Stinging like a bee and dancing like a butterfly...

[Carolus Rex]

15. ... Bc5?

I saw nothing but sorrow after 16. b4 ... Be7 (or Bb6?) 17. b5

Or are you thinking of another (i.e. better) sacrifice?

Carolus

[Carolus Rex]

1. e4 ... e5
2. Nf3 ... Nc6
3. d4 ... exd4
4. Nxd4 ... Nf6
5. Nxc6 ... bxc6
6. e5 ... Qe7
7. Qe2 ... Nd5
8. c4 ... Ba6
9. b3 ... g6
10. Ba3 ... Qg5
11. h4 ... Qf4
12. Bb2 ... Bb4+
13. Kd1 ... O-O
14. g3 ... Qh6
15. a3 ... Be7
16. Qd2 ... Qxd2+

Carolus

[Carolus Rex]

Psychological warfare...

A check is like a corner in soccer, right? The team with the most corners has lead the game, right?

0-2!

Carolus

[Julius Brenzaida]

11 h4 ... Qf4
12 Bb2 ... Bb4+
13 Kd1 ... O-O
14 g3 ... Qh6
15 a3 ... Be7
16 Qd2 ... Qxd2+
17 Nxd2

[Julius Brenzaida]

What's more, it was almost checkmate
It's going to be an intersting endgame or should I say a middle game without queens

[Carolus Rex]

Originally posted by Julius Brenzaida
It's going to be an intersting endgame or should I say a middle game without queens

Yes, but taking away all the pieces and looking at the pawn structure tells me that white is better off.

So let's call it a middle game without queens, ok?

Carolus

[Carolus Rex]

1. e4 ... e5
2. Nf3 ... Nc6
3. d4 ... exd4
4. Nxd4 ... Nf6
5. Nxc6 ... bxc6
6. e5 ... Qe7
7. Qe2 ... Nd5
8. c4 ... Ba6
9. b3 ... g6
10. Ba3 ... Qg5
11. h4 ... Qf4
12. Bb2 ... Bb4+
13. Kd1 ... O-O
14. g3 ... Qh6
15. a3 ... Be7
16. Qd2 ... Qxd2+
17. Nxd2 ... Nb6

Carolus

[Carolus Rex]

BTW...

At least a move (your 17th) that I expected!

Carolus

[Julius Brenzaida]

11 h4 ... Qf4
12 Bb2 ... Bb4+
13 Kd1 ... O-O
14 g3 ... Qh6
15 a3 ... Be7
16 Qd2 ... Qxd2+
17 Nxd2 ... Nb6
18 h5

[Julius Brenzaida]

Yes Carolus, your last 4 moves were more or lessed forced. But now, you can think Good luck in this so complicated position
I can see some strenghts and some weaknesses on both sides
Let's call it a middle game then

[Carolus Rex]

The possibilities are many, and we have considered many of them, yet we feel that we stand on the edge of a knife.

One move has especially occupied our mind. We fear that it is a dangerous path to thread, yet we have become obsessed with this move. Other, more safe, moves have paled at its side. For good or for worse, we cannot evade its power.

Sing softly at our graves, sweet queens, if it should prove destructive to our folk and pity us not. Bow mildly to our statues, fair kings, if it should prove destructive to our enemies and hail us not. For we do not know the future, and whether we pay the highest price or reap the greatest benefit is a matter for the Gods to decide.

We have spoken. So be it. The rest is silence.

Carolus

[Carolus Rex]

1. e4 ... e5
2. Nf3 ... Nc6
3. d4 ... exd4
4. Nxd4 ... Nf6
5. Nxc6 ... bxc6
6. e5 ... Qe7
7. Qe2 ... Nd5
8. c4 ... Ba6
9. b3 ... g6
10. Ba3 ... Qg5
11. h4 ... Qf4
12. Bb2 ... Bb4+
13. Kd1 ... O-O
14. g3 ... Qh6
15. a3 ... Be7
16. Qd2 ... Qxd2+
17. Nxd2 ... Nb6
18. h5 ... d5

Carolus

[Julius Brenzaida]

11 h4 ... Qf4
12 Bb2 ... Bb4+
13 Kd1 ... O-O
14 g3 ... Qh6
15 a3 ... Be7
16 Qd2 ... Qxd2+
17 Nxd2 ... Nb6
18 h5 ... d5
19 Rc1

[Julius Brenzaida]

"d5 !?" Impatient, audacious and maybe good too

[Carolus Rex]

1. e4 ... e5
2. Nf3 ... Nc6
3. d4 ... exd4
4. Nxd4 ... Nf6
5. Nxc6 ... bxc6
6. e5 ... Qe7
7. Qe2 ... Nd5
8. c4 ... Ba6
9. b3 ... g6
10. Ba3 ... Qg5
11. h4 ... Qf4
12. Bb2 ... Bb4+
13. Kd1 ... O-O
14. g3 ... Qh6
15. a3 ... Be7
16. Qd2 ... Qxd2+
17. Nxd2 ... Nb6
18. h5 ... d5
19. Rc1 ... dxc4

Carolus