Patrick Wolff provides his last annotated game for Chess Notes today.  It is a somewhat complicated but amusing struggle played in the 2012 MetLife Amplico European Rapid Championship won by Alexey Dreev of Russia on tie-break.  This contest was waged between Polish players Wojciech Moranda and Grzegorz Gajew-ski. It was a Ragozin variation of the Queen’s Gambit Declined in which White deferred a king side pin, and Black initiated a pin of his own.

 Black’s initial problem in this variation was his queen’s side bishop that was blockaded from the beginning. However, because White’s queen went to the queen’s side and reconnoitered, Black had time to free the bishop with 13 e5.  Nevertheless, in fending off an attack, White forced Black’s queen offside and Black’s bishop went to b7.  It is not surprising that White offered a sacrifice with Black’s pieces crowded away from their king. Black declined the gift offer but the game was soon over.