Hammer blow

Jon Ludvig Nilssen Hammer – Martin Zumsande
45th Rilton Cup; Stockholm, January 5, 2016
Réti Opening A07

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. 0-0 b5 5. d3 Be7 6. c4 c6 7. b3 0-0 8. Bb2 Bb7 9. Nbd2 Nbd7 10. Qc2 a6 11. e4 c5. For 11. ... Rc8 12. Rfe1 Qb6 13. h3 Rfd8 14. Bd4 c5 see Malich – Matanović, 20th Chess Olympiad, Skopje 1972. 12. exd5. For 12. e5 Ne8 13. Rfe1 Nc7 see Hungaski – Flores, 12th Festival da Uva, Caxias do Sul 2012. 12. ... exd5 13. Nh4 Re8 14. Nf5 Bf8 15. d4 cxd4 16. Bxd4 Rc8 17. Qb2 Qa5 18. c5 b4 19. Bh3 Nxc5? A grave slip. Correct was the prophylactic 19. ... Rc6! in order to answer 20. Nxg7 by 20. ... Bxg7 21. Bxd7 Nxd7 22. Bxg7 f6 23. Bh6 Qxc5 24. Rc1 Qd6 with reasonable surviving chances.

20. Nxg7! A hammer blow! 20. ... Nd3. This is the resource relied upon by Black, but, of course, Hammer is not caught by surprise. 21. Nxe8! Consistent and brilliant. Now, both 21. ... Nxe8 22. Qb1 and 21. ... Rxe8 22. Qc2 Ne5 23. Qf5 would be totally hopeless, so Black consoles himself with Her Majesty’s crown. 21. ... Nxb2 22. Nxf6+ Kg7 23. Bxc8 Bxc8 24. Bxb2. White’s compensation is overwhelming. No wonder that Black’s King gets quickly trapped in a mating net. 24. ... Bh3 25. Rfe1 Kg6 26. Nf3 Bd6 27. Re8 1 : 0.

Jon Ludvig Nilssen Hammer
Photo: Lars OA Hedlund