The story behind the game
Kosteniuk sacrifices a knight near the black king, but Stefanova keeps active central pieces. The bishop capture on d5 and the checking capture on f2 let Black turn the attack around. The rook’s arrival on h8 is effective because the other pieces already control the king’s escape squares.
Take these ideas to your next game
- Meet a sacrifice with active central pieces.
- Check the queen’s recapture against the next forcing move.
- A bishop check can place the king on a vulnerable file.
- Coordinate the rook with the bishop before declaring an attack decisive.
Read the complete annotated game
Full game transcript, including the result and the answers. Original explanations by chessgames.info; game score from the sources below.
Nc4 puts an active piece into the centre of the attack. White exchanges the bishop for that knight and later takes the recapturing pawn with the knight on d2. Black meanwhile changes the centre with cxd5. Count the full sequence before deciding whether the original kingside sacrifice has enough attackers left.
Bxd5 removes the central pawn and attacks the queen. White captures the knight on f6 with the bishop before taking on d5 with the queen. Black’s queen recaptures on f6 in between. The order matters because it leaves the other bishop able to check from f2.
Bxf2+ opens a forcing route toward White’s king. The king goes to h1 in the recorded continuation. Black’s queen remains active on f6, and the rook can reach the open h-file. Inspect White’s defensive alternatives before declaring the checking capture sufficient by itself.
Bxe1 is the strongest saved candidate. Stefanova played Rh8, bringing the rook into the attack. The saved comparison prefers taking the rook on e1 first; Rh8 appears later in its line. The lesson is move order: a promising attacking file does not rule out an immediate material capture with a bishop.
Result: 0-1. The recorded score ends here; it does not imply checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 18: Challenge the remaining knight
Which knight move attacks White’s knight on d2? In the game: Nc4. Nc4 puts an active piece into the centre of the attack. White exchanges the bishop for that knight and later takes the recapturing pawn with the knight on d2. Black meanwhile changes the centre with cxd5. Count the full sequence before deciding whether the original kingside sacrifice has enough attackers left.
Engine-supported alternatives
Nc4 Nxc4 bxc4 dxc6 Bxc6 Bxc4 Qd7 Bxf6+ Kxf6 Qf3+ Kg7 Qg3+ · +0.65 · depth 20
Kg6 bxa5 Bxf2+ Kxf2 Kxg5 dxc6 Bxc6 Kg1 Kh6 Rf1 Rh8 Qf3 · +2.57 · depth 20
Qd7 bxa5 Bc5 dxc6 Bxc6 axb5 axb5 Bxf6+ Kxf6 Bd5 Ke7 Nf1 · +3.23 · depth 20
Move 22: Take the central pawn with tempo
Which bishop capture attacks White’s queen on f3? In the game: Bxd5. Bxd5 removes the central pawn and attacks the queen. White captures the knight on f6 with the bishop before taking on d5 with the queen. Black’s queen recaptures on f6 in between. The order matters because it leaves the other bishop able to check from f2.
Engine-supported alternatives
Bxd5 Bxf6+ Qxf6 Qxd5 Bxf2+ Kh1 Bxe1 Rxe1 Rac8 Qd3 Re6 Ne3 · -0.96 · depth 18
Kg6 Qxf6+ Qxf6 Bxf6 Kxf6 Nxd6 Re7 c4 Rd8 c5 Bxd5 Rad1 · +0.16 · depth 18
Rc8 Ne3 · +0.68 · depth 18
Move 24: Check on the exposed diagonal
Which bishop capture checks the king on g1? In the game: Bxf2+. Bxf2+ opens a forcing route toward White’s king. The king goes to h1 in the recorded continuation. Black’s queen remains active on f6, and the rook can reach the open h-file. Inspect White’s defensive alternatives before declaring the checking capture sufficient by itself.
Engine-supported alternatives
Bxf2+ · -1.09 · depth 20
Qxf2+ Kh1 Rh8 h3 Qg3 Re2 Bf2 Rxf2 Qxf2 Nxd6 Qf6 c4 · +1.18 · depth 19
Rac8 Ne3 Rxc3 Qb7 Bxe3 Rxe3 Rxe3 fxe3 Qg5 Qe4 Rh8 Qf3 · +1.50 · depth 19
Move 25: Take the rook before the h-file attack
Which bishop capture removes the rook on e1? In the game: Rh8. Bxe1 is the strongest saved candidate. Stefanova played Rh8, bringing the rook into the attack. The saved comparison prefers taking the rook on e1 first; Rh8 appears later in its line. The lesson is move order: a promising attacking file does not rule out an immediate material capture with a bishop.
Engine-supported alternatives
Bxe1 Rxe1 Rac8 Qe4 Rh8 Ne3 Qf4 Qxf4 exf4 Nd5 Rh5 Rd1 · -1.10 · depth 19
Rh8 h3 Qf5 Re3 Bxe3 Nxe3 Rxh3+ Kg1 Rxe3 Rf1 Qe6 Qxa8 · -0.23 · depth 19
Qe6 Red1 Rh8 Qxe6 fxe6 h3 e4 Nxd6 Rh4 Ra2 e3 Re2 · +1.40 · depth 19
Every piece has a part to play.
Kosteniuk sacrifices a knight near the black king, but Stefanova keeps active central pieces. The bishop capture on d5 and the checking capture on f2 let Black turn the attack around. The rook’s arrival on h8 is effective because the other pieces already control the king’s escape squares.
Look a little deeper
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Accessible evaluation values & provenance
Stockfish 17.1 · 75,000 nodes per position; 1,000,000 at key moments. Actual depth 13–22. Positive centipawns favour White; mate scores remain separate. Selective search is evidence, not proof.
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