GM-RAM: Ten classic games to study, memorize.

In 2000, Rashid Ziyatdinov wrote a book titled GM-RAM, with a collection of games and positions, and a suggestion that studying and memorizing such essential games/positions by itself can make you a strong chess-player (IM-level).
That sounds unlikely, but I like the idea of making a list of instructive games and studying them.

Below are ten such classic games. Games of several world champions and masters are missing, eg: Lasker, Capablanca, Alekhine; these will appear in a second list. Suggestions are welcome in comments.


The list, with links to you-tube videos; the games can be replayed in a pgn-viewer further down the page.

1. Paulsen vs Morphy, 1857. Video

2. Morphy vs Count/Duke, 1858. The most well-known chess game. Video
Analysis by Fischer: Video

3. Steinitz vs Mongredien, 1863. Video

4. Rotlewi vs Rubinstein, 1907. Rubinstein’s Immortal
5. Rubinstein vs Salwe, 1908.
Both games here: Video The second one is instructive on how to play against the backward c-pawn.

6. Smyslov vs Rudakovsky, 1945. Short game, but explained in detail here: Video

7. Tal vs Simagin, 1956. Knights don’t retreat! Video

8. R.Byrne vs Fischer, 1963. My favorite Fischer game. Video

9. Larsen vs Spassky, 1970. Spassky’s immortal. Video

10. Fischer vs Petrosian, 1971. Video And: Analysis In French

[Event "USA-01.Congress"] [Site "New York"] [Date "1857.??.??"] [Round "6"] [White "Paulsen, Louis"] [Black "Morphy, Paul"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C48"] [EventDate "1857.??.??"] [PlyCount "56"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bc5 5.O-O O-O 6.Nxe5 Re8 7.Nxc6 dxc6 8.Bc4 b5 9.Be2 Nxe4 10.Nxe4 Rxe4 11.Bf3 Re6 12.c3 Qd3 13.b4 Bb6 14.a4 bxa4 15.Qxa4 Bd7 16.Ra2 Rae8 17.Qa6 Qxf3 18.gxf3 Rg6+ 19.Kh1 Bh3 20.Rd1 Bg2+ 21.Kg1 Bxf3+ 22.Kf1 Bg2+ 23.Kg1 Bh3+ 24.Kh1 Bxf2 25.Qf1 Bxf1 26.Rxf1 Re2 27.Ra1 Rh6 28.d4 Be3 0-1

[Event "Paris"] [Site "Paris FRA"] [Date "1858.??.??"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "?"] [Result "1-0"] [White "Paul Morphy"] [Black "Duke Karl / Count Isouard"] [ECO "C41"] [PlyCount "33"] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Bg4 {This is a weak move already.--Fischer} 4.dxe5 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 dxe5 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.Qb3 Qe7 8.Nc3 c6 9.Bg5 {Black is in what's like a zugzwang position here. He can't develop the [Queen's] knight because the pawn is hanging, the bishop is blocked because of the Queen.--Fischer} b5 10.Nxb5 cxb5 11.Bxb5+ Nbd7 12.O-O-O Rd8 13.Rxd7 Rxd7 14.Rd1 Qe6 15.Bxd7+ Nxd7 16.Qb8+ Nxb8 17.Rd8# 1-0

[Event "London (England)"] [Site "London (England)"] [Date "1863.??.??"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "?"] [Result "1-0"] [White "Wilhelm Steinitz"] [Black "Augustus Mongredien"] [ECO "B06"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "43"] 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c3 b6 4. Be3 Bb7 5. Nd2 d6 6. Ngf3 e5 7. dxe5 dxe5 8. Bc4 Ne7 9. Qe2 O-O 10. h4 Nd7 11. h5 Nf6 12. hxg6 Nxg6 13. O-O-O c5 14. Ng5 a6 15. Nxh7 Nxh7 16. Rxh7 Kxh7 17. Qh5+ Kg8 18. Rh1 Re8 19. Qxg6 Qf6 20. Bxf7+ Qxf7 21. Rh8+ Kxh8 22. Qxf7 1-0

[Event "Lodz"] [Site "Lodz RUE"] [Date "1907.12.26"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "6"] [Result "0-1"] [White "Georg Rotlewi"] [Black "Akiba Rubinstein"] [ECO "D32"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "50"] 1.d4 {Notes by Carl Schlechter and Dr. Savielly Tartakower.} d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 c5 4.c4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.dxc5 {Tartakower: Less consistent than 6.a3 or 6.Bd3, maintaining as long as possible the tension in the center.} Bxc5 7.a3 a6 8.b4 Bd6 9.Bb2 O-O 10.Qd2 {? Schlechter: A very bad place for the queen. The best continuation is 10.cxd5 exd5 11.Be2, followed by O-O. *** Tartakower: Loss of time. The queen will soon have to seek a better square (14.Qe2). The most useful move is 10.Qc2.} Qe7 {! Schlechter: A fine sacrifice of a pawn. If 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Nxd5? Nxd5 13.Qxd5 Rd8! and Black has a strong attack.} 11.Bd3 {Schlechter: Better was 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Be2.} dxc4 12.Bxc4 b5 13.Bd3 Rd8 14.Qe2 Bb7 15.O-O Ne5 {! Schlechter: Introduced by Marshall and Schlechter in a similar position with opposite colors, but here with the extra move Rd8.} 16.Nxe5 Bxe5 {Tartakower: Threatening to win a pawn by 17...Bxh2+ 18.Kxh2 Qd6+. White's next move provides against this, but loosens the kingside defenses.} 17.f4 Bc7 18.e4 Rac8 19.e5 Bb6+ 20.Kh1 Ng4 {!} 21.Be4 {Schlechter: There is no defense; e.g., 21.Bxh7+ Kxh7 22.Qxg4 Rd2 etc.; or 21.h3 Qh4 22.Qxg4 Qxg4 23.hxg4 Rxd3, threatening ...Rh3 mate and ...Rxc3; or 21.Qxg4 Rxd3 22.Ne2 Rc2 23.Bc1 g6! threatening ...h5; or 21.Ne4 Qh4 22.h3 (if 22.g3 Qxh2+ 23.Qxh2 Nxh2 and wins.) 22....Rxd3 23.Qxd3 Bxe4 24.Qxe4 Qg3 25.hxg4 Qh4+ mate.} Qh4 22.g3 {Schlechter: Or 22.h3 Rxc3! 23.Bxc3 Bxe4 24.Qxg4 Qxg4 25.hxg4 Rd3 wins. *** Tartakower: The alternative 22.h3, parrying the mate, would lead to the following brilliant lines of play: 22...Rxc3! (an eliminating sacrifice, getting rid of the knight, which overprotects the bishop on e4) 23.Bxc3 (or 23.Qxg4 Rxh3+ 24.Qxh3 Qxh3+ 25.gxh3 Bxe4+ 26.Kh2 Rd2+ 27.Kg3 Rg2+ 28.Kh4 Bd8+ 29.Kh5 Bg6+ mate) 23...Bxe4+ 24.Qxg4 (if 24.Qxe4 Qg3 25.hxg4 Qh4+ mate) 24...Qxg4 25.hxg4 Rd3 with the double threat of 26...Rh3+ mate and 26....Rxc3, and Black wins. Beautiful as are these variations, the continuation in the text is still more splendid.} Rxc3 {!!} 23.gxh4 Rd2 {!!} 24.Qxd2 Bxe4+ 25.Qg2 Rh3 {!} 0-1

[Event "Lodz"] [Site "Lodz RUE"] [Date "1908.10.??"] [EventDate "1908.10.??"] [Round "3"] [Result "1-0"] [White "Akiba Rubinstein"] [Black "Georg Salwe"] [ECO "D33"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "75"] 1.d4 {Notes by Lasker} d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.g3 Nc6 7.Bg2 {Already this mode of developing the Bishop is determined by the weakness of Black on d5.} cxd4 8.Nxd4 Qb6 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.O-O Be7 11.Na4 {White concentrates on c5 and c6.} Qb5 12.Be3 O-O 13.Rc1 Bg4 {Black should rather strenghthen c6 by Bd7.} 14.f3 Be6 15.Bc5 Rfe8 16.Rf2 Nd7 17.Bxe7 Rxe7 18.Qd4 Ree8 19.Bf1 Rec8 20.e3 Qb7 21.Nc5 Nxc5 22.Rxc5 {Now c5 is gained and the Pawn at c6 fixed; that Pawn therefore becomes the target.} Rc7 23.Rfc2 Qb6 24.b4 {White threatens b5. Black has no time for 24...Bd7. The sequence is 25.b5 Rac8 26.Qc3 and Black cannot liberate himself. Again if 24...Bd7 25.b5 Rcc8 26.bxc6 Bxc6 27.Qc3.} a6 25.Ra5 Rb8 26.a3 Ra7 {Black cannot guard all of his weak spots.} 27.Rxc6 Qxc6 28.Qxa7 Ra8 29.Qc5 Qb7 30.Kf2 {The intent is to guard his own weaknesses, particularly on the second and third ranks.} h5 31.Be2 g6 32.Qd6 {The c-file is important because open.} Qc8 33.Rc5 Qb7 34.h4 a5 {A desperate attempt at a counter-attack.} 35.Rc7 Qb8 36.b5 a4 37.b6 Ra5 38.b7 {This game illustrates how much greater weight the effect of the pieces on weaknesses has in comparison to their effect on other points.} 1-0

[Event "USSR Championship"] [Site "Moscow URS"] [Date "1945.06.??"] [EventDate "1945.??.??"] [Round "2"] [Result "1-0"] [White "Vasily Smyslov"] [Black "Iosif Rudakovsky"] [ECO "B83"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "57"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. f4 Qc7 10. Qe1 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 e5 12. Be3 Be6 13. f5 Bc4 14. Bxc4 Qxc4 15. Bg5 Rfe8 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. Nd5 Bd8 18. c3 b5 19. b3 Qc5+ 20. Kh1 Rc8 21. Rf3 Kh8 22. f6 gxf6 23. Qh4 Rg8 24. Nxf6 Rg7 25. Rg3 Bxf6 26. Qxf6 Rcg8 27. Rd1 d5 28. Rxg7 Rxg7 29. Rxd5 1-0

[Event "USSR Championship"] [Site "Leningrad (RUS)"] [Date "1956.01.14"] [EventDate "1956.??.??"] [Round "3"] [Result "1-0"] [White "Mikhail Tal"] [Black "Vladimir Simagin"] [ECO "B06"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "89"] 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f4 Qb6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.e5 Nd5 8.O-O Nxc3 9.bxc3 e6 10.Ng5 Bxe2 11.Qxe2 h6 12.Nxf7 Kxf7 13.f5 dxe5 14.fxe6+ Kxe6 15.Rb1 Qxb1 16.Qc4+ Kd6 17.Ba3+ Kc7 18.Rxb1 Bxa3 19.Qb3 Be7 20.Qxb7+ Kd6 21.dxe5+ Nxe5 22.Rd1+ Ke6 23.Qb3+ Kf5 24.Rf1+ Ke4 25.Re1+ Kf5 26.g4+ Kf6 27.Rf1+ Kg6 28.Qe6+ Kh7 29.Qxe5 Rhe8 30.Rf7 Bf8 31.Qf5+ Kg8 32.Kf2 Bc5+ 33.Kg3 Re3+ 34.Kh4 Rae8 35.Rxg7+ Kxg7 36.Qxc5 R8e6 37.Qxa7+ Kg6 38.Qa8 Kf6 39.a4 Ke5 40.a5 Kd5 41.Qd8+ Ke4 42.a6 Kf3 43.a7 Re2 44.Qd3+ R6e3 45.Qxe3+ 1-0

[Event "US Championship 1963/64"] [Site "New York, NY USA"] [Date "1963.12.18"] [EventDate "1963.??.??"] [Round "3"] [Result "0-1"] [White "Robert Eugene Byrne"] [Black "Robert James Fischer"] [ECO "E60"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "42"] 1. d4 {Notes from various sources.} Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 c6 4. Bg2 d5 5. cxd5 {5.Qb3 maintains more tension. -- Fischer} cxd5 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. e3 O-O 8. Nge2 Nc6 9. O-O b6 10. b3 {It's hard for either side to introduce an imbalance into this essentially symmetrical variation. Deadeye equality also ensues afer 10.Nf4 e6 11.b3 Ba6 12.Re1 Rc8 13.Ba3 Re8 14.Rc1 (Stahlberg-Flohr, Kemeri 1937) -- Fischer} Ba6 11. Ba3 {After White's 11th move I should adjudicate his position as slightly superior, and at worst completely safe. To turn this into a mating position in eleven more moves is more witchcraft than chess! Quite honestly, I do not see the man who can stop Bobby at this time. -- K.F. Kirby, South African Chess Quarterly} Re8 12. Qd2 e5 {! I was a bit worried about weakening my QP, but felt that the tremendous activity obtained by my minor pieces would permit White no time to exploit it. 12...e6 would probably lead to a draw. -- Fischer} 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Rfd1 {"Add another to those melancholy case histories entitled: The Wrong Rook." -- Fischer ~ "This is very much a case of 'the wrong rook'. One can understand Byrne's desire to break the pin on the e2-knight, but this turns out to be less important than other considerations. Fischer spends a lot of time and energy analysing the superior 14. Rad1!, but still comes to the conclusion that Black can keep the advantage." -- John Nunn} Nd3 {Now it's all systems go for the Fischer rocket. -- Robert Wade} 15. Qc2 {There is hardly any other defense to the threat of ...Ne4. -- Fischer} Nxf2 {! The key to Black's previous play. The complete justification for this sac does not become apparent until White resigns! -- Fischer} 16. Kxf2 Ng4+ 17. Kg1 Nxe3 18. Qd2 {Byrne: As I sat pondering why Fischer would choose such a line, because it was so obviously lost for Black, there suddenly comes...} Nxg2 {!! This dazzling move came as the shocker... the culminating combination is of such depth that, even at the very moment at which I resigned, both grandmasters who were commenting on the play for the spectators in a separate room believed I had a won game! -- Robert Byrne} 19. Kxg2 d4 {!} 20. Nxd4 Bb7+ {The King is at Black's mercy. -- Fischer} 21. Kf1 {In a room set aside for commentaries on the games in progress, two grandmasters were stating, for the benefit of the spectators, that Byrne had a won game. Byrne's reply to Fischer's next move must have been jaw dropping! -- Wade} Qd7 {And White resigns. Fischer writes: "A bitter disappointment. I'd hoped for 22.Qf2 Qh3+ 23.Kg1 Re1+!! 24.Rxe1 Bxd4 with mate to follow shortly."} 0-1

[Event "USSR vs. Rest of the World"] [Site "Belgrade SRB"] [Date "1970.03.31"] [EventDate "1970.03.29"] [Round "2.1"] [Result "0-1"] [White "Bent Larsen"] [Black "Boris Spassky"] [ECO "A01"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "34"] 1. b3 e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. c4 Nf6 4. Nf3 e4 5. Nd4 Bc5 6. Nxc6 dxc6 7. e3 Bf5 8. Qc2 Qe7 9. Be2 O-O-O 10. f4 Ng4 11. g3 h5 12. h3 h4 13. hxg4 hxg3 14. Rg1 Rh1 15. Rxh1 g2 16. Rf1 Qh4+ 17. Kd1 gxf1=Q+ 0-1

[Event "Fischer - Petrosian Candidates Final"] [Site "Buenos Aires ARG"] [Date "1971.10.19"] [EventDate "1971.09.30"] [Round "7"] [Result "1-0"] [White "Robert James Fischer"] [Black "Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian"] [ECO "B42"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "67"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. O-O d5 8. c4 Nf6 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. exd5 exd5 11. Nc3 Be7 12. Qa4+ Qd7 13. Re1 Qxa4 14. Nxa4 Be6 15. Be3 O-O 16. Bc5 Rfe8 17. Bxe7 Rxe7 18. b4 Kf8 19. Nc5 Bc8 20. f3 Rea7 21. Re5 Bd7 22. Nxd7+ Rxd7 23. Rc1 Rd6 24. Rc7 Nd7 25. Re2 g6 26. Kf2 h5 27. f4 h4 28. Kf3 f5 29. Ke3 d4+ 30. Kd2 Nb6 31. Ree7 Nd5 32. Rf7+ Ke8 33. Rb7 Nxf4 34. Bc4 1-0

T66 Report of third match game 1

In T66 WorldWideWolves has moved up again from Kasparov Section (Third Division) to Spassky Section (Second Division) and is consequently finding the opposition expectedly harder. We have lost the first and third round matches and skillfully avoided a match loss in the second round, where we had a bye! We are still very much in contention for the final but need four victories from the last four matches to have a chance of making it.

In this situation the first game for the team was played last night by the captain slek playing on board #3.

White: Slek
Black: tseltzer
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. f4 Qb6 6. Nf3 Bg4  
 It was a great start to the game. Early in the opening following the advance variation of the Caro Kann Defence, slek with white initiated a nice tactical operation on move 7... 

Position after 6...Bg4

7. dxc5 Qxc5 8. b4 Qb6 9. Qxd5 netting him a pawn three moves later. 

Position after grabbing 9.Qxd5!

9... Rd8 10. Qe4 e6 11. Be3 Qc7 12. Bb5 Bf5 13. Qc4 a6 14. Bxc6+ bxc6 15. Nd4 Be4 16. Nxe6  
 

Position after 17.Nxe6 winning his second pawn

16...fxe6


Slek was in his element playing in his spectacular style and with aggressive opening moves he managed to win two pawns and reach a position where the counterplay for his opponent was minimal. He managed further simplifications and won a second pawn on move 17, with a nice intermezzo.

17. Qxe4 Ne7  

At this stage, slek revealed via his ingame live commentary a plan to exchange dark squared bishops in order to avoid difficulties on a key dark-squared diagonal he had weakened earlier, as collateral damage of his plans earlier in the game. 
18. Bc5  It appeared there was a more prudent option in 18.0-0 instead of the 18.Bc5 played in the game. However, this was still not decisive and white still retains an advantage.

18....Nd5 19. Bxf8 Rxf8 20. O-O After the exchange of DSBs at f8 on the 19th turn, it appeared that 20.g3 was a good alternative to 20.0-0. 

20...Qb6+  

Position after 20...Qb6+

21. Kh1 Ne3  At this point black is seeking to lash out desperately being two pawns down and with an awkwardly placed rook. The chief players in this counterstrike were the queen the knight and the queen's rook playing a supporting role. 22. Rg1??  

Decisive mistake 22.Rg1

Despite this energetic counter-attack by black, white could have retained a massive advantage by coolly sacrificing the exchange by playing 22.Na3 in response to  21...Ne3. 


 

This position could have arisen giving white a massive advantage!

If black grabs the rook on f1, white subsequently gets his knight to the dominant d6 square via a3-c4-d6 when black either has to tolerate this oppressive piece or return the exchange for it. If he does not return the exchange his rooks are clumsily placed and pawns are weak and after returning the exchange white would still retain at least one of his two extra pawns. Unfortunately slek failed to judge this correctly and made the weak move Rg1 walking into a checkmate which could only be averted by parting with the queen.

22...Nd1 0-1

It was a subtle error and a sudden and unfortunate loss for slek and the team after a rousing beginning to the game. Our opponent tseltzer did well to keep up the pressure in a position where he had dug himself into a hole.

It was a nice try by slek to give the team the lead, but hopefully the three of us still to play our games can win the match for the team.


FLASH NEWS: Alextheseaman won our second game of this round to level the scores. Now matan and me (blore) will play in quick succession to decide the match!

Team Mascot!

This is our team mascot! Woof is our war-cry.....and "ooooooooooooooooooooooo" is our subsidiary war-cry!

Player Profiles

This is the playing style of my teammates and I as perceived by me. Hope you enjoy reading this.



FICS ID: Slek (Real Name: Samuel)
Playing style: He is a highly tactical player who is very resourceful in finding ways to complicate the position and often plays positions where he exchanges a bishop for a knight or even both bishops for both knights. His attacks in irrational positions with pieces hanging everywhere is of a very high standard. Watching his games is nerve-wracking and he packs games with excitement. His weak area is dry endgame positions with limited material or peaceful formations with more material.



FICS ID nraravind (Real Name: Aravind)
Playing style: He plays a variety of openings within a range of his preparation. He frequently plays unexpected moves and is not bogged down by positional prejudices. His greatest forte is practical play and 
he can continue brazenly when he enters awkward positions, where more conventional players lose their nerve. He can attack well as well as play positionally but the striking feature of his play is the practical unprejudiced thinking and he doesn't burden himself with theory or specific techniques. In positions where nothing game changing is happening to either side, he has limitless patience and can just keep the position together playing moves that do not jeopardise the harmony of the formation. His main weakness is in positions that have gone downhill and require dour defence, he tends to prefer a counter-strike which is not the best option in all such situations.

FICS ID: alexmontes (Real Name: Alejandro)
Playing style: He currently plays a small set of openings and is looking to expand his repertoire greatly. He is really thorough with the standard formations that arise from his openings and plays strongly in the middle game. Most often Alejandro's victories come straight out of thin air. It looks like nothing is happening and pieces are being slowly moved into the right places, and then he strikes and it is all over. The end is a quick flurry and powerful, delightful to watch. He is also a good fighter defending and actively seeking counter-chances when faced with difficult positions. He is tactically very strong (complex combinations as against wild dynamic play).



FICS ID: blore (Real Name: Rahul)
Playing style: He relies a lot on learning a mass of opening theory from a wide variety of openings regularly. He plays some openings more frequently than others and these change with time, but he plays most openings, with the exception of some really sharp ones like the king's Gambit. He often uses ideas from one opening in another and improvises. He is good at handling quiet positions with a positional advantage and frequently prefers reducing material with early exchanges. He plays attacks but usually only those which grow slowly and takeoff in the late middle game to early endgame stages. His strongest suit is winning equal and plus endgames and defending minus endgames mostly honed by extensive study of endgame technique from text books. He can spot simple or marginally difficult tactics well. His weakest link is in handling wild positions with an explosion of options and he frequently loses the thread rarely managing to find the right continuation.

Wolf Attack!

We begin with a brilliant attacking game played by Slek in the FICS team-league. The pgn viewer from chessbase doesn't seem to work (see end of article), so I am showing various positions throughout the game.

White: behzadxxx (rating: 2060), Black: Slek (rating: 1904) The game began with some kind of Benoni. Afer 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nf3 g6, we had the following position.

The next moves were 7. h3 Bg7 8. e3 O-O 9. Be2 Na6 10. O-O Rb8 11. Re1 Bf5 12. Nd2 Re8 13. Bb5 Bd7 14. Bf1 b5 15. a4?! b4!?
The first interesting moment came on the 15th move. White pushed a4 exploiting the pin against Black's knight. Black responded with b4 counterattacking W's knight.

White now played 16. Nb1?, a big mistake following up on the earlier error of not playing a pre-emptive a4. As blore may have said, if an opponent has blundered once, he is likely to do it again.
Black then exchanged off his LSB with an interesting maneuver (17...Bc8!?) and put pressure on White's pawns on d5 and e4. After 16. Ncb1 Nc7 17. e4 Bc8 18. Bd3 Ba6 19. Bxa6 Nxa6, White decided it was time for his second double-blunder, and played 20. Nb3? Nxe4 21. Qd3? setting the stage for Black to show some real fireworks.

Here, Slek played 21...Qh4! and the White King's final countdown begins. After W responded with 22. g3 (22. Be3 was better), B played 22...Nxg3. Since W's rook is en prise, he played 23. Rxe8+ Rxe8 24. fxg3.

Play continued with 24...Qxh3 25. N1d2 c4! 26. Nxc4 Nc5! What is the idea behind Black's last two moves?

After 27. Nxc5, the idea becomes clear with Black's next, brilliant move: 27...Bd4+! If W takes the bishop, then he gets mated with 28... Re1+ and 29... Qf1#.

White tried 28. Be3, but after 28...Qxg3+ 29. Kf1 Qf3+ 30. Kg1 dxc5 31. Re1, once again Black found a killer move.

The move was 31...Re4. Instead of resigning immediately, W played on for 4 more moves, but the result was inevitable. The rest was 32. Qxe4 Qxe4 33. d6 Qg4+ 34. Kf2 Qf4+ 35. Kg2 Bxe3 White resigns.
A great win for Slek and the team. Starting with 21...Qh4, Black unleashed a series of powerful and forcing moves without giving a single chance to White.

The pgn viewer which doesn't work at present.

[Event "FICS rated standard game"] [Site "FICS freechess.org"] [FICSGamesDBGameNo "398842440"] [White "behzadxxx"] [Black "Slek"] [WhiteElo "2060"] [BlackElo "1904"] [WhiteRD "70.3"] [BlackRD "31.5"] [TimeControl "2700+45"] [Date "2016.09.04"] [ECO "A61"] [Result "0-1"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nf3 g6 7. h3 Bg7 8. e3 O-O 9. Be2 Na6 10. O-O Rb8 11. Re1 Bf5 12. Nd2 Re8 13. Bb5 Bd7 14. Bf1 b5 15. a4 b4 16. Ncb1 Nc7 17. e4 Bc8 18. Bd3 Ba6 19. Bxa6 Nxa6 20. Nb3 Nxe4 21. Qd3 Qh4 22. g3 Nxg3 23. Rxe8+ Rxe8 24. fxg3 Qxh3 25. N1d2 c4 26. Nxc4 Nc5 27. Nxc5 Bd4+ 28. Be3 Qxg3+ 29. Kf1 Qf3+ 30. Kg1 dxc5 31. Re1 Re4 32. Qxe4 Qxe4 33. d6 Qg4+ 34. Kf2 Qf4+ 35. Kg2 Bxe3 {White resigns} 0-1