[Event "Match Labourdonnais-McDonnell(4) +8-3=7"] [Site "London"] [Date "1834.08.??"] [Round "17"] [White "De Labourdonnais, Louis Charles Mahe"] [Black "McDonnell, Alexander"] [Result "1-0"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C51"] [Opening "Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell Defense, Main Line"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Juggernaunt"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/uJ72fS0m/Zku2Vyv2"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 { [%cal Yb2b4] } 4... Bxb4 5. c3 { [%cal Yc3b4] } 5... Ba5 { [%cal Ya5e1] } 6. O-O { [%cal Yd2d4] } 6... d6 { Supporting the center and maybe with the possibility of playing Bg4 later on. } { [%cal Yc8g4] } 7. d4 { [%csl Gd4,Ge4] } 7... exd4?! { A dubious move because Black is surrendering the center for no particular reason. } 8. cxd4 { [%csl Gd4,Ge4][%cal Ge4f5,Gd4e5,Ge4d5,Gd4c5] } 8... Bb6 { Hoping for Bg4, pressuring the d4 pawn. } { [%csl Yd4][%cal Yc8g4,Yb6d4,Yc6d4] } 9. d5 { [%csl Rc6][%cal Rd5c6,Ye4e5] } 9... Na5 { [%csl Rc4][%cal Ra5c4] } (9... Ne5? 10. Nxe5 dxe5 { [%cal Ra3f8] } 11. Nd2 Ne7 (11... Nf6? 12. Ba3! $18 { [%csl Re8][%cal Ra3f8] }) 12. Ba3! O-O 13. Qh5! $18 { [%csl Re5][%cal Rh5e5,Yd2f3] }) 10. Bd3 { [%csl Ra5,Ye4][%cal Yd3e4] } 10... Nf6 { [%cal Ye8g8] } 11. Nc3 O-O 12. h3!? { controlling g4. Now the bishop on c8 doesn't have an active square to develop. } 12... Bd7? (12... h6 { This was a better move. }) 13. Bg5 { [%cal Rg5d8] } 13... h6 { Trying to get rid of the pin. } 14. Bh4 g5? { This move allows a very typical sacrifice. } { [%csl Rg8] } 15. Nxg5! hxg5 16. Bxg5 { The pin is very annoying and Black has to do something right now! } { [%cal Rg5d8] } 16... Bd4 { Protecting the f6-knight. } { [%csl Rc3,Gf6][%cal Yd4f6,Yd4c3] } 17. Ne2!! { An unpleasant surprise! White offers the rook and, at the same time, is attacking the bishop on d4. } { [%cal Re2d4,Yf2f4] } 17... Bxa1 18. Qxa1 { The pin is stronger now! } { [%csl Rf6][%cal Ra1f6,Rg5d8] } 18... Kg7 { [%csl Yf6][%cal Yg7f6,Yd8f6] } 19. f4! { With the huge threat of playing e5. } { [%csl Yf6][%cal Ye4e5,Ye5f6,Yg5f6] } 19... Qe7 { Hoping for Qc5+ after the exchange of pawns on e5. } { [%csl Yc5][%cal Ye7c5,Yc5g1,Yd6e5] } 20. Qc3 { [%csl Yc5,Ra5][%cal Yc3c5,Rc3a5] } 20... b6 21. Rf3 { [%cal Yf3g3,Yg5f6] } 21... Nc4 { Desperation. } 22. Bxf6+! { The French master ignores completely the knight on c4 and simple goes for the checkmate! } 22... Qxf6 23. Rg3+ { And mate in 3. } { [%csl Rf6,Rg7][%cal Rg3g7,Rc3f6] } 1-0