chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Bartlomiej Macieja vs Vasyl Ivanchuk
FIDE World Championship Tournament (2001/02) (rapid), Moscow RUS, rd 2, Nov-30
French Defense: Classical. Steinitz Variation (C11)  ·  0-1

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
Notes by Stockfish 9 v010218 (minimum 6s/ply) 11.Qc2 b5 12.h5 Bb7 13.exf6 Nxf6 14.h6 g6 15.Ng5 Qc8 = +0.25 (18 ply) ⩱ -1.04 (19 ply)better is 12...a4 13.Rb1 b5 14.Qc2 Qb6 15.Bd3 f5 16.Ne2 b4 17.Ng5 ⩱ -0.79 (19 ply)= -0.09 (20 ply) after 13.Qd3 a4 14.Ne2 Na5 15.Rb1 Qc6 16.Nc3 Nb3 17.Be3 Nb6 17.Qd4 Qxd4 18.Nxd4 Rac8 19.Nge2 Ng4 20.Bb3 a4 21.Ba2 = -0.15 (24 ply) 17...Ng4 18.Bg5 Bb5 19.Qd2 Bc5 20.O-O-O h6 21.Kb1 hxg5 -+ -2.95 (22 ply) 18.Be3 Qxb2 19.Ra2 Qc3+ 20.Bd2 Qc4 21.Nxe5 Qxa2 22.Nxd7 ⩱ -0.66 (24 ply)-+ -4.34 (24 ply) 20.Qh5+ Kg8 21.Ne2 Rc4 22.Bh6 Re4 23.Qg5 Qxb2 24.O-O -+ -3.85 (23 ply)-+ -6.66 (24 ply)28.Ng5+ Kg8 29.Ba7 Bxa3 30.Kg1 Qxg3+ 31.Kf1 Qd3+ 32.Kf2 -+ -15.17 (22 ply)0-1

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

Click Here to play Guess-the-Move
Given 16 times; par: 39 [what's this?]

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer).      [35437 more games annotated by Stockfish]

explore this opening
find similar games 8 more Macieja/Ivanchuk games
sac: 14...Ndxe5 PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: If you register a free account you will be able to create game collections and add games and notes to them. For more information on game collections, see our Help Page.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

THIS IS A COMPUTER ANNOTATED SCORE.   [CLICK HERE] FOR ORIGINAL.

Kibitzer's Corner
Jan-20-03  BLD9802: I think this is one of the more entertaining games of recent times. Ivanchuk is a dangerous player on his day.
Jul-19-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  samvega: King gives 18.Nxe5 Bxh4+ 19.Rxh4 Rxc2! 20.Qxc2 Qxg1+ 21.Kd2 Rf2+ 22.Kd3 Bb5+ 23.Kc3 Rxc2+ 24.Kxc2 Qxf2+

Does 18..Rxc2, then ..Bxh4+, transpose? I ask because this game appears in King's new Test Your Chess. Finding the correct continuation to 18.Nxe5 was one of the questions, and I wanted to confirm that the move order was not critical here.

Test Your Chess is an excellent book so far. Good balance of positional and tactical games, and as always he has an enjoyable style of writing.

Jul-21-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  samvega: Any takers?
Jul-23-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  samvega: The penny finally drops: I'm on everybody's ignore list.
Jul-23-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  TheAlchemist: <samvega> Patience is a virtue, my friend. :-)
Jul-23-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  tamar: Nah. We're waiting to see if you actually eat the fried worms.
Jul-23-05  aw1988: Who's talking!?!?!??!??!
Jul-23-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  tpstar: <samvega> Correct = for this combination, either 18 ... Bxh4+! or 18 ... Rxc2! works, followed by the other move. Note 18 ... Rxc2! 19. Nxd7? Rxe2+ & 20 ... Qf2+ and Black wins. There is no other Zwischenzug to ruin it.

The key is Black's powerful Rooks bearing down on White's position, with the poor King stuck in the middle.

Jul-23-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  samvega: Thanks <tpstar>, I was almost positive there couldn't be any zwishenzug's, it's just that King is usually scrupulous about pointing out variations in move order.
Jul-23-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  tamar: <samvega, tpstar> Shredder is finding a big difference between 18...Bxh4+ and 18...Rxc2. Apparently g3 is good in one variation and not in the other.

18...Rxc2 19 Qxc2 Bxh4+ 20 g3 Bxg3+
21 Kd2 Qd4+ 22 Nd3 and there is no winning continuation for Black.

18...Bxh4+ 19 Rxh4

(the difference is that if here 19 g3 Bxg3+ 20 Kd2 Qd4+ 21 Qd3 Rf2+ 22 Ne2 Rxe2! 23 Kxe2 Bb5 Black crashes through)

19...Rxc2 20 Qxc2 Qxg1+ wins as given in the earlier post.

Jul-23-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  samvega: <tamar> sadder, but wiser...
Jul-23-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  tpstar: <tamar> Thanks for checking that. Surprising that for Line 1 Black has nothing better than 21 ... Qd4+ here; I figured 21 ... Rf2+ would win the Queen, but missed 22. Ne2 Bb5 23. Qxh7+ wins.

Great puzzle!

May-24-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: Indian GM Parimarjan Negi has been wondering around the chess universe but he keeps getting lost!

Can you find him before his time runs out?

Mar-22-10  Garech: Fantastic game, what a brilliant final position! The mistake was 20.Be3 ... Qh5+ instead and white is definitely better.
Aug-27-12  archangelo spumoni: I am not sure that 14...Ndxe5 wins. After 15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Bc2 Bd7 17.Qd4 looks better than 17.Qe2 (which Macieja actually played).

14...Nxd4 15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Ngf3 Nxf3+
17.Nxf3 e5 looks a little better for Black.

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: RAPID. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC