Dear Joel,

I saw the following chess trap in one of Susan Polgar's Opening articles a while back in Chess Life Magazine. It leads to a very interesting position.

The position arises from the Giuoco Piano:

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.Nc3 O-O 6.Bg5 h6 7.h4!? hxg5 8.hxg5 Ng4 9.g6 Nxf2 10.Nxe5


Position after 10.Nxe5

Now, after 10... Nxd1?? White has 11.gxf7+ Rxf7 12.Bxf7+ Kf8 13.Rh8+ Ke7 14.Nd5+ Kd6 15.Nc4 mate.

 
Position after 15.Nc4 mate

This is where Polgar left the analysis.

But what does White do if Black trips him up by playing 10... Nxh1!? (10... Nxe5?? 11.Qh5)? This leads to very interesting complexities that might not be as amicable to computer analysis as to Grandmaster analysis since, even though it is very tactical, it requires very long range planning involving the eschewing of material to be able to see an outcome that would allow White to draw (or even win). Is White busted, being down Rook + Bishop for two Pawns and with a Knight en prise, or is White's initiative and attack strong enough to get his material back, or even come out ahead?

White has multiple possibilities here (Bxf7+, gxf7+, Nxf7, Qh5).

11. Qh5. This seems to "cook Black's goose" with the seemingly unstoppable mate on h7, but now Black has the pretty Qh4+!!


Position after 11...Qh4+!!

After 12.Qxh4 Bf2+, Black gets his Queen back. 13.Qxf2 (Does White have anything better, eschewing the gain of material for time? If 13.Kd2 or Ke2, Bxh4 14.Rxh1 Nxe5! 14.Rxh4 Nxc4 ends White's hopes.) Nxf2. Now does White have anything better than 14.Nxf7? (If 14.Kxe2 Nxe5 and if 15.Nxc6 attempting to pick up the Knight on f2 for free, then 15... Nxe4 or Nxd3+ and White only has 1 (doubled) pawn for the exchange.) 14. Nxf7 Rxf7 (if 14... Ng4 15. Nh6+ picks up the Knight on g4; if 14... Nh1 15.Ke2 Ng6+ 16.Kf2 Nh5 17.Rh1 Rxf7 18.fxg7+ Kf8 19.Rxh5 and it looks like the f7 pawn will Queen after Rh8+) 15.gxf7+ Kf8 16.Kxf2 Ne5 17.Rf1 Nxc4 (not 17... Nxf7 18. Ke3 uncovering and pinning the Knight) 18.dxc4, and Black might eventually pick up the pawn on f7 leaving White one doubled pawn ahead with an isolated pawn as well.

Perhaps White can improve sooner. If White plays 11.Bxf7+ Rxf7 (Kh8?? 12.Qh5 mate) 12.gxf7+ Kf8, White is now two Bishops down for 2 Pawns (with Black soon to pick up the pawn on f7), has a Knight en prise, and Black even has threats of his own with 13...Qh4+ and further checks available on f2 and with Bishop, Knight, and Queen in the attack - even though White can probably escape to b1, his position seems to be completely losing to me. The same is true for 11.Nxf7, and White really needs to play forcing moves if he has any hope of coming out of this opening alive. If White plays 11.gxf7+, then 11... Rxf7 (else Qh5 mate), 12.Nxf7 threatening Qh5 and mate on h8 as well as Black's Queen (if Qh5 immediately [threatening the above trap checkmate with the Queen in place of the Rook], then 12... Nxe5 dashes White's hopes; if 12.Bxf7+, then 12... Kf8 and two White pieces are hanging). 12... Qh4+ and White's Queen cannot get to h5, and I don't see how White can make any more progress.

Are there flaws in my analysis? What is best play for both sides after 10... Nxh1?

Dr. Jeff Mullins
USCF Member