Another h-file Attack

    While browsing the other day I stumbled across the following game which also contains an attack along the h-file. The winner was. Guillermo Vassaux (June,1909 – May, 2006) od Guatemala; he was a player, chess teacher and writer who won the Guatemalan Championship fourteen-times between 1934 and 1973. 

    Vassaux was one of the founders of the Guatemalan National Chess Federation in 1939. In 1953, he was called one of the three great Guatemalan chess figures of the time. The other two were Enrique Hidalgo and Carlos Enrique Salazar. Vassaux won the Guatemalan Chess Championship fourteen times from 1934 to 1973. 

    He participated in the Chess Olympiad once, representing Guatemala at first board in the 8th Chess Olympiad in 1939 in Buenos Aires, scoring +5 -8 =2.

    Vassaux authored three chess books and wrote a regular chess column in the Prensa Libre from 1974 to 1991. During that time he also ran a chess program Ajedrez bajo los arboles (Chess under the trees) a park in Guatemala City. His students included three future Guatemalan champions. He was awarded a Medal of Honor by the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Presidential Medal shortly before his death. 

    His opponent was John Morrison (1889-1975). Born in Toronto, e was Canadian Champion in 1910, 1913, 1922, 1924, 1926 and 1931.

[Event "Olympiad Final B, Buenos Aires"] [Site "?"] [Date "1939.09.06"] [Round "?"] [White "Guillermo Vassaux"] [Black "John S. Morrison"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C02"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "67"] [EventDate "1939.08.24"] [Source "Olimpbase"] {[%evp 16,67,49,49,70,-20,0,0,67,65,56,64,82,79,72,73,89,86,128,117,115,70,120,104,160,158,167,153,210,208,278,289,262,273,254,235,379,234,248,106,473,496,1083,1065,972,863,29992,29993,29993,29994,29994,29995,29995,29996] C02: French: Advance Variation} 1. e4 {[%mdl 32]} c5 2. c3 e6 3. d4 d5 4. e5 {The opening has transposed into the Advance Variation of the French. White’s idea is to gain space in the center. By blocking black’s Pawns on light squares, the B on c8 will have a hard time getting into the game. Although mot popular the Advance Variation us a solid, yet ambitious, option.} Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Bd3 Bd7 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. O-O a5 9. Qe2 Nge7 10. Bf4 Ng6 11. Bg3 Nce7 12. Nbd2 {[%mdl 32] So far this has all been seen before, but this is Stockfish's first choice.} Nf5 (12... Qxb2 {As is often the case this is a risky move.} 13. Rab1 Qxa2 14. Bb5 (14. Rxb7 {would allow black to equalize after} Bc6 15. Rbb1 O-O) 14... Bc6 15. Qd3 Rc8 16. Bxc6+ Rxc6 17. Ra1 Qb2 18. Rfb1 {The Q is not trapped because after} Qxc3 19. Qxc3 {black has} Bxf2+ 20. Bxf2 Rxc3 21. Rxb7 O-O 22. Bb6 Ra8 23. Bxa5 {The material imbalance (B vs 2Ps) favors white. It's still a very difficult position though! In Shootouts white scored +3 -0 =2, but the winning process was tedious, so ITB the outcome is not guaranteed.}) 13. Nb3 Nxg3 {It's really hard to call this an error, but looking ahead the opening of the h-file is going to be disastrous for black...something that cannot be foreseen at this point! Perhaps he should have just castled.} 14. hxg3 Be7 15. Nbd4 O-O 16. Rfe1 Rae8 {It's hard to say what black had in mind with this rather pointless move. 16...Bc5 seems reasonable. While black has mot made any obvious errors one gets the feeling that white's position has a lot more potential.} 17. Rab1 Rc8 18. Kh2 {What?!} Rfe8 19. Kg1 {It's hard to explain the last couple of moves!} Nf8 20. g4 {[%mdl 32] The aggression starts.} Bc5 21. g5 Ng6 {After this black's position will be almost impossible to defend.} (21... Bxd4 {This reduces the pieces white has available for ab attack a bit.} 22. Nxd4 {It's better to have the N here than a P.} Qc5 23. Qg4 b5 24. Re3 {The plan is to double heavy pieces on the h-file. White clearly has the better chances, but there is no forced win.}) 22. g3 {[%mdl 32]} Ne7 23. Kg2 Nf5 24. Rh1 g6 25. Rh3 {Looking back at black's 13th move it's hard to believe the consequences of opening the h-file for white!} Kg7 26. g4 {Offering a P, but driving away a defender.} Nxd4 27. cxd4 {Hardly bad, but taking with the N was more accurate.} Bxd4 {[%mdl 8192] Taking the P results in disaster. Hunkering down and trying to defend himself with ...Be7 and ...Rh8 was his best chance.} 28. Qd2 {White wants to reposition the Q to f4} Bc5 29. Qf4 {Threatening mate with Rxh7+!} Rh8 (29... a4 {A pass to demonstrate white's threat.} 30. Rxh7+ Kxh7 31. Qxf7+ Kh8 32. Rh1#) 30. Rbh1 {Intending Rxh7+ and mate...there is no preventing it.} Be7 {White to mate in 8 moves.} 31. Rxh7+ {[%mdl 512] White mates.} Rxh7 32. Rxh7+ Kxh7 33. Qxf7+ Kh8 34. Bxg6 {Black resigned, A great attacking game by Vassaux.} (34. Bxg6 Qxf2+ 35. Kxf2 Rc2+ 36. Bxc2 Bc5+ 37. Kg2 {mate next move.}) 0-1