Group 1: Double King-Pawn Openings

Orest Popovych - Gennadi Sagalchik [C34] Philadelphia 1993

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 3...h6 A little-known move with a subtle point. The so-called Fischer Defense", which Bobby pronounced to be a "bust" to the King's Gambit, arises after 3 ... d6 4 Bc4 h6 5 d4 g5. White should avoid this line after 3 ... d6 by playing 4 d4 g5 5 h4. By getting in 3 ... h6 first, Black ensures that he can meet 4 d4 g5 5 h4 with 5 ... Bg7. 4.b3! A completely different way of inhibiting ... g7-g5. Since White's plan is now to castle queenside and control the center rather than to attack on the f-file, ... h7-h6 is rendered meaningless. 4...Ne7 [4...Nf6 5.e5?! (5.Nc3) 5...Nh5 6.Bb2 d5] 5.Bb2 Ng6 6.Nc3 d6 7.Qe2 c6 [7...Be7 8.0-0-0 (8.Nd5 Winning the two bishops is not of such great significance here. It is better to continue development. 8...0-0 9.0-0-0 c6) 8...0-0 9.h4! White starts to build a real initiative with this advance. 9...Bg4 (9...Nxh4 10.Nd5) 10.h5 Ne5 11.d4] 8.0-0-0 Bg4 9.d4 Nd7?! Sagalchik is trying to restrict White from playing e4-e5, but it was more important to prepare to castle with ... Bf8-e7. 10.h3 Bh5 Too optimistic.[10...Bxf3 11.gxf3 This gives White permanent compensation based on light square activity and the half-open g-file, but Black had to settle for this line.] 11.e5! dxe5 12.dxe5 Bxf3 Necessary to avoid the possibility of White playing g2-g4, which would undermine the arrival of the other bishop on e3; strong measures were called for in the face of White's threat of e5-e6. 13.gxf3 Bc5 14.e6! Popovych sacrifices a second pawn to soften up the knight on g6. 14 Ne4 is a transposition after 14 ... Be3+ 15 Kb1 O-O 16 e6. 14...Be3+ 15.Kb1 fxe6 16.Ne4 0-0 Otherwise the knight lands on d6. 17.Qg2 White's pieces are so beautifully placed that the optimum course is to keep piling up the pressure. [17.Nc5 A) 17...Rf7 18.Nxe6 Qe7 19.Qg2 Qxe6 (19...Kh7; 19...Nh4? 20.Qg4) 20.Bc4 Qf5 21.Rxd7 Qxd7 22.Qxg6 Kf8 23.Qh7 Re8; B) 17...Nxc5!? 18.Rxd8 Raxd8; C) 17...Bxc5? 18.Qxe6+ Rf7 19.Qxg6+-] 17...Kh7 18.Bd3 The dream position has arrived, and the spectators await the final flurry involving discoveries, double checks, etc.18...Nde5 Calmly inviting White to do his worst. [18...Rf5?! 19.h4 Qe7 20.Nd6+-] 19.Rhg1? [19.Bxe5 Nxe5 20.Ng5+ Kh8 21.Nxe6 Qe7 22.Nxf8 Rxf8 This position is unclear due to Black's strong grip on the dark squares in return for the Exchange.; 19.Nf6+ Qxf6 20.Bxe5 Qxe5 21.Qxg6+ Kg8 White has failed to land the knockout punch.; 19.h4!! This move exploits the overloaded Black knights. 19...Nxd3 There is no other move. A) 20.Rxd3! A simple solution.20...Qc7 (20...Qe7 21.h5 Nh8 22.Rhd1 Rf7 23.Rd7!! Qxd7 24.Rxd7 Rxd7 25.Qxg7+! Rxg7 26.Nf6#) 21.Ng5+ hxg5 22.hxg5+ Kg8 23.Qh3 Kf7 (23...e5 24.Rd7) 24.Bxg7 Rh8 25.Bxh8 Rxh8 26.Qxh8 Nxh8 27.Rh7+; B) 20.h5 20...Nge5! 21.Bxe5 Nxe5 22.Rxd8 Raxd8 Black may hold this position.] 19...Bxg1 20.Rxg1 Qe7 21.Nf2! Recovering to make the best move in a completely new situation, ready to meet ... Rf8-f6 with Nf2-g4. [21.Bxe5 Nxe5 Here the White discoveries do not accomplish anything.; 21.Nf6+ 21...Kh8!! 22.Bxe5 (22.Bxg6 Qxf6; 22.Nh5 Qg5 23.Qxg5 hxg5 24.Rxg5 Nxd3 25.cxd3 Kh7 This is very nice for Black.) 22...Nxe5; 21.Nd6 Rf6; 21.h4 Rf5] 21...Rf5 22.Bxf5 exf5 23.Nd3 Black is two pawns up, but seemingly still under heavy pressure due to his tangled knights, although Sagalchik's defensive skills are beginning to take center stage. 23...Re8 24.Re1! [24.Bc3 Qf7!; 24.h4 Nxh4 25.Qh3 Neg6 26.Nxf4 Qe3! (26...Nxf4? 27.Qxh4) ] 24...Qh4! [24...Qd6 25.h4 White's attack would be revived after this. 24 ... Qh4 was much stronger.] 25.Bc3 [25.Qh1! This was the only way to renew the threat to take on e5, although now 25 ... Qf6 26 Qf1 Qd6 may follow.; 25.Qf1? Nxf3!; 25.Qe2? Nxd3!] 25...Re7 Black has finally officially untangled and is now winning. 26.Rg1 Qg3 27.Qxg3 fxg3 28.Nxe5 Nxe5 29.Rxg3 f4 30.Rg2 Nxf3 0-1