Number 15 in our series of instructional games. Molinari,B. - Cabral,L. (D48) Uruguay, 1943This is one of the most amazing games you'll ever play over. Reinfeld called it "destined for immortality." Pull out your chess board to see more than just the diagram. The diagrammed position is very challenging, but the idea behind the move is logical if you look at White's king position. How best to take advantage? An added bonus: some extra move explanations we don't ordinarily do. Thus, there are two levels to learn at--the beginner and the advanced.1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.e3 e6 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 This is (known as the Slav Defense. It's very double-edged and still very popular today.) 8.Bd3 a6 9.0–0 c5 (The start of the counterattack in the center; but Black still has to get that king castled.) 10.b3 Bb7 (To fight for the e4 square.)11.Qe2 (To threaten the e4 advance.) 11...Qb6 (Continuing the counterattack on the center.)12.Rd1 (White knows the d-file will open, so he wants a rook on it.)12...Be7 (Almost castled!)13.a4 b4 14.Nb1 (White doesn't mind the retreat because he wants to go to d2, then c4.) 14...Rc8 (Same as White's rook reasoning.)15.Nbd2 cxd4 16.Nc4 Qa7 17.Nxd4 0–0 (Finally!) 18.Bd2 (Attack the b-pawn and connect the rooks.) 18...a5 19.Nb5 (Attack the queen and have both knights aiming at d6.) 19...Qa8 (Oddly enough, still a Q+B setup that is still popular because of the pressure it gets along the diagonal.) 20.Nbd6 (Threatens the rook, but...) 20...Bxg2! (A nasty threat of Bh1 followed by Qg2 mate.) 21.Nxc8 Rxc8 22.Re1 (To support the pawn moving to e4, but, again Black has thought further ahead.) 22...Bf3 23.Qf1 Qd5 (Centralizing the queen and threatening Qg5+.)24.e4 (SEE DIAGRAM) This is the critical position where Black has to decide how his attack should continue. There are several winning routes. One is absolutely delicious.

24...Rxc4!! Offering the queen! 25.bxc4 If 25.exd5 Rg4+ 26.Qg2 Rxg2+ 27.Kf1 Rxh2 28.Re3 Rh1 mate 25...Qh5 Mate threat.with Qg4+ 26.Bf4 So he can drop back 26...Ng4! You need to bring the cavalry into the battlefield. 27.Be2 Nde5 28.h3 Bc5 This would win, too: 28...Nxf2! 29.Qxf2 Qxh3 30.Bxf3 Nxf3+ 29.Bg3 Nxf2! Like jumping into the enemy's foxhole. 30.Bxf2 If 30.Bxf3 Nxf3+ 31.Kg2 Ng5 32.Kh2 Ng4+ 33.Kh1 Nxh3 34.Ra2 Nhf2+ 35.Kg2 Qh3+ 36.Kf3 Ne5+ 37.Ke2 Qxg3 38.Kd2 Qc3+ 39.Ke2 Qd3 Mate. It's all checks the rest of the way. Take a moment to see them all leading to mate. 30...Qg5+ 31.Kh2 Qf4+ 32.Bg3 Bg1+ 33.Qxg1 Ng4+ White Resigned as after 34.hxg4 Qh6+ 35.Bh4 Qxh4mate

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