Saltzberg (2124)
-Brill (1776)
Marshall Chess Club Tournament
1975
Queen's Indian Defense, London System

The Queens Indian Defense was one of my favorite openings playing Black against 1. d4. Here I upset a much higher-rated opponent by accurately exploiting positional errors in the opening, leading to a mating attack in the middle game—one of my best games.

1. d4, Nf6; 2. Nf3, b6; 3. Bf4, Bb7; 4. Bd3, Nh5; 5. Bd3, Nh5; 6. Be5?

White should have retreated the bishop to g3. Now he loses time and helps give Black control of the center. He obviously doesn't know this variation of the Queen's Indian very well.

6...d6; 7. Bg3, Nd7; 8. Nbd2, e5!

This thematic thrust at the center gives Black the better game.

9. Qe2, Nxg3; 10. hxg3, g6; 11. de5?!

Opening the center now only benefits black. Better is the quieter 11. c3.

11...de5; 12. 0-0-0?! Bg7; 13. Bb5?!

White keeps putting his bishops where they don't belong. Again, this overly-aggressive gesture only helps Black advance, this time toward White's king.

13...a6; 14. Ba4?!

Better is 14. Bxd7, leaving black with the advantage of a well-placed bishop pair. Now White gets what he's asked for, a pawn storm on the queenside!

14...b5; 15. Bb3, c5

Threatening to trap the bishop with 16...c4

16. c4, e4!

Saltzman-Brill diagram

17. Ne1, Qf6; 18. Nb1, Ne5

Black has a terrific attack!

19. Nc3, 0-0; 20. Rh4, g5; 21. Rh1, bxc4; 22. Bxc4, Nxc4; 23. Qxc4, Qxf2;

White's loses a pawn as his position continues to crumble.

24. Nc2, Qxg2; 25. Rhg1, Qf3; 26. Qxc5, Qg4; 27. Nd4, Rhc1! 28. Qe7, Rab8

Zeroing in on the White king.

29. Rgf1, Bd5!

Protecting the f-pawn and bringing another piece to bear against the enemy king. Black has a won game.

30. Rf5, Bxa2; 31. Rdf1, h6; 32. Rxf7, Bf7; 33. Qxf7+

If 33. Rxf7, Bf8! 34. Qa7, Rc3! 35. bxc3, Ba3+; 36. Kc2, Rb2; 37. Kc1, Rf7; 38. Kb1, Qd1 mate.

33...Kh8; 34. Nf5, Bxc3; 35. Rh1, Bxb2+; 36. Kd2, Bc3; 37. Kc1, Be1+, White resigns.