chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Wolfgang Uhlmann vs Heinz Liebert
"Liebertarian" (game of the day Jul-07-2013)
East German Championship (1976), Groeditz GDR, rd 9, Feb-??
English Opening: Symmetrical. Rubinstein Variation (A34)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Click Here to play Guess-the-Move
Given 27 times; par: 35 [what's this?]

explore this opening
find similar games 19 more Uhlmann/H Liebert games
sac: 25...Rxd2 PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: If you do not want to read posts by a certain member, put them on your ignore list.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Feb-02-04  Catfriend: <Eggman> Surely a quiet, non-forced move that wins 100% nontheless is better than a forced one-lined attack!
Feb-02-04  Catfriend: <IMO> at least of course.. And if you"ll remember Taimanov vs Petrosian, 1953 ,♔f2!! is extremely appealing, isn't it?
May-14-09  WhiteRook48: 27 Qxe2?
Jul-18-12  Wyatt Gwyon: Black's 25th move would make a nice Wednesday or Thursday puzzle. Nice combo.
Jul-07-13  wingpawn: Wow! White pieces never came out on time to do anything meaningful - especially his c1-Bishop. This attack was classy, though it was provoked by pointless White maneuvers starting with 7. ♕a4?. The final position reminds me of another brilliant game: Kotronias vs D King, 1990
Jul-07-13  erimiro1: <aulero: Liebert played like Morphy> Yes indeed. Amazing how Uhlmann was paralyzed in most of the game. It seems that the concept of the pressure on c5 pawn, using the bishop on g2 as an X-RAY weapon was a result of a misjudgement. 10. b4 was horrible, and the white queen started to tour the world, while the black bishops started to show their power. Great game.
Jul-07-13  moi: <drunkenknight> 16 Qxb8 ? Bb7 17 Qxf8+ Kxf8 because black has a huge attack against the white king (bishop+queen battery, black bishop and the f,g and h pawns!)
Jul-07-13  morfishine: Libertarian:

1. a person who advocates liberty, especially with regard to thought or conduct

2. a person who maintains the doctrine of free will

Jul-07-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  Domdaniel: The idea that Uhlmann deliberately allowed his opponent to finish with a pretty mate doesn't really ring true. I've been an Uhlmann fan for years -- I got my basic French + English repertoire from him -- and he was always a tough competitor. I suspect that he was concentrating on the danger of ...Nf3+ and simply missed the mate on h3.

Incidentally, the strongest reply to 27.h4 is ...Nf3+.

Jul-07-13  vsiva1: clean hole for Black's queen-bishop to attack White's King is a issue when White losses his king-bishop. It requires extra efforts as I have faced in my games. Whole issue is this, through attacking Rook, then making white to loose his king-bishop and finally winning.
Jul-07-13  backrank: Another rather unknown old favorite of mine, which now finally has become GOTD.
Jul-07-13  Abdel Irada: In which a bottle of ketchup thrashes a gang of wolves. ;-)

Incidentally, I disagree with <Domdaniel>. Allowing so simple a mate strikes me as a way of resigning in a hopeless position while allowing one's opponent the glory of a pretty combination. Surely so strong a player is unlikely simply to have overlooked it.

In a G/90 game against a 2150ish player 14 years ago, much the same situation arose. I don't think my opponent overlooked the mate (which used exactly the same mating pattern); he allowed it to happen because the alternative was mere torture.

Jul-07-13  Gregor Samsa Mendel: Anyone ever ask Uhlmann whether he allowed himself to be mated deliberately? Even world champions have been to overlook mates in one.
Jul-07-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  OhioChessFan: Yeah, Kramnik's loss to Deep Fritz came to mind. I could miss this once since I have a strange blindness sometimes to pieces a long way from the action, and could just forget about the a8 Bishop over in another county.
Jul-08-13  Abdel Irada: <the a8 Bishop over in another county.>

That bishop, staring balefully across the county line, could never have left Uhlmann's mind in such a situation. I suppose it's conceivable that he focused so intently on the ...Nf3† threat that he forgot that the knight could also go to h3, but this too seems unlikely.

To me his move spoke in clear tones of the old sportsmanship, most prevalent in the 19th century, when players who found themselves lost after a brilliancy would on purpose permit the intended victory in its most dramatic and picturesque form as a sort of tribute to their opponent's ingenuity: a matter of noblesse oblige.

That, at least, is what I like to think Uhlmann did here.

Jul-08-13  kevin86: White has gained a queen...oops!
Mar-25-17  bkpov: What about 27. f3
Aug-12-17  ALKINAN: < bkpov: What about 27. f3> you cant See Nh3+ Qxf1+ Nf2#
Oct-12-18  sfm: Neat ending. After 26.-,Ng5 it is just to resign, or take the graceful death.
Oct-12-18  sfm: Unbelievably there is a discussion whether it was an oversight by Uhlmann.

I suppose those entertaining that idea also have images of an Uhlmann sitting and smiling over the fact that his opponent gave away his queen by mistake.

And then being brutally awoken over the ingenious 27.-,Nh3# that he completed had missed.

Jan-26-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: Totally agree with <sfm>. Of course Uhlmann didn't think his opponent had just hung his queen for free. Uhlmann was being sporting and letting his opponent finish off a brilliancy with a beautiful mate.
Jan-26-19  whiteshark: So much ado about nothing:

The game ended already after <25...Rxd2!!> according to CB Megabase.

Apr-16-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: I was looking at this game yesterday. 365chess.com Have Uhlmann resigning on 24...Rxd2.

https://www.365chess.com/game.php?g... so does Megabase.

But Informator 21 (game 66) clearly has it played out to the 27...Nh3 checkmate.

So the debate continues with an extra option added in.

1. Did Uhlmann miss the mate?
2. Did Uhlmann allow the mate out of respect?
3. Did Uhlmann resign on move 24 and the mate was never played?

Apr-16-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: The game in Informator finishing with 27...Nh3 checkmate was actually noted up by Ulhmann himself and he gave '26...Ng5!!'

(personally I would have dropped the !! on move 25...Rxd2 because the Ng5 idea would have been seen by then and 26.Qxd2 Qf3 was the smoke screen making White think that was the only threat.)

So I think we can safely go for option two. A genuine sportsman.

Apr-17-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: This recalls the conclusion of B Belopolsky vs A Shaw, 1985. White to play:


click for larger view

After White's finishing blow, his opponent chose not to subject himself to the prosaic paths leading to defeat, which in any case would have scarcely lasted longer than the actual close.

search thread:   
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

<This page contains Editor Notes. Click here to read them.>

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC