C47: Scotch Four Knights and Four Knights with 4 g3

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 White threatens to win material: Nf3xe5 2... Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Black has a cramped position. Black's piece can't move: c8 5... Bb4 6. Bd2?? releasing the pressure on the opponent >= 6. Nxc6 is the best chance 6... bxc6 7. Bd3= 6... Nxd4-+ 7. e5 Nh5 7... Ng8 8. a3 Be7 9. Ne4-+ 8. g3? >= 8. Be3 c5 9. Bd3-/+ 8... g6 8... d6 and Black can already relax 9. Bd3 g6 10. exd6-+ 9. Bg2 d6 10. O-O? >= 10. exd6 O-O 11. O-O Bxc3 12. Bxc3-+ 10... dxe5 11. Nd5 11. Re1 f6 12. a3 Be7-+ 11... Bxd2 12. Qxd2 Bh3 12... >= Be6 might be the shorter path 13. Rfe1 Qd6-+ (13... Bxd5?! 14. Qxd4 Be6 15. Qxe5-+) 13. Nxc7+ 13. Rfe1 O-O 14. Rxe5 Bxg2 15. Qxd4 Bxd5 16. Rxd5-+ 13... Qxc7 14. Bxh3 14. Rfe1 cannot change destiny 14... Rd8 15. Qc3 Qxc3 16. bxc3 Nxc2 17. Rxe5+ Kf8-+ 14... Qxc2 14... >= Nf3+ and Black has triumphed 15. Kh1 Nxd2-+ 15. Qa5 15. Qxc2 is not much help 15... Nxc2 16. Rac1 Nd4-+ 15... Nc6 15... O-O!? and Black can already relax 16. Bg2 Rfe8 17. Qa3-+ 16. Qb5 Rb8 16... >= O-O keeps an even firmer grip 17. Rac1 Qd2 18. Qxb7-+ 17. Rac1 Qd2?? with this move Black loses his initiative >= 17... a6 and Black has prevailed 18. Bd7+ Kf8-+ 18. Rxc6=/+ White has a mate threat. Annihilates a defender: c6 18... bxc6?? forfeits the clear win. A pinning theme. >= 18... O-O this is the best way to fight back 19. Rc7 e4= 19. Qxe5+ >= 19. Qxb8+ seems even better 19... Ke7 20. Qxe5+ Kd8 21. Qxh8+ Ke7 22. Qe5+ Kf8+- 19... Kd8 19... Kf8 is not the saving move 20. Qxh8+ Ke7 21. Qxb8 Kf6 22. Qh8+ Ng7 23. Qxh7 Qd4+- 20. Qxh8+ >= 20. Qxb8+ and White can celebrate victory 20... Ke7 21. Qe5+ Kf8 22. Qxh8+ Ke7 23. Qe5+ Kf8 24. Bg4+- 20... Kc7 21. Qe5+ Kb7 21... Qd6 22. Qa5+ Kb7 23. Bg2+- 22. Qe7+ Ka6 22... Kb6 desperation 23. b4 a6+- 23. Qc7 >= 23. Re1 makes it even easier for White 23... Kb6 24. Re3 Qxb2 25. Rb3+ Qxb3 26. axb3+- 23... Qxb2 23... Qd8 the last chance for counterplay 24. Qxc6+ Qb6 25. Qa4+ Qa5+- 24. Re1 Qb7 24... Nxg3 25. hxg3 Qb6 26. Bf1+ Ka5 27. Re5+ Ka4 28. Re4+ Ka3 29. Qf4 Qb4 30. Qc1+ Ka4 31. Qxc6+ Ka3 32. Qc1+ Qb2 33. Re3+ Ka4 34. Qc4+ Qb4 35. Qa6+ Qa5 36. Re4+ Ka3 37. Qxa5+ Kb2 38. Re2+ Ka1 39. Qc3+ Rb2 40. Qxb2# 25. Re7 25. Bf1+ Qb5 26. Qxc6+ Ka5 27. Qc3+ Kb6 28. Qd4+ Qc5 29. Rb1+ Kc6 30. Bg2+ Qd5 31. Qxd5+ Kc7 32. Qc6+ Kd8 33. Rxb8+ Ke7 34. Re8# 25... Qxc7+/= 26. Rxc7 Kb6 Black threatens to win material: Kb6xc7 27. Rxf7 Rb7 28. Rxb7+ Kxb7 29. f4 Kb6 30. f5 gxf5 31. Bxf5 h6 32. Kf2 Kc5 33. Ke2 a5 34. g4 Ng7 35. h4?? White has let it slip away 35. Be4 Ne6+/= 35... Kd6?? weakening the position 35... Nxf5 36. gxf5 Kd5 37. Kd3-/+ 36. Kd3?? gives the opponent counterplay 36. Be4 c5= 36... Ke5?? hands over the advantage to the opponent 36... Nxf5 37. gxf5 Ke5 38. a4 Kxf5 39. Kc4-/+ 37. Kc4 37. Bd7 Kd6 38. Bc8 Kd5+/= 37... Kd6?? not a good decision, because now the opponent is right back in the game >= 37... Nxf5 38. gxf5 Kxf5-/+ 38. Kd4 38. Be4 Ne6+/= 38... c5+ 38... >= Nxf5+!? is an interesting alternative 39. gxf5 a4= 39. Kc4+/- Ke5 39... h5 40. a4+/- 40. Bc8 40. Kxc5!? h5 41. Bd7 hxg4 42. Bxg4 Kf4+/- 40... Kd6 41. Kb5 White threatens to win material: Kb5xa5 41. a4 h5+/- 41... Kd5 42. g5 42. Kxa5!? Kd4 43. g5 hxg5 44. hxg5+/- 42... hxg5= 43. hxg5 c4 44. Kxa5?? spoils everything >= 44. Bb7+ would save the game 44... Kd4 45. Bf3= (45. Kxa5 c3 46. Be4 Kxe4 47. a4 c2 48. Kb6 Kd5 49. Ka7 c1=Q 50. a5 Qc7+ 51. Ka8 Kc6 52. a6 Kb6 53. a7 Qxa7#) 44... c3-+ 45. Bd7 45. Bb7+ there is nothing better in the position 45... Kd4 46. Kb6-+ 45... c2 45... c2 46. Ka6 c1=Q 47. Kb7 Qb2+ 48. Kc7 Kc5 49. Bh3 Qb6+ 50. Kc8 Kd6 51. Bg2 Qc7# 0-1 [Fritz 9 (10s)]