384MB, Fritz11.ctg, KONG
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Bc4
Bc5
4.b4
The signature move of the Evans Gambit. (When facing a gambit, you can either decline the offer OR try to hold on to the material and trade off to a won endgame OR find the right moment to give the material back. My opponent chose the "hold on" route.
4...Bxb4
5.c3
Ba5
6.d4
exd4
7.0-0
Bxc3
Very unusal: cxb3 is the "Compromised Variation". The name says it all! Other options are d6, Qf6, Bb6, Nf6, or Nge7.
8.Nxc3
dxc3
9.Qd5
Books recommend Qb3 due to the exposed, awkward position of the Q.
9...Qe7
10.e5
Hindering the natural Nf6. White's game is more about stopping Black's play than finding an attack. Black's fantasy is to trade the Queens off and then cruise to a two-pawn+ end game.
10...h6
11.Ba3
Qe6
Taking the Bishop gets Qxf7+ and then Qxg7, winning the Rook.
12.Qd3
Qg6
13.Qxc3
Nge7
14.Rfe1
0-0
15.Rad1
I finish my development with central pressure on the D and E files and wait further events.
15...Re8
16.e6
My pawn was in the way of my more active pieces. Solution? Use it to torpedo his pawn structure, and induce more weaknesses!
16...dxe6
17.Bd3
Qh5
18.Bb2
f6
Defending the mate on g7, but also weakening the area around the Black King.
19.Nd4
Nd5
20.Qb3
Nxd4
21.Bxd4
Nf4
22.Be4
Ne2+
23.Kh1
Nxd4
24.Rxd4
Let's look at the results of the last few moves. Black has managed to trade off his Knight for one of the white Bishops, but that was his only decently developed piece! White still owns the D file (and will soon be piling up the Queen and Rooks on it) and Black is still unable to finish his development. For the three pawns I sacrificed, it is as if I am a Rook and aBishopahead!
24...c6
25.Qd3
Qa5
26.Rd1
e5
Of course the a-pawn is off limits due to Rd8. This looks attractive by opening a line for the Bishop to enter the game and attacking the Rook.
27.Rd6
Bg4
A mistake. I note now that the Bishop has very few retreat squares and his King can be put in a bind. But he desperately wants to finish his development and trade off Queens so he can take advantage of his pawn+.
28.Rd2
Qb5
29.Qxb5
cxb5
30.Bg6
Sealing the trap.
30...Rec8
Only Rf8 holds on longer, though here 31.h3 forces Bc8 and the undervelopment of his Bishop again.
31.h3
Bxh3
32.gxh3
Kf8
Desperate to free his King from the box I am about to nail it into, he finds himself in a series of threats that force him to make repetitious King moves and allow me to slowly but surely box him in to a mate.
33.Rd7
Rc3
34.Rf7+
Kg8
Forced! Ke8 allows Rc7+.
35.Kg2
Rc5
36.Rdd7
Pigs at the trough, as Capablanca called the two Rooks on the 7th rank nearly 100 years ago. They feed well.
36...a6
37.Rxg7+
Kh8
Forced again, since Kf8 gets 38.Rdf8 and again with the discovered bishop check after Ke8.
38.Rh7+
Kg8
39.Rdg7+
Kf8
40.Rxb7
Kg8
Forced again, since he must prevent the mate by Rh8#. White now shifts from horizontal (7th rank) to vertical (h-file).
41.Rxh6
a5
Mobilizing these two pawns is hopelessly slow. Rac8 would have at least stalled a few more moves.
42.Rbh7
Rac8
Finishing his piece development at long last!
43.Bf5
Cutting off the King's retreat on the white squares.
43...R8c7
44.Rh8+
Kg7
45.R6h7#
1-0