One Foot Wrong

Paul Robert Evangelista – Davaaochir Nyamdorj
55th World Junior Chess Championship U-20; Bhubaneswar, August 20, 2016
Bishop’s Opening C24

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d3 c6 4. Nf3 d5 5. Bb3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Bd6 7. Nc3 dxe4 8. Ng5 0-0 9. Ngxe4 Nxe4 10. Nxe4 Be7? A wrong step which gives White the opportunity for a dangerous initiative. The right reply is 10. ... Bf5, e.g. 11. Qf3 Bxe4 12. dxe4 Na6 13. 0-0 Nc5 14. Rad1 Nxb3 15. Qxb3 Qb6 16. Ba5 Qxb3 17. axb3 Bc5 18. Rd7 b6 19. Bc3 Rfd8 20. Rfd1 Bd4 21. Rxd8+ Rxd8 22. Kf1 Kf8 23. Bxd4 exd4 24. c3 c5 25. Ke2 Re8 26. cxd4 ½ : ½ D. K. Johansen – Liew Chee Meng, Zonal Tournament, Jakarta 1987. 11. Qh5! Nd7 12. 0-0 a5 13. a4 Bf6? This second mistake leads to a quick collapse. Black should have been content with 13. ... Nf6 14. Qxe5 Nxe4 15. Qxe4 Bf6 which leaves him with only a Pawn less. 14. Bg5 Qe7. If 14. ... Bxg5 then 15. Nxg5 Nf6 16. Bxf7+ Kh8 17. Qh4 with a huge advantage.

15. f4! The End: White forces the opening of the f-file. 15. ... Bxg5. No better is 15. ... h6 16. Rae1! followed by f4xe5. 16. fxg5 c5. As bad as any other move. Black could well resign here. 17. Rf3. Of course 17. Rxf7! wasn’t bad at all. 17. ... c4 18. Bxc4 b5 19. Rh3 h6 20. gxh6 Nf6 21. Qg6! 1 : 0. For if 21. ... Ne8 then 22. Ng5 finis.