by surprise. ECO shows only Sozin's recommendation 5.d3 Nf6 6.b4 Bb6 7. a4 a6 7.O-O d6 8.Nbd2 with better chances for White.

5...exd4?!

From Collijns's Larobok comes a most interesting, but almost totally forgotten, variation: 5...fxe4 6.Nxe5 Nxe5 7. Qh5+ (7.dxe5 Qh4 8.O-O c6 9.Qe2 d5 10.exd6 Nf6 with initiative) 7... Ng6 8.Bxg8 Rxg8 9.dxc5 d5 10.cxd6 Qxd6 11.O-O Bd7 12.Be3 O-O-O with a sharp position and chances for both sides.

6.cxd4

Maybe 6.e5!?

6...Bb4+ 7.Nc3 fxe4 8.Ne5 Nxe5 9.dxe5 Bxc3+?! 10.bxc3 Qe7 11.Bf4 b6?

A blunder in an already difficult position. A relatively rare double attack against two Rooks decides Black's fate.

12.Bxg8! Rxg8 13.Qd5 Rf8 14.Qxa8 Kd8 15.Bg3 1-0

White's Bishop can be posted on c4 not only in the Guioco Piano or Two Knights, but in many other openings which begin 1.e4 e5. Below are two such examples played with variations popular in the remote Romantic past.

Vienna C25
Mikko Kivisto
Victor Paz
Mendoza 1985

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Qg4 Qf6?

To the best of my knowledge, in the last hundred years Black has tried no less than a hundred times to revive this variation. All attempts have failed. The story of this game between two very young players is the same. The new move introduced by Black (did he improvise at the board?) proved inadequate, but, nonetheless, the struggle is quite exciting, because both sides missed a few possibilities for decisive tactics.

5.Nd5! Qxf2+ 6.Kd1 Kd8?

Let's just say this is a new bad move. The books show the other King retreat 6...Kf8?, and the most famous example is Mieses--Chigorin, Ostend 1906: 7. Nh3 Qd4 8.d3 d6 9.Qh4 Bxh3 10. Qxh3 Na5 11.Rf1! Nxc4 12.Qd7! f6 13.Nxf6 Qf2 14.Rxf2 Bxf2 15.Nh5 1-0. 6...g6 is considered the best defense.

7.Qxg7 d6 8.Nf3?!

Instead 8.Qf8+! Kd7 9.Nf3 Qxg2 10.Rf1 Qg6 11.d4! exd4 12.Nf4! wins.

8...Bh3

9.Qf8+?

Here White can also win by 9.Rf1! Qxg2 10.Qxh8 Nd4 11.Nxd4 Bg4+ 12.Ke1!

9...Kd7 10.Qxf7+ Nge7 11.Nxe7 Nxe7?

Missing his chance with 11...Raf8!, for example, 12.Nxe5+ Nxe5 13. Qxf2 Rxf2 14.gxh3 Nxc4 15.Nd5 c6 with compensation.

Minev

12.gxh3 Raf8 13.Qe6+ Kd8 14.Rf1 Qxf1+

If 14...Qg2 15.Qg4.

15.Bxf1 Rxf3 16.Be2 1-0

Vienna C25
Reinhard Vlasak
B. Sauper
Austria (team ch) 1997

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 Bb4 4.Nf3 d6?!

The right continuation is shown in Steinitz--Winawer, Baden-Baden 1870 (!): 4...Bxc3 5.bxc3 Qe7 6.fxe5 Nxe5 7.d4 Nxf3+ 8.Qxf3 d5 9.e5 Be6 and White achieves only a slightly better game.

5.Bc4 Bg4? 6.h3 Bxf3 7.Qxf3 Nd4 8.Qg3! Nxc2+ 9.Kd1 Nxa1 10.Nd5

White has sacrificed a whole Rook, but has many threats and very soon almost all his remaining pieces will attack the enemy King. Similar attacking patterns are known from long, long ago.

10...g6 11.fxe5 Qd7 12.Qh4! Ba5 13.Rf1 b5

14.e6! fxe6 15.Nf6+ Nxf6 16.Qxf6 d5 17.Qxh8+ Ke7 18.Qg7+ 1-0