This is the third post in a series looking at the open variation of the Berlin Defence to the Ruy Lopez opening. You will probably want to read part one and part two first.
- White: Zeth
- Black: GNU Chess
- Date: 2008.10.25
The first seventeen moves are the same as the previous times.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 exd4 6. Re1 d5 7. a3 Qf6 8. Bg5 Qe6 9. Nxd4 Qd6 10. Nc3 Be7 11. Bxe7 Qxe7 12. Nxd5 Qh4 13. g3 Qg5 14. Nxc7+ Kf8 15. Nxa8 Bg4 16. f4 Qg6 17. Nf3 Kg8
So we face the now familiar setting.
18. Nc7 a6
White moves the Knight as last time, and black threatens the bishop again.
19. Bxc6 Qxc6
This time the bishop fights back capturing the black knight, and the queen responds. The death of the knight means the square d8 is now unprotected.
20. Nd5 Qc4
A little fancy footwork by the night distracts the queen who is no longer guarding e8. All the pieces are in place to launch the attack.
21. Ne7+ ...
The knight leads the charge.
22. Kf8 Qd8# 1-0
Followed by the queen who gives mate. This shows me very clearly the importance of castling. White managed to castle early and get control of the d and e columns.
Black did not manage to castle, and the black king was cornered by his own troops, when the white queen got to the top rank, there was no escape.
<p>...oh, I meant "Qe8 Qe8" in my previous post, sry ;-)</p>
<p>Hi, I am far from your league, but instead of [20. Nd5], why not just play Qd8? :-) Wouldn't it be only Qd8 Qd8 then, or am I missing something?</p>