Chess Strategy · Chapter 47Game No. 39
This chapter is not translated yet. You are reading the original.
White: Rotlewi. Black: Rubinstein
Queen’s Gambit Declined.
1. P-Q4 P-Q4 2. Kt-KB3 P-K3 3. P-K3 P-QB4 4. P-B4 Kt-QB3 5. Kt-B3 Kt-B3 6. QPxP BxP 7. P-QR3 P-QR3 8. P-QKt4 B-Q3 9. B-Kt2 Castles
White cannot win the QP by 10. PxP, PxP; 11. KtxP, KtxKt; 12. QxKt, because BxPch wins the Queen. The text move is played with the intention of bringing up the QR for the attack on the QP. However, it would have been more correct to fix the object of attack first by PxP, as Black could now cross White’s intentions by playing PxP, after which he would sooner or later gain a move by occupying the Q file with a Rook, and forcing the White Queen to retreat.
Black offers to give up his Queen’s Pawn. If White accepts the sacrifice, Black’s attack on the Queen’s file will become deadly, as White must lose a move in bringing his Queen out of the line of action of the hostile Rook. The White King has then no time to get into safety, e.g. 11. PxP, PxP; 12. KtxP, KtxKt; 13. QxKt, R- Q1; 14. Q-Kt3, B-K3 followed by KtxP, etc.
Here again PxP (followed by B-K2, R-Q1, Castles) would have avoided the loss of a move, as indicated in my note to move 10. Now White loses yet another move, as Black exchanges pawns and the Bishop has taken two moves to reach B4, as against one only in the case of the Black KB. The loss of two moves in the opening stages should be fatal, and of this Rubinstein gives a striking example in the present game.
11. … PxP 12. BxP P-QKt4 13. B-Q3 R-Q1 14. Q-K2 B-Kt2 15. Castles KR Kt-K4
The advantage which Black obtains by his last move is generally gained by White in this opening (compare Diag. 36). But in the game White has lost two moves and Black has assumed the offensive, having moreover a Rook acting on the Q file.
16. KtxKt BxKt 17. P-B4
Black’s threat was: BxPch followed by Q-Q3ch and QxB. If White replies: 17. KR-Q1 the answer is Q-B2 attacking both the RP and the Kt. The text move is unsatisfactory, as it will be necessary to advance the KP to K4 or K5, where it will block the diagonal of one of the Bishops.
17. … B-B2 18. P-K4 QR-B1 19. P-K5 B-Kt3ch 20. K-R1 Kt-Kt5!!
The beginning of magnificent sacrifices. 21. QxKt cannot be played because of RxB and R-Q7, etc.
21. B-K4 Q-R5 22. P-Kt3
After P-R3 Black wins also in fine style: RxKt!!; 23. QxKt, QxQ; 24. PxQ, BxB; 25. BxR, R-Q6 threatening R-R 6 mate; or, 23. BxR, BxB; 24. QxB, Q-Kt6; 25. PxKt, Q-R5 mate.
22. … RxKt!! 23. PxQ R-Q7!! 24. QxR BxBch 25. Q-Kt2 R-R6
and mate at R7.