Sosonko's style of play was far more cautious than that of his hero, Tal. But he has some brilliant games to his own credit, none more spectacular than the following miniature, played in 1979 against the German world championship contender Robert Hübner. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 (Sosonko's favourite Catalan opening) d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Nf3 (Turning it into a true gambit. Otherwise he would regain the pawn with 5.Qa4+) a6 6.0-0 b5 7.Ne5 Nd5 8.Nc3 c6? (The normal move is 8...Bb7. Hübner's innovation is now refuted with immense energy) 9.Nxd5! exd5 10.e4 Be6 11.a4! b4 12.exd5 Bxd5 (12...cxd5 is met by 13.Nxc4 exploiting the pin on the h1-a8 diagonal) 13.Qg4!! (This is a killer. The point is that after 13...Bxg2 White doesn't recapture automatically with 14.Kxg2 but plays 14.Re1! with an overwhelming attack) h5 14.Bxd5! (A temporary Queen sacrifice: after 14...hxg4 15.Bxf7+ Ke7 16.Bg5+ Kd6 17.Bxd8 and it is White who wins material) cxd5 15.Qf5 Ra7 16.Re1 Re7 17.Bg5 g6 18.Bxe7! (Another temporary Queen sacrifice, which compelled Hübner's resignation: after 18...gxf5 19.Bxd8 Kxd8 20.Nxf7+ wraps up, and if 18...Qxe7 19.Qc8+ Qd8 20.Nxg6+ Be7 21.Rxe7 mate).
Puzzle: Sosonko won many brilliant games with the Dragon variation of the Sicilian, characterised by the “fire-breathing” Bishop on g7. Here, Black, to move, against the Dutch player Zuidema; his Queen and Rook have been forked by White’s knight on a4. How did he resolve this apparent problem?
Solution: Sosonko played 22...cxb3!! The game continued 23.Nxb6 bxa2 24.Kb2 (after 24.Qd4 f5 25.Qa4 a1=Q+ 26.Qxa1 Bxa1 the Dragon bishop has done its work) Rxb6+ 25.Ka3 Ra6+ 26.Kb4 Rc4+ 27.Kb5 Rb6+ 28.Ka5 f5 29.Re3 Rb1 30.Ra3 Bc3+ and after this last blast of flame from the Dragon, Zuidema resigned. If 31.Rxc3 a1=Q+ and if 31.Ka6 the King-hunt ends with 31...Bc8+ 32.Kxa7 Rc7+ 33.Ka8 Bb7+ 34.Ka7 Bd5+ 35.Ka6 Bc4 mate.
