| Feb-15-07 |
| MarkThornton: 16...Na6!! is one of the finest TNs I have ever seen. It rehabilitates 8...h5xg4, and may put 8. Nf4 out of action. |
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| Feb-25-07 |
| MarkThornton: 17. Qxa8! is the best try for White, in a difficult position, when the following might happen: 17...Bh4 18. Qxb7+ Nc7 19. Kg1 f2+
20. Kg2 Rh2+ 21. Kxh2 f1 = Q
Now Black threatens 22...Qf2+ 23. Kh1 Bg3 and mates. White has two serious tries to prevent this: |
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| Feb-25-07 |
| MarkThornton: a) 22. Qb3? Qxc1!
Black is now only the exchange down, and White's QR + QN are paralysed for a long time. The White Queen has to defend alone against threats to b2, d4 and her King, the two main ones being 23...Bf2 and 23...Nb5, e.g. i) 23. Kg2 Nb5 24. c3 Qg5+ and mates
ii) 23. a4 Bf2 24. c3 Qg1+ and mates
So instead, White must try
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| Feb-25-07 |
| MarkThornton: (b) 22. Be3! g5 (threatening g4-g3+)
23. Nc3!! Qxa1 (23...Qf3? 24. Nxd5!! cxd5 25. Qb3 and White survives)
24. Na4 Qf1 25. Nc5+ Ke8 26. Qxc6+ Kf7
27. Qxc7+ Kg6 28. Nd3 Qe2+ 29. Bf2 Bxf2 30. Nxf2 Qxf2+ 31. Kh3 Qxd4Black has a very good Q+P endgame, but White is still on the board. |
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| Oct-18-07 |
| Ziggurat: Stunning. |
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Oct-18-07
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| whiteshark: <MarkThornton: <It rehabilitates 8...h5xg4, and may put 8. Nf4 out of action.>> I'm not so shure about that. After <11.fxg4 Rxh4 12.Bh3> it's another game where imo white is not bad. 
click for larger view |
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| Apr-12-08 |
| MarkThornton: I have composed a game to show some of the fantastic possibilities that could have occured after <17. Qxa8!>. Here it is: [White "Van de Loo, Christophe (NLD)"]
[Black "Hesseling, M (GER)"]
[Event "Shackwick-on-sea Open"]
[Site "England"]
[Date "2008.??.??"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B12"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.g4 Be4 5.f3 Bg6 6.h4 h5 7.Ne2 e6 8.Nf4 hxg4 9.Nxg6 fxg6 10.Qd3 Kd7 11.Qxg6 gxf3 12.Bh3 Qxh4+ 13.Kf1 Qxh3+ 14.Rxh3 Rxh3 15.Qf7+ Be7 16.Qxg8 Na6 17.Qxa8 Bh4 18.Qxb7+ Nc7 19.Kg1 f2+ 20.Kg2 Rh2+ 21.Kxh2 f1=Q 22.Be3 g5 23.Nc3 Qxa1 24.Na4 Qf1 25.Nc5+ Ke8 26.Qxc6+ Kf7 27.Qxc7+ Kg6 28.Nd3 Qe2+ 29.Kh1 Qf3+ 30.Kh2 Qg3+ 31.Kh1 Qh3+ 32.Kg1 Qxe3+ 33.Kf1 Qf3+ 34.Kg1 Qd1+ 35.Kg2 Qe2+ 36.Kg1 Kf5 37.Qf7+ Kg4 38.Qf1 Qxc2 39.Qg2+ Qxg2+ 40.Kxg2 Kf5 41.Kf3 g4+ 42.Ke3 Bg5+ 43.Ke2 Be7 44.Ke3 a5 45.Ne1 Bg5+ 46.Ke2 Ke4 47.Nc2 Bd8 48.a4 Bb6 49.b4 axb4 50.Nxb4 Bxd4 51.Nc6 Bc5 52.a5 g3 53.a6 g2 54.a7 Bxa7 0-1 These two particpants have played a composed game once before: C Van de Loo vs M Hesseling, 1983. My game evens the score between these two rivals. |
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| Apr-14-08 |
| MarkThornton: <whiteshark: <MarkThornton: <It rehabilitates 8...h5xg4, and may put 8. Nf4 out of action.>> I'm not so shure about that. After <11.fxg4 Rxh4 12.Bh3> it's another game where imo white is not bad.>
click for larger viewMy gut instinct is that the combination of Pg4 and Bh3 looks clumsy. As a result, my hunch is that Black is at least equal. However, the position is unusual and both kings are a bit unsafe, so general assessments need to be backed up by concrete analysis. IMO, Black's two best moves are <12...Na6> and <12...Nh6>. <12...Na6> develops a piece, threatens a later ...Nb4, and prepares a safe retreat for the Black King (...Rc8, ...Kc7, ...Kb8). <12...Nh6> defends the sensitive f7 square, and threatens the g4 pawn. If <13. g5> then <13...Nf5> is good for Black. In an OTB game, I think I would play <12...Na6>, as it looks safer. In a correspondence game, I might try the sharper <12...Nh6>. |
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Apr-14-08
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| whiteshark: <MarkThornton: <<12...Na6> develops a piece, threatens a later ...Nb4, and prepares a safe retreat for the Black King (...Rc8, ...Kc7, ...Kb8).>> After <12...Na6> the answer is <13.Nd2> and if <13...Qb6/Rh8/c5> than <14.Nf3>. Playing directly <13...Nb4> than <14.Qc3>. |
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| May-11-09 |
| MarkThornton: The full beauty of Erwin l'Ami's novelty, <16...Na6!!>, was eventually revealed in this game: C Van de Loo vs M Hesseling, 2008 |
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Secrets of Opening Surprises
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sac: 13...Qxh3+
icon.