Chess: The mating game (2)

THE MOST efficient demolition of the year so far has been Gata Kamsky's win against Joel Lautier in Dortmund. Abandoning the routine 4. Nxd4 against the Sicilian, Kamsky recaptured with his queen. The usual continuation then is 4 . . . Nc6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. Bxc6 when, at the cost of the bishop pair, White's queen maintains her active position in the centre.

Lautier played 4 . . . a6 to avoid the bishop pin, giving White time to prepare a retreat for the queen on d2. Black made his big mistake with h6 and d5, the first move creating a potential weakness and the second opening the game to provide the conditions for White to exploit it.

After that, everything flowed for Kamsky. White's pressure on the central files forced Black to castle, when queen and bishop were perfectly lined up for 17. Qxh6. The rest was murder, with the defenders of Black's king hopelessly outnumbered. At the end, there is no good defence. 26 . . . Be6 (to stop Bc4+) allows Bh7+ followed by Bg6+, while 26 . . . Qe7 invites Nd5 and Nf6+. At the very least White regains the exchange, remaining three pawns ahead.

White: Kamsky

Black: Lautier

1 e4 c5

2 Nf3 d6

3 d4 cxd4

4 Qxd4 a6

5 Bg5 Nc6

6 Qd2 Nf6

7 Bd3 e6

8 c4 h6

9 Bf4 d5

10 exd5 exd5

11 0-0 Be7

12 Nc3 Bg4

13 cxd5 Bxf3

14 dxc6 Bxc6

15 Rad1 0-0

16 Bxh6 gxh6

17 Qxh6 Re8

18 Bc4 Bd7

19 Rd4 Bf8

20 Qg6+ Bg7

21 Qxf7+ Kh8

22 Rh4+ Nh7

23 Rxh7+ Kxh7

24 Qh5+ Bh6

25 Bd3+ Kg8

26 Qxh6 1-0