Stripped Bare

Sergio Mariotti – Genrikh Mikhailovich Chepukaitis

October Revolution 60th Anniversary International Blitz Tournament; Leningrad, July 1977

Modern Defence B06

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. h4!? A specialty by Mariotti, who had been initiated to such a bayonet’s push by one of his early mentors, Nikolay Alekseyevich Obolensky, a noble exile from Russia.
3. ... h6!? 3. ... h5 is perhaps a more scientific reply, although it did not change Mariotti’s approach to things in one of his most remarkable games: 4. Nc3 d6 5. f3 c6 6. Be3 Qb6 7. Rb1 a5 8. Bc4 Na6 9. Nge2 Bd7 10. Qd2 Qc7 11. a4 Nb4 12. Nf4 Nf6 13. Kf2 Rd8 14. Bb3 e5 15. Nh3 0-0 16. dxe5! dxe5 17. Qe2 Bxh3 18. Rxh3 Kh7 19. g4! Rd7 20. Rg1 Rfd8 21. Ke1 b5 22. Rhg3 Qd6 23. Qg2 hxg4!? 24. fxg4 bxa4 25. Bc4! Qb8? (25. ... Nbd5!) 26. h5!+− g5 27. Bxg5 Rd4 28. Bxf7 Na6 29. Qf3 Rf8 30. Qf5+ Kh8 31. h6! Rxf7 32. hxg7+ Kxg7 33. Bh6+! Kh8 34. Rh1 Qe8 35. Bf4+ 1–0 Mariotti – U. Andersson, 4th Memorial Ivan Parčetić, Sombor 1970.
4. Nc3 e6? A gross strategic error. If anything, 4. ... d6 would lead to a typical Pirc formation.
5. Be3 Ne7 6. Qd2 f5 7. f3 d6 8. 0-0-0 Nd7

For what is worth, White has already achieved an overwhelming hold over Black’s position, who will soon have to worry about his King’s safety.
9. g4! fxg4 10. fxg4 Nf6 11. g5 Ng4 12. Bf4 e5 13. dxe5 hxg5 14. Bxg5 Bxe5 15. Nf3 Bf6

16. Bc4! 16. Bxf6 Nxf6 17. e5 was a more prosaic, but not less effective way. Mariotti, however, aims higher at the checkmate triumph.
16. .. Rf8 17. Rhf1 Bd7 18. Nd4 Nc6 19. Ne6 Bxe6 20. Bxe6 Nge5 21. Nd5 Bxg5 22. Rxf8+ Kxf8 23. hxg5 Kg7 24. Rf1 Ne7 25. Qh2. Threatening mate in one.
25. ... Qh8. If 25. ... Ng8 then 26. Nf6! with mate in a few moves.

Now a Queen sacrifice strips Black’s King bare:
26. Qxe5+! dxe5 27. Rf7+ Kg8 28. Nxe7# 1–0.