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Laszlo Szabo vs David Bronstein
Budapest Candidates (1950), Budapest HUN, rd 10, Apr-29
Dutch Defense: Nimzo-Dutch. Alekhine Variation (A90)  ·  1/2-1/2

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
Notes by Stockfish 9 v010218 (minimum 6s/ply)6...d5 was played in G P Thibaut vs Guimard, 1950 (0-1)7.Nh3 was played in Kmoch vs M Yudovich Sr., 1934 (1-0) 8...Ne4 9.h4 h6 10.Qc2 Nxd2 11.Qxd2 Nd7 12.e4 fxe4 = +0.25 (22 ply) ⩲ +1.14 (19 ply)better is 10.b4 Nc6 11.b5 Na5 12.Na4 b6 13.Bxa5 bxa5 14.Nd2 Rb8 ⩲ +0.99 (19 ply)= +0.27 (21 ply) after 10...fxe4 11.Nxe4 e5 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.g4 Nxg4 14.Ng3 Qf7 better is 13...Nd7 14.Bc3 Bf6 15.Rae1 Re8 16.b4 e4 17.Bxf6 Nxf6 = +0.21 (21 ply) ⩲ +0.84 (21 ply) 15.Rae1 Re8 16.a3 a5 17.c5 e4 18.Nd4 Nxc5 19.Nb5 Bd8 ⩲ +0.80 (19 ply)better is 15...Qg6 16.Qc2 e4 17.Nd4 Nc5 18.b4 Nd3 19.Rad1 Bd7 20.f4 = -0.31 (22 ply)better is 16.Qd2 Qg6 17.Ne1 Rf7 18.Nd3 e4 19.Nf4 Bxc3 20.Qxc3 Qf6 = +0.36 (20 ply)= -0.15 (23 ply)better is 18.Bxf6 Nxf6 19.Nd4 Bd7 20.Qd2 c6 21.dxc6 bxc6 22.Rac1 = +0.21 (22 ply)= -0.32 (20 ply)better is 19.Rad1 Bd7 20.Qc2 Nd3 21.Re3 Ne5 22.b3 Qh5 23.h3 Bg5 = 0.00 (21 ply)better is 19...Qg6 20.Qd2 Nd3 21.Nb5 Nxe1 22.Rxe1 Re7 23.Bxf6 Qxf6 ⩱ -0.61 (22 ply)= -0.08 (22 ply) 22.Rad1 a5 23.Re3 Bg5 24.Ree1 Bf6 = 0.00 (23 ply) 22...Rad8 23.fxe4 fxe4 24.Rf1 Qh5 25.Rxf6 gxf6 26.Rf1 ⩱ -0.88 (21 ply)= +0.27 (21 ply) 26.Kh1 Rad8 27.Ba5 Rc8 28.Nc3 exf3 29.Bxf3 Ne5 30.Bg2 = +0.39 (23 ply) ⩱ -0.81 (26 ply)better is 28...Re7 29.Qd2 Rae8 30.Qe3 Qh6 31.fxe4 fxe4 32.Kg1 Bf5 ⩱ -0.54 (26 ply)= 0.00 (28 ply) 35...Be6 36.Bf3 Qh3 37.Qxc5+ Kg8 38.Qg1 Ree7 39.Bg2 Qg4 = +0.03 (27 ply) ⩲ +0.79 (28 ply)better is 39...Qxg3 40.hxg3 Kf7 41.Kg2 g6 42.Kf2 h5 43.Ke3 Rc8 ⩲ +0.60 (31 ply) ⩲ +1.20 (24 ply) after 40.h4 Qg6 41.Kg2 Qg4 42.Kf2 Kf7 43.Rc1 Rc8 44.h5 Qxg3+ better is 42.fxg6 Qxg6 43.Rf1+ Kg8 44.Bf4 Qxg3+ 45.hxg3 Kf7 ⩲ +1.20 (33 ply)= +0.50 (34 ply) 55...Kxd6 56.Bxa5 g5 57.bxc4 Bxa4+ 58.Kc3 Ke6 59.Bd8 h6 = +0.14 (38 ply) ⩲ +0.94 (41 ply) 56...Kxd6 57.Bxa5 g5 58.Bd8 Kd7 59.Be7 Ke6 60.Kb4 Bd7 = +0.30 (39 ply) ⩲ +1.15 (47 ply)better is 58.Bb4 g5 59.a5 Kd5 60.a6 Bc6 61.a7 Ke6 62.Kc4 Bf3 63.Kc5 ⩲ +0.94 (49 ply)= +0.27 (40 ply)better is 59.Bd8 Kxd6 60.Bxg5 Bh5 61.Bf4+ Kc6 62.Be3 Be2 63.Bd4 ⩲ +0.63 (45 ply)= +0.08 (40 ply) 70...Qa3+ 71.Kd4 Qxa7+ 72.Ke5 Qe3+ 73.Kf5 Qf3+ 74.Kg5 = 0.00 (48 ply) ⩲ +1.45 (94 ply)72.Kc5 Bf3 73.Bb6 Bg2 74.Ba5 Bh1 75.Bc3 Bg2 76.Be1 Be4 ⩲ +1.45 (97 ply)1/2-1/2

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer).      [35436 more games annotated by Stockfish]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Aug-28-10  echever7: Find it!!! At least :). Yes, in fact there`s a combination of the two previous ideas 62...Bg6 63. Kd4-g3 64hxg3-h3 65.a7-Be4 65.Kxe4-h2...hmmmmm again don't see anything after Bb8. It must be very difficult to check mate that king with the queen alone, checking out 'd' and 'a'pawns.. Oh! After 63...g3 white have an 64.d7 destroying black pawns 65-.Bxg3 and so on. Still I'm only see draw :(
Aug-28-10  asiduodiego: I missed it today. I thought the idea was to promote with check, but that hardly lead to anything useful for black. I didn't see the shocker.

62 ..., g3
63 hxg3, h3!

And now, it's drawn. Szlabo played the best line. If white tries to promote right away with the pawn, then

64 a7?, Bc6!!

Of course, if:

65 Kxc6, h2
66 a8=Q, h1=Q+

And, the White Queen is gone.

Today's problem made me remember that movie "Searching for Bobby Fischer". XD

Aug-28-10  kevin86: Here we have a rare exception to the rule that to queen first is the best.

The same situation occurred in the movie:SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER.

Aug-28-10  echever7: Well, there's no 'perpetual' I was wrong on my first com. 62...Bg6 63.Kd4-Be8 65.d7- Bxd7 66.Kc5-Bc8 67 Kb6 1-0 So the only way to go is 63...g3 with the previous variant. 1/2-1/2
Aug-28-10  BOSTER: <tacticalmonster>. <1. a6 pawn seems impossible to stop>. This is not correct. Even in the line, where white can queen this pawn black can win this queen playing before Bc6 and how <Phony Belony> called <Waitzkin Trick> with Qh1+. <3 . Opposite colour C7 bishop is hampered in and out of play>. I don't think so, because in some line white can play d7,attacking black bishop and moving before h2 pawn through hxg3, h4 to keep g1 square under control.
Aug-28-10  echever7: Again wrong. All the previous analysis were in my mind, but now with a board I saw how bad I'm calculating. My first com was right: the 'perpetual' 62...Bg6 63.Kd4-Be8 65.d7-Bxd7 66.Kc5-Bc8 67.Kb6-Bxa6 gives black a draw In fact today's puzzle was pretty easy. Three variants (62...Bg6 and then Be8 and so on 62..Bg6 folowedc by 62...g3 and just 63..g3) give black an easy draw. The second variant even gives some "chances" to win
Aug-28-10  David2009: Szabo vs Bronstein, 1950 Black 62...?

Chances for both sides to blunder here, but I think the game should be drawn with best play. First consider 62...g3 63 hxg3 h3 64 g4 h2. White draws with 65 d7 Bxd7 66 Bxh2 Bc8 =. Also drawn is 64...Bc6 65 d7 etc. So White can draw, can White win? 64 a7?? (hoping for h2 65 a8=Q) LOSES to 64...Bc6 65 Kxc6 h2 66 d7 (what else?) h1=Q+ 68 Kg6 Kxd7 and Black wins eventually.

Instead 62...h3?? first is too slow. White wins by 63 a7! Bc6 64 Kxc6! g3 64 a8=Q and Black is busted. Time to check what happened:
====
Well, I saw the first move and I think I also saw the essential ideas for both sides. 64...Bd7 was a bold winning try by Black met (after 65 a7 Bc6) with the equally bold winning try 66 g5! (66 d7 draws painlessly). Time to digest the kibitzes.

Aug-28-10  rapidcitychess: Now the mist rolls in like a Sunday on Saturday... A puzzle of alternate solutions, and only one can save the puzzle... When there is multiple solutions, can you find your way through the black and white jungle?

<cue jungle music>

The lion of the a6 pawn is opening it's maw for a meal on a8, which makes you it's snack.

But you must watch for the cheetah on d6, which is sprinting to it's greater strength. The guns are close, but can we reach them in time?

A man must sacrifice him self with 62.g3 for the greater good, and reach the line in time to get out of this life threatening safari, and save his friends with a bullet to a8 just in time.

Aug-28-10  echever7: <Eduardo Leon> Weell after finding the solution I'm reading coms. And yours has a little mistake I think. After 62...Bg6 63.Kd4 is not a mistake 63...g3 64 hxg3-h3 65.a7-Be4 66.Kxe4-h2 67.Bb8 I don' see how black can win that end game. For me the "difficulty" of this puzzle was (after finding an easy draw for black: 62...Bg6 63.Kd4-Be8 and so on)that I thought black could somehow win. A lot of time went searching variants but in vain, just a draw.
Aug-28-10  David2009: Fine analysis by <patzer2> pointing out that White can draw, after all, in the line 62...g3 63 hxg3 h3 64 a7? Bc6! by accurate play: 65 Kxc6! h2 66 Bb6! =. This refutes my claim (in Szabo vs Bronstein, 1950) that 64 a7 lost.

Crafty End Game Trainer link to the position after 62...g3:


click for larger view

http://www.chessvideos.tv/endgame-t...

Aug-28-10  mig55: If white plays a7 on move 64, black plays Bc6....
Aug-28-10  wals: Analysis by Rybka 4 x64: depth 27:
Black

1. (0.61): 62...Bg6 63.d7 Kxd7[] 64.Bf4 Be4 65.a7 Ba8 66.Kb6 Ke6 67.Bb8 Ke7 68.Kb5 Ke6 69.Kc5 Kd7 70.Be5 Ke6 71.Bd6 Bg2 72.Bf4 Ba8 73.Bc7 Bb7 74.Bf4 Kd7 75.Kb6 Be4 76.Bb8 Ba8 77.Bf4 Ke6

2. (1.38): 62...g3 63.hxg3 h3 64.g4 Bc6 65.d7 Kxd7 66.Bf4 Ba8 67.a7 Bg2 68.Kd4 Bc6 69.Bh2 Ke7 70.Ke5 Kf7 71.g5 Kg6 72.Kf4 Bg2 73.Kg4 Bd5 74.Bb8 Bc6 75.Bc7 Bd5 76.Bf4 Bg2

White
Analysis by Rybka 4 x64: depth 27:

1. (1.38): 66.d7 Kxd7 67.Bg3 Bf3 68.Kd4 Ke6 69.Ke3 Bh1 70.Kf4 Kf6 71.g5+ Kg6 72.Bh2 Bg2 73.Kg4 Bc6 74.Bf4 Bg2[] 75.Kh4 Kg7 76.Be5+ Kg6 77.Kg4 Bd5 78.Bg3 Bc6 79.Kh4 Bg2 80.Bf4 Kg7 81.Be5+

2. = (0.00): 66.g5 Kd7[] 67.g6 h2[] 68.g7 h1Q[] 69.g8Q[] Qh5+ 70.Kd4 Qd1+ 71.Ke5 Qe1+ 72.Kf5 Qe4+ 73.Kf6[] Qd4+ 74.Kg6[] Qg4+ 75.Kh7[] Be4+ 76.Kh8[] Qh5+[] 77.Kg7[] Qe5+ 78.Kf8[] Qe8+[] 79.Kg7[] Qe5+ 80.Kf8[] Qe8+[] 81.Kg7[]

Aug-28-10  Patriot: What a beautiful draw. I thought black might be losing after 62...g3 and so opted for 62...Bg6. But I like 62...g3 better because after careful analysis it 1) Isn't losing; 2) It "could" win if not played carefully by white. Unless playing someone much higher rated, it's probably best to go for a "fighting draw" where it could turn in your favor. But I guess if you truly trust your analysis has been thorough, you can go for a fighting draw against a much stronger player because it is still possible for them to make a mistake. 62...Bg6 on the other hand is an easy draw.

<chessgames> Thanks for a beautiful problem!

Aug-28-10  randomsac: Holy cow! just an amazing way to salvage the draw. And all based on the concept of promotion with check!
Aug-28-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Domdaniel: Ich bin als glücklich als ein Schwein in Scheiße ... not that I saw all the variations: I underestimated the speed of the g-pawn, for starters. But ...Bc6 as a blocking move, with a skewer threat, is nice.
Aug-28-10  lostgalaxy: Think there's got to be a Bc6, to promote and check and win the queen.

62...g3 63.hg h3 [of course]

64. a7 Bc6 65. Kxc6? h2 66.a8Q h1Q

Aug-29-10  johnlspouge: < <Domdaniel> wrote: > Ich bin als glücklich als ein Schwein in Scheiße [snip] >

German: such a beautiful language. Aaaah :)

Aug-29-10  Eduardo Leon: <echever7>, in the line 62...♗g6 63.♔d4 g3 64.hxg3 h3 65.a7 ♗e4! 66.♔xe4 h2, I missed your 67.♗b8!. After 67...h1=♕+, it is clear that black has at least a draw by endlessly checking the white king, but it is not clear how he could win.

The worst of it all is that

1. The position has <exactly> seven pieces and we only have tablebases for endgames with up to six pieces.

2. If we remove either the d or g pawn, the position is a tablebase win for black, because he can

2.a. break the coordination between the king and the d or g pawn

2.b. take his own king to b7, if necessary

2.c. use the zugzwang method to force white to drop the d or g pawn.

But, with both d and g pawns, it is less clear how black can break the coordination between the white king and his pawns in first place.

Aug-30-10  kevin86: An amazing and amusing final position! White has a bishop and TWO pawns and still can't win!
Sep-01-10  echever7: <Eduardo Leon> Young man (I presume) Thx for your response :) My comments are:

1- can you explain to me what exactly is a "tablebase for endgame"?

2-The move Bb8 has a simple explanation: it defends pawn a7 so it can't be taken somehow in the future after some check or maneuvering. So the position is clearly drawish. The reasoning, in my opinion doesn't need variants:

2a Queen alone can't checkmate a king from this position. Only in that extraordinary case if white king willingly goes to a8 somehow and black queen mates from any point in diagonal c6-h1. But my fantasy is not enough to see how can black force the white king to do so.

2b- If black king decides to help his queen checkmat the oposite king, leaving alone the d-pawn, white move d7 forcing black queen to take it, and after promoting the a-pawn, white get a may be winnig position if g-pawn is still on the board.

So the position after 67.Bb8 is an absolute draw, in my opinion.

Jun-12-11  Everett: Doesn't 66.d7, freeing the backwards diagonal for the B, give winning chances for White?
Jun-13-11  bronkenstein: 66. d7!? Kxd7

67. Bh2(lessay)Bg2

68. Kd4 ( or <68. Kb6 Ke6 69. Kc7 Kf6 70. Bf4 h2= >) Ke6

69.Ke3 Kf7 (Even such passive play is enough , ofc Kf6 is possible )

70.Kf4 Kg8= , black simply waits with his king or bishop , white can`t improve .Pushing his g pawn forward only makes it closer to the black king to eat , @ the moment when white king moves to the queens flank .

Jun-13-11  Everett: <Bronkenstein> thank you for your effort. An amazing save by Bronstein. Clearly deserves to be in my collection of Bronstein's Remarkable Draws and Losses
Apr-14-12  Everett: This is a sharp game all the way through. Bronstein starts getting himself into hot water with 28..Qh5, which is one way to address a possible Rg1 from Szabo. I think, considering the loose Bd7 and g7 squares, Bronstein could have considered <28..Ra7> and then playing Bc6 at a propitious moment.

Szabo's exchange sac is a great winning try.

Sep-01-17  wordfunph: from Chess Monthly 1950 May..

<The famous Hungarian veteran Balogh, directing play, notices on the 55th time control move that Bronstein s clock is not going. in the latter's game against Szabo. He picks up the clock, shakes it slightly - and Szabo's flag falls! Bronstein claims the game on the time-limit. The committee, consisting of Opocensky, Baloqh and Zubarev, considers the matter and finally decides that the flag probably fell because Balogh picked up the clock, so the game must be played on...it is played on, and drawn.>

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