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Ossip Bernstein vs Savielly Tartakower
"Kowering in Fear" (game of the day Aug-03-2025)
Paris (1937), Paris FRA
Philidor Defense: Nimzowitsch Variation (C41)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Given 60 times; par: 11 [what's this?]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jan-20-07  McCool: Position after 8...Nc6


click for larger view

There is more here than meets the eye, as in this pretty line of play: 9 ♕xb7?, ♘b4; 10 ♕b5+, c6; 11 ♕a4, ♘c5!! winning White's ♕ (for if 12 ♕xb4, ♘d3+).

My source (see my games collection) tells me that Ossip Bernstein played as White in this game, and therefore Savielly Tartakower played as Black.

Jan-20-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: Yes, <McCool> Tartakower also says he had Black here in his 1931-1954 best games collection. It's in the notes to M Lowtzky vs Tartakower, 1937.

Tartakower describes the conclusion as follows:

<13....Q-Kt4; White resigns.

'An immortal game!' exclaimed Rossolimo, who was present at this encounter.

'Mortal rather, for me!' snapped back the ever alert Bernstein.">

May-11-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  OBIT: 9. Qxb7 is actually best. After 9...Nb4 10. Qb5+ c6, instead of 11. Qa4? White can play 11. Qe2 and stands better.
Jul-26-20  sea7kenp: I can hear Black now: "I'll trade you my two Rooks for your King!"
Aug-03-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: 5.Qd5! Nc5 6.Bg5! Be7 (6...Qd7!? R Byrne vs Petrosian, 1976) 7.cxd6 Qxd6 8.Nc3 is unpleasant for Black. Benko vs K Smith, 1972.

After 5.Bc4, 5...c6! is most reliable. Giovanis-Rhine, Chicago 1975. It took me 30 minutes to find that move. This was back in the days when 40 moves in 2 hours was the standard time control. But 5...Be6!? worked out well for Tartakower in this game.

If one must play the Philidor, the modern move order 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 is the best way to do so. Then the game might continue 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 (Black has reached the Hanham Variation without the problems he faces in the old Philidor move order) 6.O-O O-O 7.a4 c6 8.Re1 Re8 9.h3 h6 10.a5 Bf8 11.Be3 exd4 12.Bxd4 and White is slightly better.

Aug-03-25  goodevans: <Notes by Stockfish 9 v010218 (minimum 6s/ply) [...] 10.Qxb7= 0.00 (24 ply)>

Are you sure about that, Fishie?

<13.Qxh8?> was clearly an ill-advised move but it seems White was in trouble anyway. Here's how things might have gone after <13.Qxa7>:


click for larger view

<13...Nc2+ 14.Kd1 Bc5 15.Qa6 Nxa1 16.Rf1 Ra8 17.Qxa8> (else 17...Rxa2 is clearly winning) <17...Qb5 18.Ke1 Nc2+ 19.Kd1 Qd3+ 20.Nd2 Nxf2+> and mate soon follows.

Aug-03-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: Stockfish 17.1, running on 12 CPUs, actually liked 10.Qxb7 for 5 or 10 seconds. It was giving 10...Nxd4 11.Qxa8+ Kf7 12.O-O!, which it assessed as +0.41. Then it noticed 10...Bb4+! and immediately changed its "mind." It concluded that 10.Nxc6! was forced, and is equal however Black recaptures.

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