Romanticism

Wesley So – Hrant Melkumyan
44th Chess Olympiad; Mamallapuram, August 5, 2022
Caro-Kann Defence B11

1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. h3 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 e6 6. Be2 Bc5 7. 0-0 Nd7 8. exd5 cxd5 9. Rd1 Ngf6 10. d4 Be7 11. Bd3 0-0 12. Bf4. Fast theory: 12. Ne2 Qb8 13. Nf4 b5 14. h4 Qb7 15. h5 Bd6 16. h6 g6 17. Qh3 Rfe8 18. Be3 b4 19. Qh4 Rac8 20. Nh3 e5 21. dxe5 Rxe5 22. Bf4 Rh5 23. Qg3 Bxf4 24. Nxf4 Rxh6 25. Re1 Nc5 26. Re2 Nh5 27. Qg5 Nxf4 28. Qxf4 Rh5 29. Rae1 Ne6 30. Qf6 Qc7 31. g3 Qd8 32. Qf3 Nd4 33. Re8+ Qxe8 34. Rxe8+ Rxe8 35. Qf6 Re1+ 36. Kg2 Ne6 37. Bf1 Rf5 38. Qh4 a5 39. a3 bxa3 40. bxa3 Rc1 41. Qa4 Nc5 42. Qe8+ Kg7 43. g4 Rf6 44. Qe2 Ne4 45. f3 Rc6 46. Qe3 R6xc2+ 47. Kg1 Rd2 48. fxe4 Rdd1 49. Kg2 d4 50. Qf2 Rxf1 51. Qxd4+ f6 52. Qd7+ Kh6 53. Qd2+ g5 54. Qd6 Kg6 55. Qd7 Rg1+ 56. Kh2 Rh1+ 57. Kg2 Rcg1+ 58. Kf2 Rf1+ 59. Kg2 Kh6 60. Qf7 Rhg1+ 61. Kh2 Rxg4 62. Qf8+ Kh5 63. Qf7+ Kh6 64. Qf8+ Kh5 ½ : ½ Dragnev – Fridman, 21st European Rapid Chess Championship, Katowice 2021 (time control: 15 minutes plus 10 seconds per move). 12. ... Nb8 13. Ne2 Nc6 14. c3 Re8 15. Re1 g6 16. Ng3 Nd7 17. Re3 e5 18. Bh6!? (18. dxe5 Bc5) 18. ... e4? (19. ... Bf8! 20. Bxf8 e4)

19. Rxe4! Nf8. The elegant point of White’s sacrifice: 19. ... dxe4?? 20. Qxf7+!! Kxf7 21. Bc4+ Kf6 22. Nxe4+ Kf5 23. g4+! Kxe4 24. Re1+ followed by mate. 20. Rf4 f5

21. Nxf5! gxf5 22. Rxf5 Qd6 23. Qg4+ Ng6

24. Rxd5! Qf6 (24. ... Qxd5 25. Bxg6+−) 25. g3 Bf8 26. Rf5 Qe7 27. Bc4+ Kh8 28. Bg5 1 : 0.

A brilliant win by So, in the romantic style of 19th century. Photo © Lennart Ootes.