It is great if we can analyze every move in a chess game deep enough to be certain that it is the best, but the chess clock puts limits on that ability. One way we "cheat" and move quickly without a deep look into the position is by believing that our opponent's ideas and threats are real - because, after all, he looked deeply into the position, too, right? As a result, attacker and defender can both dance by stronger lines of play that only reveal themselves in the post mortem. This is especially true in blitz play.
Kurtenkov - Carlos100S
3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4
An excellent, attacking response.
7.O-O d6
The more aggressive 7...Ng4 was seen in Sorensen,S - X, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27), the first game with 6...Qh4 that I have in The Database.
8.dxe5 dxe5
Three-minute blitz games require quick decisions. After positioning his Queen actively, Black suddenly decides to return a piece and balance out the pawn structures. This costs him both strategically and tactically.
9.Qd5+ Be6 10.Qxc5 Ne7
11.Qxc7 Rac8 12.Qxe5 Rxc2 13.Nc3 Rf8 14.Bg5 Qh5
15.Qg3 Ng6 16.Rab1 Kg8 17.Qd3 Qxg5 18.Qxc2 Bh3
White is ahead the exchange and a couple of pawns, but Black continues to fight.
19.f4 Nxf4 20.Rxf4 Rxf4
Even as the material leaves the board, tactics remain crucial.
21.Rf1
It was time for the safety move, 21.Kh1.
21...Rxf1+
In turn, 21...Bxg2 was sharper, but, if White believes the Rooks need to come off the board, then maybe they need to come off..
22.Kxf1 Qf4+ 23.Kg1 Qe3+ 24.Qf2 Qc1+ 25.Qf1
It looks like Black will settle for a draw by repetition. He has clawed back almost into contention, but White's extra, passed pawn is still a concern.
25...Qxb2
He sees that now 26.gxh3 Qxc3 would disrupt White's pawns, giving Black the slightest of edges. But - he overlooks his opponent's next move.
26.Qc4+ Kf8 27.gxh3 Qc1+
Counting on the openness of White's Kingside to pursue that draw.
28.Kg2
White believes in his opponent. Instead, 28.Qf1+ would force the exchange of Queens and White would be winning.
28...Qg5+ 29.Kf3 Qh5+ 30.Kf4 Qh4+ 31.Ke3 Qxh3+ 32.Kd4 Qd7+
33.Nd5 b5 34.Qc7 Qe8 35.Qd6+ Kg8 36.Qe7 Qb8 37.Qe6+ Kh8 38.e5 b4
In this battle of the pawns, White will win.
39.Qc6 a5 40.e6 Qa7+ 41.Ke4 Qb8 42.e7 Black resigned
