Hoffman-Petroff, Warsaw 1844

Alexander Petroff is the first Russian player of master strength of whom we have record. Among other accomplishments, he wrote the first Russian book on chess, in which he discussed the games of Philidor, and made the then-novel observation that the advantage of the first move should be more easily exploited in symmetrical positions. It is difficult to judge his strength, for he never encountered the best of his contemporaries. In this game, Black refutes a premature foraging expedition by the White minor pieces with an amazing sacrifice.

Hoffman – Petroff
Warsaw, 1844
C54 GIUOCO PIANO
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5
A move now known to be premature, but the correct answer is 6. ... d5, combining development with counterattack.
6. ... Ne4 7. Bd5 Nxf2
Sacrificing a piece for three pawns and a dislocated White King. It should not be quite sufficient.
8. Kxf2 dxc3+ 9. Kg3 cxb2 10. Bxb2 Ne7 11. Ng5?
White has a number of good moves, including 11. Be4 and 11. h3. He now hopes for something like 11. ... 0-0 12. Qh5 h6 13. Nxf7, relying on the tactical point 11. ... Nxd5 12. Nxf7 Kxf7? 13. Qxd5+. But an important principle of these open games is that the player will have the advantage who first brings his Rooks into play ...
11. ... Nxd5 12. Nxf7

(Diagram)

12. ... 0-0!
Legal, startling and very strong. The sacrifice must be accepted, for if 13. Qxd5 Rxf7 14. Qxc5? Qg5+ 15. Kh3 d6+ wins and 14. h3 Qg5+ 15. Kh2 Qf4+ leaves Black well on top.
13. Nxd8 Bf2+ 14. Kh3
No better is 14. Kg4—14. ... Rf4+ 15. Kg5 h6+ 16. Kh5 Rh4+ 17. Kg6 Ne7 mate.
14. ... d6+ 15. e6 Nf4+ 16. Kg4 Nxe6
A Queen behind, Black can afford the time to set up the discovered check. Now Black threatens 17. ... Rf4+ 18. Kh5 Rh4 mate, and 17. Bc1 fails to 17. ... Nxd8+ 18. Kh5 (18. Kg5 Rf5+ 19. Kg4 h5+ 20. Kh3 Rf3 mate) 18. ... g6+ 19. Kg5 Rf5+ 20. Kh6 (20. Kg4 h5+ is the same as the last note) 20. ... Nf7 mate.
17. Nxe6
A little trickier is 17. g3, but Black has a mating pattern similar to the last note—17. ... Nxd8+ 18. Kg5 (or 18. Kh4 Rf4+ 19. Kh5 g6+) 18. ... Rf5+ 19. Kg4 Rf6+ 20. Kh4 (20. Kg5 Be3+ 21. Kh4 Rh6+ 22. Qh5 g5 mate) 20. ... Rf4+ 21. Kg5 Ne6+ 22. Kh5 g6+ 23. Kh6 Rh4 mate.
17. ... Bxe6+ 18. Kg5 Rf5+ 19. Kg4 h5+ 20. Kh3 Rf3 mate