FrenchC05

FM Kevin Denny (2260)
IM Sergio Minero Pineda (2405)

Zonal 2.3 (3)
San Salvador ESA, 1998


1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. c3 c5 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. Ngf3 g6 8. h4! This energetic continuation is the reason why 7...g6 has never really caught on. 7..Qb6 is considered the mainline, but white can whip up a very dangerous initiative there too. 8... Bg7 9. h5 Qb6 10. Qe2!? Protecting the d pawn with10Rh4 has also been played here, but the pawn sac offered by the text move is very interesting and provocative. 10... cxd4 11. cxd4 Nxd4 12. Nxd4 Qxd4 Taking this juicy morsel is risky but proved too irresistable for my opponent. However its hard to suggest a satisfactory alternative, if he doesn't take the pawn his position remains cramped and his pieces distinctly misplaced. 13. Nf3 Qb4+ The text move is know improvement on the stem game (Nemet - Planinec, Jug-ch Umag 1972) which continued 13... Qb6 14. Be3 Qa5+ 15. Kf1 O-O 16. hxg6 hxg6 17. Rc1 Qxa2 18. Bh6 Bh8 19. Qd2 b6 20. Bb1 Qa6+ 21. Kg1 Re8 22. Qg5 b5 23. Bxg6 f6 24. Qg4 Re7 25. Bh7+ 1-0 14. Kf1 O-O 15. hxg6 fxg6 16. Rh4 Qe7 17. Bg5 Qe8 18. Rc1 Rxf3!? This exchange sac is an admirable attempt to free his game, but its not enough.The day following this encounter my non english speaking IM opponent sent an interpreter to inquire where I had seen this line, as he thought it refuted the whole 7...g6 variation. I was flattered, but I thought this opinion was a bit exaggerated, although I must admit that this line isn't much fun for black. 19. gxf3 Nxe5 20. Rc7 Nxd3 21. Qxd3 Bd7 22. Kg2 Bxb2 23. Rxb7 Be5 24. Qe3 Bh8 25. Qc5 Be5 26. f4 Rc8 27. Qxa7 Bb8 28. Qd4 Rc7 29. Rxc7 Bxc7 30. Bh6 Qe7 31. Rh1 Bd8 32. a4 Qf6 33. Qxf6 Bxf6 34. a5 Bb5 35. Rb1 Bc4 36. Rb6 Bd4 37. Rd6 Kf7 38. Bg5 Also decisive is 38. Rd7+ 38... e5? 39. fxe5 Bxe5 40. a6!! [ If 40...Bxd6 41a7 is curtains]. 1-0 [Kevin Denny]

Game(s) in PGN