1. d4 d5
2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 c5

Not fearing the resulting isolated d-pawn, Schlechter plays the Tarrasch Defense to the Queens Gambit Declined.

4. cxd5 exd5
5. dxc5

5. Nf3 is more usual and probably better, but Billecard apparently wanted to saddle Schlechter with an isolated d-pawn. There was, however, one fly in the ointment (which Schlechter failed to exploit)

5... Nf6

The Tournament Book assigned this an "!", but 5...d4 was the best means of trying to capitalize on Billecard's 5. dxc5.

6. Bg5

Weak. With 6. Be3 Billecard would have made Schlechter scrounge a bit to recover the pawn and would have thereby obtained the better game. After the text, Schlechter easily obtains an equal game.

6... Bxc5
7. e3 Be6

7...0-0 or 7...Nc6 would have been better.

8. Bb5+ Nc6
9. Qa4

A harmless diversion. Billecard should just have finished developing his pieces with 9. Nf3 or 9. Nge2.

9... Rc8
10. Nf3 h6
11. Bh4 0-0
12. 0-0 a6

Schlechter might have tried 12...g5 against a stronger opponent, but he probably decided there was no need to court complications against a weaker player.

13. BxN(c6) RxB
14. Rad1 Be7
15. Nd4 Rc4

The position was now:

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Despite his isolated d-pawn, Schlechter has obtained at least a even game. His two Bishops and pressure on the c-file (which will remain a theme until the end of the game) more than compensate for his isolated pawn.

In this position, the Tournament Book considered and rejected (correctly in my opinion) the forcing (and flashy) line: 16. NxB fxN 17. QxR dxQ 18. RxQ RxR. This would leave:

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The isolated e-pawn notwithstanding, Black is clearly better here, and--to return to the actual game--Billecard's actual move was much better (although good at best for near equality):

16. Qb3 b5

A needless venture at this point. Schlechter could have just played solidly with 16...Qc7 or 16...Qc8.

17. Rd3

Billecard night have tried 17. Nce2 or 17. f3 or perhaps 17. a3 here.

17... Qc7
18. Bg3 Qa5
19. Rfd1

Only tangling up his pieces. 19. a3 or 19. f3 or perhaps 19. Qd1 were all better.

The position was now:

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In the diagrammed position with which I ended my last post, Schlechter went for the jugular with a move that earned a "!" from the Tournament Book:

19... b4?

At first sight this may appear strong. In fact, it was--as will be shown below-- a serious mistake that could and should have cost Schlechter the game. Black could have maintained the edge with 19...Rfc8 or 19...Nd7 or even with 19...Re8. But now Billecard had a winning tactical opportunity:

20. NxB! fxN

The position was now:

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White to move and win.

Billecard played:

21. Na4?

This landed Billecard back in the soup. But he could have played 21. Nxd5 and if then 21...exN 22. Rxd5 NxR 23. QxR leaving:

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White now win the Black Knight on d5 and be up two pawns.

But after Billecard's actual move (21. Na4), his position (with his Knight miserably posted on a4) was in the last throes:

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Schlechter took immediate advantage of his chance with:

21... Ne4!

And then Billecard committed his second consecutive blunder with:

22. Rd4?

He should have played 22. f3.

22... Rfc8

22...Qb5 was much better.

23. Be5?

Billecard has lost his mojo. He had to try 23. f3 or 23. RxR.

23... Bh4?

Yet another error. Schlechter could have had the game in hand with 23...Qb5 or with 23...Rc1.

24. g3?

Billecard still appears to have been asleep at the switch. 24. f3 was essential.

The position was now:

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The position I gave at the end of my last post was in fact the position after 23...Bh4. The position I meant to show (i.e., the position after 24. g3?) was:

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For a while after 24. g3?, it appeared that Schlechter was going to have a short day at the office:

24... Be7
25. h4

"?"--Tournament Book.

25. Bf4 or 25. f3 would still have left Billecard in trouble, but the text was--as indicated in the Tournament Book--awful.

25... Qb5
26. f3?

What was correct on the last move was bad here. White's last chance lay in 26. Re1 or 26. R4d3.

The position now was:

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26... Rc2

This was good enough to win, but 26...RxR with 27...Qe2 to follow would have been simpler and utterly crushing.

27. Qd3 QxQ

This did not blow Schlechter's win, but 27...QxN was better (28. fxN Qxa2!).

28. R1xQ Nf6

Yet another second-best move by Schlechter. 28...Nd6 was the way win. Now Schlechter's win was in jeopardy.

29. Rd2 Nd7
30. f4 NxB
31. fxN

This left:

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Schlechter still probably had a won game. White's Knight is still "on the rim," and he now has weak pawns on the e-file just waiting to be picked off. But:

31... Rc1+

31...RxR was the winning move.

32. Rd1

32. Kf2 or Kg2 would have given Billecard a fighting chance.

32... RxR+
33. RxR

This left:

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After 33. RxR, Schlechter was in control and polished off the game nicely:

33... Rc2!

This move completely paralyzes the White forces, allowing the Black King to pick off the undefended pawn on e5 at his leisure. The position is worth another diagram:

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34. Kf1

Billecard's only chance of making even a semblance of a fight here was to play 34. e4! This would u leash his Rook. The game would almost certainly still be lost (e.g., 34...dxe4 35. Re1 Kf7 36. Rxe4 Rc1+ 37. Kf2 Ra1) but it was better than just sitting pat and watching Schlechter wipe him out.

34... Kf7

34...h5 restraining the White g-pawn was also good.

35. Re1

Billecard should certainly have tried 35. e4. This move was no longer as good as on his 34th turn, but Billecard's ostrich-like plan of sticking his head in the sand and hoping somehow for salvation made little sense. Alternatively, he might have considered 35. Rd4

35... Kg6
36. Re2?

Now the game was gone for certain. Pushing the e-pawn, belated as the idea now was, was still Billecard's best idea.

36... Rc1+

36...RxR would also have won.

37. Re1 RxR+
38. KxR

This left:

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Billecard's position was clearly hopeless. His Knight remained a pathetic spectacle, and his pawns were weak. But Billecard played on.

38... Kf5
39. Ke2 Kxe5

Perhaps even better was 39...h5 to prevent 40. g4. But Schlechter's move was more than adequate.

40. b3

It must have been tempting for Billecard to try to get his Knight back into the game, but to have any chance to resist even for a short while he had to try 40. h5 or 40. g4.

40... Kf5!

The game is won anyway, but it is wonderful to see Schlechter's technique in action. With this move, he eliminates any prospect for White on the King-side.

41. Kf3 h5!

Further King-side domination. A diagram here tells the tale:

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The rest was easy for Schlechter:

42. Nb2 e5

The pawn march begins!

43. Nd1

Finding a new square on which to bury his sickly Knight.

43... e4

Crushing.

44. Kg2 Bc5

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