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Jonathan Mestel vs Tony Miles
British Championship (1979), Chester ENG, rd 10, Aug-16
Sicilian Defense: Kan. Maroczy Bind Reti Variation (B41)  ·  0-1

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White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
0-1

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Aug-18-06  Marmot PFL: I found both Bf3 and Bxg2+ easily enough, but the latter move seems simpler and better than the move Miles played.
Aug-18-06  Runemaster: <Honza> I agree; after 25...Bxg2+ 26.Kg1 I intended 26...Qxb2. As you say, the bishop on g2 covers h3 for the moment.
Aug-18-06  EmperorAtahualpa: Wonderful move! I was looking at 25...Bxg2+ shortly, but didn't take the move serious.
Aug-18-06  dalbertz: <Ger7ry: What happens if White answers 25. ... Bf3 with 26. RxB? If 26. ... QxB ch, 27. Bf1 and White is still threatening the mate beginning with 28. Qxh ch.>

White answers Bf1 with Qd1 and then the queen sac won't work anymore - 28. Qxh7+ Kxh7 29. Rh3+ Qh5 leaves black with a big advantage.

Aug-18-06  YouRang: Now, if I had been playing for Black at move 25, I would have....lost. :-(

Still, 25...Bf3 is a fascinating move, forcing white to block his own rook. Also, 26...d6 is fascinating. Clearly, I was in over my head in this one!

Aug-18-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: And now anything a little bit different.


click for larger view

Let's say that white can still castling Kingside. Black to play.:-)

Aug-18-06  kevin86: A brilliant block move! 25...♗f3!!. If the rook takes,black takes the bishop at e1-the pawn capture cuts the white rook from h3 and prevents the checkmate.
Aug-18-06  YouRang: <Honza> Black has pretty formidable attacking chances. How about knocking a hole in White's kingside defense, while clearing the f-file for the black rook with 1...Bxc2!?

2. Qxc2 Qg3+
3. Kf1 Rxf3+
4. gxf3 Qxf3+
5. Kg1 Rxe2

Looks to me like Black has a devastating attack.

Aug-18-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <YouRang> 1...Bxc2 is interesting and not bad attempt but I am afraid that after 2.Qxc2 Qg3+(?) 3.Kd1! white is out of troubles. Now I see that 1...Bxc2 works too (try to find it yourself, it is beautiful too) but the main line (much more forcible) is different.:-)
Aug-18-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <YouRang> But the general ideas of yours are correct.:-)
Aug-18-06  YouRang: <Honza> Ah, I missed Kd1; maybe I moved the queen too soon. Perhaps I change the order a bit? 1...Qg3+

2. Kf1 Bxc2
3. Qe1 (if Qxc2, we transpose into the earlier line).

3...Rxf3+
4. gxf3 Qxf3+
5. Kg1 Rxe2

And again, Black has a nasty attack underway. :-)

Aug-18-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: 1...Qg3+ 2.Kf1 Bxc2 3.Nxg3....:-)
Aug-18-06  dakgootje: also went for Bxg2...
Aug-18-06  cosmicassassin: Hey Honza, I think I've got the answer.

1 ... Qg3+
2 Kf1 Bd3
3 cxd3 Rxf3+
4 gxf3 Qxf3+
5 Kg1 Rxe2
6 Rh2 Qg3+
7 Kf1 Rxh2
And it's over. Fairly obvious given the setup.

As an aside, how to I get the black move column to align properly. First post on this website.

Aug-18-06  YouRang: <Honza> Doh! I guess you can tell I'm not using a computer, huh?. :-|

Okay, let's drop the Bxc2 idea. Instead, we go like this: 1...Qg3+

2. Kf1 Bd3! (open the f-file and pin the knight)

If 3. cxd3: 3...Rxf3+ 4. gxf3 Qxf3+ 5. Kg1 Rxe2

If 3. Kg1: 3...Bxe2 4. Bxe2 Qf2+ 5. Kh2 Rxe2

Aug-18-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <cosmicassassin, YouRang> Yes, that's the solution. Without white's right to castle Kingside also 1...Bd3 works but 1...Qg3+ 2.Kf1 Bd3! (it is lovely move, isn't it?) is the main idea here.

Btw, 1...Bxc2 2.Qxc2 Nd3+! 3.Kf1 (better is 3.Kd1 but then Nf2+ and Nxh1 gives black an advantage too) 3...Qd4!! is a beautiful winning shot too. 4.Nxd4 is not possible for simple 4...Re1# and white has to give up the Queen to stop the mate on f2.:-)

Aug-18-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <cosmicassassin> Btw, welcome on this excellent site.:-D
Aug-18-06  YouRang: <Honza> Nice puzzle - thanks. And the 1...Bxc2 is a pretty nifty line also, particularly the 3...Qd4 stunner. :-)
Aug-18-06  TheSlid: Did not recognise 25..Bf3 as a Candidate move. Not once. Thought 25...Bxg2 and the 26.Kxg2 Qxb2+ should cause enough trouble not to lose immediately, but Bf3 is stunning - a "line-cutter", I think is the term.
Aug-18-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  al wazir: <Honza>: 1...Bxc2 2. Qxc2 Nd3+, and now 3. Qxd3 Qxd3 is forced; otherwise after 3...Kf1 black has 3...Rxe2, and now if 4. Kxe2 then 4...Re8+ 5. Kf1 Re1#; if 4. Qxd3 then 4...Qxd3; if 4. Qd1 then 4...Rf2+ 5. Kg1 R8xf3 6. gx3 Qg3#. White can check once along the h2-g8 diagonal, but black answers Kh8 and white is out of moves.

After 3. Qxd3 Qxd3 the material is about even, but just look at white's position!

Aug-19-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <al wazir> <1...Bxc2 2. Qxc2 Nd3+, and now 3. Qxd3 Qxd3 is forced> 3.Kd1 is playable though not sufficient.
Aug-19-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <TheSlid><Thought 25...Bxg2 and the 26.Kxg2 Qxb2+ should cause enough trouble not to lose immediately> Not only that. 25...Bxg2 is clear winner.
Sep-04-06  patzer2: While the game continuation with the obstruction and interfernece move 25...Bf3! appears to win slowly, <Honza Cervenka> is absolutely correct in indicating 25...Bxg2+!! is superior and a clear winner. After 25...Bxg2+!! Kxg2 26. Qxb2+ 27. Be2!? g5! 28. fxg5 Rxg5+! 29. Qxg5 Rg8 , Black should win the ending.
Aug-25-15  SimplicityRichard: Bf3!! The best defensive move I have ever witnessed. Had I been Black, I would have resigned the game.#
Aug-25-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Dionysius1: Thank you, Shade of Tony Miles. 25...Bf3 makes my heart dance after a long day. As white I would have been smiling all over my face after Tony Miles made that move (very little killer instinct in my later years!)
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