1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Qf3 f5!?

The more important alternative is 5... Nc6 6. Bb5

A classic error here is 6. Nxe4? Nd4! 7. Qd3? dxe4 8. Qxe4? Bf5 black has a decisive advantage .

Paulsen's move; almost all books simply give the inferior 7. bxc3?! Qh4+! 8. g3 Qe4+ 9. Qxe4 dxe4 10. Bxc6+ bxc6 11. Ne2 black is slightly better .

7... Qh4+

The superior 7... Be7! should equalize: 8. Bf4 O-O 9. O-O-O Bg5! (9... Be6 10. Qg3 Bh4 11. Qe3 a6 12. Bd3 b5 13. Nf3 Be7 14. h4 Na5 15. Ng5 Bxg5 16. hxg5 white has a decisive advantage 1-0 Paulsen,L-Schiffers,E/Breslau 1889. (35)) 10. Bxc6 bxc6 11. h4 Bxf4+ 12. Qxf4 f6 13. Nf3 fxe5 14. Qxe5 Bg4 15. c4 Bxf3 16. gxf3 Qf6 17. Qxf6 Rxf6 18. cxd5 cxd5 19. Rxd5 Rxf3 20. Rc5 Rf7 21. b3 h6 22. Rh3 Rb8 23. a4 Kf8 24. Rhc3 Rb7 25. a5 Ke8 26. a6 Rb6 27. Rxc7 Rxc7 28. Rxc7 Rxa6 29. Rxg7 Ra1+ 30. Kb2 Rh1 31. Rxa7 Rxh4 32. c4 h5 33. Kc3 Rh1 34. Kb4 h4 35. Kc5 Rf1 36. Rh7 Rf5+ 37. Kb6 Rf3 38. b4 Rf4 39. Kb5 1-0 Sofronie,I (2458)-Scetinin,A (2279)/ Cappelle la Grande 2002.

8. g3 Qe4+ 9. Qxe4 dxe4 10. Bxc6+

Taking the Knight right away seems most accurate, but other moves have been played with success:

(a) 10. Bf4 h6 11. Ne2 g5 12. Be3 Bg7 (12... Bd7 13. h4) 13. Nd4 Bd7 14. e6 fxe6 15. Nxc6 a6 16. Bc4 Bxc6 17. Bxe6 Rd8 18. O-O Bd5 19. Bf5 O-O 20. a3 b6 21. g4 Rfe8 22. h3 Bc4 23. Rfd1 Rxd1+ 24. Rxd1 Be6 25. Bxe6+ Rxe6 26. a4 Kf7 27. a5 b5 28. Rd8 Be5 29. Ra8 Rc6 30. Kf1 b4 31. cxb4 Rxc2 32. b5 Bf4 33. Bg1 e3 34. bxa6 1-0 Hikaru Nakamura (2658)-Alex Yermolinsky (2511)/Stillwater USA 2007 -- and perhaps Black lost on time as the position is unclear after 34... Rc1+! 35. Kg2 e2! (35... Rc2+ 36. Kf3 white has a decisive advantage ) 36. Bf2 Be3 37. Bg3 Rg1+ (37... Bf4 38. a7!) 38. Kf3 Rxg3+ 39. Kxe2 Ke7 40. a7 Bxa7 41. Rxa7 Kd7 42. Rb7 Rxh3 43. a6 Rh1)

(b) 10. Ne2 Bc5 (10... Bd7 11. Bf4 Nxe5 12. Bxd7+ Nxd7 13. Bxc7 position is unclear ) 11. Rf1 (11. Nd4!) 11... O-O 12. Bxc6 bxc6 13. Rf4 f5 14. exf6 Rxf6 15. Rxf6 gxf6 16. Bf4 1-0 Carl Wustefeld (2248)-Hans Frisk (2032)/ Copenhagen 2006 (61).

10... bxc6 11. Be3

White has two playable alternatives:

(a) 11. Ne2 Bc5 12. Nd4! Swanson - Savage, Hinckley Island 2009, is given by Lysyj and Ovetchkin who suggest now 12... Bb6 (12... Bh3!?) 13. a4 (13. Nxc6?! Bh3 14. Nd4 O-O-O with compensation for material ) 13... a5 14. Bf4 h6 15. h4 Bg4 with initiative

(b) 11. Bf4 h6 12. O-O-O Be6 13. a3 Bc5 14. h4 O-O 15. Rh2 f6 16. exf6 Rxf6 17. Re1 Bg4 18. Ne2 Bd6 (18... Re8 19. Bxc7? Rf2!) 19. Bxd6 cxd6 20. b4 Raf8 21. Nd4 Rf1 22. Rxf1 Rxf1+ 23. Kd2 Rg1 24. Ke3 d5 (24... Bd7 25. Kxe4 Rxg3=) 25. Nxc6 Kf8 26. Kf4 (26. c4!) 26... h5 27. Ne5 Rf1+ 28. Ke3 Rg1 29. Rf2+ Ke8 30. Kf4 Be6 31. c4 Re1 32. cxd5 Bxd5 33. Rd2 Bb7 34. Nc4 Rf1+ 35. Ke5 Ke7 36. Nd6 Bc6 37. Nxe4 Re1 38. Rd4 Re3 39. Kf4 Rxa3 40. c4 a6 41. c5 Ra4 42. Nd6 a5 43. Nf5+ Kf7 44. b5 Rxd4+ 45. Nxd4 Ba8 46. c6 1-0 Krivec,J (2268)-Pokorna,R (2429)/Rabac 2003.) 11... Be7 (11... Bd7 12. Ne2 O-O-O 13. Rf1 Re8 14. Rxf7 Rxe5 15. Bd4 Rf5 16. Rxf5 Bxf5 17. O-O-O Rg8 position is unclear 1-0 Lederle,V (2069)-Pfuetzner,J (2095)/Bayern 2007. (47)) 12. Ne2 O-O 13. Nd4 Bd7 14. O-O-O a5 15. Rhe1 a4 16. c4 Rfd8 17. a3 Ra5 18. Bd2 Rxe5 19. Bf4 Rh5 20. Rxe4 Be6 21. Nxe6 Rxd1+ 22. Kxd1 fxe6 23. Rxe6 Bf6 24. g4 Rh4 25. b3 Rxg4 26. Bxc7 Bc3 27. Ke2 Rd4 28. Rd6 Kf7 29. Rxd4 Bxd4 30. Kd3 Bg1 31. bxa4 Ke6 32. a5 Kd7 33. Be5 Kc8 34. a6 g6 35. Bd6 h5 36. Ke4 1-0 Maxime Lagarde (2505) -Alexandre Bouget (2202)/Avoine FRA 2012.

6. d3 Nxc3 7. bxc3 d4 8. Qf2?!

Not White's best option. Bangiev leads the way with his strong analysis:

8. Qg3! Nc6 (8... dxc3 9. Be2! g6 10. Bf3 Bg7 11. Ne2 position is unclear ) 9. Be2 Be6 (9... Qd5 10. Bf4 Be6 11. c4 Bb4+ 12. Kf2 Qd7 13. Rb1 O-O-O 14. Bf3 Bc5 15. Rb5 b6 16. Ne2 a6 17. Rxc5 bxc5 18. Rb1 Rdg8 19. h4 Nd8 20. Bg5 Qa4 21. Rb2 Nf7 22. Nf4 Qe8 23. Nxe6 Qxe6 24. Bd5 Qg6 25. e6 Nd6 26. Qe5 Re8 27. Rb6 1-0 Karel Hromadka-Mirko Schreiber/Munich ol 1936) 10. Bf3 Qd7 (10... Bd5 11. Ne2! (11. c4!? Bxf3 12. Nxf3 Bb4+ position is unclear ) 11... Bxf3 12. Qxf3 dxc3 13. Qxf5! Qd5 14. O-O g6 (14... Qxe5 15. Qf7+ Kd8 16. Bf4 white has a moderate advantage ) (14... Nxe5? 15. d4 white has a decisive advantage ) 15. Qh3 Bc5+ 16. Kh1) 11. Ne2 (11. Rb1!? Bc5 12. Rb5 Bb6 13. c4 a6 14. Rb1 O-O-O 15. Ne2 h6! (A sharp position, featuring opposite side castling) 16. h4 g5! 17. hxg5 hxg5 18. Rf1 Ba5+ 19. Bd2 Bxd2+ 20. Kxd2 g4 21. Bxc6 Qxc6 22. Nf4 Bf7 23. Rfe1 Rhe8 24. Re2 Re7 25. Rbe1 (25. Qh4=) 25... Qa4 26. e6 Qxa2 (26... Qa5+) 27. exf7 Qa5+ with perpetual check in 1/2-1/2 Karel Hromadka-Rudolf Spielmann/Bad Pistyan CZE 1912) 11... dxc3! (11... Bc5 12. Rb1 Bb6 13. cxd4 Bxa2 14. Rb2 Be6 15. c3 white is slightly better ) (11... O-O-O 12. O-O Bc5 13. c4 Bxc4 (13... h6 14. Nf4! (14. Bxc6 Qxc6 15. Nf4 g5 16. Nxe6 Qxe6 17. Rb1 Rhf8 18. Re1 position is unclear Bangiev) (14. h4 g5 15. hxg5 hxg5 16. Bxg5 Rdg8 17. Qf4 Bxc4 Spielmann - Prochazka, Prague 1912.) 14... Nxe5 15. Bxb7+! Kxb7 16. Re1 Bd6 17. c5 g5 18. Rb1+ Ka8 19. Nxe6 Qxe6 20. cxd6 cxd6 21. Qf2 with initiative ) 14. Nf4 Nxe5 15. dxc4 d3+ 16. Kh1 dxc2 17. Bd5! (17. Bb2!? Nxc4 (17... Nxf3 18. Qxf3 white has a moderate advantage ) 18. Bd5! Bangiev(18. Bxb7+!? Kxb7 (18... Kb8 19. Qc3! Qb5 20. Bc6) 19. Qb3+ Nb6 20. Ne6 Bd6 21. Nxd8+ white is slightly better ) 18... Qb5!? (18... Qa4 19. Bxg7) (18... Nxb2? 19. Be6 white has a decisive advantage Bangiev) 19. Ne6 Bd6 20. Qd3 Qxb2 21. Qxc4) 17... Rhe8 18. Qb3! (18. Bb2? Ng4 19. Rac1 c6 20. Bf3 Ne3 21. Rfe1 Nd1 22. Rf1 Qd2 23. Qxg7 Re1 black has a decisive advantage Vorotnikov-Kapengut/URS 1975.) 18... c6 19. Qxc2! Bd4 (19... cxd5 20. cxd5 b6 21. Ne6 with attack van der Tak) 20. Rb1 cxd5 21. cxd5+ Kb8 22. Ne6 Rc8 23. Qxf5 (23. Qd1 Bc5 24. Bf4 Bd6 25. Bxe5 Bxe5 26. Rxf5 Bf6 27. a4 white is slightly better ) 23... Qxd5 24. Nxd4 Qxd4 25. Bf4 Ka8 26. Rfd1 Qc5 (26... Qf2 27. Rd2) 27. Rdc1?! 1-0 Vankov - Angelov, Corr. 1992.(27. Re1! white has a decisive advantage ) ) 12. Bxc6! (Bangiev's main line is suspect: 12. Be3?! Nb4! 13. O-O?! Nxc2 14. Bxb7 Qxd3! with attack (14... Nxe3 15. Qxe3 Rd8! (15... Rb8 16. Qxa7 white has a moderate advantage Bangiev) 16. Nf4 Bb4 17. Qxa7 (17. Ba6 Qc6 18. Bb5 Qxb5 19. Nxe6 Ke7 20. Nxd8 Kxd8 21. Rab1 1-0 Rudolf Spielmann-Grigory Levenfish/Karlsbad 1911) 17... O-O 18. Rab1 c5 19. Qa6 position is unclear ) (14... Rb8 15. Rab1 Bb4 16. Qf3 Rxb7 17. Qxb7 Nxe3 18. Rxb4 Nxf1 19. Qa8+ white has a moderate advantage Bangiev) ) 12... Qxc6 13. Be3 O-O-O 14. O-O Bc5 15. Qf2 Bxe3 16. Qxe3 with compensation for material .

8... Nc6 9. Nf3 Bc5?!

9... dxc3! position is unclear

10. Bb2! Bb6?!

Relatively best was 10... dxc3 11. Qxc5 cxb2 12. Rb1 white is slightly better Torre.

11. cxd4 white has a moderate advantage O-O 12. Be2 f4 13. c3 Bg4 14. Bd1 Bxf3?! 15. Qxf3 Kh8 16. Bb3 Qh4+ 17. Kd2 Rad8 18. Rae1 h6

Black's best try might be 18... Ba5 but White is still winning after 19. Kd1! (19. d5?! Nd4! with counterplay ) 19... Ne7 (19... Nxd4 20. cxd4 Bxe1 21. Rxe1 Qxh2 22. e6 white has a decisive advantage ) 20. d5 Nf5 21. g3! fxg3 22. hxg3 Qxg3?? (22... Qg5 23. Qe4) 23. Rxh7+! Torre.

19. Re4 white has a decisive advantage g5 20. h3 Ba5 21. Kc2! Qg3 22. Ba3 Qh4 23. Bxf8 Rxf8 24. Rf1 Ne7 25. g3 Qxh3 26. Rh1 g4 27. Rxh3 gxf3 28. gxf4 f2 29. Rf3 f1=Q 30. Rxf1 Nf5 31. e6 Ng3 32. e7

1-0

[Michael Goeller]

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Qf3 f5 6. d3 Nxc3 7. bxc3 d4 8. Qf2?!

Not 8. Bd2? dxc3 9. Bxc3 Bb4! 10. Bxb4 Qh4+ black is slightly better . As noted in the previous game, though, White should play instead 8. Qg3!

8... c5?!

9. c4?!

This move only creates trouble for White. Better was 9. Bd2! Nc6 10. Nf3 position is unclear now that the c5 advance blocks the Bb4 tactic.

9... Nc6 10. Nf3 Be7 11. g3 O-O 12. Bg2 Be6 13. O-O a6 14. Bf4 Rb8

14... g5!

15. Qd2!? h6

As Torre notes, he had no compensation for his isolated e-pawn and weakened queenside, so he played for a draw.

16. Bxh6!? gxh6 17. Qxh6 Kf7!

"A close study will show that this is the only move that gives Black winning chances" notes Torre.

18. g4! f4

Not 18... Rh8 19. Qf4 Kg6 20. gxf5+ Bxf5 21. Qg3+ Kh6

19. Nh4

19. Nd2! Bg5 20. Qh5+ Kg7 21. Be4 Nxe5 (21... Rh8? 22. Qg6+) 22. Qh7+ Kf6 23. h4 with initiative

19... Bxh4 20. Rxf4+ Ke7 21. Qh7+ Ke8 22. Rxf8+ Kxf8 23. Qh8+ Ke7 24. Qxh4+ Kd7 25. Qh7+ Qe7 26. Qe4 Rg8 27. h3 Kc7

Torre notes that Black can win the e-pawn (and probably the game) with 27... Rg5

28. Rf1 Bd7 29. Qd5 Rd8

29... Rg5!

30. Rf6?! Be8 31. Qe4 Kb8

Black can easily go wrong: 31... Nxe5?? 32. Qxb7# or 31... Qxe5?? 32. Rxc6+ both lose instantly.

32. Rd6! Rc8

32... Rxd6 33. exd6 Qxe4 34. Bxe4 position is unclear

33. Rh6 Rc7 34. e6

34. Qf5! Nd8 35. g5

34... Nd8

34... Qg5! 35. Rh8 Re7

35. Qe5 Ka7 36. Rf6

36. Be4!? Bf7! 37. exf7! Qxe5 38. f8=Q Nf7! 39. Rh5 Qg3+ 40. Kf1 Qf4+= and Black draws by perpetual check.

36... Bc6 37. Bd5 Kb6 38. g5 Ba4 39. g6 Bxc2 40. Kf2? time, time trouble

A terrible error at the time control that throws away a win for White:

a) 40. Qf4!! Bxd3 (40... Rc8 41. Rf7 Nxe6 42. Bxe6 Qxe6 43. Rf6) 41. Rf7 Nxf7 42. exf7 Qe1+ 43. Kh2 Qe2+ 44. Bg2

b) 40. h4! Bxd3 41. h5 was Torre's idea after the game, and this also seems to win for White.

40... Bxd3 41. h4 Bxg6! 42. Rxg6 Qxh4+ 43. Ke2 Qe7

1/2-1/2

[Michael Goeller]