Chess Strategy · Chapter 49Game No. 41
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White: Niemzowitsch. Black: Tarrasch.
Queen’s Gambit Declined.
1. P-Q4 P-Q4 2. Kt-KB3 P-QB4 3. P-B4 P-K3 4. P-K3 Kt-KB3 5. B-Q3 Kt-B3 6. Castles B-Q3 7. P-QKt3 Castles 8. B-Kt2 P-QKt3 9. QKt-Q2 B-Kt2 10. R-B1 Q-K2 11. PxQP
The most natural move to which the development of the QKt at Q2 instead of B3 would seem to lead is Kt-K5 followed by P-B4. After 11. Kt-K5 Black could not yet attempt 11. … PxQP; 12. KPxP, B- R6, weakening the QP, because of 13. BxB, QxB; 14. PxP, KtxKt; 15. PxKt, KtxP; 16. Kt-B4 and Kt-Q6.
11. … KPxP 12. Kt-R4
In order to provoke Black’s weakening move: P-Kt3, which might give White chances of attack on the long diagonal QR1-KR8, White gives up two clear moves. Black is able to get considerably ahead in his development, much to White’s disadvantage.
12. … P-Kt3 13. KKt-B3 QR-Q sq
Not Kt-K5 yet, on account of 14. PxP, PxP?; 15. BxKt, PxB; 16. KtxP.
14. PxP
White’s position is uncomfortable, and a satisfactory continuation is hard to find. Possibly passive resistance might have been the best plan, thus: Q-K2, KR-Q1, Kt-B1-Kt3. The text move is a preliminary to operations on the Queen’s side, but allows Black too much scope in the centre.
14. … PxP 15. B-Kt5
White wishes to get rid of the Black Knight which supports the advance of P-Q5.
15. … Kt-K5 16. BxKt BxB 17. Q-B2
White has no idea of the threatened disaster, or he would have played P-KKt3. Even then, however, Black has the better game with two Bishops, and the Q and Kt better placed.
17. … KtxKt
The beginning of a brilliant mating combination.
18. KtxKt P-Q5!
Black would have played the same move if White had retaken with the Queen.
19. PxP
P-K4 was comparatively the best move, although Black’s attack would have become overwhelming after P-B4, e.g. 20. P-B3, B-B5, etc.
19. … BxPch!! 20. KxB Q-R5ch 21. K-Kt1 BxP!
Emanuel Lasker won a celebrated game from Bauer (Amsterdam, 1889) with a similar sacrifice of two Bishops, and very likely this is the reason why Tarrasch’s beautiful game only earned him the second brilliancy prize at Petrograd (1914).
If KxB, then Q-Kt5ch; 23. K-R1, R-Q4; 24. QxP, R-R4ch; 25. QxR, QxQch; 26. K-Kt2, Q-Kt4ch and QxKt.
Not Q-Kt6, because of Kt-K4.
23. Kt-K4 Q-R8ch 24. K-B2 BxR 25. P-Q5 P-B4 26. Q-B3 Q-Kt7ch 27. K-K3 RxKtch! 28. PxR P-B5ch
With Q-Kt6ch Black mates two moves earlier.
29. KxP R-B1ch 30. K-K5 Q-R7ch 31. K-K6 R-K1ch Resigns.
If K-Q7, B-Kt4 mate, if K-B6, Q-R5 mate.
[FOOTNOTE: Emanuel Lasker-Bauer: 1. P-KB4, P-Q4; 2. P-K3, Kt-KB3; 3. P-QKt3, P-K3; 4. B-Kt2, B-K2; 5. B-Q3, P-QKt3; 6. Kt-QB3, B- Kt2; 7. Kt-B3, QKt-Q2; 8. Castles, Castles; 9. Kt-K2, P-B4; 10. Kt-Kt3, Q-B2; 11. Kt-K5, KtxKt; 12. BxKt, Q-B3; 13. Q-K2, P-QR3; 14. Kt-R5, KtxKt; 15. BxPch!!, KxB; 16. QxKtch, K-Kt1; 17. BxP!, KxB; 18. Q-Kt4ch, K-R2; 19. R-B3, P-K4; 20. R-R3ch, Q-R3; 21. RxQ, KxR; 22. Q-Q7, and White won.]