Alexander Kazimirovich Tolush vs Vasily Smyslov (1944)

Alexander Kazimirovich Tolush vs Vasily Smyslov
USSR Championship (1944) · Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack: General (A06) · 0-1

To move:

Last move:

explore this opening	find similar games	10 more Tolush/Smyslov games
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Aug-09-09		King.Arthur.Brazil: 18...Ne4 was unexpected move.After Qg4 followed the combination: 21.Rxd4! (Qxd4, Nf3+ win the Q)22...Bf5, white Q has no good move, as Nh3+ and Ne2+ can be played sometime winning the Q. 23. Bxg4 could be played. With Bxd4 black won a piece. After Nc3 all tatics are ill for white, for example: 34. Qd2 Qxd4 35. Qxd4 Ne2+ and Nxd4 end!

Mar-05-12		backrank: The game score given here seems to be incorrect: According to Chernev ('The Russians play Chess') White played 15. Red1, which makes sense indeed since it releases the Nd2 of the pin by the Bb4. The combination starting by 21. ... Rxd4 is much stronger then since White can't play 23. Qf4 due to Ne2+ followed by Nh3+ (or vice versa) when the R doesn't cover e2. The many incorrect game scores are such a pity, rendering thorough analyzing impossible!

Aug-14-12		backrank: Now it's been corrected, thank you, chessgames.com !

Aug-14-12		Everett: A game rife with avoided and unplayed knight forks! I found the dominance of the Q by Smyslov to be very interesting.

Aug-17-12		backrank: <Everett: A game rife with avoided and unplayed knight forks!> Indeed. After 21 Qg4, Smyslov could safely take the exchange and win: click for larger view Instead he sacrifices 21 ... Rxd4! Of course, 22 Qxd4 Nf3+ is impossible (1st avoided knight fork). So White played 22 Rxd4 Bf5! and the situation on the board is very interesting: click for larger view The white queen has nowhere to run! I 23 Qh4 Nf3+ (2nd avoided knight fork) II 23 Qf4 Ne2+! 24 Bxe2 Nh3+ (3rd avoided knight fork) III 23 Qh5 g6! 24 Qxh6 Nf3+ (4th avoided knight fork) In the game continuation 23 Bxc3, Smyslov even dispenses with taking the queen, since 23 ... Bxc3 is stronger, leading to a full piece ahead: click for larger view 24 Qf4 Bxd4 25 Qxd4? Nf3+ (5th avoided knight fork)! After 27 Rd7, Black continues showing us some tactics: click for larger view 27 ... Bxe5!, and 28 Qxe5 Nf3+ as well as 28 Nxe5 Qxe5! 29 Qxe5 Nf3+ run again into a knight fork (6th avoided knight fork). Of course Black had to calculate in advance that after 28 h4 Ne4 his extra piece is safe. In the final position click for larger view 34 Rxf4 Ne2+ or 34 Qc4 Qxd4! 35 Qxd4 Ne2+ lead to the 7th avoided knight fork!

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