21.♖f3 b3 22.axb3 cxb3 23.c3 a3 24.bxa3 b2 25.♘xg7 ♔xg7 26.♗xf6+ exf6 27.♕xb2
Now, the second knight sacrifice on f5 – not a silent sac, but a forcing one – would have been the logical follow up: 27.♘f5+ ♔g8 28.♕e3 g5 29.♕d4, though Tal had little trouble winning this blitz game after the text move:
27…♕e7 28.♖e3 ♕e5 29.♘f3 ♕f4 30.♖e2 ♘d7 31.♖f1 ♘e5 32.♕c2 ♖c4 33.♘d2 ♕g5 34.♘xc4 ♘xc4 35.♕d3 ♘e5 36.♕e3 ♕h5 37.♖ee1 ♖h8 38.h3 1-0
Unity Chess Club
Michael Adams-Marc Narciso Dublan Spain 2001 Where did the knight go after 13…c5?
Nowhere! Well, the knight goes to e6 in a couple of moves.
Black’s pawns are falling one after another, while his king is not safe either.
Black will have deeply regretted not taking the b3-bishop when he could. Now, White’s initiative continues with equal material. As Black’s minor pieces on the queenside are off-side, this proves to be too much.
21…♕c8 22.♕f6 ♘ac6 23.♘d5 ♘xd5 24.♖xd5 ♖g7 25.♖xg5 ♕d7 26.♖xg7+ ♕xg7 27.♕e6+ ♔h8 28.♗h4 ♘d4 29.♕h3 ♔g8 30.♗f6 ♖f8 31.e5 ♘e2+ 32.♔h1 ♗e4 33.♖f2 1-0
With opposite-castled kings, Black opens up the b-file for his rook, and tries to obtain a strong square for his knight on d5 as well.
If White wants to keep control of d5 with 17.b3, his king’s position will be much more open after 17…bxc4 18.bxc4 ♖b8. The text move is not so useful either. Not only does it help Black’s development, but the exchange of the light-squared bishops also facilitates Black’s control of the d5-square.
White’s c-pawn is in trouble, while Black’s knight will be beautifully centralized on the untouchable d5-square. This rapid game saw some further adventures, and Black eventually won: …0-1 (63).