Everyone loves unleashing a queen sacrifice in a game of chess. In today’s Daily Telegraph column, Malcolm Pein presents a rare case of two queen sacrifices in one game, offering a double delight for one of the players.
Malcolm Pein on…A Double Delight
It is always especially rewarding to be able to sacrifice one’s queen soundly. Doing it twice in one game is chess heaven. At the Russian Team Championships, in Sochi, Russian international Maxim Matlakov offered the lady twice in this lovely miniature.
The Sicilian Rossolimo in Action
M. Matlakov – A. Truskavetsky
Sicilian Rossolimo
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.0–0 Nge7 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Qb6 (6…Nxd4 7.Qxd4 a6 8.Be2 Nc6 9.Qc3 pointing at g7 is annoying) 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3 Ng6 9.c4 (White prevents Black from occupying the centre with d7–d5) 9…Be7 10.Nc3 0–0 (10…c5 11.Rb1 0–0 12.Be3 Ne5 13.Be2 a5 planning Ne5–c6–d4 looks a better plan) 11.Na4 Qc7 12.c5! e5 (If 12…a5 13.Be3 Ba6 14.Nb6 Ra7 15.Bxa6 Rxa6 16.Qxd7 wins a pawn and 12…d5 13.cxd6 Bxd6 14.g3 leaves the c5 square and the c6 pawn vulnerable) 13.Be3 Nf4 14.Bc4 Rd8 15.Qf3 Ne6 (For better or worse 15…d5 had to be tried) 16.Rfd1 Rb8 17.b3 Bf6 18.Qg3 Nf4 19.Rd6 Be7 20.Rad1 (The sacrifices begin, 20.Bxf4 exf4 21.Qxf4 was simple and strong) 20…Bxd6? 21.cxd6 Qb7 (Black’s queen, queen’s rook and bishop are completely cut off from the rest of his forces) 22.Qg5 Re8
23.Qe7! Rf8 (23…Rxe7 24.dxe7 promotes) 24.Qxe5 Ne6 25.f4 Kh8 26.f5 f6 27.fxe6! fxe5 28.e7 Re8
Test Your Strength
White to play and win
Good news from the organisers of the Caplin Hastings International Chess Congress, who plan to stage all the traditional events again at the Horntye Park Sports Complex, assuming the pandemic is over. Caplin Systems will again be the prime sponsor, with Hastings Borough Council continuing their support. The planned Congress will begin on December 29 2021, concluding on January 9, 2022.
Highlight the space below to reveal the answer.
29.Rf1 1–0 There is no answer to Rf8+.
Play Through the Game
