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Lajos Portisch vs Nick de Firmian
Reggio Emilia (1989/90), Reggio Emilia ITA, rd 8, Jan-05
Queen's Indian Defense: Spassky System (E14)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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sac: 16.Rxc6 PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Jan-17-10  agb2002: Material is even. Black would probably try the maneuver Nb4-d5 and Bf6 to block White's d-pawn and simplify the position with Bxe4 or Bxf3, if appropriate, to reduce the risk of attack against the king and achieve the better endgame.

The first idea that comes to mind is 16.d5 but after 16... exd5 the sacrifice 17.Bxh7+ doesn't seem to work because the knight can't move to g5. This suggests 16.Rxc6, to have the e5 square available to the knight:

A) 16... Bxc6 17.Ne5

A.1) 17... Qb7 18.Bxc6 (18.Bxh7+ Kxh7 19.Qh5+ Kg8 20.Qxf7+ Kh7 21.Re3 Bxg2) Rxc6 19.Qf3 Rec8 (19... Rcc8 20.Qxb7; 19... Bf8 20.Qxc6; 19... Rc7 20.Qxf7+ Kh8 21.Qxe8+) 20.Qxf7+ Kh8 21.Nxc6 Qxc6 22.d5 + -, threatening 22.Qxg7#, 22.dxc6 and 22.Qxe7.

A.2) 17... Qd6 18.Bxc6 Rxc6 19.Qf3 Rcc8 (19... Rec8 20.Qxf7+ Kh8 21.Nxc6 Qxc6 22.d5) 20.d5 (threatens 21.Ng6+ hxg6 22.Qxg7#) Bf8 21.Qxe8 Rxe8 (21... Qxe5 22.Qxf8+) 22.Nf7+ Kg8 23.Nxd6 Bxd6 24.dxe6 + - [2P].

B) 16... Rxc6 17.Ne5

B.1) 17... Qc7 18.Qf3

B.1.a) 18... Rec8 19.Qxf7+ Kh7 20.Nxc6 Bxc6 21.Bxc6 Qxc6 22.d5 + -.

B.1.b) 18... f6 19.Bxc6 Bxc6 20.Nxc6 Bf8 21.d5 + -.

B.2) 17... Qd6 18.Qf3 seems to transpose to previous lines.

It's 1:00 am, time to check and go to bed.

Jan-17-10  gofer: It took a second to see that c6 and f7 are the key focus of the attack, but Ne5 is the key move. Ne5 attacks Qd7, Pf7 and which ever piece is on c6. This is immediately followed up by Qf3 further attacking c6 and Pf7. So how to now make the attack into mate? Well obviously, once we have managed to play Qxf7+ Kh8 we just need to open up the a1-h8 diagonal with d5!

16 Rxc6

16 ... Rxc6
17 Ne5 Qc7 (Qd6 offers Nxf7+ once Kh8 has been forced by Qxf7+) 18 Qf3 Rc8 (Bf6 19 Nxc6 winning a piece and Rf8 Bxc6 winning a piece)

19 Qxf7+ Kh8
20 Bxc6 Bxc6
21 Nxc6 Bf6
21 Qxc7 Rxc7
22 Rxe6 winning

16 ... Bxc6
17 Ne5 Qb7 (Qd6 offers Nxf7+ once Kh8 has been forced by Qxf7+ and Qc7 allows Bxc6)

18 Qf3 Bxe4
19 Qxf7+ Kh8
20 d5 Rg8 (Bh6 21 Qxb7 winning Qxd5/Bxd5 21 Ng6+ hxg6 22 Qxg7#)

21 Qxe6 Rf8/Rcf8 (Bg6 22 Nxg6+ hxg6 23 Qh3+ mating)
22 Nf7+ Rxf7
23 Qxf7 Rg8
24 d6 winning

Time to check...

Jan-17-10  gofer: Okay, what's so wrong with 18 Qf3?
Jan-17-10  tacticalmonster: 1) white isolated d4 pawn suggests dynamic play. This translates to either kingside or queenside offense. In this case, it is the kingside since white has two bishops pointing at (b2-g7) and (e4-h7) diagonal. 2) black kingside lacks defending pieces. There are no Rf8 and Nf6. Be7 gets in the way of the queen defending f7. e6 pawn really hammer in the queen and e8 rook. Black has two weaks squares f7 and h7. g7 is potentially weak.

3) White queen belong either g4 or h5 and the knight belong to e5 outpost. Rook needs to lift itself to either g3 or h3 via c3 or e3. A d5 pawn push may be in order to open up the b2-g7 diagonal.

candidate: Rxc6

a) 1 Rxc6 Bxc6 2 Ne5 Qb7 3 Bxh7+ Kxh7 4 Qh5+ Kg8 5 Qxf7+ Kh7 ( 5 Kh8? 6

Re3! Bxg2 7 d5!! Rc1+ (Bf8 Qxb7 ) 8 Bxc1 Qxd5 9 Qxf8+ ) 6 Re3! ( 6

Nxc6? Rf8! 7 Qxe7 Qxe7 8 Nxe7 Rc2 ) (6 Bxd5? 7 Qg6+ Kg8 8 Nd7! Bf6 9

Nxf6+ Kf8 10 Ba3+ Re7 11 Re3! ) Bxg2 7 Rg3 Bf6 8 Nd7! Qxd7 9 Qxd7

b) 3 Bxh7+ Kf8 4 Qh5 g6 ( 4 Bf6? 5 Ba3+ Rc5 6 dxc5 b5 7 Nxc6 Qxc6 8 Be4

) 5 Bxg6 Bf6 6 Ba3+ Re7 7 Qh7! Bg7 8 Bxf7 any 9 Qg8#

c) 3 Kf8 4 Qh5 Bb4 5 Bg6! Ke7 ( 5 fxg6 6 Nxg6+ Kf7 (6 Kg8 7 d5 e5 8 Rxe5

Bf8 9 Qh8+ Kf7 10 Nxf8 Rxe6 11 Qxg7+ Ke8 12 Nxe6 Bxd5 13 Qf8+ Kd7 14

Qf7+ Kc6 15 Nd4+ Kc5 16 Qf6 ) I see too many variation.just want to stop here

Jan-17-10  zanshin: <gofer: Okay, what's so wrong with 18 Qf3?>

Apparently, it loses to <18...Bb4> protecting f7 while attacking the Rook - but I have not checked the line.

Jan-17-10  LimSJ: i only saw the Bh7 sac-theme but can't go through more than after 17.Ne5. i appreciate the tactics arising from the possibilities of 18...Kh7 and 20...Be1 that are worth looking into from an unrated player's point of view and over the board on my lunch break (as i don't have a chess software here in the office). amazing and cheers to Portisch! ...now back to work.
Jan-17-10  VargPOD: Sunday.

Got nowhere on this one. Did not try very long though. Weekend puzzles are just over my head.

Total 4/7 (7,5/14). Still above the 50% mark, barely.

Jan-17-10  patzer2: For today's Sunday puzzle solution, the deflection sham sacrifice 16. Rxc6!! and the follow-up 16...Bxe6 17. Ne5 (clearance and deflection) prepares a decisive demolition of the weakened castled position after 17...Qb7 18. Bxh7+! .

The game takes on somewhat the characteristics of a pursuit combination after 21. Qh6+ Ke7. The final position relies on a decisive pawn promotion after 30...Rxd7 31. cxd7+ Kc7 32. dxe8(Q) .

Jan-17-10  RandomVisitor: After 15.Be4, top 5 moves, final look. We see that 15...Qd7?? allows a critical tempo-gaining move 17.Ne5, which does not work with these alternative queen placements:


click for larger view

Rybka 3: <21-ply>

<+0.17 15...Qd6> 16.d5 exd5 17.Qxd5 g6 18.g3 Na5 19.Rxc8 Rxc8 20.Qb5 Bxe4 21.Rxe4 Nc6 22.Kg2 Bf6 23.Bxf6 Qxf6 24.a3 Qd6 25.b4 h6 26.Qc4 Kg7

+0.33 15...Qa5 16.a3 Qh5 17.d5 Rcd8 18.dxc6 Rxd1 19.Rcxd1 Bc8 20.c7 Qc5 21.Rc1 Qh5 22.h3 f6 23.Bc6 Rf8 24.Red1 Qf5 25.b4 a6 26.Rc4

+0.33 15...Qh5 16.d5 Rcd8 17.dxc6 Rxd1 18.Rexd1 Bc8 19.c7 f6 20.h3 Rf8 21.a3 Kf7 22.Rc6 Kg8 23.b4 Qe8 24.Rcc1 a5 25.Bc6 Qh5 26.b5 Qf5 27.Rc4

+0.38 15...Qd8 16.d5 exd5 17.Bxd5 Bf8 18.Rxe8 Qxe8 19.Ng5 Nd8 20.Rxc8 Bxc8 21.Be4 h6 22.Qxd8 Qxd8 23.Bh7+ Kh8 24.Nxf7+ Kxh7 25.Nxd8 Bd7 26.Nf7 Bf5 27.Ne5 a5 28.Bd4 b5 29.Nc6 a4 30.Bc3 Bd7

+0.75 15...Qb5 16.d5 exd5 17.a4 Qb4 18.Bxd5 Red8 19.Qd3 Qd6 20.Rcd1 Qg6 21.Qb5 Bc5 22.Be4 Rxd1

Jan-18-10  zev22407: Chess programs are killing the game!
Jan-18-10  agb2002: <zanshin: <gofer: Okay, what's so wrong with 18 Qf3?> Apparently, it loses to <18...Bb4> protecting f7 while attacking the Rook - but I have not checked the line. >

I saw the possibility of ... Bb4 or ... Ba3 when I was trying to make 16.d5 work but forgot completely when considering Qf3. Conclusion: leave deep analysis for a better occasion if you are about to snore.

Jan-18-10  cyclon: <gofer:18 Qf3 Bxe4 [ -Bb4 and WHITE is in trouble] 19 Qxf7+ Kh8
20 d5 Rg8 (Bh6 21 Qxb7 winning Qxd5/Bxd5 21 Ng6+ hxg6 22 Qxg7#)

21 Qxe6 Rf8/Rcf8 (Bg6 22 Nxg6+ hxg6 23 Qh3+ mating)
22 Nf7+ Rxf7
23 Qxf7 Rg8
24 d6 winning>
Simply 24. -Bxd6 and BLACK is winning.

Jan-18-10  cyclon: <David2009:Is the combination sound? Crafty thinks so i.e. defends with the game line until White's 27th (27. Bc5), when Crafty deviates with 27...Bb4!

click for larger view

Now White seems to have nothing better than perpetual check with 28.Qxf7+ Kb8 29. Nd7+ etc. Unless kibitzers can find something better?> INSTEAD of 29.Nd7+ etc.? I`d play 29.c7+ Rxc7 ( -Kb7? 30.Be4+ wins Queen) 30.Qxe8+ Rc8 (forced) 31.Qxb5+ Kc7 32.Qxb4 winning EASILY.

Jan-27-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  LIFE Master AJ: 20...g6?!; (maybe - '?') was obviously inferior.

What a combo ... as for the guy who said, "I didn't know that Portisch was this good." ... ... ... did you know that Portisch was (at one time) easily in the "Top Ten" players in the world? [http://db.chessmetrics.com/CM2/Sing...

May-08-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: This is the finest game I have seen by Portisch. A work of art!

Lajos Portisch had everything going for him, except a psychological instability which tended to show at critical moments. Few in history, however, can equal his sustained level as a top-class player, and almost no-one who has not held the title of World Champion.

Sep-20-15  ToTheDeath: Agreed, this is a remarkable game, with similarities to his famous loss to Kasparov in 1983. Apparently Lajos was taking notes in that encounter!
Feb-11-17  Moszkowski012273: 18.Qh5... is another way to win!
May-26-24  mel gibson: I didn't even consider that move.

Stockfish 16.1 says:

16. Rxc6

(16. Rxc6 (1.Rxc6 Bxc6 2.Ne5 Qb7 3.Bxh7+ Kxh7 4.Qh5+ Kg8 5.Qxf7+ Kh7 6.Re3 Bxg2 7.d5 Qxd5 8.Qg6+ Kg8 9.Rg3 Bf6 10.Qxf6 Rc7 11.Nf3 e5 12.Kxg2 Rf7 13.Qg5 Ree7 14.Qg6 Re6 ) +4.49/47 282)

score for White +4.49 depth 47.

May-26-24  jffun1958: Final Position:


click for larger view

30...Rxd7 31. cxd7+ Kc7 32. dxe8=Q Qxe8 33. Bxe8
winning all three of B's major pieces, and W is up a B+N+2P.


click for larger view

Easiest way to win is to capture the Black P on the g-file and promote 1 or more K side P's.

May-26-24  mel gibson: Stockfish 16.1
When Black resigns it's mate in 20:

30. Qd7+ Rxd7

(1. ... Rxd7 2.cxd7+ Kb7 3.dxe8Q Qxe8 4.Bxe8 a5 5.Ba4 Kc7 6.Nxg6 Bd2 7.h4 e5 8.h5 Kb7 9.Nf8 Ka8 10.Ne6 Kb8 11.g4 Kb7 12.g5 e4 13.h6 e3 14.Bxe3 Bc3 15.g6 Ba1 16.g7 Be5 17.g8Q Bc7 18.Qg2+ Kb8 19.Qg7 Bh2+ 20.Kxh2 Kc8 21.Qc7+) -M20/59 255

May-26-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  chrisowen: Pivot its skim barn quill c Rxc6 its abled its axled coffin its abe leeway its abattoir its au la its advance dank Rxc6 ear
May-26-24  vajeer: Wow, I don't think I have seen such a badly imprisoned queen before!
May-26-24  sfm: Stunning. On my shortlist of "most brilliant attacks".
May-26-24  FM David H. Levin: <vajeer: Wow, I don't think I have seen such a badly imprisoned queen before!>

This occurs also in Nimzowitsch vs A Hakansson, 1922.

May-26-24  vajeer: <FM David H. Levin> And the same square!
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