The Check is in the Mail

Or the Power of the Discovered Check

Played on FICS August 26th, I was white.

1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5
3.Nc3 dxc4
4.e4

Queens Gambit Accepted. I have a lot of fun with this line.

4. ... Bb4
5.Bxc4 Bxc3+
6.bxc3 Bd7
7.Nf3 Bc6

I decided to trade off pawns in the center. I felt I would still control the center and my opponent would have to do something with his Bishop. Otherwise I would gain at least a tempo.
8.d5 exd5
9.exd5 Bd7
10.0-0 Ne7
11.Re1

There are several reasons for this move:
1. Rooks want to control open files.
2. It is a central file and it really strengthens my center.
3. It is a pin. Pins are usually only temporary advantages, but ...

11. ... 0-0

He or she castles out of check, breaking the pin.
I have decided to re-pin and I have 2 good choices:
1. Ba3 pin the Night against his Rook.
2. Bg5, pinning the Night against his queen.

I chose option 2, because it sets up either a very nice attack or a sneaky discovered check.

12.Bg5 f6

This was the move I had hoped for. It sets up a discovered check on his King and an attack on Knight simultaneously and it ends up winning a Knight and a rook for the price of a pawn. For black, Re8 would have been a much better move.


13.d6+ Kh8
14.dxe7 Qe8
15.exf8Q+ Qxf8

Black should have resigned at this point. He is down almost a whole Queen, but he played on for a while. The game after this point is uninteresting, but I am posting it anyway for your viewing pleasure.

16.Be3 Bc6
17.Nd4 a6
18.Nxc6 Nxc6
19.Be2 Rc8
20.Bg4 Rd8
21.Qb3 b5
22.Rad1 Rxd1
23.Rxd1 Ne5
24.Be6 c5
25.Bf4 c4
26.Qb4 Nd3
27.Qxf8# 1-0