Dead Leaves

Alberto Mario Giustolisi – Roberto Cosulich
37th Italian Chess Championship; Castelvecchio Pascoli, November 17, 1976
English Opening A22

Comments by Grandmaster Ludek Pachman, Trouw, Saturday, August 20, 1977, p. 21.

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 Bb4 4. Bg2 0-0 5. Nf3. A good alternative here is 5. e4.
5. ... e4 6. Nd4. 6. Ng5 Bxc3 leads to sharper play.
6. ... Re8. Also possible is 6. ... Bxc3 7. bxc3 d5.
7. Qc2 Qe7 8. a3 Bxc3 9. Qxc3. White thus prevents the doubling of his Pawns, though at the cost of falling somewhat behind in development.
9. ... c5 10. Nf5 Qe6 11. Ne3 Nc6 12. b4 d6 13. 0-0 Nd4 14. Re1 Qe5 15. Bb2 Qh5 16. d3!!

16. ... Bh3. Too dangerous would be: 16. ... Nxe2+ 17. Rxe2 Qxe2 18. Nd5 Re5 19. Nxf6+ gxf6 20. dxe4 followed by f2-f4.
17. dxe4 Bxg2 18. Kxg2 Nxe4 19. Qd3 Nxf2! Black goes for a drawing combination before White’s dark-square Bishop becomes too dangerous.
20.Kxf2 Rxe3! (20. ... Qxh2+? 21. Ng2 Re6 22. Bxd4 cxd4 23. Qxd4 Rf6+ 25. Qxf6! gxf6 26. Rh1)
21. Qxe3?? This loses immediately, whereas 21. Kxe3! Qh6+ 22. Kf2 Qxh2+ would have led to perpetual check.
21. ... Qxh2+ 22. Kf1 Nf5 23. Qf2 Nxg3+ 24. Qxg3 Qxg3 0–1.