Back to practical chess this week. It’s a game that could have gone either way at various points. I hope you play it out.

Maczynski - Pratten [C53], Portsmouth, 1948:1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Qe7 5.0–0 d6 6.d4 Bb6 7.b4 Bg4 8.a4 a5 9.b5 Nd8 10.Ba3 f6 [White has played very well for the first ten moves and has an advantage, but now he starts to get greedy.]11.Ra2 Ne6 12.dxe5 fxe5 13.Qd5 Bxf3 14.Qxb7 [White can't play 14.gxf3 Nf4 15.Qxb7 Qg5+ 16.Kh1 Qg2#]14...Qg5 [Better was 14...Rd8=]15.Qxa8+ Ke7 16.g3 Nf4 17.Re1 Qh5 18.Nd2?? [White could have won with 18.Bxd6+!! cxd6 19.Qb7+ Ke8 20.Qxb6 Qh3 21.Qc6+ Ke7 22.Qc7+ Kf6 23.Qf7+ Kg5 24.gxf4+ exf4 25.Qxg7+ Kh4 26.Bxg8]18...Nf6 19.Qxh8?? [It's now too late for the bishop sacrifice: 19.Bxd6+ cxd6 20.Qb7+ Nd7 21.Nxf3 Qxf3 22.gxf4 Rf8 23.f5 Rxf5 24.exf5 Qxb7 Black now makes a stunning move: SEE DIAGRAM 19...Qxh2+ 20.Kxh2 Ng4+ 21.Kg1 Nh3+ 22.Kf1 Nh2#

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.