The Halloween-Attack in the Four Knight Game Brause - N.N. (C)opyright 1996-1997 by Steffen A. Jakob

Brause - N.N.

White:    Brause (C)
Black:    N.N. (GM)
BlackElo: 2623
Event:    Internet Chess Club (3 3)
Date:     09.01.1997
Result:   1-0

  1. e4 e5
  2. Nf3 Nc6
  3. Nc3 Nf6
  4. Nxe5 Nxe5
  5. d4 Nc6
  6. d5 Nb8
  7. e5 Ng8

I call this the Back-to-the-roots line. Many strong players think when they are playing their first Halloween games that they can play totally passive and hold the knight. This game shows that even a very strong opponent (N.N. is one of the best blitz players at ICS) will be crushed badly if he doesn't pay attention.

Now Brause plays a manoever which is very typical for the Halloween-Attack. 8. d6 paralyses the black position for a long time.

  8. d6 Nc6
  9. Nb5 cxd6
  10. exd6

N.N. decides to take the sting on d6. Nevertheless 10... Qf6 was better.

  10...  Bxd6?
  11. Qxd6

  11... Qe7+
  12. Be3 Qxd6
  13. Nxd6+ Kf8
  14. Bc4 Ne5
  15. Bb3 Ne7
  16. O-O-O f6
  17. f4 Ng4
  18. Rhe1

Terrible! There is no escape for black's king. A serious threat e.g. is 19. Bc5 and the prosaic 19. Nxc8 Rxc8 20. Rxd7

  1-0