1.
d4
d5
2.
Nf3
c5
3.
c4
e6
4.
e3
Nf6
5.
Bd3
Nc6
6.
O-O
Bd6
7.
b3
O-O
8.
Bb2
b6
9.
Nbd2
Bb7
10.
Rc1
Qe7
11.
cxd5
exd5
12.
Nh4
g6
13.
Nhf3
Rad8
14.
dxc5
bxc5
15.
Bb5
Ne4
16.
Bxc6
Bxc6
17.
Qc2
Nxd2
18.
Nxd2
d4
19.
exd4
Bxh2+
20.
Kxh2
Qh4+
21.
Kg1
Bxg2
22.
f3
Rfe8
23.
Ne4
Qh1+
24.
Kf2
Bxf1
25.
d5
f5
26.
Qc3
Qg2+
27.
Ke3
Rxe4+
28.
fxe4
f4+
29.
Kxf4
Rf8+
30.
Ke5
Qh2+
31.
Ke6
Re8+
32.
Kd7
Bb5#
0-1
Opening Explorer
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Site
St Petersburg
Date
1914.04.28
Round
5
White
Black
Result
0-1
- 11.cxd5 The most natural move to which the development of the Q Kt at Q 2 instead of B 3 would seem to lead is Kt - K 5 followed by P - B 4. After 11 Kt - K 5 Black could not yet attempt 11...P x Q P; 12 K P x P, B - R 6, weakening the Q P, because of 13 B x B, Q x B; 14 P x P, Kt x Kt; 15 P x Kt, Kt x P; 16 Kt - B 4 and Kt - Q 6.
- 12.Nh4 In order to provoke Black's weakening move: P - Kt 3, which might give White chances of attack on the long diagonal Q R 1 - K R 8, White gives up two clear moves. Black is able to get considerably ahead in his development, much to White's disadvantage.
- 13.Nhf3 Not Kt - K 5 yet, on account of 14 P x P, P x P?; 15 B x Kt, P x B; 16 Kt x P.
- 14.dxc5 White's position is uncomfortable, and a satisfactory continuation is hard to find. Possibly passive resistance might have been the best plan, thus: Q - K 2, K R - Q 1, Kt - B 1 - Kt 3. The text move is a preliminary to operations on the Queen's side, but allows Black too much scope in the centre.
- 15.Bb5 White wishes to get rid of the Black Knight which supports the advance of P - Q 5.
- 17.Qc2 White has no idea of the threatened disaster, or he would have played P - K Kt 3. Even then, however, Black has the better game with two Bishops, and the Q and Kt better placed.
- 17…Nxd2 The beginning of a brilliant mating combination.
- 18…d4 Black would have played the same move if White had retaken with the Queen.
- 19.exd4 P - K 4 was comparatively the best move, although Black's attack would have become overwhelming after P - B 4, e.g. 20 P - B 3, B - B 5, etc.
- 21…Bxg2 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).
- 22.f3 If K x B, then Q - Kt 5 ch; 23 K - R 1, R - Q 4; 24 Q x P, R - R 4 ch; 25 Q x R, Q x Q ch; 26 K - Kt 2, Q - Kt 4 ch and Q x Kt.
- 22…Rfe8 Not Q - Kt 6, because of Kt - K 4.
- 28…f4+ With Q - Kt 6 ch Black mates two moves earlier.
- 31…Re8+ If K - Q 7, B - Kt 4 mate, if K - B 6, Q - R 5 mate.
[Event "St Petersburg International Preliminary"] [Site "St Petersburg"] [Date "1914.04.28"] [Round "5"] [White "Nimzowitsch, Aron"] [Black "Tarrasch, Siegbert"] [Result "0-1"] 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 c5 3. c4 e6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. O-O Bd6 7. b3 O-O 8. Bb2 b6 9. Nbd2 Bb7 10. Rc1 Qe7 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Nh4 g6 13. Nhf3 Rad8 14. dxc5 bxc5 15. Bb5 Ne4 16. Bxc6 Bxc6 17. Qc2 Nxd2 18. Nxd2 d4 19. exd4 Bxh2+ 20. Kxh2 Qh4+ 21. Kg1 Bxg2 22. f3 Rfe8 23. Ne4 Qh1+ 24. Kf2 Bxf1 25. d5 f5 26. Qc3 Qg2+ 27. Ke3 Rxe4+ 28. fxe4 f4+ 29. Kxf4 Rf8+ 30. Ke5 Qh2+ 31. Ke6 Re8+ 32. Kd7 Bb5# 0-1