This position comes from one of my actual games.
Taking stock of the opening phase, White discovers that he's ahead a
bishop for a pawn. What to do with the extra material?
Give it back, of course!
(For the purists among us, please note that you can
place a black knight on, oh let's say - c6, and the analysis below
still holds. It is not the extra material on the board, as the
main line of White's attack demonstrates - it's the amount of material
in the fight!)
1.Bxh7+
You see, the other half of the evaluation, the half
that makes it a good idea for White to sacrifice the bishop this way,
is the observation that while most of White's pieces are aimed at the
black king-side, much of Black's army is stuck on the queen-side,
unable to come to his majesty's aid. So with a material
superiority in hand, White's next attacking step is to 'uncover' the
black monarch, and get him out in the open where White can take some
shots at him.
1...Kxh7
1...Kh8 2.Ng5 Nf5 3.Bxf5
Analysis Diagram: after 3.Bxf5
3...g6 (3...exf5 4.Qh5+ Qh6 5.Nxf7+ Rxf7 6.Bxh6
Kg8+- White's extra queen leaves him with nothing to fear.)
4.Nxf7+ Rxf7 5.Bxg6 Rxf1+ 6.Qxf1.
Analysis Diagram: after 6.Qxf1
Here all roads lead to mate, according to my silicone
friend. White can bring his queen and both bishops into the
attack against the denuded black king; Black can defend only with her
majesty, the queen.
Back to the actual game:
2.Ng5+ Kg6
2...Kg8 3.Qh5 Again, heading straight to mate, no
stopping at GO, no collecting $200.
3.Nxf7
3...Rxf7
3...Qc7 removes Black's most powerful defender even
further from the vicinity of her king, and leads directly to mate
after 4.Qg4+ Kh7 5.Qh5+ Kg8 6.Qh8 mate.
4.Qg4+ Kh7 5.Qh5+ Kg8 6.Qxf7+ Kh7 7.Bg5
White calls in the reserves...
7...Nf5 8.Rf3
Bringing one final piece to the party.
8...e5
8...Nh6 9.Bxh6 Qd7 (9...Kxh6
10.Rh3+ Kg5 11.Rg3+ Qxg3. Not only is Black forced to surrender
his queen in defense of his royal highness, but it only serves to
delay checkmate, not prevent it for good. (11...Kh4
12.Qg6. There is no defense to mate.) ;
10.Qh5 g6 11.Qh4 Black's days are
numbered. 11...Qd6 (11...Qe8 12.Bf4+
Kg8 13.Be5) 12.Bf8+ Kg8 13.Bxd6 Bd7 14.Be5
9.Rh3+ Nh6 10.Rxh6+
Need we say more about this hopeless (for Black)
position?
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