Andrei Sokolov vs Jonathan Speelman (1988)

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Kibitzing

Andrei Sokolov vs Jonathan Speelman
Madrid Rapid (1988) (rapid), Madrid ESP, Dec-??
Scandinavian Defense: Icelandic-Palme Gambit (B01) · 0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Given 2 times; par: 45 [what's this?]

explore this opening	find similar games	3 more A Sokolov/Speelman games
sac: 18...Nxg3+	PGN: download \| view \| print	Help: general \| java-troubleshooting

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< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 2 OF 2 · Later Kibitzing>
Apr-10-16		An Englishman: Good Evening: Saw the first three moves of most of the possible variations and decided this was the correct line and one of those speculative sacrifices that Tal and Spielmann loved. The only variation I missed was the game continuation!

Apr-10-16		dfcx: I did not get it. Still do not know why white played 20.Ng1. According to Stockfish 20.Kg2 (+0.00@29) draws, 20.Ng1 is rated -1.32. Can someone explain how to win against 20.Kg2? Here is the line from Stockfish. 20.Kg2 Re2+ 21.Kf1 R2e2 22.Kg2 draws.

Apr-10-16		devere: <dfcx: I did not get it. Still do not know why white played 20.Ng1. According to Stockfish 20.Kg2 (+0.00@29) draws, 20.Ng1 is rated -1.32. Can someone explain how to win against 20.Kg2? Here is the line from Stockfish. 20.Kg2 Re2+ 21.Kf1 R2e2 22.Kg2 draws.> Can't win against 20.Kg2, but 20...Re2+ 21.Kf1 Qb6 22.Rh2 Qf6 23.Rf2 R(8)e3 23.Kg1 = is interesting. click for larger view Since Black was a pawn down to start with, you could consider 18...Nxg3+ as a sound drawing combination with winning possibilities if White makes a mistake.

Apr-10-16		yadasampati: <devere> Your Stockfish line has a mistake in it: 21. ... R2e2 is not possible, because the rook is already on e2

Apr-10-16		devere: <yadasampati: <devere> Your Stockfish line has a mistake in it: 21. ... R2e2 is not possible, because the rook is already on e2> It wasn't my mistake, it was <dfcx>s. In any event it was an obvious typo (R(2)e3 was intended), and in my opinion not worth commenting on.

Apr-10-16		morfishine: <18...Nxg3+> must be the move

Apr-10-16		mel gibson: As others have said it's actually a draw. I checked it on my computer: 19 fxg3 Re3 20 Kg2 Re2+ 21 Kf1 Re3 22 Kg2 Re2+ etc etc

Apr-10-16		The Kings Domain: Nice to have gotten this pretty complex one. White was pretty much done in with his manacled queen and rooks.

Apr-10-16		The Kings Domain: Good game. Well done finish by the king of unorthodox openings.

Apr-10-16		agb2002: Black is one pawn down. White is about to consolidate with Kg2, Qd2, etc. Black can try to exploit the poor development and coordination of the white pieces with 18... Nxg3+ 19.fxg3 Re3 but I've been unable to find what to do after 20.Kg2 (20.Kf2 Qc5, 20.Qd1 Qc3 look winning or advantageous) 20... Re2+ 21.Kf1.

Apr-10-16		Jimfromprovidence: Beside the awful text move 23 Kf2, white has improvements with either 23 Rg2 or 23 Qd4, both respectively below. click for larger view click for larger view The side puzzle is for black to play and win in both cases.

Apr-10-16		RandomVisitor: 18...Nxg3+ 19.fxg3 Re3 20.Kg2 Re2+ 21.Kf1 Qb6 22.Rh2 click for larger view Komodo-9.42-64bit: 0.00/39 22...Rxh2 23.Nxh2 Qf6+ 24.Kg2 Re2+ 25.Kh1 Qe5 26.Qb1 Kb8 27.Ng4 Qd4 28.Qf1 Qe4+ 29.Kg1 Qd4+ 30.Nf2 Rxf2 31.Qxf2 Qxa1+ 32.Kg2 a6 33.Qe2 Ka7 34.Qf2+ Kb8 0.00/39 22...Qf6 23.Rf2 R8e3 24.Kg1 Rxf2 25.Qxe3 Rxf3 26.Qe8+ Qd8 27.Qe5 Qf6 28.Qxf6 Rxf6 29.Kg2 Ra6 30.a4 Rd6 31.Rf1 f6 32.b4 c6 33.dxc6 Rxc6 34.Rf4 Ra6 35.a5 Rd6 36.Rh4 h6 37.Re4 Kd7 38.Kf3 Rd3+ 39.Re3 Rd4 40.Re4 Rd2 41.Re2 Rd3+ 42.Re3

Apr-10-16		RandomVisitor: Since today's puzzle is busted, a better puzzle would be black to play after 10.d5: click for larger view

Apr-10-16		JimNorCal: I'm not seeing the strength of 27 Qf2. Will black play Rh3 then h2 to increase pressure on the pinned knight? Alternately black could have played RxN RxR Rf2 to exchange down to a simple pawn endgame.

Apr-10-16		tpstar: After 27 ... Qf2: click for larger view The threat is 28 ... Rd3+ & 29 ... Qxe1. If 28. Qc1 Rd3+ 29. Kc2 Rc3+ wins the Queen. Or 28. Qb1/Qa1 Rd3+ 29. Kc2 Rfe3 and White is all tied up in knots.

Apr-10-16		mel gibson: Chris - why do bother writing gibberish that no one can understand?

Apr-10-16		MissScarlett: Ever hear of the Rosetta Stone?

Apr-10-16		Sally Simpson: Hi Mel, Two taps on the 'space bar' then read on. No harm done.

Apr-10-16		RandomVisitor: After 10.d5: click for larger view Komodo-9.42-64bit: <-2.76/41 10...Nxd5> 11.a3 Qxb2 12.Rb1 Qxa3 13.cxd5 Bxd5 14.Bb5 Rhe8+ 15.Kf1 Bxf3 16.Qxf3 Qa2 17.Qg4+ Rd7 18.Bxc6 bxc6 19.g3 Qxd2 20.h3 a5 21.Ra1 Qd5 22.Kg1 g6 23.Qa4 Re2 24.Qxa5 Qxa5 25.Rxa5 Rd1+ 26.Kg2 Rxh1 27.Kxh1 Rxf2 28.Ra3 c5 29.Rc3 Rf5 30.g4 Re5 31.Rf3 f5 32.gxf5 Rxf5 33.Rc3 Kd7 34.Kg2 Kd6 35.Kg3 Kd5 36.Rd3+ Kc6 37.Rc3 Kd6 38.h4 Kd5 39.Rd3+ Kc6 40.Rc3 Kd6 41.Rc1 Rd5

Apr-10-16		RandomVisitor: After 8...Nc6 click for larger view Komodo-9.42-64bit: <-0.14/35 9.d5> 0-0-0 10.Qb3 Bf5 11.0-0-0 Qxb3 12.Nxb3 Nb4 13.a3 Bc2 14.Rd4 Bxb3 15.axb4 b5 16.Ne2 Bxc4 17.Nc3 Bxf1 18.Rxf1 a6 19.Kc2 Rd6 20.Re1 Rhd8 21.Re7 R6d7 22.Rxd7 Kxd7 23.Rd1 Kc8 24.f3 Kb7 25.Kb3 h6 26.h4 h5 27.Kc2 Rd6 28.Rd4 Kb6 29.Rd1 Nd7

Apr-10-16		Patriot: I knew there was something suspicious about this position. There just didn't seem to be enough tactical factors for a win. But 18...Nxg3+ is a nice attempt to win, and of course it worked.

Apr-11-16		mel gibson: <Sally Simpson: Hi Mel, Two taps on the 'space bar' then read on. No harm done.> Yes but I just don't know why he bothers?

Apr-11-16		RandomVisitor: After 4...Bxe6 click for larger view Komodo-9.42-64bit: <+0.41/44 5.Nf3> c5 6.Be2 Nc6 7.0-0 Qc7 8.d4 cxd4 9.Nxd4 0-0-0 10.Nxe6 fxe6 11.Qe1 Nd4 12.Nc3 Bb4 13.Bd1 Qxc4 14.Bf4 Bd6 15.Bxd6 Rxd6 16.Rc1 Kb8 17.Ne2 Nxe2+ 18.Bxe2 Qf4 19.Bf3 Rhd8 20.Qc3 Rd3 21.Qa5 R3d7 22.Rfe1 Nd5 23.Qa3 Qf6 24.h3 Nf4 25.Red1 Rxd1+ 26.Rxd1 Nd5 27.Re1 a6 28.Bxd5 Rxd5 29.Qe3 e5 30.a3 Qf4 31.Qxf4 exf4 32.Re7 Rd1+ 33.Kh2

Aug-17-20		Gaito: Rapid games often contain lots of errors and inaccuracies. This game was no exception: 18.g3? was a mistake. Instead 18. Qg5! would have given White the upper hand. The sacrifice 18...Nxg3? was incorrect. White made several blunders: 20. Ng1? (instead, 20. Kg1! would have given White a better position). 22.Qb2?? was the final blunder. Instead, 22.Qb1 is equal. Lastly, Black missed a simple mate in three: 24...Qf5+ 25. Ke1 Rg1+ 26. Kd2 Qd3 mate.

Nov-03-23		WTHarvey: Alternate ending - Black mates in 3. click for larger view 24...♕f5+ if 25.♔e1 ♖g1+

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