Another Shams Khan miniature

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. d3 O-O 6. Bg5 Na5 7. Nxe5 Nxc4 8. Nxc4 h6 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 10. O-O c6 11. e5 Qe6 12. Qh5 Bd4 13. Ne2 b5 14. Nxd4 Qd5 15. Nf5 Re8 16. Qg4 0-1

Our magazine editor has sportingly sent a lost game. Sicilian Najdorf variation.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 The control of d5 square assumes importance in this line. 7. Nb3 Be7 7... Be6 8. Qd2 Nbd7 9. f3 b5 10. a4 b4 11. Nd5 Bxd5 12. exd5 Nb6 13. Bxb6 Qxb6 Halafyan-Gaprindishvili, USSR, 1983. 8. f3 Be6 9. Qd2 O-O 10. O-O-O b5 11. g4 b4 11... h6 12. h4 gives White a King-side attack, Hazai-Ftacnik, Talinn, 1981. 12. Nd5 Bxd5 13. exd5 a5 14. Kb1 a4 15. Nc1 Ra5 15... b3 16. axb3 axb3 17. Nxb3 Qd7 18. g5 Qa4 16. Bc4 Na6 17. g5 Nd7 18. Nd3 Nb6 18... b3! 19. cxb3 axb3 20. Bxb3 Nac5 21. Nxc5 Nxc5 would have kept the game in delicate balance. 19. Bxb6 Qxb6 20. f4 e4 21. Bxa6! b3?! 22. Nb4! bxa2+ 23. Kxa2 Rb8 24. Rhe1!? 24. c3! Rxa6 25. Rhe1 Raa8 26. Rxe4 Bf8 24... a3 25. b3 Qxb4 26. Qxb4 Rxb4 27. Bc4 f5 28. gxf6 Bxf6 29. Rxe4 Kf7 30. Re6 Rb6 31. Be2 Bc3 32. Rd3 Bf6 33. f5 Kf8 34. Bh5 The loss of d6 pawn is imminent and with it the game. If for e.g. 34... Ra8 35. Rde3 Rbb8 36. Rxd6 1-0

Ruy Lopez,Berlin Defense,a solid opening.White transforms it to the quiet Four Knight's Game.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Bc5 5. Nc3 A less-analysed line,but it poses no problems to Black. MCO gives as main line : 5. Nxe5 Nxe5 6. d4 a6! 7. Be2 Ba7 8. dxe5 Nxe4 9. Bd3 Qh4 10. Qf3 d5 11. exd6 Nxd6 5. c3 O-O 6. d4 Bb6 5... d6 5... O-O 6. Nxe5 Nxe5 7. d4 Bd6 8. f4 Nc6 9. e5 Be7 10. d5 Nb4 11. exf6 Bxf6 6. d4 exd4 7. Nxd4 Bxd4 8. Qxd4 Bd7 9. Bxc6 Bxc6 10. e5 Ne4?? A blunder. 10... dxe5 11. Qxe5+ Qe7 12. Qxe7+ Kxe7 is playable. 11. Nxe4 d5 12. Bg5! Qb8?? A colossal blunder to come from someone of the stature of Mr. Gupta! 13. Qb4 Leads to checkmate or forced loss of Queen for e.g. 13... Kd7 14. Nc5+ Ke8 15. Na6! 1-0

King's Gambit accepted.Kieseritzky-Allgaier Gambit.

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ng5 h6 6. Nxf7 Kxf7 7. Qxg4!? A less-analysed line. White wins two pawns for the piece. The earlier line: 7. Bc4+ d5! 8. Bxd5+ Kg7 9. d4 (9. Bxb7 Bxb7 10. Qxg4+ Kf7 11. Qh5+ Ke6 12. Qf5+ Kd6 13. d4 would pose more problems for Black.) 9... f3 10. gxf3 Nf6 is considered better for Black. 7... Nf6 8. Qxf4 Bd6!? a strange move which aims to reduce the marauding White Queen's squares for pestering the Black monarch. It also aims at the vital g3 weakness. 9. Bc4+ 9. e5?? Bxe5 10. Qxe5 Re8 wins. 9... Kg7 10. Qf3 Nc6 11. d3 Qe8! 12. c3 Ne5 13. Qg3+ Qg6 14. Qxg6+ Kxg6 After the exchange of Queens, Black's extra piece proves superior in the end. 15. Nd2 Nxc4 16. Nxc4 Bg3+ 17. Kd1 d5 18. h5+ Kg7 19. exd5 Bg4+ 20. Kc2 Nxd5 21. Ne3 Nxe3+ 22. Bxe3 Rhe8 23. Bd4+ Kg8 24. Raf1 Re6 25. b4 Re2+ 26. Kb3 Be6+ 27. c4 27. Ka4 Rxa2+ 28. Kb5 a6+ 29. Kc5 Bd6# 27... Rd8 28. Rf3 Rxd4 29. Rxg3+ Rg4 30. Rhh3 Rxg2 31. Re3 Kf7 32. a4 Rg5 33. Rh1 R2g3 To exchange a pair of Rooks and win the h pawn eventually. 0-1

The Dragon-one of the most analysed of the Sicilian family.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Bb5+ 6.Be3, Be2 and f4 are more common. 6... Bd7 7. O-O Bg7 8. Be2!? Umesh commen ted, "Losing a tempo in a sharp opening like the Dragon, but it is a deceptive one." 8... Nc6 9. Be3 O-O 10. f4 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Bc6 12. Qd3 Re8 13. Rf2 e5? 14. fxe5 14. Be3 exf4 15. Rxf4 Bh6 16. Rf3 Bxe3+ 17. Rxe3 d5 according to Umesh. 14... dxe5 15. Be3 Qe7? 15... Qxd3 16. cxd3 Nd7 17. Raf1 f6 18. Bd1 Kh8 19. Bb3 Nb6 20. d4 exd4 21. Bxd4 16. Raf1 h6! 16... Red8 17. Qc4 Rd7 keeping an eye on b7 is an alternative. 18. Bg5 Rd6 19. Nd5 Bxd5 20. exd5 h6 17. Qc4 17. Bxh6 Bxh6 18. Rxf6 Bf4! 19. Qd6 Kg7 20. Qxe7 Rxe7 21. Rd6 Be3+ 22. Kh1 Bd4! keeping a leash on the White Rook. 17. Nd5 Bxd5 18. exd5 Rad8 19. c4 b6 20. b3 Rd6 21. Bd2 Qd8 22. Bb4 Rd7 17... Rec8 18. Qb3 Kh7 19. Rf3 Rc7 20. Nd5 Nxd5 21. exd5 Be8 22. Rd1 Qd6 23. c4 b6 24. Bd2 f5 25. Bb4 Qf6 26. Rf2 Bd7 27. Qa3 e4 27... Re8 28. d6 Rb7 29. Bc3 Qg5 30. b4 Bc6 31. c5 e4 32. Ba6 e3 33. Re2 Rd7 28. Bc3 Qf8 29. Qb3 g5 30. Bxg7 Qxg7 31. Qc2 Qe5?! 32. g4! Rf8 33. b4? 33. gxf5 Rxf5 34. Rxf5 Bxf5 35. b4 e3 36. Bd3 Bxd3 37. Qxd3+ 33... f4 34. Bf3 Kg7 35. d6 Rc6 36. Bxe4 Rxd6 37. Bf3 Rxd1+ 38. Qxd1 Rf7 39. Qd2 Be6 40. Re2 Qf6 41. c5 Rd7 42. Qe1 Bc4 43. Rf2 Bb5 44. a3 Re7 45. Qc1 Re3 46. cxb6 Rc3 47. Qd1 axb6 48. a4 Ra3! 49. Qd5! Be8 50. Qb7+ Bf7 51. Bd5 Rxa4 52. Bxf7 Qxf7 53. Qxb6 Ra1+ 54. Rf1 Qa7 54... Rxf1+ 55. Kxf1 Qc4+ (55... Qd7 56. b5 Qxg4 57. Qc7+ Kg6 58. Qc2+ Kf6 59. Qc3+ Kf7 60. Qc7+ Ke8 61. Qe5+ Kd7 62. Qd5+ Ke7 63. Qc5+ Black cannot avoid perpetual check.) 56. Kf2 Qa2+ 57. Ke1 Qxh2 58. Qc7+ leads to perpetual check. 55. Qxa7+ Rxa7 56. Rb1 Rb7 57. Kf2 Kf6 58. Kf3 Ke5 59. h4 Rb6 60. Ra1 Rxb4 61. Ra5+ Kf6 62. Ra6+ Kg7 Draw by perpetual check. 1/2-1/2

Annirudh Trehan obtains better development and a strong pawn centre in the opening. On the 24th move he nets a pawn as a result of direct attack against Dr. Rao's king. After a second pawn falls on the 27th move, it becomes only a matter of simplification and advancing the extra pawns.

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Nxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nf3 g6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. Be2 O-O 8. O-O Nbd7 More usual is 8... c6 9. Re1 Bg4 10. h3 Bxf3 11. Bxf3 e6 12. Bg5 Qb6 13. Qd2 9. Be3 b6 10. Qd2 Bb7 11. Bh6 Kh8 12. Rad1 Qc8 An unnatural placement of the queen. 13. Nh4 There doesn't seem to be very much point in placing the knight here. Instead logical would have been: 13. Bxg7+ Kxg7 14. Qe3 Re8 15. Ne5 13... Bxh6 14. Qxh6 Ng8 There was a possibility to strike out at the centre immediately with 14... e5 15. d5 Ng8 16. Qe3 f5= 15. Qg5 Ndf6 16. f4 h6 17. Qe5 Kh7 18. f5 g5 19. Nf3 Nd7 There was still the chance to contest the centre with 19... c5 20. Qg3 Ngf6 21. Rd3 Rg8 22. Ne5 Rg7 23. Qh3 c5 23... Kg8 was the only way against Qxh6. For if 24. Qxh6 Rh7 25. Qxg5+ Rg7 24. Qxh6+ Diagram 24... Kg8 24... Kxh6 25. Rh3+ mates. 25. Nxd7 Qxd7 26. d5 Rh7 27. Qxg5+ Kh8 28. Rg3 Qd6 29. Qf4 a6 30. a4 Rg8 31. Rxg8+ Kxg8 32. Qxd6 exd6 33. g4 Rg7 34. h3 Bc8 35. Kh2 Bd7 36. Rf4 Ne8 37. b3 f6 38. Re4 Kf8 39. Bd3 Re7 40. Ne2 Rxe4 41. Bxe4 b5 42. axb5 axb5 43. Nf4 Kf7 44. Ne6 b4 45. h4 Bc8 46. g5 Kg8 47. Kh3 Kh8 48. Kg4 Kg8 49. h5 fxg5 50. Kxg5 Kf7 51. Nd8+ Ke7 52. h6 Nf6 53. Kg6 1-0 [Chatterjee A.]

Dr. Rao obtains a slightly cramped position after the opening. P.B.Dhanish has pressure on the queen side and wins a pawn by a simple tactical stroke. After simplifications and some complications on the queen side, white combines the power of his well placed rook and knight to clear all of black's remaining pawns.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Qe7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. Nf3 d5 7. a3 Bxd2+ 8. Nbxd2 dxc4 9. Nxc4 Na6 10. O-O Rb8 11. Rc1 Rd8 12. Qc2 Bd7 13. Nfe5 Be8 14. Na5 c6 14... Rxd4 15. Bxb7 Rd6 (15... Qd6 16. Nac4) 16. Nac6 Bxc6 17. Nxc6 15. Qc4 Nc7 In view of white's next 15... Nd5 was indicated 16. Bxc6! Diagram. 16... Ncd5 16... bxc6 17. Naxc6 Bxc6 18. Nxc6 Qf8 19. Nxb8 Rxb8 20. Qxc7 and white has won a piece. 17. Bxe8 Qxe8 18. Qd3 Nd7 19. Nec4 N7b6 20. Nxb6 Nxb6 21. Rc7 Rd7 22. Rfc1 Qd8 23. Qc2 g6 24. e3 Kg7 25. Qe4 Kg8 26. Rxb7 Rdxb7 27. Nxb7 Qd5 28. Qxd5 Nxd5 29. Nd6 Rxb2 30. Rc8+ Kg7 31. e4 Ne7 32. Rc7 Rb6 33. e5 Nc6 34. Nxf7 Nxd4 35. Rxa7 Kg8 36. Kg2 Nb5 37. Nh6+ Kh8 38. Rd7 Nxa3 39. Ng4 Kg8 40. Nf6+ Kf8 41. Nxh7+ Kg8 42. Kh3 Nc4 43. f4 Rb2 44. Ng5 Ne3 45. Nxe6 Nf1 46. Kg4 Nxh2+ 47. Kg5 Rg2 48. Rg7+ Kh8 49. Kxg6 1-0 [Chatterjee A.]

In this unofficial CC game, Shams Khan demonstrates that he is does not miss tactical opportunities. The game was played at the time when use of computers in CC was not permitted.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 Bd6 6. Qf3 Nf6 7. h3 O-O 8. Ne2 Ne4 9. Bxe4 dxe4 10. Qxe4 Qf6 11. Be3 Be6 12. Nd2 Rfe8 13. Qf3 Qxf3 14. Nxf3 Bd5 15. Kd2 Rad8 Upto now the game is balanced. 16. Nf4? As Shams Khan demonstartes, this move is a blunder. 16. Rae1 or 16. Rhe1 would have been fine for White. 16... Bxf3 17. gxf3 Bxf4 18. Bxf4 Diagram 18... Nxd4! 0-1

Hari Om Sharma is a rated player. He was champion of Delhi, as well as U.P. In this game ShamsKhan surprises him with a King's Gambit.

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. O-O The Muzio, a cavalier Gambit from the romantic days of chess. In those days White even used to give up two pieces with a Double Muzio. 5... gxf3 6. Qxf3 Qf6 7. e5 Qxe5 8. d3 Bxf7+ 8. Bxf7+ is the main line (The Double Muzio). White gives up a second piece for some fireworks along the f-file. Fischer in his well known "My 60 Memorable Games" has remarked that while nobody plays this line in modern times, it has been analysed to a draw. 8... Bh6 9. Bd2 Ne7 10. Nc3 O-O 11. Rae1 Qc5+ 12. Kh1 Ng6 13. Ne4 Diagram Let us look at the position. Black is still a piece and pawn up. But White has all his pieces in play. His minor pieces occupy the centre and the rooks are already on useful files. Black's king is insecure and of his three pieces that are in play, the queen and dark square bishop are subject to attack. These are the type of positions that the ancient masters like Paul Morphy and Andersson used to acheive in their games. 13... Qc6? 13... Qe7 is better as it covers g5 with the queen. White has a strong threat in Qh5 followed Ng5 as Shams Khan demonstrates. 14. Bd5 14. Qh5 could be played directly as well. 14... Qb6 15. Qh5 Kg7 15... Bg7 16. Ng5 h6 17. Nxf7 wins 15... Ne7 16. Bxf4 Bxf4 17. Rxf4 wins 16. g4 16. Bc3+ f6 17. Nxf6 Rxf6 18. Re8 was more direct. 16... c6 After 16... f6 White could play 17. Rf3 with the winnig threat of Rh3. But probably what Shams Khan intended was(17. g5 Bxg5 18. Nxg5 fxg5 19. Bc3+ Rf6 20. Re8 with mate to follow.) 17. Bc3+ f6 18. g5 cxd5 19. Qxh6+ Kh8 20. Nxf6 Rxf6 21. Re8+ 1-0