Akobian - Mikhalevski , Gibraltar Masters 2011

An interesting attacking game from the recently concluded Gibraltar Masters. The attacking formation of knight on f4 and queen on g5 is of course well known. What is not so common is how black set this up.

[Event "Gibraltar Masters"]
[Site "Caleta ENG"]
[Date "2011.01.30"]
[Round "6.4"]
[White "Akobian, Varuzhan"]
[Black "Mikhalevski, Victor"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E60"]
[WhiteElo "2618"]
[BlackElo "2579"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "2011.01.25"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. f3 c5 4. d5 Bg7 5. e4 d6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Bg5 h6 8. Be3 e6
9. Qd2 exd5 10. cxd5 Re8 11. Nge2

After 11. Bxh6 Nxe4 12. fxe4 Qh4+ 13. g3 Qxh6 with advantage to black.

11... Nbd7 12. Ng3 h5 13. Be2 a6 14. O-O b5 15. Bh6 h4 16. Nh1
Nh5 17. Bxg7 Kxg7 18. a4 b4 19. Nd1 f5

After 19...f5

20. exf5

White must accept.

20...Nb6

Black sets a trap. The immediate sacrifice does not work 20... Rxe2 21. Qxe2 Nf4 22. Qe3 Qg5 23. g3 Nh3+ 24. Kg2 hxg3 25. hxg3 fails because the black knight on h3 is hanging

21. fxg6

White did not see why the pawn could not be taken. He probably overlooked the rook sacrifice.

21...Rxe2! 22. Qxe2 Nf4 23. Qe4 Qg5 $19 24. g4

White is quite lost already. 24. g3 Nbxd5 25. Ndf2 Bf5 26. Qe1 Rh8 27. Ne4 (27. Ng4 Nh3+ 28. Kg2 Bxg4 29. fxg4 Ne3+ wins the queen or mates.

Analysis after 29...Ne3+

Or 24. Rf2 Bf5 25. Qe1 Nh3+ 26. Kf1 Bd3+ 27. Re2 Nf4 wins massive material for black.

24... Nh3+ 25. Kg2 Nf4+ 26. Kg1 Bd7 27. Ne3 Nh3+ 28. Kg2 Nf4+ 29. Kg1 Re8 30.
Nf5+ Kg8 31. Qb1 Nh3+ 32. Kg2 Nf4+ 33. Kg1 Nh3+ 34. Kg2 Nxd5 35. Nf2 Re2 36.
Nxd6 Bxg4 0-1