White to Play
Published in Chess Puzzles
From a game won by von Gottschall: 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. d4 g4 5. Ne5 Qh4+ 6. g3 fxg3 7. Qxg4 g2+ 8.Qxh4 gxh1=Q 9. Be3 Be7 10. Qf4 Nf6 11. Nc3 d6 12. O-O-O dxe5 13. dxe5 Nfd7 (Black's first mistake. Better was 13... Nh5 14. Qf2 Nc6 15. Be2 Qxd1+ 16. Bxd1 Ng7) 14. Bc4 (Objectively better was 14. Nd5 Bd8 15. Bc4 Qxd1+ 16. Kxd1 Rf8 17.Be2)14... Qg2 (Black should have parted with the queen to defend better: 14...Qxd1+ 15. Kxd1 Rf8) 15. Bxf7+ (Quicker was 15. Qxf7+ Kd8 16. Nd5 Nc6 17. Nf4)15... Kd8 16. e6 Bd6 17. e5 (Missing a decisive shot: 17. Rxd6 cxd6 18. Nd5 although what's played works, too.) 17... Be7 18. Nd5 Nc6 19. Nxe7 Nxe7 20.Qf6 Rf8 SEE DIAGRAM 21. Qxe7+ (Equally good are 21. Rxd7+ and 21. Bc5 but sacrificing a queen is always fun!) 21... Kxe7 22. Rxd7+ Bxd7 23. Bc5+ Kd8 24. e7+ and Black Resigned because of Kc8 25. exf8=Q+ Be8 26. Qxe8#
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