Chess

The International Master, Jonathan Levitt, paralyses an opponent at the Lloyds Bank Masters.

White: J Levitt

Black: A Mortazavi

King's Indian Defence

1. d4 d6 2. c4 e5 3. Nc3 Nbd7 4. e4 g6

Having wasted little time losing to Andrew Martin's Old Indian Defence a week earlier in the British Championship, I was half expecting my present opponent to develop with Ngf6 and Be7 too.

5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Be2 Ngf6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. Re1 c6 9. h3

9. Bf1 is more normal, providing a defence to e4 before Black attacks it with all his might.

9 . . . exd4 10. Nxd4 Re8 11. Bf1 Nc5 12. Qc2

Black can now win a pawn with 12 . . . Nfxe4 13. Nxe4 Bxd4, but 14. Bg5 Qd7] 15. Nf6+ Nxf6 16. Bxf6 gives full compensation.

12 . . . d5?]

This is a critical test of White's play, but it may not be the best.

13. cxd5 cxd5

13 . . . Nxd5]? 14. Nxd5 Bxd4 15. Qc4 is better for White after either 15 . . . cxd5 16. Qxd4 Nxe4 17. Bh6 or 15 . . . Ne6 16. Nc3.

14. e5 Nfe4 15. Nxe4 Nxe4 16. Bf4 g5?

The f5 square could do without this weakening move. However, it is not clear how Black should play the position. 16 . . . Bxe5? loses to 17. Bxe5 Rxe5 18. f3. Probably best is 16 . . . Bd7, though White should still have the advantage.

17. Bh2 f6?

This loses elegantly, but Black's position was already past its best.

18. e6]

At first I thought that 18. f3 fxe5 19. Nb5, with threats of fxe4 and Nc7, was winning, but it is Black who wins after 19 . . . Qb6+] Then I saw the game continuation which was a joy to play.

18 . . . Bxe6

Other moves are no better.

19. Rxe4]] dxe4 20. Nxe6 Rxe6 21. Bc4 (see diagram). When I first envisaged this position, I thought it might be nothing special, but when I saw it more clearly (at move 18) I realised that Black could not prevent Qxe4 and Re1 with total control.

21 . . . Qb6 22. Qxe4 Re8 23. Re1 Kf7 24. g4]

With an opportunity like this available, grabbing a pawn with 24. Qxh7? Kf8 25. Bxe6 would be a criminal waste.

24 . . . Qc6

What else? White threatened to sever communications with Qd5 and Bd6.

25. Qxc6 bxc6 26. Bd6] resigns.

Black's position was too much for such a dynamic player as Ali Mortazavi to bear. All he can do is shuffle the bishop between h8 and g7, while White rounds up the a-pawn with Re3, Kf1, Ke2, Kd1, Kc2 and a long march to a7.