The g4 Gambit in the English Opening

This is a very interesting game played in the very first "FIDE KNOCK-OUT" tournament in 1997. As we all know, in such high level events during at that time, it is very difficult to prepare for an over-the-board game, since the opponent might play openings that he's never played before, all for sake to surprise the counterpart. Such is the case in this game...

Krasenkow,Michal (2645) - Garcia,Gildardo (2480) [A17]

FIDE-Wch k.o. Groningen (2.1), 11.12.1997

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.g4!?

   

This is Krasenkov's patent move. The ideas of course is to play for a king-side attack, something in common with the "Semi-Slav Anti-Meran" (7.g4). GM Zviagenstev incidentally played this, also in the same tournament against Joel Benjamin, a day before Krasenkow got to actually play it.

4...d5?!

4...h6 5.Rg1 (5.h3 This deserves attention.) 5...d6 (5...d5!?; 5...Nc6) 6.h4 e5 7.g5 hxg5 8.hxg5 Ng4 9.Nd5 Bc5 10.d4 Bb6 11.Nxb6 axb6 with a good game. Zviagentsev 2635-Benjamin 2580, FIDE-Wch k.o. 1997 (1.3)]

5.g5 Ne4

5...Bxc3 6.bxc3 is better for White.; 5...Nh5 is also a possibility but not yet tested.

6.Qa4+

6.h4 Nc6 7.a3 Bxc3 8.dxc3 dxc4 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 10.Bf4 Nd6 11.h5 b6 12.Ne5 Bb7 13.f3 f5 14.Nxc6+ Bxc6 15.Be5 with chances for both sides, though I prefer White. Krasenkov, M. 2652- Smirnov, A. 2435, EU-ch 11th, Rijeka(10), 2010. So 13 years after! Amazing.

 6...Nc6 7.Nxe4

I think Krasenkow is avoiding this variation 7.Ne5 Bxc3 8.dxc3 Bd7 9.Nxd7 Qxd7 10.Bg2= when Black has easy play. So he destroys the pawn structure first, then plays Ne5.

7...dxe4 8.Ne5 e3!

      

The Columbian GM finds the correct and only move here. 8...Qd6 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Bg2; 8...Bd7 9.Nxc6 Bxd2+! 10.Bxd2 Bxc6 11.Qb3 e3 12.Qxe3 Bxh1 13.0–0–0! 0–0 (13...Bc6 is bad due to 14.Bb4 Bd7 15.Bg2 and Black is tied up.) 14.Bb4 regains the exchange with a huge advantage for White.

9.fxe3 Qxg5

According to the notes given by Krasenkow himself,  After 9...Bd7 10.Nxd7 Qxg5!? (10...Qxd7 11.Bg2 0–0–0 12.0–0 Bxd2 13.Rd1 Bxc1 14.Rxd7 Bxe3+ 15.Kh1 Kxd7 16.Qb5 winning for White.) 11.Ne5! An Amazing move!-ASD. (11.Qb5 Qh4+ 12.Kd1 Kxd7 13.Bg2 Rab8 and Black is OK.) 11...Qxe5 12.Bg2 Rb8 13.Bxc6+ bxc6 14.Qxc6+ Kf8 15.0–0 and Black does not have enough compensation for the sacrificed pawn. If  15...Bd6 , White simply replies with 16.Rf2

10.Nf3

10.Nxc6? is just horrible: Bd7 11.Qxb4 Bxc6 and the rook is trapped. So instead, White retreats his knight intending to build a strong pawn structure.

10...Qe7?

   

After a good defense... unfortunately... GM Garcia cracks! There were 4 possibilities that Black could have considered:  10...Qh5 11.a3 Be7 12.d4 0–0 13.Qc2 Bf6 14.Rg1 Rd8 15.Bg2 Bh4+ 16.Nxh4; 10...Qh6 11.a3 Bd6 12.b4 Bd7 13.Qc2 0–0 14.Bb2 Qh5 15.Bg2 e5 16.0–0 a6 17.c5; 10...Qf5 11.Bg2 0–0 12.0–0 Qg6 13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.Qxb4 Bd7 15.e4 f6 16.d4 Nc6; 10...Qf6 was  considered by Krasenkov to be better than the text move. 11.a3 Be7 12.d4 Bd7 13.Qb3 Rb8 14.Bd2 0–0 15.0–0–0 b5 16.cxb5 a6 17.Bg2

 11.a3 Bd6 12.d4 Bd7 13.Qc2 Qf6

Now we can see the sad consequence of 10...Qe7...

14.b4 e5??

     

A decisive error!14...Qg6 is correct since 15.e4? is premature in view of 15...e5! 16.c5 Be7 17.d5 (17.dxe5 0–0–0) 17...Nd4 18.Nxd4 exd4 with chances for Black. Note that 15.Qc3 just might be better, but after  15...Qe4,  Black can still fight :)

15.d5

Black is helpless. 15.b5?! (Krasenkov) then 15...Bf5 16.Qb2 e4 17.bxc6 exf3 18.cxb7 f2+ 19.Kd1 Rb8 is a complicated path to tread.

15...Bf5 16.Qa4

16.e4? Nd4 17.Nxd4? Qh4+ 18.Kd1 Bxe4 wins for Black! Even here, White must be extra-careful not to fall for any slip-ups.

16...Be4

16...e4 17.Nd4

17.dxc6 b5!?

   

17...Bxc6 18.Qc2

18.cxb5 Bxf3 19.exf3 e4?!

   

After 19...Qh4+ 20.Ke2 Qc4+ 21.Kf2 Qh4+ 22.Kg1 Black runs out of checks.; 19...Qxf3 20.Rg1 Be7 21.Rg3 Bh4 22.Ra2 Bxg3+ 23.hxg3 Qxg3+ 24.Rf2 0–0 25.Qb3 Rad8 26.Bg2 should win anyway.--Krasenkow

20.Ra2 exf3 21.Rf2 Rd8 22.Qc2 Be5

22...Qh4 23.Qf5 Bxb4+ 24.axb4 Qxb4+ 25.Bd2 --Krasenkow

23.Bb2!

Black could have resigned earlier at this moment because unfortunately, there was nothing he could actually do to revive the game :(

23...0–0 24.Bxe5 Qxe5 25.Rxf3 Rd6 26.Bg2 Qxb5 27.Rf5 Qa6 28.Ra5 Qb6 29.Qc5 Qb8 30.0–0!!

The final position deserves a diagram ;)

      

After the game, Krasenkow said this interesting quote, "Castling on move 30 is not very common... especially if it is the last move!" And so Black resigned, but not without grace!

So guys, where can you find such game with 30 0-0 in the end? Hehe.

Tell me, and I'll be surprised, hehe.

by Sans Riumin