Scarpa, Mario – Warren, Porter

Warren, Porter (1026)
Scarpa, Mario (1357)
Result: 0-1
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1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. d4 Black regrets not having played 3... d5, but doing it now would be too late. The threat is now obvious, and after the pawn advances to d5, the Knight on c6 would have to bounce here and there, only to be terminated shortly after. Black thinks that this is a waste of time, and if the knight has to go, it might as well bring as many pawns as possible to hell with it. Black notices that after pawn d5, the diagonal a2-g1 is conveniently free for the Bishop to threaten f2. White would gain material but eventually would have to sacrifice position and tempo to get it... 4... Nxe4 5. d5 Bc5 Instead of protecting the Knight, Black threatens Nf2 forking Queen and Rook 6. Be3 Bxe3 This forces fxe3, and since the pawn on d5 will move to the c-file, not only will it get doubled, but it will also isolate the one on the e-file. 7. fxe3 Ng5 Black thinks that White will move dxc6, to which he would respond with Nxf3+ forcing gxf3, and then Qh4+ forcing the king to move. Then dxc6 or bxc3 would free the bishop for further action. 8. Nxg5 This forces the plan B... which is equally sound. 8... Qxg5 9. dxc6 Qxe3+ 10. Qe2 Qc1+ Risky but full of potential 11. Qd1 Qxb2 Now White's pawns are decimated, doubled, and isolated. Losing the Knight was a price worth paying. 12. cxd7+ Bxd7 13. Nd2 Qxc3 14. Kf2 Qd4+ 15. Ke1 Here Black realises that despite the advantage, he's playing with fire... he's suddenly taken by a rash of Compulsive Castling Disorder, but the adrenaline level is far too high for bothering to protect itself... 15... Ba4 16. Qc1 Rd8 17. Be2 Bc6 18. Bf3 Qe3+ 19. Be2 Bxg2 White resigns.