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Apr-17-12
 | | sorokahdeen: Whoa! Amazing to see someone miss something that every amateur on the planet spots in seconds. Poor Stephenson, this is one of those games that makes you wonder what outside the game was happening with the guy? Was he in time-pressure? A touch of the flu? Trouble at home? 33. Ra7 wasn't "worthy of Alekhine" and yet Stephenson missed it and you wonder how that happened. |
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Apr-17-12
 | | agb2002: The material is equal.
Black threatens the pawn on c3 (... Rxc5, bxc5, Bxc3). The black queen protects the rook on c8 and cannot protect the rook on d7 if attacked. Hence, 33.Ra7: A) 33... Qxa7 34.Rxc8+ followed by Bxa7 + - [Q].
B) 33... Rxc5 34.Rxb7 Rxb7 35.bxc5 + - [Q vs R].
C) 33... Rd2 34.Qxd2, etc.
D) 33... Bd4 34.Rxb7, etc. |
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Apr-17-12
 | | morfishine: <33.Ra7> wins for White since the Black Queen cannot defend <d7>. As <FSR> pointed out <33...Rxc5> is best, but in this line or <33...Re8> Black loses Queen for rook |
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| Apr-17-12 | | zb2cr: Surprising, that a very deadly move is lurking in such a position. The move is 33. Ra7!. Now, Black's Queen is overworked. She is under threat, and there is no place she can run to where she can maintain the protection of the Rook on d7. If 33. ... Qxa7; 34. Rxc8+ wins Queen for Rook. Standing pat with 33. ... Rxc5 also loses Queen for Rook. |
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| Apr-17-12 | | Oxspawn: No easy smash and grab today. However, the black triad of queen and rooks are dependent on each other, and sliding one brick out of the wall might make it all fall down. The most profitable path I can see is
33. Ra7 threatening the queen and the rook behind it. The queen cannot take because of 34. Rxc8+ after which the bishop takes the queen.
There is no available square from which the black queen can protect the rook on d7. Indeed it seems that the only safe square is b8, after which white plays r(a7)xd7 and is simply a rook up.
I cannot see an immediate mate but the white queen, bishop and two rooks are all well placed and even if black swaps off the rooks on the c file white has overwhelming attack possibilities, especially if black initiates the exchange and white retakes with the bishop on c5. If white can support its remaining rook with the queen and place the rook on the back rank (not d8 of course) then when the king runs to g7 white can pursue with the bishop to f8. With the rook on the back rank, the queen protecting the rook and ready to jump to the h file and the bishop cutting off lines of escape, I suspect there is a mating trap.
Is there anything better for black?
33 Ra7 Rxc5
34. Rxb7 Rxb7
35. Bxc5 means that black loses a queen and a rook for two rooks.
Let’s go and see what the good guys say. |
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| Apr-17-12 | | Oxspawn: O good. The good guys say what I said - only they said it quicker and shorter. Still good's good. Jolly good really. |
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| Apr-17-12 | | Oxspawn: Then, blimey, they went and played a completely different game after Stephenson's rocket burned out at Rc3. You have to admire Penrose's ruthlessness after he was let off. But right at the end, why cannot white play Rc2? I suppose after Rd2, RxR (either), RxR, white cannot save the bishop. |
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| Apr-17-12 | | Oxspawn: In fact what <Abdel Irada> said, and I missed on my first read through. Sorry Abdel. |
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| Apr-17-12 | | desiobu: Ra7 overworks the queen. Have to admit I would have far more trouble finding it OTB. |
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| Apr-17-12 | | Pensive: <Tired Tim> Actually soccer is a fine name. The original name of the sport was <Association Football> "Soc" is a shortened version of <Association>. The suffix -er was added later on. So while soccer is not as intuitive a name for the sport as football (and it's also only used in English-speaking countries, since only the English came up with the name Association Football) it is a legitimate name. Sorry for the nitpicking, but as an American fan I get irritated when people mock me for using the name soccer. |
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| Apr-17-12 | | FrogC: "Soccer" was quite commonly used in Britain until we discovered the Americans were saying it. I grew up reading comics in which the characters played "soccer". |
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| Apr-17-12 | | cyclon: 33. Ra7 wins Queen for a Rook, or a Rook. |
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Apr-17-12
 | | Memethecat: 33Ra7 snares the R on d7.
Ooh, that must've hurt, I bet Norm downed a few drinks that night. |
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| Apr-17-12 | | dragon player: I think the solution is distracting the queen:
33.Ra7 Qxa7
Or else 34.Rxd7
34.Rxc8+ Kg7
35.Bxa7
Winning the queen.
Time to check.
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Right indeed, but in the game it was missed. Could happen. 2/2 |
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Apr-17-12
 | | Marmot PFL: That both players missed 33 Ra7 says little for the quality of British chess in the 60s.
Their chess books though were usually much better than what was available in the USA. |
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Apr-17-12
| | Memethecat: <sorokahdeen> I'm sure Stephenson would have got it if he knew (as we all do) that there was a combo there. <Pensive:and it's also only used in English-speaking countries> Spanish=fútbol Dutch=voetbal German=Fußball French=football Portuguese=futebol, I'm not sure about Asia & Africa, but I could make a good guess. I think the US has the largest English speaking population & they choose to use another name. |
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Apr-17-12
 | | kevin86: 33 a7!! wins by force.
If the queen withdraws,the rook d7 is lost. If  xa7 xc8+ and  xa7 next... Black must lose queen or the rook by skewer. |
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Apr-17-12
 | | whiteshark: <33.Ra7!> and that's it. |
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| Apr-17-12 | | Tired Tim: <Pensive> You are quite correct, of course. I was merely being facetious. "Soccer" was used by public school (i.e. private school!) types to distinguish it from "rugger" - or rugby football. Practically never used in UK now but - as you've shown - perfectly valid and certainly not incorrect |
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| Apr-17-12 | | Crispy Seagull: Ah, he missed it! |
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| Apr-17-12 | | MarkFinan: I think <whiteshark> said exactly what i was thinking! :) |
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Apr-17-12
 | | chrisowen: Simple son arming a tour foraging old get the 33.ra7 again manage in hedge rookc8+, in rubble direct it you in plight difficult too see why white carried on a c2 lift (33.ra7 rcd8 34.rxb7 rxb7 beacon gantries charge) bolt rooka7 curious fade away o live ram in c2 gain small a teriffic hind wag in chap again ele bishop wicked rearguard plug by JP am delighted for him. |
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| Apr-17-12 | | dufferps: Okay, I'm glad to see that others thought white should have moved 33.Ra7. Has anyone found a way for black to recover and avoid losing? |
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| Apr-17-12 | | ZZpatzer: Shredder says that move 37 Rb8 (should have moved Bh6) was a klunker for white too |
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Apr-17-12
 | | Patriot: Material is even.
33.Rxc8 Qxc8 doesn't look like much but 33.Ra7 does! 33...Qxa7 34.Rxc8+  |
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