Unity Chess Club
Isaac Kashdan Israel-Albert Horowitz New York ch-USA m 1938 White to move
White has active pieces and a four vs three pawn majority on the kingside (the e3-pawn is neutralized by the d5-pawn and is not included). His main plan is to advance his f-pawn to gain space and improve the f1-rook’s prospects. The g3- bishop defends the e5-pawn, which will allow White to carry out the f4-f5 thrust without losing it, and if f5-f6 is also possible then the black king’s pawn cover would be decisively damaged. Black does not have an active plan available to him at the moment and will strive to block the white f-pawn.
A very strong move that provokes a weakening of the black kingside before opening the position.
Black had a curious defence, involving the sacrifice of the h6-pawn: 19...f5! 20.Qxh6 (20.exf6? Bxf6 would be strong if 21.Qxh6? wasn’t refuted by 21...Qxe3+) 20...Kf7! (with the idea of winning the queen by 21...Rh8) 21.Qh7+ Ke6 (now the threat is to repeat moves, starting with 22...Rh8) 22.Bh4! Qf7 23.Qxf7 Rxf7 24.Bxe7 Rxe7 – now White has an extra pawn and a decent advantage, but the win is far from assured.
Kashdan sacrifices the e5-pawn to quickly get his rooks into play. 22.exf4, with the idea of taking on g6 and playing f4- f5 again in order to permanently eliminate the black pawns on g6, was also strong.
22...Qxe5 23.Rcf1 Kg8 24.fxg6 fxg6 25.Qxh6 Qxe3+ 26.Kh1 Rxf4 27.Qxg6+ Kf8 28.Qd6+ Kg8 29.Rxf4 Qe1+ 30.Bf1 Re8 31.Qg6+ Kh8 32.Qh6+ Kg8 33.Rg4+