GM Suat Atalik - GM Tony Miles; 

 All - Masters Tourney / Iraklion, Greece;  1993.

This is a game that is mainly just (in) text-score -  with only a few diagrams.   
You will probably want  (or need)  a chessboard. (!)     

  Click  HERE   to see this game in a java-script re-play format.   

   ***  Click  HERE  to see an explanation of some of the symbols ... that I use in annotating 
          chess games.  ***  

S. Atalik (2554) - A. Miles (2668)

[A45]
Masters Tourney
  Iraklion, Crete, (GRE);  1993. 

[A.J.G. (July, 2003)]

******************************

One of Tony's finest games.

---> It has been printed ... and also reprinted ... in many magazines and books. 
       (I am almost sure I saw it in at least one chess magazine shortly after it 
         was played.) 
---> It is in several famous game anthologies. 
---> Several GM's said this was one of Tony's very best games. 
---> Soltis puts it in the "TOP FIFTY," (# 36);  of the best games of the whole 
of the Twentieth (20th) Century!

*******

( The ratings here are exact, - adjusted for inflation - and come from 
   J. Sonas's web site. {See the January, 1993; rating list.} )  

******************************

1.d4 Nf6;  2.c4 g6; 3.Nc3 Bg7;  4.e4 d6;  
A standard King's Indian Defense. 

White now chooses the very sharp Samisch ... a line which often leads 
to a strong K-side attack for White. 
5.f3 0-0 ;  6.Be3 c5!?;   
An extremely sharp gambit ...  that was in vogue in the late 1980's and 
(the) early 90's. 

     [ More often played is:  6...e5!?;  {Diagram?}  
        putting pressure on key dark squares in this position.  ] 

White decides against accepting the proffered pawn gambit. 
(He also continues to develop.) 

7.Nge2,  
Simple and solid development.  

     [ The main line of the gambit (accepted)  runs as follows: 
        7.dxc5!? dxc5;  8.Qxd8 Rxd8;  9.Bxc5 Nc6;  "~"  {Diagram?}   
        and Black is supposed to have VERY good play ...  
        and EXCELLENT  'comp' for his {small} one-pawn disadvantage. 

        [ See any good openings book.] 

        NOTE: This gambit was all the rage at the GM-level in the 
        late 1980's. ]   

Black continues to leave his c-pawn as bait - developing all the while. 
7...Nc6;  8.Qd2 e6;  9.Rd1 b6;  10.Bg5 Ba6!?;  11.d5 Ne5; ('!')  
12.b3, "+/="  {See the diagram just below.}  
While virtually forced, this appears to be good for White. The first player 
has a significantly greater control of the board, (= space); than does his 
opponent.

     [ 12.Bh6? Nxc4;  "/+" ]  

*************************

*************************

It is not clear how Black will manage to create any meaningful counterplay. 
(From the position given above.)

12...h6!;  
A second offer of a pawn, this time on the h6-square. 

13.Be3,  
Once again White passes on taking Black's gambit pawn. 

     [ After the moves:  13.Bxh6!? Nxe4!;  14.fxe4!? Qh4+;  
        15.Ng3 Bxh6;  "=/+"  {Diagram?} 
         Black is at least slightly better.   - GM's Miles and Soltis. ]  

Without going into a very detailed analysis, I will simply tell you that  
all of the next few moves are the best - for both parties.  
13...exd5!;  14.Nxd5! Nxd5!;  15.Qxd5 ('!')  15...b5!!;   
Black's play here is incredibly vigorous. In some lines, GM Tony Miles could 
be down  ...  THREE PAWNS!!!  

But with White's King stuck in the middle of the board, he really can't 
afford to be too greedy. 

     [ Possible was:  15...Qh4+!? ]   

White's next two moves look forced.  
16.cxb5 Bxb5;  17.Nc1 Bc6!;  18.Qd2!? f5!;  19.Qxd6,  
It is humorous to note that this is the third pawn gambit Tony has 
offered in this game. 
(The first was the pawn on c5, which was left hanging for several 
  moves; then Black tried to gambit his  King's-Rook-Pawn.) 

     [ 19.Nd3!? ]  

19...Qe8!;  (Maybe - '!!')  {Diagram?}  
Tony's pawn gambit has appeared to give him fantastic play. Note 
the distant alignment of Black's Queen and White's King. 
(It plays a role in many complex variations.)  

20.Qxc5!? fxe4!;  21.f4!,  {See the diagram just below.}  
Soltis awards this move an exclam, and calls it a good attempt at 
trying to, ...    "close the flood-gates." 

     [ The move:  21.fxe4!?,  {Diagram?}  
        is probably just too dangerous.  (For White!)  ]   

*************************

*************************

How does Black continues his assault?

21...Nd3+!?;  (Maybe - '!')   
This is sharp and interesting.  

     [ The move:  21...Ng4;  {Diagram?}  was also interesting.  ]   

22.Nxd3!?,  {Diagram?}  
The indicated and the natural move in this position; it is also the first choice 
of most of the strong programs that I tested this game on. (Soltis questions 
this, but his analysis is flawed.) 

     [ Maybe   22.Bxd3!?,  {Diagram?}  was playable as well?  ]   

22...exd3;  23.Kf2,   
This looks to be the best move for White in this particular position.  

     [  23.Bxd3!?;  or  23.Rxd3!?  ]  

23...Rc8!;  24.Qc4+!? Kh8!;  25.Qxd3 g5!!;   
Tony had several different (very) attractive moves to choose from 
at this point, but he finds the very best continuation of all. 

     [ Maybe  25...Be4!? ]  

26.Rc1!?,   
Possibly an attempt at play along the c-file? (anticipation) 
{It looks like the move loses tempo over some of the other lines.) 

Soltis does not comment at all at this point in the game. 

     [  Maybe the move:  >/=  26.Qd6,  {Diagram?}  
         would be an improvement for White here? (I think so.)  ]  

Now Black finishes off in style ... real style. 
The kind that just blows you away!! 
26...Rd8!;  27.Qe2,   
Believe it or not, this is 100% forced for White here.

**********

     [ After the seemingly plausible move Qc2, White gets blown right out 
        of the water:  27.Qc2!? Rxf4+!!;  28.Bxf4 Bd4+!!;  29.Kg3,  {Diagram?}  
        This is, of course, completely forced.  

           ( Of course not:  </=  29.Be3?? Qxe3# )     

       29...gxf4+;  30.Kh4 Bf6+;  31.Kg4,  {Diagram?}  
       Once again - completely forced.  

           ( </= 31.Kh3?? Qh5# )        

       31...h5+!;  ("-/+")  {Diagram?}  
       and Black (and White) can choose between  several different ...  
        "Mate in 3 moves." 
         ( </=  Kxf4, Qe5#   Or  Kh3, Qe6+;  and mate next move. )     

          ( For example:  31...h5+!;  32.Kf5 Qe5+; {!?}  33.Kg6 Qg5+;      
             34.Kf7 Bd5#.  {Diagram?}       
            This is just one of the many amazing variations I found in      
            the many months I spent studying this game.       
            (I began analyzing a few of Miles's games shortly after his    
              passing in Nov. 2001.) )       

 ***** 

       After the moves:  </=  27.Qb1?! Rd2+!;   {Diagram?}  
       Black has a powerful attack.   (...Rxf4+!! probably also works.)   ]    

**********

27...gxf4!;  (Maybe - '!!')   
At first this looks like the wrong approach for Black here. 

     [ 27...Qg6!? ]  

28.Bc5, ('!?')  {See the diagram just below.}  
Soltis writes that this move appears to liquidate forces while retaining a 
material advantage.  

     [ 28.Bxa7!? ]  

*************************

*************************

It is Black to move ... you will not believe how Tony decides to conclude 
this particular game.

The lowly pawn  ...  that started the game on the g7-square ...  
is now destined to be White's complete undoing.  
(THREE zwischenzugs in a row!)  
28...f3!!;  29.Qxe8 fxg2+!!;  30.Bxf8 gxh1N+!!;  {Diagram?} 
White ... RESIGNS! 

Soltis informs us that White can choose between check-mate, 
(Kg1?, Bd4+!); or suffer large material losses. (Ke1, Rxe8+; etc.) 

An unbelievable combination ... and one of the best and grandest 
examples of UNDER-PROMOTION that I have ever seen. 
(In an actual game - as compared to a composed problem.) 

**************

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
I have seen this game MANY times in print. 
(It was in all the magazines shortly after it was played.) 

But my two main sources for my attempts at annotating this game 
have been:
# 1.)   "The 100 Best,"  by  GM Andrew Soltis. 
# 2.)   The INFORMANT for 1993. 
           (Published in {former} Yugoslavia.)