games.json

[
  {
    "Event": "Steinitz - Zukertort World Championship Match",
    "Round": "19",
    "Site": "New Orleans, LA USA",
    "Date": "1886",
    "White": "Johannes Zukertort",
    "Black": "Wilhelm Steinitz",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "0-1",
    "ECO": "D50",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by Robert James Fischer from a television interview. } 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.c5 { is a mistake already; instead it should be played e3, naturally. } 6...b6 7.b4 bxc5 8.dxc5 a5 9.a3 d4 { is a fantastic move; it's the winning move. The pawn can't be taken with the knight because of axb4. } 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Na4 e5 { because the center is easily winning. Black's kingside weakness is nothing. } 12.b5 Be6 { with the idea of dominating the game with a powerful mobile center. } 13.g3 c6 14.bxc6 Nxc6 15.Bg2 Rb8 { threatening Bb3. } 16.Qc1 d3 17.e3 e4 18.Nd2 f5 19.O-O Re8 { is a very modern move; a quiet positional move. The rook is doing nothing now, but later... } 20.f3 { to break up the center, it's the only chance for White. } 20...Nd4 21.exd4 Qxd4+ 22.Kh1 e3 (22... Qxa4 { allows Black to easily regain material. }) 23.Nc3 Bf6 24.Ndb1 d2 25.Qc2 Bb3 26.Qxf5 d1=Q 27.Nxd1 Bxd1 28.Nc3 e2 29.Raxd1 Qxc3 { and White resigns. The center has prevailed. } 0-1"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship",
    "Round": "1",
    "Site": "Havana CUB",
    "Date": "1921",
    "White": "Jose Raul Capablanca",
    "Black": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1/2-1/2",
    "ECO": "D02",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by J. R. Capablanca. } 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Nc3 O-O 7.Rc1 b6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bb5 {is a new move which has no merit outside of its novelty. I played it for the first time against Teichmann in Berlin in 1913. } (9.Bd3 { is the normal move but Qa4 may be the best, after all. }) 9...Bb7 10.Qa4 a6 (10...c5 { is the proper continuation.}) 11.Bxd7 Nxd7 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Qb3 { with the idea of preventing c5, but still better would have been to castle.} Qd6 (13...c5 { could be played as well. Black would come out all right from the many complications arising from this move.}) 14.O-O Rfd8 15.Rfd1 Rab8 16.Ne1 { in order to draw the knight away from the line of the bishop, which would soon be open, as it actually occurred in the game.} Nf6 17.Rc2 c5 18.dxc5 bxc5 19.Ne2 Ne4 (19...Ng4 { begins a failed attack. }) (19...d4 { begins a failed attack. }) 20.Qa3 Rbc8 21.Ng3 Nxg3 22.hxg3 Qb6 23.Rcd2 (23.Rdc1 { would not have been better because of d4, etc. } d4) 23...h6 24.Nf3 d4 25.exd4 Bxf3 26.Qxf3 Rxd4 27.Rc2 Rxd1+ 28.Qxd1 Rd8 29.Qe2 Qd6 30.Kh2 Qd5 31.b3 Qf5 32.g4 Qg5 33.g3 Rd6 { is unquestionably the best move; with any other move Black would, perhaps, have found it impossible to draw.} 34.Kg2 g6 35.Qc4 Re6 36.Qxc5 Qxg4 37.f3 Qg5 38.Qxg5 hxg5 39.Kf2 Rd6 40.Ke3 Re6+ 41.Kd4 Rd6+ (42.Kc5 { is too risky. The way to win was not at all clear and I even thought that with that move Black might win. }) 42.Ke3 Re6+ 43.Kf2 Rd6 44.g4 Rd1 (45.Ke3 { is the right move to make. It is perhaps the only chance White has to win, or at least come near it. } Ra1 46.Kd4 { gains an important move. } Kg7 47.b4 Rf1 { accomplishes nothing with the white king on d4. }) 45.Ke2 { was played instead. } Ra1 46.Kd3 Kg7 47.b4 Rf1 { was the best move with the white king on d3. } 48.Ke3 { and the remainder of the game needs no comments. } Rb1 49.Rc6 Rxb4 50.Rxa6 Rb2 1/2-1/2"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship",
    "Round": "2",
    "Site": "Havana CUB",
    "Date": "1921",
    "White": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "Black": "Jose Raul Capablanca",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1/2-1/2",
    "ECO": "D37",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by J. R. Capablanca. } 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.e3 { but according to general principles it is better to bring the queen's bishop out first.} Be7 6.Bd3 O-O 7.O-O dxc4 8.Bxc4 c5 9.Qe2 a6 10.Rd1 b5 11.Bd3 Bb7 12.e4 { is played in order to develop the queen's bishop. The whole plan of development is condemned since this move might well have been made before as indicated in the previous note. The only possible reason for playing e3 on the fifth move would have been to develop this bishop via b2. } cxd4 13.Nxd4 Ne5 14.Nb3 (14.Bxb5 { gets into a losing combination for White. } axb5 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Rxd8 Raxd8 17.Qxb5 Nxe4 {and Black has a won game.}) 14...Nxd3 15.Rxd3 Qc7 16.e5 { is the right move to make.} (16.Bg5 { can't be played because of Black's response. } Nxe4) 16...Nd5 17.Rg3 Nxc3 18.Rxc3 Qd7 {and after this move Black had a very superior game in my opinion. } 19.Rg3 Rfd8 20.Bh6 g6 21.Be3 Qd5 { leads to the exchange of one of the two bishops, but it would be very difficult to find a better move.} 22.Na5 Rac8 23.Nxb7 Qxb7 24.Bh6 Qd5 25.b3 Qd4 (25...Bb4 { is probably a better move. }) 26.Rf1 Rd5 27.Re3 Ba3 (28...Bf8 { was better as white could not very well afford to take the bishop. } 29.Re4 { should then be played to be followed later on by Bf4. }) 28.g3 Qb2 29.Re1 Rc2 (29...Qxe2 { followed by Bb4 was the proper course to follow. }) 30.Qf3 Be7 { was my thirtieth move. I was very much pressed for time.} (30...Bf8 { even though I could not make the necessary analysis to find out whether this one would have been a winning or a losing move. } 31.Bxf8 Kxf8 32.Qf6 Kg8 33.h4 { and Black would have a very difficult position to defend. }) 31.R3e2 Rxe2 (31...Qxa2 { now would lose. } 32.Rxc2 Qxc2 33.Rc1 { followed by Rc8+, etc. }) 32.Rxe2 Qb1+ 33.Kg2 Bf8 34.Bf4 h6 35.h4 b4 36.Qe4 Qxe4+ 37.Rxe4 Kg7 38.Rc4 Bc5 39.Kf3 g5 40.hxg5 hxg5 41.Bxg5 1/2-1/2"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship",
    "Round": "3",
    "Site": "Havana CUB",
    "Date": "1921",
    "White": "Jose Raul Capablanca",
    "Black": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1/2-1/2",
    "ECO": "C66",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by J. R. Capablanca. } 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.O-O Be7 7.Re1 exd4 8.Nxd4 O-O 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 Re8 12.Qd3 Nh7 13.Bxe7 { is an old move, generally played by all the masters.} (13.Bg3 { is the best continuation, however, I believe. }) 13...Rxe7 14.Re3 Qb8 15.b3 { at this point is unnecessary since Black cannot take the pawn. } Qb6 16.Rae1 Rae8 17.Nf3 Qa5 18.Qd2 Ng5 $3 { giving Black the better position. } 19.Nxg5 hxg5 20.h3 Re5 21.Rd1 Bc8 22.Rd3 Qb6 23.Kh2 R8e6 24.Rg3 Rf6 25.Kg1 (25.f3 Qc5) 25...Kf8 26.Na4 Qa5 27.Qxa5 Rxa5 28.Rc3 {is played under the assumption that Black would defend the pawn as follows. } (28...Bd7 29.Nc5 Be8 30.e5) (28.c4 { would have been better for White. }) 28...Bb7 29.f3 Re6 30.Rcd3 Ba6 31.Rd4 f6 32.Rc1 c5 33.Rd2 Bb5 34.Nc3 Bc6 35.a4 Ra6 36.Kf2 Rb6 37.Nd1 Kf7 {Of course, if c4, Ne3.} 38.Ne3 Rb8 39.Rh1 Ree8 40.Rdd1 Rh8 41.g4 $6 (41.Kg3 { would have been better threatening h4. }) 41...Bd7 42.Nd5 Rb7 43.Kg3 Rh4 44.Rd3 Be6 45.c4 Rh8 46.Rc1 Ke8 47.Ne3 Kd7 48.Ng2 Rbb8 49.Re1 Kc6 50.Ne3 Rbe8 51.Rb1 Rh7 52.Rd2 Rb8 53.Rd3 Rbh8 54.Rh1 Kb6 55.Rh2 Kc6 { because Black realizes it may be impossible to go through with the king on the queen's side. As soon as the king goes to b4, White drives it back by checking with the knight at c2. } 56.Rh1 Rb8 57.Rh2 Rf8 58.Rh1 Kd7 59.Rh2 Bf7 60.Nf5 Rfh8 61.Ne3 Ke6 62.Nd5 Rc8 63.Ne3 {and there is no way for Black to breakthrough.} 1/2-1/2"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship",
    "Round": "4",
    "Site": "Havana CUB",
    "Date": "1921",
    "White": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "Black": "Jose Raul Capablanca",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1/2-1/2",
    "ECO": "D61",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by J. R. Capablanca. } 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 O-O 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.Qc2 c6 (7...c5 { is the proper move. }) 8.Bd3 (8.O-O-O { would have been a much more energetic way of continuing, but probably White did not want to take the risk of exposing its king to a queen's side attack. }) 8...dxc4 9.Bxc4 Nd5 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.O-O Nxc3 12.bxc3 b6 13.Bd3 g6 14.a4 Bb7 15.a5 c5 16.Nd2 { may not have been White's best move yet it is extremely difficult to point out anything better.} e5 { is probably the only move to save the game. It was essential to break up White's center to create a weakness in White's game. This would compensate Black for its queen side weakness. } 17.Be4 Bxe4 18.Qxe4 Rae8 19.axb6 axb6 20.Ra7 exd4 21.Qc6 (21.Qxe7 { was slightly better but Black had in that case an adequate defense. }) 21...Rd8 22.cxd4 cxd4 23.exd4 (23.Ne4 Nb8 $1) 23...Qf6 24.Qxf6 Nxf6 25.Nf3 Nd5 26.Rb1 f6 27.Kf1 Rf7 28.Rba1 Rdd7 29.Rxd7 Rxd7 30.g3 { and there was no reason to continue the game because neither player had much to do. } 1/2-1/2"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship",
    "Round": "5",
    "Site": "Havana CUB",
    "Date": "1921",
    "White": "Jose Raul Capablanca",
    "Black": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1-0",
    "ECO": "D63",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by J. R. Capablanca. } 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 Be7 6.Nc3 O-O 7.Rc1 b6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Qa4 c5 {is considered up to now the best answer for Black, but I believe to have had the pleasure of finding over the board in this game the one way to knock it out.} 10.Qc6 Rb8 11.Nxd5 Bb7 12.Nxe7+ Qxe7 13.Qa4 Rbc8 14.Qa3 {might be said to be the key of White's whole plan. The main point was to be able to play Ba6.} Qe6 15.Bxf6 {had to be made before putting the plan into execution.} Qxf6 16.Ba6 Bxf3 {but Dr. Lasker thought for over half an hour before deciding on this continuation. It is not only the best, but it shows at the same time the fine hand of the master. An ordinary player would never have thought of giving up the exchange in order to keep the initiative in this position, which was hopefully the only reasonable way in which the game could be drawn.} 17.Bxc8 Rxc8 18.gxf3 Qxf3 19.Rg1 Re8 20.Qd3 g6 21.Kf1 {and the play here was extremely difficult. I probably did not find the best system of defense. I can't yet tell which was the best defense here, but it is my believe that with the best play White should win.} Re4 22.Qd1 Qh3+ 23.Rg2 Nf6 24.Kg1 cxd4 25.Rc4 { is the move with which I counted upon to check Black's attack. } dxe3 26.Rxe4 Nxe4 27.Qd8+ Kg7 28.Qd4+ Nf6 29.fxe3 Qe6 30.Rf2 g5 31.h4 gxh4 {was Lasker's sealed move. It was not the best. His chance to draw was to play Kg6. Any other continuation should lose.} 32.Qxh4 Ng4 33.Qg5+ Kf8 34.Rf5 {is not the best move.} (34.Rd2 {would have won instead.}) 34...h5 35.Qd8+ Kg7 36.Qg5+ Kf8 37.Qd8+ Kg7 38.Qg5+ Kf8 39.b3 Qd6 40.Qf4 Qd1+ 41.Qf1 Qd7 42.Rxh5 Nxe3 43.Qf3 Qd4 44.Qa8+ {is not the best move.} (44.Kh1 {offered better chances of success.}) 44...Ke7 45.Qb7+ Kf8 $4 $139 {and this blunder loses what would otherwise have been a drawn game. This was Dr. Lasker's forty-fifth move. He had very little time to think and furthermore admitted to have misjudged the position completely, believing to have chances of winning. However, the only thing to hope for was a draw.} 46.Qb8+ 1-0"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship",
    "Round": "6",
    "Site": "Havana CUB",
    "Date": "1921",
    "White": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "Black": "Jose Raul Capablanca",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1/2-1/2",
    "ECO": "C66",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by J. R. Capablanca. } 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Re1 exd4 8.Nxd4 O-O 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Bg5 Re8 11.Qd3 h6 12.Bh4 Nh7 13.Bxe7 Rxe7 { made this game exactly the same as in round three. } 14.Qc4 { changed the course of the game. } Qe8 15.Re2 (15.Re3 { can also be considered. }) 15...Rb8 16.b3 c5 17.Nf3 Bb5 { is not the best move because it leaves Black with an exceedingly difficult ending. } (17...Ng5 { was the right move to make. }) 18.Nxb5 Qxb5 19.Qxb5 Rxb5 20.Kf1 Ng5 21.Nd2 Ne6 { with the idea of maneuvering the knight to d4. It is essential to force White to play c3 in order to weaken somewhat the defensive strength of its queen's knight's pawn. } 22.c3 f6 23.Nc4 Nf4 { and again this knight is maneuvered. The student would do well to carefully study this ending. } 24.Re3 Ng6 25.Nd2 Rb8 26.g3 a5 27.a4 { explains why Black forced White to play c3. With the white pawn at c2, Black's game would be practically hopeless since White's b pawn would not have to be protected by a piece as is the case now. } Ne5 28.f4 Nd7 29.Ke2 Nb6 30.Kd3 c6 31.Rae1 Kf7 32.Nc4 (32.e5 { would lead to a much more complicated ending. } fxe5 33.fxe5 d5) 32...Nxc4 33.Kxc4 Re6 $3 (33...Ke6 34.Rd3) 34.e5 fxe5 35.fxe5 d5 36.Kxc5 Rxb3 37.c4 { is not the best move but at any rate the game would have been a draw. } (37.Rf1+ { would have been the best move. }) 37...dxc4 38.Re4 { is probably the only way to obtain a sure draw. } c3 39.Rc4 h5 40.Re3 Rb2 41.Rcxc3 Rxh2 42.Kb6 Rb2+ 43.Kxa5 g5 { and neither player tried to win such a game. } 1/2-1/2"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship",
    "Round": "7",
    "Site": "Havana CUB",
    "Date": "1921",
    "White": "Jose Raul Capablanca",
    "Black": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1/2-1/2",
    "ECO": "D63",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by J. R. Capablanca. } 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Nc3 O-O 7.Rc1 c6 8.Qc2 c5 {is not a recommended move.} 9.Rd1 (9.cxd5 { would have been proper to continue. }) 9...Qa5 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Bxe7 Nxe7 12.Bd3 Nf6 13.O-O cxd4 14.Nxd4 (14.exd4 { was the alternative. It would have left, however, to a very difficult game where, in exchange for the attack, White would remain with an isolated queen's pawn; leading at this stage of the match by one point, I did not want to take any risks. }) 14...Bd7 15.Ne4 Ned5 16.Nb3 Qd8 17.Nxf6+ Nxf6 18.Qc5 Qb6 { neutralizes whatever little advantage White might have had. The draw is now insight. } 19.Rc1 Rfc8 20.Qxb6 axb6 21.Rxc8+ Rxc8 22.Rc1 Rxc1+ 23.Nxc1 Kf8 1/2-1/2"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship",
    "Round": "8",
    "Site": "Havana CUB",
    "Date": "1921",
    "White": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "Black": "Jose Raul Capablanca",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1/2-1/2",
    "ECO": "D12",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by J. R. Capablanca. } 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.e3 {allows Black to bring out the queen's bishop without any difficulty.} Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Bd3 Bxd3 7.Qxd3 Nbd7 8.O-O Bd6 9.e4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Nxe4 11.Qxe4 O-O 12.Bd2 Qf6 13.Rad1 Qg6 14.Qxg6 hxg6 15.Bc3 Rfd8 16.Rfe1 Bc7 17.Kf1 Nf8 18.Bd2 f6 19.h4 Kf7 20.g3 Nd7 21.Be3 Nb6 22.Rc1 Nc8 23.Re2 Ne7 { however all these maneuvers with the knight are extremely difficult to explain fully. The student would do well to carefully analyze them. Black's position might now be said to be unassailable. } 24.Rc3 a6 25.a4 Rab8 26.b4 b5 (26...Bd6 { was better, as it gave Black some slightly winning chances. }) 27.cxb5 axb5 28.a5 Bd6 29.Rb3 Nd5 30.Bd2 Rdc8 { and the game was given up for a draw. Having analyzed the game during the twenty-four hour's interval, we both came to the conclusion that it was impossible to win the game for either side.} 1/2-1/2"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship",
    "Round": "9",
    "Site": "Havana CUB",
    "Date": "1921",
    "White": "Jose Raul Capablanca",
    "Black": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1/2-1/2",
    "ECO": "D33",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by J. R. Capablanca. } 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.g3 Nf6 7.Bg2 Be6 8.O-O Be7 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Bg5 d4 {I had never seen this variation before and I therefore thought for a long time in order to make up my mind as to whether I should play Bxf6 or Ne4. } (11.Bxf6) 11.Ne4 { was the safest course, I finally decided. } Be7 12.Nxf6+ Bxf6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 {It is my position that this position is not good for Black, though perhaps there may be no way to force a win.} 14.Qa4 O-O 15.Qb5 {threatening not only the b pawn, but also Qg5, exchanging queens.} Rab8 16.Rfd1 h6 17.Ne1 Rfe8 18.Rd2 (18.Bxc6 { would only lead to a draw. } bxc6 19. Qxc6 Rec8 { followed by Rxb2. }) 18...Bg4 19.Rc1 Re5 20.Qd3 (20.Rc5 Qg5 { with a winning game. }) 20...Rbe8 21.Bf3 Bxf3 22.Nxf3 (22...h5 { could have tried to keep up the attack. }) 22...Re4 { The text move simplifies matters and easily leads to a draw. } 23.Rc4 Qe6 24.Nxd4 Nxd4 1/2-1/2"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship",
    "Round": "10",
    "Site": "Havana CUB",
    "Date": "1921",
    "White": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "Black": "Jose Raul Capablanca",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "0-1",
    "ECO": "D61",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by J. R. Capablanca. } 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 O-O 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.Qc2 c5 8.Rd1 Qa5 9.Bd3 h6 10.Bh4 cxd4 11.exd4 dxc4 12.Bxc4 Nb6 13.Bb3 Bd7 14.O-O { to complete the development. White has a lone d-pawn, but, on the other hand, Black is somewhat hampered in the manoeuvering of its pieces.} Rac8 15.Ne5 Bb5 {With this move and the following, Black brings about an exchange of pieces, which leaves it with a free game.} 16.Rfe1 Nbd5 17.Bxd5 Nxd5 18.Bxe7 Nxe7 19.Qb3 Bc6 (19...Ba6 20.Nd7 { followed by Nc5. }) 20.Nxc6 bxc6 21.Re5 Qb6 22.Qc2 Rfd8 23.Ne2 { with the idea of taking a good defensive position but this is probably White's first mistake. Instead, a counter-attack with Na4 and Rc5 should have been played.} Rd5 24.Rxd5 cxd5 {Black has now the open file and its left side pawn position is very solid, while White has a weak d-pawn. The apparently weak Black a-pawn is not actually weak because White has no way to attack it.} 25.Qd2 Nf5 26.b3 {in order to free the queen from the defense of the b-pawn and also to prevent Rc4 at any stage.} h5 { in order to prevent g4 at a later stage. Also to make a demonstration on the king's side, prepatory to further operations on the other side.} 27.h3 { is weak, but White wants to be ready to play g4. } h4 { to tie up White's king side. Later on it will be seen that White is compelled to play g4 and thus further weaken its game. } 28.Qd3 Rc6 29.Kf1 g6 30.Qb1 Qb4 31.Kg1 { was White's sealed move. It was not the best move, but it is doubtful if White has any good system of defense. } a5 32.Qb2 a4 {Now Black exchanges the pawn and leaves White with a weak, isolated b-pawn, which will fall sooner or later.} 33.Qd2 Qxd2 34.Rxd2 axb3 35.axb3 Rb6 {in order to force Rd3 and thus prevent the White rook from supporting its b-pawn by Rb2 later on. It means practically tying up the White rook to the defense of its two weak pawns. } 36.Rd3 Ra6 37.g4 hxg3 38.fxg3 Ra2 39.Nc3 Rc2 40.Nd1 (40.Na4 { is not a better alternative. White's game is doomed. }) 40...Ne7 41.Nc3 Rc1+ 42.Kf2 Nc6 43.Nd1 Rb1 (43...Nb4 44.Rd2 Rb1 45.Nb2 Rxb2 46.Rxb2 Nd3+ 47.Ke2 Nxb2 48.Kd2 { and Black could not win. }) 44.Ke2 { is not a mistake, but played deliberately. White had no way to protect its b-pawn. } Rxb3 45.Ke3 Rb4 46.Nc3 Ne7 47.Ne2 Nf5+ 48.Kf2 g5 49.g4 Nd6 50.Ng1 Ne4+ 51.Kf1 Rb1+ 52.Kg2 Rb2+ 53.Kf1 Rf2+ 54.Ke1 Ra2 {All these moves have a meaning. The student should carefully study them.} 55.Kf1 Kg7 56.Re3 Kg6 57.Rd3 f6 58.Re3 Kf7 59.Rd3 Ke7 60.Re3 Kd6 61.Rd3 Rf2+ 62.Ke1 Rg2 63.Kf1 Ra2 64.Re3 e5 { was my sealed move and unquestionably the best way to win. } 65.Rd3 (65.Ne2 Nd2+ 66.Kf2 e4 67.Rc3 Nf3 68.Ke3 Ne1 69.Kf2 Ng2 { leaves White helpless. }) (65.Nf3 Nd2+ { and exchanging knights wins. }) 65...exd4 66.Rxd4 Kc5 67.Rd1 d4 68.Rc1+ Kd5 {There is nothing left. The Black pawn will advance and White will have to give up its knight for it. This is the finest win of the match and probably took away from Dr. Lasker its last real hope of winning or drawing the match.} 0-1"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship",
    "Round": "11",
    "Site": "Havana CUB",
    "Date": "1921",
    "White": "Jose Raul Capablanca",
    "Black": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1-0",
    "ECO": "D63",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by J. R. Capablanca. } 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 Be7 6.Nc3 O-O 7.Rc1 Re8 8.Qc2 c6 9.Bd3 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Nd5 11.Bxe7 Rxe7 12.O-O Nf8 13.Rfd1 Bd7 {I do not consider the system adopted by Dr. Lasker in this game to be any good.} 14.e4 Nb6 (14...Nxc3 { would have simplified matters somewhat, but it would have left Black in a very awkward position. The text move, by driving back the bishop, gains time for the defense. }) 15.Bf1 Rc8 16.b4 {prevents c5, either now or at a later stage. There is no black bishop and White's whole plan is based on that fact. It will be attempted in due time to place a knight on d6.} Be8 17.Qb3 {White might have played a4 at once, but wanted at first to prevent the black queen from coming out via d6 and f4.} Rec7 18.a4 Ng6 19.a5 Nd7 20.e5 b6 21.Ne4 Rb8 22.Qc3 { gives Black a chance to gain time. } (22.Qa3 { at once was best. }) 22...Nf4 23.Nd6 Nd5 {Had the white queen been at a3 Black could not have gained this very important tempo.} 24.Qa3 f6 25.Nxe8 {This bishop had to be taken, since it threatened to go to h5, pinning the knight.} Qxe8 26.exf6 gxf6 { because retaking with either knight would have left the e-pawn extremely weak. } 27.b5 { gets rid of White's queen side pawns. } Rbc8 28.bxc6 Rxc6 29.Rxc6 Rxc6 30.axb6 axb6 31.Re1 (31.Bb5 { was better. }) 31...Qc8 32.Nd2 { was my sealed move and unquestionably the only move to keep the initiative. } Nf8 (32...Rc3 33.Qa1) 33.Ne4 { and the white knight stands now in a very commanding position. } Qd8 { Black's game is far more difficult than appears at first glance. I believe that the only good system of defense would have to be based on f5, after h6, driving back the white knight. } 34.h4 Rc7 { might be said to be the losing move. Black had to play h6 in order to be ready to continue with f5, forcing the white knight to withdraw. } 35.Qb3 { with the idea of getting rid of Black's powerfully posted knight at d5, which is the key to Black's defense. } Rg7 36.g3 Ra7 37.Bc4 Ra5 38.Nc3 Nxc3 39.Qxc3 Kf7 40.Qe3 Qd6 41.Qe4 Ra4 { but neither one of us had very much time left at this stage of the game. } (41...Ra7 { was Black's alternative. } 42.d5 { leaves Black with what in my opinion is a lost position. }) 42.Qb7+ (42...Qe7 43.Qc6 { wins. }) 42...Kg6 43.Qc8 Qb4 44.Rc1 Qe7 { and Black's game was now hopeless. In practically all the other variations the check with the bishop at d3 wins. } (44...Qa3 45.Bd3+ $1 f5 46.Qe8+ Kh6 47.Re1 Ra8 48.Rxe6+ Nxe6 49.Qxe6+ Kg7 50.Qe5+) 45.Bd3+ Kh6 (45...f5 { would have prolonged the game a few moves only. }) 46.Rc7 { is a winning move. } Ra1+ 47.Kg2 Qd6 48.Qxf8+ 1-0"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship",
    "Round": "12",
    "Site": "Havana CUB",
    "Date": "1921",
    "White": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "Black": "Jose Raul Capablanca",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1/2-1/2",
    "ECO": "C66",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by J. R. Capablanca. } 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Re1 exd4 8.Nxd4 O-O 9.Bf1 Re8 10.f3 Bf8 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 g6 13.Nd5 Bg7 {I cannot very highly recommend the system of defense adopted by me in this variation.} 14.Nb5 {The combinations beginning with this move are all wrong. Black should get the better game.} (14.c3 { is White's proper move holding the position. }) 14...g5 15.Ndxc7 { however the combination indulged in by White is good only in appearence. } (15.Bf2 Nxd5 { would give Black the better game. }) 15...gxh4 16.Nxa8 Qxa8 17.Nc7 Qd8 18.Nxe8 Nxe8 19.Rb1 Be6 20.c3 Bxa2 { is a mistake. The question of time at this point was not properly appreciated by Black, who went in to recover a pawn, which was of no impotance whatever. Worse yet, the capture of the pawn only helped White.} (20...Be5 { gives Black a won game. }) 21.Ra1 Be6 22.Qd2 a6 { and after this move Black has an extremely difficult game to play. } (22...h3 { was better. }) 23.Qf2 h5 { leaves Black with nothing better than a draw. } (23...Qg5 { would have given better chances to win. }) 24.f4 Bh6 25.Be2 Nf6 26.Qxh4 Nxe4 27.Qxd8+ Nxd8 28.Bxa6 d5 29.Be2 Bxf4 30.Bxh5 Bc7 31.Rad1 {Having had twenty-four hours to consider the position, we both came to the conclusion that there was nothing in it but a draw.} 1/2-1/2"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship",
    "Round": "13",
    "Site": "Havana CUB",
    "Date": "1921",
    "White": "Jose Raul Capablanca",
    "Black": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1/2-1/2",
    "ECO": "D63",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by J. R. Capablanca. } 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Nc3 O-O 7.Rc1 Re8 8.Qc2 h6 9.Bh4 c5 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Bxe7 Nxe7 12.dxc5 Nxc5 13.Bb5 { was not the best move. } (13.b4 { was more energetic and perfectly safe. }) 13...Bd7 14.O-O Qb6 15.Bxd7 Nxd7 16.Rfd1 Red8 17.h3 { is a loss of time. } (17.Qa4 { at once was the proper move. }) 17...Rac8 18.Qa4 Nc6 19.Qb5 a6 20.Qxb6 Nxb6 21.Rxd8+ Nxd8 22.Ne2 Kf8 23.Rxc8 Nxc8 {Not much of a game. With three points to the good I took matters to easy. My opponent, having the Black pieces, could not have been expected to do much.} 1/2-1/2"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship",
    "Round": "14",
    "Site": "Havana CUB",
    "Date": "1921",
    "White": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "Black": "Jose Raul Capablanca",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "0-1",
    "ECO": "C66",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by J. R. Capablanca. } 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.Qd3 exd4 9.Nxd4 Bd7 10.Bg5 O-O 11.Rae1 h6 12.Bh4 Nh7 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Nd5 Qd8 15.c4 { gives White a powerful position and Black has to play with extreme care in order to avoid drifting into a hopeless position.} Re8 16.f4 c6 { weakens the queen's pawn, but something had to be done to obtain manouvering space for the White pieces. Besides, with the advance of the f-pawn, White's king's pawn becomes also weak, which is somewhat of a compensation. } 17.Nc3 Qb6 18.b3 Rad8 { is unnecessary. } (18...Re7 { was the proper move. }) 19.Kh1 Nf6 20.h3 Bc8 21.Rd1 { is waste of time. In order to obain an advantage, White will have to make an attack on the king's side, since Black's queen's pawn, though weak, cannot be won through a direct attack against it.} Re7 22.Rfe1 Rde8 23.Re2 Qa5 24.Rf1 Qh5 25.Kg1 a6 26.Rff2 Qg6 27.Rf3 (27.Nf5 Bxf5 28.exf5 Qh5 29.Rxe7 Rxe7 { and Black has a good game. }) 27...Qh5 28.f5 { is of doutbful value. While it shuts off the bishop, it weakens furthermore the king's pawn and also creates a hole on e5 for Black's pieces. The position at first glance, looks very much in favor of White, but careful analysis will show that is much more apparent than true.} Qh4 29.Kh2 $4 { is a blunder made under time pressure combined with difficulties attached to the position. } Ng4+ 30.Kh1 Ne5 31.Qd2 Nxf3 32.Nxf3 Qf6 (32...Qg3 {was dangerous and might lead to the loss of some material. }) 33.a4 { prevents b5. There are a number of variations where White would regain the quality in exchange for a pawn.} (33.g4 { to be followed by e5 and Ne4, but the resulting ending would be so much in favor of Black that the course pursued by White may be considered the best. }) 33...g6 34.fxg6 fxg6 35.Re3 Bf5 36.Qd3 (36.Rd3 { is an interesting variation. } Bxe4 37.Rxd6 Qg7 38.Nh4 Bf5 39.Nxf5 gxf5 40.Rxh6 Re1+ 41.Kh2 Qe5+ 42.g3 Qxc3 { and White is lost. }) 36...g5 37.Nd2 Bg6 38.b4 { with the idea of changing as many pawns as possible, hoping to reach an ending where the advantage of the exchange may not be sufficient to win. } Qe6 39.b5 axb5 40.axb5 Ra8 41.Qb1 Qe5 42.Qe1 Kh7 43.bxc6 bxc6 44.Qg3 Qxg3 45.Rxg3 Ra3 46.Kh2 Rb7 47.c5 { is forced, as Rb2, winning a piece, was threatened. } dxc5 48.Nc4 Ra1 49.Ne5 Rc1 {The moves of this rook are worth studying. I believe that Black had no better way to play.} 50.h4 { brings the game to a climax, for which Black is now ready. } Re7 51.Nxc6 Re6 52.Nd8 gxh4 53.Rd3 Rf6 { is the key to Black's defence. The holding of the KB file. } 54.Rd7+ Kh8 55.Nd5 Rff1 56.Kh3 Bxe4 0-1"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match",
    "Round": "1",
    "Site": "Brissago SUI",
    "Date": "2004.09.25",
    "White": "Peter Leko",
    "Black": "Vladimir Kramnik",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "0-1",
    "ECO": "C42",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by Raymond Keene. 1. e4 is no surprise; Leko plays little else. I felt a pang of sympathy for those commenting live on this game. After the combinational flurry ending on move 23, it was too easy to reach for the script that was titled \"And White converts his material advantage\". However, that account had to be shelved hastily as Kramnik emphatically showed the virtues of Black's position, rapidly attaining at least equality, then having some pressure, and finally seeing Leko go astray in a much simplified ending where the best White could hope for was a draw. A marvellously dramatic encounter and a fine riposte to critics who thought the match would be dull. In the press conference after the game, Kramnik looked drained, Leko cheerful and phlegmatic. Kramnik insisted throughout that the position objectively is drawn, and pulled many sceptical faces when describing his win. The following day, both players remarked how hard it is to move on from such a battle, Kramnik musing \"I tried to get the two rooks out of my mind, and to stop trying to coordinate them in different attacking patterns. I think it was four o'clock in the morning when I was able to sleep.\" Leko added, \"I needed until five a.m. to get rid of those two black rooks.\" } 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 {The Petroff Defence was originally designed as an equaliser, but it also gives Black dynamic counterchances.} 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 {This move order has supplanted the ancient debate between Bd6 and Be7.} (6...Bd6) (6...Be7) 7.O-O Be7 8.c4 Nb4 {As we shall see, the Petroff is a defence where Kramnik appears to be equally at home with both White and Black.} 9.Be2 O-O 10.Nc3 Bf5 11.a3 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Nc6 13.Re1 Re8 14.cxd5 Qxd5 15.Bf4 Rac8 16.h3 { is an interesting psychological ploy by Leko, as it was Kramnik's own choice when he played against Anand in Corus 2003. So far, we are still well inside 'theory', the current habitual move order of modern masters. } Be4 (16...Bf6 { Kramnik - Anand, Wijk aan Zee 2003. } 17.Nh2 Qa5 18.Bd2 Rcd8 19.Bf3 h6 20.Ng4 Bxg4 21.hxg4 Bg5 22.Bxg5 hxg5 23.Qc1 Rxe1+ 24.Qxe1 Kf8 25.Rb1 Re8 26.Qc1 { and White could have got a clear advantage according to Huzman. } ) 17.Be3 Na5 { is \"provocative,\" said Leko afterwards, but also \"the most thematic in this position, It reminds me of the Grunfeld, which I love to play with Black.\" } (17...Rcd8 { and the game was drawn in 26 moves. He had this position as White against Bologan at Dortmund earlier this year. }) 18.c4 {Leko is provoked! This forcing sequence leads ineluctably to a situation where Black will have rook and bishop for the white queen.} (18.Nd2 { was also possible. } Bxg2 19.c4 Qc6 20.d5 Qg6 21.Bh5 Bf3+ 22.Bxg6 Bxd1 23.Bf5) 18...Nxc4 19.Bxc4 Qxc4 20.Nd2 Qd5 21.Nxe4 Qxe4 22.Bg5 Qxe1+ 23.Qxe1 Bxg5 24.Qa5 Bf6 $5 { A tremendous decision. Black creates a passed pawn for himself, but he must also take account of the fact that White's passed a-pawn could become exceedingly dangerous.} (24...Bf4 25.Qxa7 b6 { followed by Bd6 when it is doubtful that White can break through, and Black could probably draw. }) 25.Qxa7 c5 $1 { is a key move, creating a situation with rival racing pawns. One might expect this still to favour the side with the material advantage, but Leko's Queen and Rook are out-numbered and out-manoeuvred by Kramnik's pieces. } 26.Qxb7 Bxd4 27.Ra2 c4 28.Re2 Red8 29.a4 c3 30.Qe4 Bb6 31.Qc2 g6 32.Qb3 {In the press conference afterwards, Leko with cheerful self-deprecation commented that \"Once I got my queen to b3, I then spent time trying to get it to e4!\"} Rd6 33.Rc2 Ba5 34.g4 Rd2 35.Kg2 Rcd8 36.Rxc3 {Leko, with only a few minutes left, tires of the bind that Black is exerting and chooses to go into and endgame where only Black has winning chances. It might have been better to stay passive and trust in his blockade.} Bxc3 37.Qxc3 R2d5 {Susan Polgar, commenting live online, pointed out that an ending with the same material and the same distribution of pawns on the king's-side occurred in Gurgenidze-Averbakh, Baku 1961, and it saw a win for the rooks. However, Leko's pawns stand better placed for defence here than did Averbakh's.} 38.Qc6 Ra5 39.Kg3 Rda8 40.h4 (40...h6 { should have been played so as to meet h5 with g5. It's important to retain pawns here, as explained below. After the game, Leko mentioned that he was thinking about the idea Qe1!? but rejected it as too ugly for such a game. }) 40...R5a6 41.Qc1 Ra5 42.Qh6 { inhibits this h6 manoeuvre by Black.} Rxa4 43.h5 R4a5 44.Qf4 $2 { is a blunder which allows Black to fix the pawn formation and ultimately gang up on the weak white f-pawn. } (44.hxg6 { must be played as they say in the beginner's books, swap pawns in the ending to reduce the opponent's winning chances. Even so, it is not obvious that White can reach the safe haven of a draw, as the basic black strategy of piling up with his rooks against the white f-pawn still seems valid. However, with only two pawns each on the board, White can place his g-pawn on g5, so that even if black trades both rooks for queen and f-pawn, the resulting king and pawn ending is a draw.}) 44...g5 45.Qf6 h6 {This is a very clever move from Kramnik, clearly overlooked by Leko, whose last move could have no other purpose than to threaten h6. } (46.Qxh6 R8a6 { and the white queen is trapped. }) 46.f3 R5a6 47.Qc3 Ra4 48.Qc6 R8a6 49.Qe8+ Kg7 50.Qb5 R4a5 51.Qb4 Rd5 52.Qb3 Rad6 53.Qc4 Rd3 54.Kf2 Ra3 55.Qc5 Ra2+ 56.Kg3 Rf6 57.Qb4 Raa6 58.Kg2 Rf4 {Black weaves a net inexorably around White's sorry f-pawn.} 59.Qb2+ Raf6 60.Qe5 Rxf3 {Kramnik's manoeuvres, though lengthy, have finally triumphed. If White does not trade his queen for Black's rooks, the white king will soon be hunted down. If White does exchange, then Black has an easy win in the king and pawn endgame.} 61.Qa1 Rf1 62.Qc3 R1f2+ 63.Kg3 R2f3+ 64.Qxf3 Rxf3+ 65.Kxf3 Kf6 { and White resigns. The pawn endgame is a trivial win. } (66.Ke4 Ke6 67.Kd4 f5 68.gxf5+ Kxf5 69.Ke3 g4 70.Kf2 Kg5 71.Kg3 Kxh5 72.Kg2 Kg5 73.Kg3 h5 { and the black pawns march down to promote.}) 0-1"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Kramnik - Leko Classical World Championship Match",
    "Round": "5",
    "Site": "Brissago SUI",
    "Date": "2004.10.02",
    "White": "Peter Leko",
    "Black": "Vladimir Kramnik",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1-0",
    "ECO": "D37",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by Raymond Keene. Grandmaster Peter Leko equalised the score in the World Championship at Brissago, Switzerland by holding game four and exploiting Kramnik's endgame errors in game five. Leko won a pawn in the opening. However, this was known theory and most experts assumed that Kramnik had worked out in advance how to draw. Nevertheless, after many hours of play Kramnik committed an error in a seemingly drawn position that annihilated his prospects of salvation. } 1.d4 { is a definite surprise. } Nf6 { Kramnik chooses a line that he likes to play against as White, but one that he also knows well. } 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 O-O 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.cxd5 { heads for a small but clear plus. } (8.Qc2 { is the more complicated alternative. }) 8...Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 { inflicts an isolated d-pawn on Black's camp in compensation for free piece activity. } 10.a3 Nc6 11.Bd3 Bb6 {Kramnik also chose this move playing Black against Van Wely in the Melody Amber rapidplay in 2001. } (11...Be7 { was the move preferred by Short. }) 12.O-O Bg4 13.h3 Bh5 14.b4 Re8 15.Rc1 a6 {Black does not want to see his knight driven from its central post and therefore prevents White from advancing with b5. However, this move permits a small fork trick combination that enables White to retain an edge. } 16.Bxa6 $1 { Outwardly startling, but in fact the point of White's play. } Rxa6 17.b5 Rxa3 18.bxc6 bxc6 19.Rxc6 Ra7 20.Rd6 Rd7 21.Qxd5 Rxd6 22.Qxd6 Qxd6 23.Bxd6 { When Anand reached this position against Karpov (Russia vs. Rest of the World 2002) he felt it would be safe to maintain the bishop pair as compensation. White could make no progress in that game, which was drawn in 114 moves. White's winning task is complicated by the fact that all the pawns are restricted to one side of the board, and as Fine briskly asserted in 1943: \"If you are just one pawn ahead, in 99 cases out of 100 the game is drawn if there are pawns on only one side of the board.\" } Bxf3 {Informator 84 gave Kramnik's choice \"?!\", but it seems likely Kramnik knew of this. } 24.gxf3 { would appear to secure the draw because of doubling White's pawns. } Bd8 25.Rb1 Bf6 {IM Jacob Aagaard, commenting live on the official website during one of Leko's long thinks, reminded us that \"Kramnik won the World Championship in 2000 from Kasparov by being better than the old champion in positions without queens. He frustrated him by drawing with Black in positions where White had chances, but could not win. Later, Kramnik talked about positions in which he knew was worse but also knew how to draw. I think he would include the [current] position among them.\"} 26.Kg2 { Only here is the first new move. } (26.Rb5 g6 27.f4 Rd8 28.Bb4 h5 { was Gritsak - Kruppa, Alushta 2002, which was drawn. }) 26...g6 27.f4 Kg7 28.Rb7 Re6 29.Rd7 {White manoeuvres carefully, but ultimately he must gain central terrain with e3-e4 and e4-e5, committal though this might be.} Re8 30.Ra7 Re6 31.Bc5 Rc6 32.Ra5 Bc3 33.Rb5 Ra6 34.Rb3 Bf6 { is a hat-trick of Bf6s in this match for Kramnik... } 35.Rb8 h5 36.Rb5 Bc3 37.Rb3 Bf6 {With the return of the bishop to f6, White makes his central move.} 38.e4 Ra5 39.Be3 Ra4 40.e5 {The only way to make progress he has to place his bishop on d4 and his king on e4, and submit to any tactics Black may be able to conjure up. Kramnik said afterwards he was right to stay passive, but lost concentration, and was \"already thinking about next game\". After the time control, he found himself with serious problems.} Be7 41.Rb7 Kf8 42.Rb8+ Kg7 {Kramnik cannot be tempted to weaken his position, so Leko must try something else.} 43.Kf3 Rc4 44.Ke2 Ra4 45.Kd3 Bh4 46.Bd4 { combined with the threat of e6+ is White's only chance. } Ra3+ 47.Kc2 Ra2+ 48.Kd3 Ra3+ 49.Ke4 Ra4 50.Kd5 Ra5+ 51.Kc6 Ra4 52.Kc5 Be7+ 53.Kd5 Ra5+ 54.Ke4 Ra4 {White now gets his Rook off a dark square, in case of Bd6, forking b8 and f4.} 55.Rc8 Bh4 {Leko has now placed his pieces as well as he can, and makes his push. Kramnik is obliged to sacrifice the exchange.} 56.e6+ Bf6 57.e7 Rxd4+ 58.Ke3 Bxe7 59.Kxd4 Bh4 {Immediately after the game, GM Amador Rodriguez commented on Kramnik's own website www.kramnik.com, \"The above position is well-known as a theoretical draw, and therefore the result of the game was still unclear.\" At the top of that web page was the chess proverb, \"A chess master is a good informed amateur\": all over the world there were GMs on the Internet explaining why it could only be a draw, but Leko was in no hurry to agree. After the game, he commented \"In the Rb1 variation of the Grunfeld, there is a long variation, which arrives in exactly this endgame, and this was part of my repertoire as Black. I knew if the bishop stays on long diagonal, it's a draw, but after the time control, Black is not in time to place bishop on long diagonal.\" There are a couple of well known theoretically drawn positions relevant here known as 'fortresses', because while White has a plus in material and freedom to manoeuvre, there is no way to make progress. What makes the real difference is that Black has yet to set up the fortress, and before he can do so Leko's check on move 61 pushes the Black king to a square that the bishop would like to use.} 60.f3 f5 61.Rc7+ Kf6 62.Kd5 Bg3 $2 (62...Be1 { is more awkward, as Leko suggested in the press conference afterwards. } 63.Rc6+ Kf7 64.Ke5 Ba5 { stopping Rc7+ for the moment, when it's not easy to make progress. } 65.Ra6 (65.Rc4 Bd8 { and later Bf6. }) 65...Bc3+ 66.Kd5 Bf6 { and Black has his fortress. }) 63.Rc6+ Kg7 64.Ke5 h4 { appears to make life easier for White. } (64...Bh4 { and it is not at all clear White can penetrate the black fortress. } 65.Rc7+ Kg8 66.Ke6 Kf8 67.Rc8+ Kg7 68.Rb8 $1 { with zugzwang, however, as shown by GM Shipov. } Bg3 69.Rb7+ Kh6 70.Kf7 Bxf4 71.Rb6 Kg5 72.Rxg6+ Kh4 73.Kf6) 65.Rc7+ Kh6 66.Rc4 Kg7 67.Ke6 Bh2 68.Rc7+ Kh6 69.Kf7 { and Black resigns. After six-and-a-half hours of play, Peter Leko has done something that Kasparov could not -- won a WCC match game from Kramnik.} (69...Bxf4 { Tom Furstenburg found a neat finish in analysis, involving an under-promotion. } 70.Rc6 Kh5 71.Rxg6 Be3 72.Kf6 f4 73.Rg8 Bd4+ 74.Kf5 Kh6 75.Kxf4 Bf2 76.Kg4 Kh7 77.Rg5 Kh6 78.f4 Be1 79.f5 Kh7 80.f6 Kh6 81.f7 Bc3 82.f8=N Be5 83.Rg6#) 1-0"
  },
  {
    "Event": "London",
    "Round": "2",
    "Site": "London ENG",
    "Date": "1851.06.??",
    "White": "Howard Staunton",
    "Black": "Bernhard Horwitz",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1-0",
    "ECO": "A13",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by Raymond Keene. } 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 c6 5.d3 Na6 6.a3 Be7 7.e3 O-O 8.Nge2 Nc7 9.O-O d5 10.b3 {Staunton was fond of the double flank development of his bishop. It is, however, somewhat time-consuming and Horwitz should now have seized his chance to occupy the center with 10...e5.} Qe8 11.Bb2 Qf7 12.Rc1 Bd7 13.e4 {This central thrust, all the stronger for being delayed, announces that White has won the battle of the opening.} fxe4 14.dxe4 Rad8 15.e5 Nfe8 16.f4 dxc4 17.bxc4 Bc5+ 18.Kh1 Be3 19.Rb1 g6 {An unnecessary weakening of the f6-square from which Staunton now profits.} 20.Qb3 Bc8 21.Ne4 Bb6 22.Rbd1 Na6 23.Qc3 Rxd1 24.Rxd1 Nc5 25.Nd6 Qc7 26.Qc2 Ng7 27.g4 {The prelude to the decisive attack, in which Staunton's pieces stream across to menace the black king. Firstly, Staunton restricts the possibilities of Black's defensive knight on g7.} Qe7 28.Bd4 Qc7 29.a4 Na6 30.c5 Ba5 31.Qb3 b6 32.Ne4 bxc5 33.Nf6+ Kh8 34.Qh3 Ne8 35.Ba1 {Staunton's deployment of his forces creates a wonderfully aesthetic impression, highlighted by this sweeping retreat of his bishop which is, nevertheless, still firmly targeted on the black king.} Nxf6 36.exf6 Kg8 37.Be5 Qb7 38.Be4 Qf7 {If Black can blockade the passed pawn he may survive, but Staunton's next brilliant stroke banishes such hopes.} 39.Ng1 {A profound retreat. The piece is now free to manoeuvre via f3 to e5 or g5, thus causing havoc with the defensive units around the black king.} Bd8 40.g5 Bb7 41.Nf3 Re8 42.Bd6 Bxf6 43.gxf6 Qxf6 44.Ng5 Qg7 45.Be5 Qe7 46.Bxg6 1-0"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Hastings",
    "Round": "2",
    "Site": "Hastings ENG",
    "Date": "1895.08.06",
    "White": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "Black": "Mikhail Chigorin",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "0-1",
    "ECO": "D02",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by Raymond Keene, from \"Aron Nimzowitsch: A Reappraisal.\" } 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Bg4 3.c4 Bxf3 4.gxf3 Nc6 5.Nc3 e6 6.e3 Bb4 7.cxd5 Qxd5 8.Bd2 Bxc3 9.bxc3 Nge7 10.Rg1 Qh5 11.Qb3 Nd8 12.Qb5+ Qxb5 13.Bxb5+ c6 14.Bd3 Ng6 15.f4 O-O 16.Ke2 Rc8 17.Rg3 { and Chigorin succeeds in implementing the blockade. One of Nimzowitsch's achievements was to elaborate an openings repertoire that successfully brought about blockade situations as a logical consequence of the initial moves:} (17.f5 { would have been much stronger breaking open the position for the bishops. }) 17...c5 18.Rag1 c4 19.Bc2 f5 20.Bc1 Rf7 21.Ba3 Rc6 22.Bc5 Ra6 23.a4 Nc6 24.Rb1 Rd7 25.Rgg1 Nge7 26.Rb2 Nd5 27.Kd2 Ra5 28.Rgb1 b6 29.Ba3 g6 30.Rb5 Ra6 31.Bc1 Nd8 32.Ra1 Nf7 33.Rbb1 Nd6 34.f3 Nf7 35.Ra3 g5 36.Ke2 gxf4 37.e4 $1 Nf6 38.Bxf4 Nh5 39.Be3 f4 40.Bf2 Ra5 41.Rg1+ Kf8 42.Raa1 (42.e5 { looks as if White can lift the blockade but in that case Chigorin had planned the following. } b5 43.Bxh7 Nxe5 44.Rg8+ Kf7 45.dxe5 b4 $1 46.cxb4 Rxe5+ 47.Kf1 Nf6 $19) 42...e5 43.Rab1 Ng7 44.Rb4 Rc7 45.Bb1 Ne6 46.Rd1 Ned8 47.Rd2 (47.dxe5 { had to be tried instead. }) 47...Nc6 { leaves Black with a won game. } 48.Rb5 Rxa4 49.dxe5 Nfxe5 50.Bh4 Rg7 51.Kf2 Rg6 52.Rdd5 Ra1 53.Bd8 Nd3+ 54.Bxd3 cxd3 55.Rxd3 Rag1 $1 56.Rf5+ Ke8 57.Bg5 R6xg5 (57.Rxf4 R5g2+ 58.Ke3 Re1#) 0-1"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Karlsbad",
    "Round": "19",
    "Site": "Karlsbad (Karlovy Vary) AUH",
    "Date": "1911.09.15",
    "White": "Aron Nimzowitsch",
    "Black": "Grigory Levenfish",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1-0",
    "ECO": "C02",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by Raymond Keene. With two bishops for two knights, and a central pawn majority, Black probably felt confident in the outcome of this game. But Nimzowitsch proves that the opposing centre is a liability because the squares in front of it are weak, inviting invasion by blockading knights. The bishops, locked behind the pawns, are never given a chance. Not strictly true! Nimzowitsch inadvertently allows the bishops to escape, but then proceeds to dominate them with his knights on an open board. } 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 f6 $5 6.Bb5 { naturally preparing to exchange bishops for knights. } Bd7 7.O-O Qb6 (7...Nxe5 8.Nxe5 Bxb5 9.Qh5+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.dxc5+ Kxe5 12.Re1+ Kf5 13.Qh5+ g5 14.g4 { mate -- Nimzowitsch. }) 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.exf6 Nxf6 $2 (9...gxf6 $1) 10.Ne5 Bd6 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.Bg5 Qd8 13.Bxf6 $1 { and the other one. } Qxf6 14.Qh5+ { is a common device in Nimzowitsch's games. The idea is to weaken Black's kingside. } g6 15.Qe2 Rd8 16.Nd2 O-O 17.Rae1 Rfe8 18.Kh1 Bd6 19.f4 c5 20.c4 (20.Qa6 $1) 20...Bf8 21.cxd5 Bc8 {Black gives up a pawn to smash the blockade and bring his prelates to life.} 22.Ne4 Qg7 23.dxe6 (23.d6 $5) 23...Bxe6 24.Qa6 Kh8 25.Rd1 Bg8 26.b3 Rd4 27.Rxd4 cxd4 28.Qa5 Rc8 29.Rd1 Rc2 30.h3 Qb7 31.Rxd4 Bc5 { with serious threats. } (32.Ra4 Bb6 33.Qe1 (33.Qa6 Qxa6 34.Rxa6 Bd5 { and Black penetrates to White's g2-square. }) 33...Bd5) 32.Qd8 $1 { The taming of the bishops. } Be7 (32...Bxd4 33.Qxd4 Qg7 $1 34.Nd6 { and there is no answer to 35.Ne8 accompanied by a lethal discovered check. Can a 'system' really teach you to spot variations like this one? }) 33.Qd7 { and what follows now is a rout. } Qa6 34.Rd3 Bf8 35.Nf7+ Bxf7 36.Qxf7 Rc8 37.Rd7 1-0"
  },
  {
    "Event": "San Sebastian",
    "Round": "7",
    "Site": "San Sebastian ESP",
    "Date": "1912.02.27",
    "White": "Aron Nimzowitsch",
    "Black": "Siegbert Tarrasch",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1-0",
    "ECO": "C02",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by Raymond Keene. Nimzowitsch played what is now known as the Milner-Barry Gambit rather infrequently, but he had one particular success which must have given him very great pleasure. } 1.e4 c5 2.c3 e6 3.d4 d5 4.e5 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Bd7 8.Be2 { is not the pure Milner-Barry. } (8.O-O Nxd4 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10.Nc3 a6 $1 { and it is not clear that White has enough compensation for the pawn. } (10...Qxe5 { may also be played. } 11.Re1 Qb8 12.Nxd5 Bd6 13.Qh5 (13.Qg4 $1 { is stronger. }) 13...Kf8 14.Nc3 Nf6 15.Qh4 Bc6 16.Bg5 Be5 $19 { in a more recent game (Netanya 1971) Westerinen scored a fine success with this over Bisguier. })) 8...Nge7 9.b3 Nf5 10.Bb2 Bb4+ 11.Kf1 Be7 { maintains pressure on the d-pawn. } (11...O-O $1 { should have been played instead, as Nimzowitsch shows. } 12.g4 (12.Bd3 f6 13.Bxf5 exf5) 12...Nh6 13.Rg1 f6 14.exf6 Rxf6 $1 15.g5 Rxf3 $1 16.Bxf3 (16.gxh6 Rf7) 16...Nf5 17.Rg4 Be8 18.Qe2 Ncxd4 19.Rxd4 $1 Nxd4 20.Qe5 Bb5+ 21.Kg2 Nf5 22.Bxd5 (22.Nc3 Bxc3 23.Bxc3 d4) 22...exd5 23.Qxf5 Rf8 24.Qxd5+ Rf7 $1 25.Qd4 Bc5 { and White must resign. }) 12.g3 a5 $2 13.a4 Rc8 14.Bb5 Nb4 15.Nc3 $1 (15.Bxd7+ $2 Kxd7 16.Nc3 Nc6 17.Nb5 Na7 18.Nxa7 $2 Qxa7 19.Qd3 Qa6 $1 { and Tarrasch won a fine ending after the exchange of queens. L. Paulsen-Tarrasch, Nuremberg 1888. }) 15...Na6 (15...Bxb5+ 16.Nxb5 Nc2 { is given by Tarrasch in Dreihundert Schachpartien, the second edition published in 1909, with the threat of Ne3+} 17.Rc1 { Nimzowitsch shows it to be harmless. } Nce3+ 18.fxe3 Nxe3+ 19.Ke2 Nxd1 20.Rxc8+ Kd7 21.Rxh8 Nxb2 22.Rc1 { and wins. }) 16.Kg2 Nc7 17.Be2 Bb4 18.Na2 Na6 19.Bd3 Ne7 20.Rc1 Nc6 21.Nxb4 Naxb4 22.Bb1 h6 23.g4 Ne7 24.Rxc8+ Bxc8 25.Ne1 Rf8 26.Nd3 f6 27.Nxb4 Qxb4 28.exf6 Rxf6 29.Bc1 Nc6 30.g5 hxg5 31.Bxg5 Rf8 32.Be3 Qe7 33.Qg4 Qf6 34.Rg1 Rh8 35.Kh1 Rh4 36.Qg3 Rxd4 { Despair! } (37.Bg5 { is threatened. }) (37.Qxg7 { is also threatened as Nimzowitsch shows. }) 37.Bxd4 Nxd4 38.Qxg7 Qf3+ 39.Qg2 Qxg2+ 40.Rxg2 Nxb3 41.h4 {After his game with Tarrasch, Nimzowitsch decided that 6.Bd3 was too risky, and in subsequent games (before he discovered 4.Qg4) he developed the king's bishop on a more modest square, e2, although this cut out the possibility of reaching the position from his Salwe game. } 1-0"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Vilnius All-Russian Masters",
    "Round": "5",
    "Site": "Vilna (Vilnius) RUE",
    "Date": "1912.08.23",
    "White": "Aron Nimzowitsch",
    "Black": "Ossip Bernstein",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1-0",
    "ECO": "C02",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by Raymond Keene. White's winning chances reside in: (1) the unfortunate position of the black king -- note that the white king does not intervene at all until a late stage of the ending -- and (2) White's dark-square grip, especially the possibility of Bf8 attacking Black's g7-pawn. Once Black loses his g7-pawn White will have little difficulty in creating a passed h-pawn. } 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.Qxd4 Nc6 6.Qf4 Qc7 7.Nc3 a6 8.Bd3 Nge7 9.O-O Ng6 10.Bxg6 hxg6 11.Ne2 Be7 12.Ned4 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 Qxc2 14.Be3 Qc4 15.Qxc4 dxc4 16.Bb6 Bd7 17.Rfc1 Rc8 18.Nd2 Bg5 19.Ne4 Bxc1 20.Nd6+ Kf8 21.Nxc8 Bg5 22.f4 Bxc8 23.fxg5 Bd7 24.Rd1 Ke7 25.Bc5+ Ke8 26.Rd4 Bc6 27.Rxc4 Bd5 28.Rb4 Kd7 29.Rf4 Kc6 30.Bd6 Rd8 31.b3 Rd7 32.h4 a5 33.g4 b5 {in the interests of exchanging the queenside pawns.} 34.h5 gxh5 35.gxh5 a4 36.bxa4 Bxa2 37.a5 Ra7 38.Bf8 Bb1 39.Rf1 Bd3 40.Rd1 Bf5 41.Bb4 Ra8 42.Rd6+ Kc7 43.a6 Rh8 44.Bc5 (44.Ba5+ { is a threatening move. } Kb8 45.Rd8+ Ka7 46.Bb6+ {  highlights how important it is to have threats against the enemy king if one is seeking to win an opposite bishop plus rook position. }) 44...Bg4 45.h6 gxh6 46.gxh6 Kb8 47.Kf2 { and the king is now entering the battle with decisive effect. Hitherto White has dominated the entire black army with its rook and its bishop.} Bf5 { shows how Black's bishop hardly seems to count at all. The dark squares are so powerful. } 48.Kf3 b4 49.Be3 Ka8 50.Rb6 Rf8 51.Rxb4 f6 52.Bc5 $1 Rc8 (52...Rf7 53.Rb7 $1 $18) 53.exf6 Rxc5 54.f7 Rc8 55.Rb7 Bd3 56.Re7 Bb5 57.Kf4 Rh8 58.h7 Ba4 59.Ke5 { and the king penetrates via the dark squares. } Bb5 60.Kf6 e5 61.Kg7 1-0"
  },
  {
    "Event": "St. Petersburg",
    "Round": "2",
    "Site": "St. Petersburg  RUE",
    "Date": "1914.04.22",
    "White": "Emanuel Lasker",
    "Black": "Aron Nimzowitsch",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1/2-1/2",
    "ECO": "B16",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by Raymond Keene. } 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 { was another favourite of Nimzowitsch's. } Nf6 { resulted in tense struggles. } (4...Bf5 { Nimzowitsch did not like the generally quiet situations generated by the classical. } ) 5.Nxf6+ gxf6 { is the alternative fifth move recapture. His game against Leonhardt at Carlsbad 1911, must have been one of the first games with this idea.} (5...exf6 { Asztalos-Nimzowitsch, Bled 1931, went as follows. } 6.c3 Bd6 7.Bd3 O-O 8.Qc2 h6 9.Ne2 Qc7 10.Be3 Nd7 11.Qd2 $6 (11.O-O-O { is better. } Re8 12.g4 $1) 11...Re8 12.Ng3 $2 Bf4 $1 { and Nimzowitsch was beginning to get on top. }) 6.Be2 (6.c3 { would more likely be played nowadays. } Bf5 7.Bc4 (7.Ne2)) 6...Bf5 7.Bf3 Qa5+ 8.c3 h5 $5 { Intending to prevent White castling kingside. } 9.Bxh5 Nd7 10.Bg4 Bxg4 11.Qxg4 O-O-O 12.Ne2 e6 13.Bf4 Qb5 14.O-O-O Nb6 15.Ng3 $2 (15.b3 { would leave White with a safe though difficult game -- Lasker. }) 15...Qd5 16.Kb1 Qxg2 17.Rdg1 Qxf2 18.Ne4 Qh4 19.Qf3 Nc4 20.Ka1 f5 21.Ng5 Bd6 22.Bc1 Rd7 23.Rg2 Bc7 24.Rhg1 Nd6 25.Qe2 Ne4 26.Nf3 Qh3 (26...Qh5 { is probably better. }) 27.a3 a6 28.Be3 Rhd8 29.Ka2 Rh8 30.Ka1 Rhd8 31.Ka2 Re8 32.Rg8 Rxg8 33.Rxg8+ Rd8 34.Rg7 Rd7 35.Rg8+ Rd8 36.Rg7 Rf8 (36...Qh5) 37.c4 Nf6 (37...Kd8 { is better. }) 38.Bg5 Nh5 39.Rxf7 Rxf7 40.Qxe6+ Rd7 41.Ne5 Bxe5 42.Qe8+ {Nimzowitsch should certainly have won this game.} 1/2-1/2"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Dresden",
    "Round": "5",
    "Site": "Dresden GER",
    "Date": "1926.04.09",
    "White": "Aron Nimzowitsch",
    "Black": "Akiba Rubinstein",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1-0",
    "ECO": "A34",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by Raymond Keene. Awarded the prize for the best-played game. } 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nb4 6.Bc4 e6 7.O-O N8c6 8.d3 Nd4 9.Nxd4 cxd4 10.Ne2 a6 11.Ng3 Bd6 12.f4 O-O 13.Qf3 Kh8 14.Bd2 f5 15.Rae1 Nc6 16.Re2 Qc7 17.exf5 exf5 18.Nh1 $3 { A wonderful idea. White has in mind the manoeuvre Nh1-f2-h3-g5, in conjunction with Qh5, as a method of assaulting the position of Black's king. When I first read My System I was so impressed by this game that I deliberately created situations in my next few games where the move Ng3-h1 was possible, in the belief that this mystical retreat would somehow result in a miraculous increase of energy in my position, irrespective of whatever else may have been happening on the board at the time. } Bd7 19.Nf2 Rae8 20.Rfe1 Rxe2 21.Rxe2 Nd8 22.Nh3 Bc6 23.Qh5 g6 24.Qh4 Kg7 25.Qf2 { Another brilliant idea. The threat to the d-pawn forces Black to withdraw either his queen or his king's bishop from the defence of his kingside. } Bc5 26.b4 Bb6 27.Qh4 { Back again and with redoubled strength. } Re8 (27...Rf6 28.Ng5 h6 29.Nh7 $18) 28.Re5 $1 Nf7 { The beautiful variations are just an indication of what Nimzowitsch saw. } (28...Rxe5 29.fxe5 Qxe5 30.Qh6+) (28...h6 29.g4 fxg4 30.f5 Qxe5 31.f6+ Qxf6 32.Qxh6#) 29.Bxf7 Qxf7 30.Ng5 Qg8 31.Rxe8 Bxe8 32.Qe1 $1 { A decisive change of front. } Bc6 33.Qe7+ Kh8 34.b5 $3 { Who would expect the death-blow to come from this quarter? } (34...axb5 35.Ne6 h5 36.Qf6+ Kh7 37.Ng5+ Kh6 38.Bb4 $1 { In view of this, Rubinstein elects to surrender a piece but that too is obviously without hope. }) 34...Qg7 35.Qxg7+ Kxg7 36.bxc6 bxc6 37.Nf3 c5 38.Ne5 Bc7 39.Nc4 Kf7 40.g3 Bd8 41.Ba5 Be7 42.Bc7 Ke6 43.Nb6 h6 44.h4 g5 45.h5 g4 46.Be5 1-0"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Simul, 20b",
    "Round": "?",
    "Site": "London ENG",
    "Date": "1964.01.10",
    "White": "Mikhail Tal",
    "Black": "Raymond Keene",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "0-1",
    "ECO": "B18",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by Raymond Keene. I sit down to face Tal. General expectation: a gory loss embellished with Tal-like sacrifices. He plays 1.e4, I played the Caro-Kann. It was my main defence at the time. I had just won the London under 18 championship and I had played it several times during that event--notably against Kenny Harman. I also played Taimanov and Lowenthal Sicilians at the time. I used the Lowenthal against Kotov and drew, but thought this might be too provocative against Tal. } 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.N1e2 e6 7.h4 h6 8.Nf4 Bh7 9.Bc4 Nf6 10.O-O Nd5 (10...Bd6 { allows the famous Nxe6 sacrifice from Tal's first match against Botvinnik which Tal was still prepared to repeat in games as late as 1978. I wanted to avoid Tal's vastly superior knowledge of this line so chose something to try and dampen down White's attacking prospects.}) 11.Qg4 { is an error, although it looks absolutely plausible. } (11.Bxd5 cxd5 12.Qg4 { gives White a huge attack, as it was later discovered. } (12.Qh5 { is also a good move. })) 11...Nxf4 12.Bxf4 Nd7 13.Be5 Nxe5 14.dxe5 Qc7 15.Rad1 {All this looks like vintage Tal, to keep Black's king stuck in the centre, and my next move looks like I am cooperating in my own demise by grabbing a hot pawn against Tal, of all people!} Bxc2 { almost seems like desperation but in fact I was no longer very worried. White's c-pawn was a very useful unit and its loss now causes White problems. My main worry was that Tal would still find some way to sac on e6 and explode my position before I could get castled. } 16.Rd2 h5 { is a decoy to gain time. Tal hardly even thought about taking the pawn and slowing down--he kept his queen fixed on e6 where he clearly still wanted to sacrifice.} (17.Nxh5 Bg6 18.Nf4 Bf5) 17.Qh3 Bh7 18.Rfd1 Bb4 19.Rd7 { is the only way forwards now, but Black's position is secure. } Qxd7 20.Rxd7 Kxd7 {So it has come to pass, and Black never got castled. White now also starts to rip up the Black kingside, but I was happy with two rooks for a queen and the bishop pair, and soon some open lines too.} 21.Nxh5 Kc7 22.Nxg7 Rag8 23.Nh5 Bf5 24.Qf3 Rg4 25.Nf4 Bd2 {Now I knew I had him on the run. Tal thought for a second and gave up his knight.} 26.Qa3 Bxf4 27.Qd6+ Kc8 28.Ba6 Be4 {Defending and attacking. White's threats are now illusory.} 29.Qc5 Bxg2 30.Qxa7 Bh2+ { A sac finishes White off. I was very pleased, of course, to beat Tal in a war of movement (not just simul induced blunders) and I felt the choice of opening had been psychologically a good one. I was fortunately though that Tal did not discover the probable refutation of Black's innovation with 11.Bxd5. } 0-1"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Amsterdam IBM-B",
    "Round": "11",
    "Site": "Amsterdam NED",
    "Date": "1973.07.30",
    "White": "Raymond Keene",
    "Black": "Vladimir Kovacevic",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1-0",
    "ECO": "A06",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by Raymond Keene. } 1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 Bg4 3.Bb2 Nd7 4.g3 Bxf3 { is a bold decision indicating that Black is playing for a win. This was the last round and if Kovacevic could beat me he would have tied with me.} 5.exf3 Ngf6 6.f4 e6 7.Bg2 $6 (7.Bh3 $1 {intending the disruptive advance f4-f5 is less stereotyped.}) 7...Be7 8.O-O O-O 9.d3 a5 10.a4 c6 11.Nd2 b5 12.Qe2 bxa4 $2 { Now White obtains the upper hand.} (12...Rb8 { is preferable. It was essential for Black to maintain the tension.}) (12...Re8 { is also preferable. }) 13.Rxa4 Nb6 14.Ra2 $1 a4 15.Rfa1 axb3 16.Rxa8 Nxa8 17.Nxb3 Nb6 $2 { White now has the opportunity to launch a variety of favourable combinations, but it's clear that Black's position is already far from satisfactory. White is better developed and his well coordinated pieces control the vital a-file and a1-h8 diagonal. } 18.f5 $1 { Inaugurating the combination. Black must accept the sacrifice, otherwise (after 19 fxe6) he would shed his e-pawn to the combined onslaught of White's pieces.} exf5 19.Nd4 Qd7 20.Bh3 $1 { Black cannot allow the white knight to reach f5 since the threats against g7 would be intolerable. } (20.Nxc6 { is also good but the text is more accurate. } Qxc6 21.Qxe7) 20...g6 (20...Ng4 21.Nxf5 $1) 21.Bxf5 $3 (21.Nxc6 { was also very good, but White has something more ambitious in mind. } Qxc6 22.Qxe7) 21...gxf5 22.Ra7 $3 { This move visibly came as a shock to my opponent. Black has no choice but to fall in with White's plans. } Qxa7 23.Nxc6 Qd7 (23...Qa2 { is a major alternative defence. } 24.Nxe7+ Kg7 25.Nxf5+ Kg8 (25...Kg6 26.Ne7+ Kg7 27.Qg4+) 26.Qg4+ Nxg4 27.Ne7#.) (23...Ba3 $1 { is the best alternative. } 24.Nxa7 (24.Bxf6 Qa4 $1 { is highly unclear. }) 24...Bxb2 { when White has queen for rook and two pieces, but Black's forces are rather awkwardly placed and this enables White to increase his advantage as follows. } 25.c4 $1 Bd4 26.Nb5 Re8 $1 27.Qf3 Bc5 28.d4 Bf8 29.c5 Nc4 30.Qxf5 { and in view of the powerful c-pawn, Black's weakened kingside and the scattered dispositions of the black army, White should win. However, this was Black's only chance of resistance. But, as so often, a combinational blow disturbs the balance of the victim's objectivity and he fails to discover the most tenacious defensive possibilities. }) 24.Nxe7+ Kg7 25.Qh5 $1 { is completely unanswerable. } (25...Qxe7 26.Qg5+ Kh8 27.Bxf6+ { picking up the other knight in addition. }) (25...h6 26.Nxf5+) (25...Ra8 26.Qg5+ Kf8 27.Bxf6 { with Qg8 mate to follow. }) 1-0"
  },
  {
    "Event": "Esbjerg",
    "Round": "9",
    "Site": "Esbjerg DEN",
    "Date": "1981.07.??",
    "White": "Raymond Keene",
    "Black": "Andrew Jonathan Mestel",
    "WhiteElo": "?",
    "BlackElo": "?",
    "Result": "1-0",
    "ECO": "A56",
    "movetext": "{ Adapted notes, originally by Raymond Keene. Mestel had also used this defence against Jakobsen in an earlier round of this tournament and it is a form of Benoni well suited to his uncompromising style. } 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e5 { Black offers a kind of \"space gambit\", but in return he gets long-term prospects of breakthroughs with b7-b5 and f7-f5. } 4.Nc3 d6 5.e4 g6 {In the magazine Modern Chess Theory I once wrote that with Nimzowitsch, Petrosian and Mestel the move g7-g6 (or g2-g3) does not necessarily portend a fianchetto of a bishop! Here, it seems, his idea was essentially to make g7 available for his king's knight.} 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.Nf3 (7.Bg5 { comes strongly into consideration here. } Be7 (7...h6 8.Be3 { after which Black will experience a slight weakness in his king's field if he tries to steer for...f7-f5 in the future. }) 8.Bh6 Bf8 9.Qd2) 7...Nh5 {The manoeuvre already known from Mestel's game with Jakobsen. } (8.g3 { would stop Nf4 but may look like wasting time.  There is nothing wrong with this move but at the time it struck me as needlessly passive. } Be7 { followed by Ng7 and later f7-f5. }) 8.O-O Nf4 {Black accepts the challenge.} 9.Bxf4 { although this weakens the dark squares in the centre (especially e5) it is the only consistent course. If White permits Nxe2 he has nothing. } exf4 10.Qd2 g5 { is an interesting move, and probably the best. Black keeps a firm grip on f4, and also conjures up some threats of g5-g4 (kicking White's knight) and then f4-f3. } (10...Qf6 11.Nb5 Kd8 { is somewhat awkward though perhaps playable. }) (10...Bh6 11.Nb5 Nf6 12.Nxd6+ Qxd6 13.e5 Qd8 (13...Ne4 14.exd6 (14.Qd3 $4 Qd8 15.Qxe4 Bf5 $19)) 14.exf6 Qxf6 15.b4 $1 { causes Black severe headaches. }) 11.e5 $1 { is a forced sacrifice before Black takes over the whole board with Bg7. The a1-h8 diagonal must be blocked. Nimzowitsch wrote something about this kind of vacuum-filling operation, which also frees squares behind (e4) for the officers. He explained that it was very similar to the \"passed pawn's lust to expand\"; for which see White's next move.} (11.g3 { is also possible, Mestel said afterwards. }) 11...dxe5 (11...Nxe5 12.Nxe5 dxe5 13.Ne4 Bd6 14.b4) 12.d6 Rb8 { is a subtle move which takes away some of the force from Nb5 (or Nd5) and Nc7. } (12...Bg7 13.Nd5 O-O 14.Ne7+ Kh8 15.Nxg5) 13.h4 $1 { is a second pawn sacrifice to disjoint Black's pawn phalanx on the kingside. It is vitally important to clear up the question of whether Black will have g5-g4 available as a resource.} gxh4 { Not just grabbing a pawn - also hoping that h4-h3 will, in the later part of the game, embarrass White's king. } (13...g4 14.Ng5 h6 15.Nd5 $1 Bg7 (15...Bxd6 16.Ne4 Be7 17.Bxg4 { with a total blockade. }) 16.Nc7+ Kf8 17.Nge6+ fxe6 18.Nxe6+ { wins. }) 14.Rfe1 {Preparing combinations in the e-file, which Black now underestimates.} Qf6 15.Ne4 Qh6 $1 { Here Black can suffer a cataclysm. } (15...Qg6 $2 16.Nxe5 $1 Nxe5 17.Bh5 Qg7 (17...Qxh5 18.Nf6+) (17...Qh6 18.d7+ Bxd7 19.Nxc5 Bxc5 20.Rxe5+ Be7 21.Rae1 { with a massive attack. }) 18.Qxf4 { and watch out for Bh5, it occurs again. }) 16.Qd5 Bg7 17.Nxc5 h3 $2 { completely overlooking White's threats. } (17...O-O 18.Nxd7 Bxd7 19.Nxe5 Be6 20.Qe4 h3 21.Bf3 Kh8 22.Rad1 { I like White's position with the passed pawn plus massive centralisation, especially since any endings are automatically won for White by the simple plan of c5, b4, b5, c6 making two connected passed pawns. However, Black is not totally without counter-chances, since White's king is not perfectly safe. }) 18.Nxe5 $1 Nxe5 19.d7+ Bxd7 20.Nxd7 hxg2 (20...Nxd7 { allows White win any way he likes. } 21.Bh5+ Ne5 (21...Kd8 22.Rad1 Qc6 23.Bg4) 22.Rxe5+) 21.Bh5 $3 { Black had not seen this annihilating blow. He must now submit to a combination which wins his queen and leaves his king exposed. } (21.Kxg2 Qg5+ 22.Kf1 Rd8) 21...Qxh5 22.Rxe5+ Bxe5 23.Nf6+ {Here we see the same theme as in the note to 15...Qh6.} Bxf6 24.Qxh5 (24.Re1+ $2 Qe5 $1 25.Rxe5+ Bxe5 26.Qxe5+ { with two rooks for the queen. }) 24...O-O 25.Kxg2 Bg7 26.Rh1 h6 27.Rh4 Rbe8 28.Rxf4 Re5 29.Rf5 Re6 30.b3 b6 {Black's only chance is to reach a structure with pawns on a5 and b6 and with his bishop on c5, but it's not really possible. His defence was also hampered by desperate time-trouble.} 31.Rf3 Re5 32.Qh3 Rd8 33.Rg3 Kh8 34.Qg4 Rg5 35.Qf3 Rxg3+ 36.Kxg3 Be5+ 37.Kg2 Kg7 38.Qg4+ Kf8 39.Qh5 Bg7 40.c5 $1 Rc8 (40...bxc5 41.Qxc5+ { and Qxa7 }) 41.cxb6 axb6 42.Qb5 (42...Bd4 43.Qd7) (42...Rb8 43.a4 Bc3 44.b4 $1 { and a4-a5 } (44.a5 $2 Bxa5 45.b4 Bxb4 $1)) 1-0"
  }
]