The Mirage

Vladislav Mikhailovich Artemiev – Alexander Anatolyevich Motylev
68th Russian Chess Championship; Chita, August 11, 2015
Queen’s Gambit Accepted D20

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 e5 4. Bxc4 exd4 5. exd4 Bd6 6. Nf3 Nf6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. h3 Nc6 9. Nc3 Bf5 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bh4 g5

12. Nxg5!? Theoretical novelty, nineteenth century style: Vladislav Mikhailovich sacrifices his Knight for two Pawns pursuing the mirage of an attack. So far, the accepted continuation was 12. Bg3 Bxg3 13. fxg3 Bg6 14. Ne5 with an edge for White, Liiva – Hübner, 14th Pühajärve Rapid Chess Tournament, Pühajärve 2013. “I could not resist”, then Artemiev said. 12. ... hxg5 13. Bxg5 Re8 14. Qd2 Nxd4. Bad news for Artemiev: Black wins back a Pawn. 15. Rad1 c5 16. b4 b6 17. bxc5 bxc5 18. Rfe1 Rxe1+ 19. Qxe1 Be6?? The crisis. A shocked Motylev falls right into a nightmare. Instead 19. ... Be7! and if 20. Qe5 only then 20. ... Be6! would set White the extremely difficult task of struggling to prove compensation for his sacrifice. 20. Bxe6 fxe6 21. Rxd4! Bh2+? From bad to worse, but also after 21. ... cxd4 22. Qxe6+ Kg7 23. Nd5 Nxd5 24. Qh6+ Kf7 25. Qh5+ Ke6 26. Qg4+ Kf7 27. Bxd8 Rxd8 28. Qxd4 White should win in the short-mid-long run. 22. Kxh2 Qxd4 23. Qxe6+ Kg7 24. Ne2! 1 : 0.