Novelty of the Week – TWIC 1647

The Novelty of the Week from TWIC 1647 featured a thematic pawn sacrifice in the game Weishaeutel - Umarov.

In the opening Black lost a couple of tempi and White obtained a favourable IQP position. However, it looks as though Black has the d5-square well covered and his position is still solid.

12.d5!! Think again! White goes for this thematic push anyway, just like in the classic Spassky - Avtonomov!
12...Nxd5 Black chooses what is arguably the most logical continuation and simplifies the position.

However, instead 12...exd5 is better objectively speaking. Now the best way to continue the initiative is the incredible 13.g4!!, threatening g5 and recapturing the d5 pawn. The game could continue with 13...h6 14.g5 hxg5 15.Bxg5 0-0 16.Nh4 or 14.Nd4 0-0 15.g5 hxg5 16.Nf5, with a large advantage for White.

Let's return to the game:
13.Nxd5 Bxd5 14.Bxd5 Qxd5 15.Qxd5 exd5 16.Bg5 f6 17.Rac1! "the sting of the combination is at the end" as the saying goes!
(In the online blitz game White didn't find 17.Rac1 and played 17.Bf4 instead, which would have allowed 17...Kf7.)

17...Kd7 18.Bf4 Ra7 19.Nd4
The game is not over yet, but White's overwhelming activity should bring him the victory in the end.

This game is a very instructive example of how to play an IQP position dynamically and is a deserving Novelty of the Week!