Wuthering Heights

Noah Fecker – Luca Moroni
11th Dolomiti International Chess Open; Forni di Sopra, September 27, 2020
Spanish Game C87

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 d6 6. Re1 Be7 7. c3 0-0 8. d3 Re8 9. Nbd2 Bf8 10. Nf1 g6. Larry Evans and Walter Korn, in their completely revised tenth edition of “Modern Chess Openings” (Isaac Pitman & Sons, London, 1965, p. 70), give 10. ... b5 11. Bb3 h6 12. Ng3 Na5 13. Bc2 c5 14. d4 Qc7 15. h3 Rb8= Yates – Bogoljubov, British Empire Club Chess Tournament, London 1927. 11. Ng3 Bg7 12. h3 b5 13. Bc2 Bb7 14. a4!?TN (14. d4 Na5 15. a4 exd4 16. cxd4 c5 17. d5 Nd7 18. Rb1⩲ Nisipeanu – Kantarji, 16th European Individual Chess Championship, Jerusalem 2015) 14. ... Nb8 15. Be3 Nbd7 16. Qd2 c5 17. Bh6 Qc7 18. h4 Nf8 19. h5 Ne6 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. h6+ Kh8 22. Ng5 Ng8. Perhaps 22. ... Nxg5 23. Qxg5 Ng8 might have been more prudent, in order to follow with ... Qc7-e7. 23. Nxe6 fxe6 24. d4 exd4 25. cxd4 c4 26. e5 d5 27. Nf1 Qe7 28. Ra3 Rf8 29. Rh3 Rf7 30. Nh2 b4 31. f4 b3 32. Bb1 a5 33. Nf3 Qb4. Now it becomes suddenly clear that White’s Kingside attack is faster than Black’s on the Queenside:

34. Ng5! Re7. The Queen is taboo due to mate in one (34. ... Qxd2?? 35. Nxf7#). 35. Qe3 Bc6

36. Bxg6! hxg6 37. h7 Nh6 38. Rxh6 Be8. Now Black’s sitting alone on the verge of ruin. If 38. ... Kg7 then 39. f5!!+− Kxh6 (39. ... exf5 loses to 40. e6!+− while 39. ... gxf5 is demolished by 40. h8=Q+! Rxh6 41. Nxe6++−) 40. f6! with mate coming soon. 39. Qg3. (39. Nxe6! Rxe6 40. f5!+−) 39. ... Rc8 40. Re3. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, but 40. Nf7+! Rxf7 (40. ... Bxf7 41. Qg5!+− leads to a quick mate) 41. Rxg6 (Δ 42. Rg8+ Kxh7 43. Qg6#) was at least equally good: if, for instance, 41. ... Kxh7 then 42. Re3!+− (Δ 43. Qh3+ Kxg6 44. Rg3#). 40. ... c3. Spes ultima dea.

41. bxc3? Although it does still not spoil the win, White should regret at having missed his best move for the second time: 41. Nf7+! Rxf7 (41. ... Bxf7 42. Qg5!+−) 42. Rxg6 (Δ 43. Rg8+ Kxh7 44. Qg6#) with mate in a few moves; for instance: 42. ... Kxh7 43. Qh3+ Kxg6 44. Rg3#. 41. ... Qb7 42. Re1 b2 43. Rb1 Qb3 44. Qf2 Rb8 (44. ... Qxc3 45. Rxb2+−)

45. Nf3?? And finally White does his rewind back to the point of no return. White’s last winning chance was 45. f5!! exf5 (or 45. ... gxf5 46. Rf6!+−) 46. Qe1!+− with Black being helpless in preventing e5-e6. Of course, now Moroni takes the opportunity to turn the tables on his opponent: 45. ... Rg7 (45. ... Qxc3−+) 46. g4? Qxc3−+ 47. Rh2 Rxh7 48. Rg2 Rh3 49. Ng5 Qc1 50. Qf1 Qxf1+ 0 : 1.