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Any attack in a game of chess has to be harmonious — that is, the pieces should combine and co-ordinate beautifully, as if it is the most natural thing. Such attacks can culminate in checkmate, giving scant opportunity to the opponent to repulse or defend.
In the game which follows, White plays beautifully after sacrificing a knight in the middle-game. The sacrifice is positional and rattles the Black castle, forcing the King to flee. However there is no respite even in the centre as White's pieces swarm around the King to set up checkmating threats.
White: Petr Kiriakov (2554) - Black: Sergei Tiviakov (2611)
Port Erin, 1999
Nimzo-Indian Defence
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 Bxc5
Black can also play 5. ..Nc6 or 5. ..0-0
6.Nf3 Qb6 7.e3 Qc7 8.b3
Better appears 8. Nb5. If 8.a3 a6
8...b6 9.Bb2 Bb7 10.Be2
Still tempting is 10.Nb5. If 10.Rd1 Be7 11.Bd3 Na6 12.Nb5 Qc6 13.Qd2
10...a6 11.Rd1
If 11.h3 Be7 12.0-0 d6 13.Nd4 Nbd7 And if 11.0-0 Be7 12.Rac1 d6 13.Nd2 Nbd7 14.Bf3
11...Be7 12.0-0 0-0. This is a novelty. If 12...d6 13.Ng5 Nbd7 14.Rd2 0-0 15.Nce4
13.Ng5 Rd8
If 13...Rc8 14.Nd5! exd5 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Qxh7+ Kf8 17.cxd5 d6
14.Nd5. Interesting combination!
14. ..exd5 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Qxh7+ Kf8 17.cxd5 White has netted two pawns for the knight sacrifice and his pieces appear better placed with Black's castle in shambles
17...d6. If 17...Be5 18.f4 Qc5 19.fxe5 Qxe3+ 20.Kh1 Qxg5 21.Qh8+ Ke7 22.d6+ Ke6 23.Qh3+ Kxe5 24.Qc3+ Ke6 (24...Ke4 25.Qd4checkmate) 25.Bc4+ And if 17...Qd6 18.Ne4 Qe5 19.Qh8+ Ke7 20.d6+ Ke6 21.Qh3+ Qf5 22.Bc4+ Ke5 23.f4+ Kxe4 24.Qf3 checkmate
18.Bh5 Bxg5. If 18...Rd7 19.Ne6+ fxe6 20.Qh8+ Ke7 21.Qe8 checkmate And if 18...g6 19.Ne6
19.Qh8+ Ke7 20.Qxg7 Rf8 21.Qxg5+ Ke8. White is clearly better now and has netted three pawns for a piece plus Black King is a wandering one now, desperately seeking shelter . If 21...Kd7 22.Rd4 and Black loses
22.Rc1 Qd8. More or less forced as 22...Qd7 23.Rc4 Rh8 24.Rfc1 Qe7 25.Rc8+ Bxc8 26.Rxc8+ Kd7 27.Bg4+ and Black is losing
23.Qf5 Qe7. Black can offer more stubborn resistance with 23...Nd7 24.Qe6+ Qe7 25.Rc7 Qxe6 (25...Rb8 26.Rxd7 Qxe6 27.dxe6) 26.dxe6 Nc5 27.b4 Kd8 28.Rxf7
24.Rc4. Threatening Re4
24...Nd7. If 24...Kd8 25.Re4 Qd7 (25...Bc8 26.Qxc8+ Kxc8 27.Rxe7; 25...Qc7 26.Qf6+) 26.Qf6+ Kc7 27.Rc1
25.Rc7 Bc8
If 25...Rb8 26.Bg4 Bc8 27.Rfc1 Kd8 (27...Qd8 28.Qe4+ Ne5 29.Rxc8 Rxc8 30.Rxc8) 28.Qc2
26.Rfc1 Kd8. If 26...Qd8 27.Qe6+ Qe7 28.Rxc8+ Rxc8 29.Rxc8 checkmate
27.Bg4. Black is paralysed and can only shuffle pieces. If 27.Qc2 Qe5 28.Rxc8+ Rxc8 29.Qxc8+ Ke7 30.Qxa6 Qxh5 31.Qc4
27...Qe8
Diagram 1
28.R1c6 Rg8 29.h3 b5 30.Qf4 Qf8
If 30...Qe7 31.Rxd6 Kxc7 (31...Rxg4 32.hxg4 Kxc7 33.Re6+ Kd8 34.Rxe7 Kxe7 35.Qc7) 32.Rxd7+ Kb6 33.Qc7 checkmate. And if 30...Qe5 31.Qxf7 Rg7 32.Qe6
31.Bxd7 Bxd7 32.Qf6+ Ke8
If 32...Qe7 33.Rxd7+ Kxd7 34.Rc7+ Kxc7 35.Qxe7+
33.Rxd6 Rd8 34.Rdxd7
Black resigned for if 34...Rxd7 35.Rc8+ (34.Rdxd7 Rxd7 35.Rc8+ Rd8 36.Rxd8 checkmate) 1-0
Diagram 2
Black to play and win
1.. Rd3 2.Qxd3 If 2.Bxd3 Qxh3+ 3.Kg1 Qg2
2...Nxd3 3.Bxd3 Qd6+ 4.Kg2 Qxd3 and Black wins.