Reply #8: Pähtz - Fraser-Mitchell, Isle of Man Open, Port Erin

[Jack Rabbit]

Elli Pähtz
Photo: Rochade Kuppenheim (Germany)

Elli Pähtz vs. Jeremy Fraser-Mitchell
Isle of Man International Open, Round 1
Port Erin, September 2006

French Advance Game: Tarrasch Opening

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Ndf3 Nc6 7. Ne2 Qb6 8. c3 Be7 9. a3 a5 10. f5 cxd4

• The players have begun with an game satisfactory to both sides. The game is level after 10 moves.
• 10. -- exf5 11. Nf4 cxd4 12. Nxd5 Qd8 13. cxd4 h6 14. Bb5 gives White a small edge in piece activity.

11. cxd4 Qd8

• White has an advantage in central space.
• 11. -- 0-0 12. Nf4 Ndb8 13. g3 Na6 14. fxe6 fxe6 15. Bh3 Nc7 is balanced.

12. fxe6 fxe6 13. Nf4 Nb6?

• The text is an artificial move that does nothing to solve Black's problems.
• Better is 13. -- Ndb8 14. Bd3 when:
• 14. -- Qb6 15. Qc2 g6 16. Be3 Bd7 17. 0=0 and White would have only a small advantage in space.
• 14. -- g5 15. Nh5
• 15. -- g4 16. Nd2 Nxd4 17. Qxg4 and White has an advantage in developmet and piece activity.
• 15. -- 0-0? 16. Qc2 Rf7 and White wins after 17. Bg6! Rf5 18. Bxh7!! Kxh7 19. g4.

14. Bd3 0-0 15. Qc2!

• The text is better than 15. 0-0? Rf7 16. Qc2 g5 17. Nh3 g4 18. Nfg5 then:
• 18. -- Rf5 19. Bxf5 exf5 with equality.
• 18. -- Bxg5? gives White a second chance to nail it down: 19. Rxf7 Kxf7 20. Bxg5 and the h-pawn falls with White able to attack at will.

15. -- g6

Black: Jeremy Fraser-Mitchell
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White: Elli Pähtz
Position after 15. -- g7g6

16. Bxg6!!

• By sacrificing her Bishop, White rips open the castle walls and jumps all over the exposed King.
• The text is not only the most beautiful way to win, but probably the only way: 16. Be3?! Qe8 17. 0-0 Bd7 18. Rac1 Rc8 19. Qf2 Nb8 20. Qg3 give Black the opportunity to exchanges pieces and thus take the sting out of White's threats.

16. -- hxg6 17. Qxg6+ Kh8 18. Nh5

• Also good is 18. Qh6+ Kg8 19. Nh5 Kf7 20. Ng5+ Ke8 21. Qg6+

18. -- Bh4+ 19. g3 Qe7 20. Qh6+ Kg8 21. gxh4 Rxf3

• Black falls on his sword. There is nothing better.
• 21. -- Kf7 22. Nf6 Qxf6 23. exf6 Ke8 24. Qg6+ would avoid mate, but Black is lost in any event.

22. Rg1+ Kf7 23. Qg6+ Kf8 24. Qg8# 1-0

• Frln. Pähtz says that she is an intuitive player. Like Tal and his followers.