Interesting Position at from Chess Hotel Game

I just played a 10 minute game with Black on Chess Hotel where I played the Two Knights Defense and my opponent, probably the strongest I’ve played to date, adapted the Wilkes-Barre/Traxler Attack. Not being too familiar with this opening I played a sideline (I didn’t know any better) where my King ended up on the e6 square; it was very scary!

White didn’t make any serious errors but lost a tempo (too valuable to waste when you’ve sac’d material) when he needlessly retreated his B from c4 to b3. Another small wasted move was a3 driving my N back even though it’s not posted in a great position on a6.

We arrived at the following position with White to play:

White played 13.Qg4+ and after 13...Kf7 14.Qh5+ Kg8 15.Qxe515...Bxf2+ 16.Kh1 Bxe1 17.Bxd5+ I had the surprising 17...Qxd5! picking up a piece because the Q is immune owing to the mate threat on f1. White soon lost.

Even though Black stands better in the diagram White had a couple of interesting moves:

The sacrifice 13.Rxe5+ is unsound and Black can wriggle out of difficulties with 13...Kxe5 14.d4+ Bxd4 15.Qe4+ Kf6 16.Nxd5+ cxd5 17.Qxd4+ Kg6 with a pretty safe position but there’s still chance for a lot to go wrong for Black.

Another possibility was 13.Qh3+ Kf7 14.Qxh7 Be6 arriving at the following position:

In this position the Firebird engine says that after 15.d3 Bd4 16.Be3 Rh8 17.Qe4 Nc5 18.Qf3+ Qf6 arriving at the following rather messy position:

Black has a one P advantage, but I’m glad I didn’t have to try and prove it because I certainly wouldn’t have been up to the task! It gives the remaining moves as 19.Bxd5 Bxd5 20.Qg3 Bxe3 21.Qxe3 Nd7 22.Ne4 Qh6 23.Qg3 Kg8 24.h3 Rf8 25.Qg4 Bxe4 26.Rxe4

Even though White's attack wasn't successful this time, I think I need to be a little better booked up just in case I run into this line again!