Cobras

Lev Milman and Oleg Zaikov

Craig Jones and Jonathan Schroer

Jonathan and Lev

In the Shadows of Duke Chapel

Cobras game of the week

(25) Schroer,J (2449) - Lugo,B (2430) [D44]
USCL Miami vs Carolina Internet Chess Club (3), 12.09.2007

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Nxg5 hxg5 10.Bxg5 Be7 11.exf6 Bxf6 12.Be3 Nd7 13.Qf3 Bb7 All eyes were on Jonathan's game. The pre-game preparations were focused on Jonathan going for an all out win. Per Craig Jones, after 14. Ne4, "the game begins". 14.Ne4

14...Be7 15.0-0-0 Nf6 16.Nc5! The time consumed by the players at this point indicated both were out of any preparation. Jonathan played this move after a VERY long think. 16...Bxc5 17.dxc5 Nd5 18.g3 More than anything, the IMs instinct's are working here. With the passed h pawn, white strives to maintain control. He didn't want to allow any sort of Qg5+ and Nb4 lines. [ 18.Bd4 Qg5+ 19.Kb1 Qg6+ 20.Bd3!] 18...Qa5 Qe7 19.Bd4 quite a contrast from black's B on b7 19...Rf8 20.a3 0-0-0 21.h4 Ba6 22.Bc3 Qa4 23.Be2 Qb3

24.Rxd5!
Played almost instantly and without reservation. The combination of white's dark squared bishop and passed h pawn is decisive, as black's attack is not enough. 24...Rxd5 25.Kb1 Rfd8 26.h5 Kb7 27.h6 Rf5 28.Qe3 b4 29.axb4 Rd3 30.Qc1 Rxf2 31.h7 Rxe2 32.h8Q Bb5 33.Qe8 Ba4 34.Rh8 Rxb2+ [ 34...Qc2+ 35.Qxc2 Bxc2+ 36.Ka2 Bb3+ 37.Ka3] 35.Bxb2 c3 36.Qc8# Black checkmated 1-0