The Shock Doctrine

Jonathan Hawkins – John D. Wager
102nd British Chess Championship; Coventry, July 27, 2015
Dutch Defence A84

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 e6 4. Nc3 f5 5. Bf4 Nf6 6. e3 Be7 7. Bd3 0-0 8. Qc2 Ne4 9. g4 Na6 10. a3 fxg4? This move is suicidal. After 19. ... Qa5 11. Ke2! Nxc3+ 12. bxc3 Nc7 13. Ne5 White seems to have a powerful initiative, Stempin – Kholmov, Warsaw 1989. Maybe 19. ... Nxc3 10. bxc3 dxc4 11. Bxc4 Nc7 (intending ... Nc7-d5) could have been better. 11. Ne5 Nf6 12. c5 Nb8

13. h3! Sic et simpliciter. As they say, White’s attack plays itself. 13. ... g3 14. Rg1 gxf2+. Equally after the comparatively best 14. ... Nbd7 15. Bxg3! Kh8 16. Ne2! White’s attack continues. 15. Qxf2. Intending Qf2-h4-h6. 15. ... Nh5 16. Qc2 Bh4+ 17. Kd2 Nxf4? From bad to worse. Here 17. ... Rf5 was the last chance, though after 18. Raf1! White keeps his decisive grip on the game. 18. Bxh7+ Kh8 19. exf4. Now Black is defenseless. 19. ... Qf6 20. Rg4. Even stronger is 20. Ng6+ Kxh7 21. Nxf8++ Kg8 22. Qh7+ Kxf8 23. Qh8+ Kf7 24. Qxc8 and Black can resign. 20. ... Bf2. Also after 20. ... Nd7 21. Ng6+ Kxh7 22. Nxf8++ Kg8 23. Qh7+ Kxf8 24. Qxh4 White wins easily if prosaically. 21. Bd3. Again 21. Ng6+ is the easiest way. 21. ... Bxd4. As they say, “there are only bad moves in bad positions”. If 21. ... Kg8 then 22. Ne2! finis. 1 : 0. Wager made his move and then resigned without waiting for 22. Rh4+! Kg8 (or 22. ... Qxh4 23. Ng6+) 23. Bh7+ Kh8 24. Ng6+ and White wins the Queen.