Self-styled coup de théâtre

Richárd Rapport – Matthieu Cornette
4th GRENKE Chess Classic; Baden-Baden, March 28, 2016
English Opening A20

1. g3 e5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 e4 4. Nd4 d5 5. d3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Qb6 7. Bxb4 Qxb4+ 8. Qd2 Qxd2+ 9. Nxd2 exd3 10. e4! Enterprising chess! For the more reserved 10. e3 Nf6 11. Bxd3 0-0 12. cxd5 Nxd5 13. Rc1 Nd7 see P. C. Benkö – Zuidema, 20th Anniversary of the Liberation of Belgrade, Belgrade 1964. 10. ... dxe4 11. Nxe4 Ke7 12. 0-0-0 Nf6 13. Nc5 g6 14. Bg2 Nbd7 15. Rhe1+ Kf8 16. Nxd3 Kg7 17. h3. Black is far behind in development with His Majesty trapped in the centre. 17. ... Re8. This is very strange! Black is underdeveloped enough for not thinking to exchange Rooks, thus helping his opponent’s development. 18. g4 Kf8 19. Kc2 Rxe1 20. Rxe1 a5 21. b3 Ne8 22. Nf3 Ra6 23. Ng5 Nef6 24. f4 c5 25. Ne5 Nxe5 26. Rxe5 b6 27. Bc6 h5 28. Ne4 Nd7? Somehow Black managed to survive all dangers (probably with the help of his opponent), but now he commits a serious mistake. Correct was 28. ... Nxe4 29. Re8+ Kg7 30. Rxc8 (if 30. Bxe4 then 30. ... Bd7 31. Re7 Ra7 followed by ... Kg7-f6 or ... Kg7-f8) 30. ... Nf2 defending the Alamo to the last. 29. Rd5 Ra7 30. gxh5 Rc7? Objectively speaking, also after 30. ... gxh5 31. Rxh5 Bb7 32. Bxb7 Rxb7 33. Rd5 Ke7 34. h4 the ending would be hopeless for Black, but the text makes things easier. 31. Bxd7 Bxd7 32. h6. An unstoppable passer! 32. ... Bc6. This is bad, but the game is lost in any case; for instance: 32. ... Bf5 33. Rd8+ Ke7 34. h7 Bxe4+ 35. Kb2 Kxd8 36. h8=Q+ Kd7 37. Qf6 and Black has no hope at all. 33. Rd8+ Ke7

34. Nf6! Or as a “dual” 34. Ng5. 1 : 0.