Myths of the Near Future

Mikhail Al. Antipov – Francesco Rambaldi
54th World Junior Chess Championship; Khanty-Mansiysk, September 15, 2015
Caro-Kann Defence B12

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nd2 e6 5. Nb3 Nd7 6. Nf3 h6 7. Be2 Ne7 8. 0-0 g5 9. Ne1 Qc7 10. Nd3 Ng6 11. Bd2. Another try is 11. Ne1 Ne7 12. f4 0-0-0 13. Nd3 Ng6 14. Bg4 Bxd3 15. cxd3 gxf4 16. Bxf4 Nxf4 17. Rxf4 f5 18. Bh5 Nf6 19. Kh1 Nxh5 20. Qxh5 Qg7 21. Rf3 Rg8 22. Rg3 Qh7 23. Rxg8 Qxg8 24. Rf1 Qg5 25. Qxg5 hxg5 26. g4 fxg4 27. Rf7 Re8 28. Kg2 Be7 29. Kg3 b6 30. Kxg4 Kd7 31. Rf3 ½ : ½ Nakamura – Shankland, 59th U.S. Chess Championship, Saint Louis 2015. 11. ... 0-0-0 12. a4 f6! Rambaldi plays to win! 13. exf6 Bd6 14. g3 Rdf8 15. Ndc5 Bxc5 16. Nxc5 Nxc5 17. dxc5 Bh3 18. Re1 Rxf6 19. Bg4 Bxg4 20. Qxg4 h5! 21. Qxg5 Qf7 22. Qe3 e5 23. b4 Rf8 24. Rf1 h4! 25. Qe2 e4 26. Bc3 Rf3 27. Bd4 Qd7 28. Kh1 Qg4 29. Rfe1

29. ... e3! Francesco conducts the attack with glaring élan! 30. Bxe3 hxg3 31. hxg3. Sad, but understandable, as 31. fxg3 Rf1+! wins the Queen. 31. ... Nh4! Threatening ... Qg4-h3+ and mate next move. 32. Kh2. Obviously the Black Knight is taboo: 32. gxh4?? Rh3 mate. 32. ... d4?? Oh, no, the Italian flight remains stunned in the ruins of a broken dream! Instead 32. ... Qh5!! wins on the spot, threatening 33. ... Nf5+ 34. Kg2 Nxg3! 35. fxg3 Rxg3+! 36. Kxg3 Rg8+ 37. Kf2 Qh2+ 38. Kf1 Qh3+ 39. Kf2 Qg2 mate. 33. Bf4 Rxf2+ 34. Qxf2 Nf3+ 35. Kg2 Rxf4 36. Re8+ Kd7 37. Rae1. Alas, what a turnaround! 37. ... Nxe1+ 38. Qxe1 Rf7 39. Rb8 Qf3+ 40. Kg1 Rf8 41. Rxb7+ Kc8 42. Rxa7 Kb8 43. Re7 Rd8 44. b5 d3 45. Qe5+ Ka8 46. Ra7+ Kxa7 47. Qc7+ Ka8 48. Qxd8+ Kb7 49. Qd7+ Kb8 50. Qxd3 1 : 0.

Mikhail Al. Antipov (R.) vs. Francesco Rambaldi (L.)
Photo: Vladimir Barsky