1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5

Steve frequently faces the Exchange Variation from players seeking to draw and just as often he gets an attack against it.

 

4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 Bd6 6. Qf3 Nge7 7. Ne2 Be6 8. Bf4

8. Nf4 Qd7

 

8... Ng6!

Hoping to induce 9.Bxd6 Qxd6 when Black gains time developing his Queen over lines where he plays Qd7 and Qxd6.

 

9. Nd2 Nce7!? 10. O-O Qd7

Only now that White has committed her King, Black rushes to castle on the opposite side, incidentally threatening Bg4 and planning to meet 11.Bxd6 with 11...cxd6! controlling all of the critical central squares.

 

11. h3?!

Black has already induced a weakness on the kingside. Now a pawnstorm on that side will have something to bite on.

 

11... O-O-O 12. Nb3 Nh4! 13. Qg3

13... g5! 14. Bxd6

14. Bxg5?? Bxg3 14. Qxg5?? Nf3+ 15. gxf3 Rdg8-+

 

14... cxd6! 15. f4 Nef5!

"Please take my pawn!"

 

16. Bxf5 Nxf5 17. Qf2 Rdg8

Black's kingside assault is already in full gear, while White has no immediate prospects on the other side since Black's doubled d-pawns inhibit attacks by Nc5 or c4.

 

18. Kh2

"She runs but she cannot hide!"

 

18... g4! 19. g3 gxh3 20. Rg1 Nh6 21. Kh1 Bf5 22. Nd2 Ng4 23. Qf3 Be4 24. Nxe4 dxe4 25. Qf1

25. Qxe4?? Nf2+

 

25... f5!

The immediate 25... h2 wins the exchange but drops the e-pawn to 26. Rg2 Ne3 27. Qb1 Nxg2 28. Qxe4!? surviving longer.

 

26. c4

26. Qc1!? Qf7! 27. c4 Nf2+ 28. Kh2 Qh5-+ Black now wins the exchange:

 

26... h2 27. Rg2 Ne3 28. Qf2 Nxg2 29. Qxg2 h5 30. Qf2 h4 31. gxh4?! Qg7! 32. Qxh2

32... Rxh4! 0-1