It was the hack before Christmas

and all through the hall, not a creature was stirring, except for the pieces getting chopped of at regular intervals.
Keeping up with my sometime tradition, I've dug up another game played on Xmas Eve. This one comes from 2008, and Caruana does a number on Vallejo Pons. But it takes two players to create a masterpiece, and Vallejo Pons deserve a share of the credit for meeting fire with fire. Enjoy!


Caruana,F (2640) - Vallejo Pons,F (2664) [B90]
Magistral Pamplona ESP (3), 24.12.2008

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. Be3 Be7 9. Qd2 h5 10. O-O-O Nbd7 11. h3 Qc7 12. Bd3 h4 13. f4 b5 14. Rhe1 O-O 15. g4 hxg3 16. Rg1 exf4 17. Bxf4 Ne5 18. Nd4 Qc5 19. Be3 b4 20. Na4 Qa5 21. b3 Bd7 22. Kb1 Nxd3 23. cxd3 Nh5 24. Qe2 g6 25. Rdf1 Bxa4 26. bxa4 Qxa4 27. Nb3 Qb5 28. Rf5 gxf5 29. Nd4 Qe5 30. Nc6 Nf4 31. Bxf4 Qxf4 32. Nxe7+ Kh7 33. Nxf5 Kg6 34. Ne7+ Kh7 35. Nf5 Kg6 36. Rf1 Qg5 37. h4 Qf6 38. Qg4+ Kh7 39. Qh5+ Kg8 40. Nh6+ 1-0