Ghost goal

Wesley So – Sergey Fedorchuk
French Team Championship Top 12; Port-Camargue, June 8, 2015
English Opening A27

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Bc5 4. a3!? d6 5. b4 Bb6 6. e3 Bg4 7. h3 Bh5 8. g4!? Bg6 9. d4! exd4. Not 9. ... e4? 10. Nd2 and Black cannot hold the e4-Pawn. 10. exd4 a6 11. Bg2 h5 12. 0-0 hxg4 13. hxg4 Qd7 14. Re1+ Kf8 15. c5 Ba7 16. d5 Nce7 17. Qd4 Rd8 18. Bb2. With the threat of Nc3-b5. 18. ... f6 19. Qf4. Another move order – definitely more forcing than the text – was 19. Ng5! dxc5 (on 19. ... fxg5 20. Ne4 would be too strong) 20. Qf4 and White’s position looks imposing. 19. ... Nh6. On 19. ... dxc5 20. Ng5! transposes to the above-mentioned line. 20. g5. Another intriguing possibility was 20. Re6! in order to met 20. ... Bf7 by 21. Rxf6! gxf6 22. Qxf6 with a very powerful attack. 20. ... Qg4 21. Qd2. The most logical way to exploit the weakness of Black’s position was 21. Nd4! Bf7 22. Qe4 forcing the exchange of Queens and securing a clear edge. 21. ... Nf7 22. gxf6 gxf6 23. Qd4 Ne5 24. Qxg4 Nxg4 25. Nd4 Kf7 26. Ne6 Rdg8! White’s position is not so good anymore. Black has just taken the initiative. 27. Nxc7 Ne5 28. cxd6 Nc8 29. d7?? Wesley’s move is suicidal. Possibly his best practical chance was to give back the Exchange with 29. Rxe5! fxe5 30. d7, although after 30. ... Nb6 31. Ne6 Nxd7 Black standa better.

29. ... Nf3+! 30. Kf1. Equally after 30. Bxf3 Be4+! 31. Kf1 Bxf3 Black wins. 30. ... Bd3+ 31. Re2 Rh1+ 0 : 1. Because of 32. Bxh1 Rg1 mate. Cool defence by Fedorchuk!

Sergey Fedorchuk
Photo: Sergey Fedorchuk