Positional Sac in the Trompy

Ety's best achievement in Ulanbaatar was the following game:
Stefanova Antoaneta - Kosintseva Tatiana [D00]
Ulaanbaatar GP Mongolia
[Dejan Bojkov]
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 A time for a change. In their previous encounter just a month ago in Jermuk the players tested the main lines of the Ragozin. However, Tatiana is definetely well prepared against the Trompy, too. 2...d5 3.e3 g6 4.Bxf6 exf6 5.Ne2 Bd6 6.g3 c6 7.Bg2


7...f5! A good idea. Black was less precise in the following game: [7...Nd7 8.b3 f5 9.c4 Nf6 10.Nbc3 Be6 11.c5 and White achieved harmony in his development and initiative on the queen's flank. 11...Bc7 12.b4 a6 13.a4 0–0 14.0–0 g5 15.b5 Qd7 16.Qd3 Kg7 17.f4! Laznicka,V (2617)-Mamedov,N (2614)/Benasque ESP 2009/The Week in Chess 766 (42) with pleasant advantage for White who won later.] 8.b3 Be6 Now Black forces her opponent to lose some time before advancing the c pawn. 9.Qd3 Nd7 10.Nd2 Nf6 11.c4 Ne4 12.c5 Bc7 13.b4 h5 Both players wait with the kingside castling. 14.Nf3 Qf6 15.h4 Qg7 The trick: [15...a5 16.b5 (16.0–0 axb4 17.Rfb1 Ba5 18.a3 is also good for White.) 16...Nxc5 does not really work as the c6 pawn is hanging: 17.Qc2 Ne4 18.bxc6 b6 19.0–0 0–0 20.Rab1±] 16.0–0 Now when h5-h4 is stopped White can finally castle. She has though to hurry with her play on the queen's flank. 16...f6 17.b5 g5 Kosintseva straightforwardly follows her plan. However, a little profilaxis might be better here: [17...Bc8 18.Rab1 0–0 19.Rb2 (19.Nf4 does not prevent g6-g5, as the knight might be trapped after: 19...g5 20.Nxh5? Qf7 traps the knight) 19...g5 with sharp play where both sides have their share of chances.] 18.bxc6 bxc6 19.Qa6 Bd7 20.Rab1 0–0


21.Rb7! A nice positional sacrifice. Ety will gain control over the light squares thanks to the invested exchange. 21...Bc8 22.Rfb1 Worse is: [22.hxg5 Rb8 23.Rfb1 Qd7 24.gxf6 Bd8! However, objectevely best seemed to be:; 22.Qxc6 Bxb7 23.Qxb7 Rfd8 24.hxg5 fxg5 25.Qc6 with full compensation for the exchange.] 22...Bxb7 There is nothing wrong with this move, but White's task would have been much more complicated after: [22...Qd7! with the idea to exchange both the white rooks. Play may continue: 23.hxg5 (23.Rxc7?! Qxc7 24.Qa3 Rb8µ) 23...Rb8 and now the highly entertaining sacrifice: 24.gxf6!


In the line: (24.Qxa7?! Bxb7 25.Rxb7 Rxb7 26.Qxb7 Rb8 27.Qa7 (27.Qa6 fxg5) 27...Rb1+ 28.Bf1 Nxg5 29.Nh4 White seems in control, but there is a tactical stroke: 29...Nh3+ 30.Kg2 Nxf2!) 24...Bd8 25.Rxb8 Bxa6 26.Ne5 Qc7 27.Nf4! Better than: (27.f7+ Rxf7 (27...Kg7 28.Nf4 Ng5 29.Nxh5+ Kh6 30.Nf4ч) 28.Nxf7 Kxf7 29.Nf4 Bb5!µ) 27...Bc8 (27...Rxf6 28.Ra8 Kh7 Here: (28...Bb5? loses to: 29.Rxb5 cxb5 30.Bxe4 dxe4 31.Nd5+-) 29.Rbb8 Bb7 30.Rxd8 Bxa8 31.Rd7+ Qxd7 32.Nxd7 Rf7 33.Ne5±) 28.f7+ Rxf7 29.Nxf7 Kxf7 30.Ra8


and it is difficult to judge who is better, but obviously White should have at least enough for her sacrificed piece.] 23.Rxb7 Qd7 24.hxg5! Ety looks for juicy squares for her knights. 24...Nxg5 The only move, as Black's position crumbles after: [24...fxg5 25.Ne5 Qg7 26.Qxc6+-] 25.Nh4 [25.Nxg5 is enough only for a draw, as after: 25...fxg5 26.Bxd5+ cxd5 27.Qg6+ Qg7 28.Qxg7+ Kxg7 29.Rxc7+ Black can harass the active rook- 29...Rf7=; 25.Nf4!? though deserved serious attention: 25...Rab8 only move (25...Rfb8? 26.Nxg5 fxg5 27.Nxd5! cxd5 28.Qg6+ Kf8 29.Qh6+ Qg7 (29...Ke8 30.c6 Qe7 31.Rxc7 Qxc7 32.Qh8+ Ke7 33.Qg7+ Kd6 34.Qf6#) 30.Qxg7+ Kxg7 31.Rxc7+ Kf6 32.Bxd5+-) 26.Nh4 (26.Nxh5 Rxb7 27.Qxb7 Kf7 28.Nh4 also gives great compensation to White.) 26...Rxb7 27.Qxb7 Rb8 28.Qxa7 Rb1+ 29.Kh2 (29.Bf1 Qc8 30.Nxh5 Ne4) 29...Ne4 30.Bxe4 fxe4 31.Kg2 and I would love to have White here.(31.Nxh5? Bxg3+) ] 25...Rfb8 26.Nf4 White is better, although the computer claims that the position is equal (it already sees the only salvation that Black has though). However, for a human being defending both the king and all the pawn weaknesses without having any active plan is a painful task. Moreover, if both the humans are in time trouble this task becomes impossible for the defender. Tatiana soon erred. 26...Rxb7 27.Qxb7 Rb8 28.Qxa7 Ne4 29.Bh3 Rb1+? The rook had to stay on the eight rank in order to protect the king. [29...Qc8! with the idea: 30.Bxf5 (30.Nxf5 Qb7 31.Ne7+ Kf8 32.Qxb7 Rxb7 33.Nxc6 Bxf4 34.gxf4 Rb1+ 35.Kg2 Rb2) 30...Ra8!


was Black's only chance. After: 31.Bxc8 Rxa7 32.Bd7!? Bxf4 33.Bxc6 Nxg3 34.Bxd5+ Kh7 35.Ng2 Bc7 36.fxg3 Bxg3 the position is approximately ballanced.] 30.Kg2 Rb2 31.Bxf5 Qg7 [31...Rxf2+ 32.Kg1 Qd8 33.Bxe4 and wins.] 32.Nxh5 Rxf2+ 33.Kg1 Qh6 34.Qa8+ Qf8 35.Be6+ 1–0