(241) Eddins,Steven (1635) - Black (1771) [B23]



1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bb5 Nd4 6.0-0 Nxb5 7.Nxb5 a6 8.Nc3 d6 9.d3 Nf6 10.Qe1 0-0 11.f5 Qb6 12.Kh1 e6 13.fxg6 hxg6 14.Qh4 Nh7
I had my longest think of the game here, for about 9 minutes. How best to keep up the pressure?

15.e5!
This move has a lot going for it. It contests f6, closes off Black's possible action on the a1-h8 diagonal, and helps keep Black's c8 bishop out of the game for at least a while longer. Most important, it clears e4, which allows the knight on c3 to quickly join in the kingside assault.

15...Qb4 16.Qh3 dxe5 17.Ne4 f5 18.Nfg5 Nxg5 19.Nxg5 Rd8 20.Qh7+ Kf8 21.Qxg6
Black resigned here, as there is no good defense against Qf7#. [21.Qxg6 Rd7 (21...Ke7 22.Qxg7+ Kd6 23.Nf7+ ; 21...Kg8 22.Qf7+ Kh8 ) 22.Nh7+ Kg8 23.Bh6 Qa5 (23...Qh4 24.Rf3 Qxh6 25.Nf6+ Kh8 (25...Kf8 26.Qe8# ) 26.Rh3 ) 24.Bxg7 Rxg7 25.Nf6+ Kh8 (25...Kf8 26.Qe8# ) 26.Qh6+ Rh7 27.Qxh7# ] 1-0