Herman Steiner vs Alexander Kevitz (1936)

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Herman Steiner vs Alexander Kevitz
United States Championship (1936), New York, NY USA, rd 1, Apr-25
Torre Attack: Wagner Gambit (A46) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Dec-06-20		KEG: Quite an exciting game to play over. Some hesitating play by Steiner allowed Kevitz to launch a brilliant and crushing attack, giving up a pieces for two or three pawns and a clear winning position. But then, perhaps because of time pressure, Kevitz missed chances to close out the game quickly, then threw away his winning chances (on move 26) and then blundered away the game entirely (on move 28). Steiner was the happy recipient of this amazing turn of events. Sometimes, just hanging in there does the trick. 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5 A reasonable alternative to the more usual 3. c4. 3... c5 4. e4 click for larger view An off-beat line favored first by Marshall and later by Steiner (who played it at least five times including this game). It allows Black a fairly easy equality after 4...cxd4 5. Qxd4 Nc6. Needless to say, Steiner's victory in this game had nothing to do with his choice of opening. 4... Qa5+?! This move was later adopted--also against Steiner by Reuben Fine (in a game Fine ultimately won) and by Broderman (in a game in which Steiner prevailed). It allows White to get a good game with the simple 5. Qd2. 5. Nbd2 Steiner also played this in his game against Fine. When he played Broderman a year after the Fine game, Steiner improved with 5. Qd2. 5... cxd4 Neither Kevitz here nor Fine in his game against Steiner chose to enter the wild thicket of 5...Nxe4 6. b4 Qxb4 7. Rb1 NxB (Black has another dicey road to equality with 7...Qa5 or 7...Qc3) 8. RxQ NxN+ 9. QxN cxR leaving Black with Rook, Bishop, and two pawns for the sacrificed Queen in a highly unclear position. 6. BxN gxB 7. Nxd4 click for larger view Steiner had the sounder pawn structure. Kevitz had the two Bishops. An interesting struggle seemed in the making. 7... Nc6 7...f5 was a good alternative. 8. Nb3 Very tentative play by Steiner. 8. NxN; 8 c3; and 8. Nf3 were all better than the text. 8... Qe5 9. c3 click for larger view 9... d5 Eager to attack. But 9...f5 as played by Fine against Steiner looks like Black's strongest choice here and yields Black a small edge. 10. Qe2 dxe4 11. Qxe4 click for larger view 11... Bd7 With two Bishops and a chance to operate on the open g-file, Black should consider playing an endgame after 11...QxQ+. 11...f5 also was to be considered. 12. f4 Both side seemed keen for a tactical slugfest. 12... Qc7 13. Be2 Preferring not to brave castling long and instead looking to castle short with about even chances. 13... f5 14. Qe3 Ne7 15. Nc4 click for larger view Beginning here, the fight heated up.

Dec-06-20		KEG: Post II 15... Bc6 15...Nd5 was better. The attack on the White g-pawn and the opening of the d-file is of less importance than centralizing the Knight and play on the g-file. But White's next move turned all that topsy turvy. 16. Qd4? Steiner was already in trouble after this move, whereas he would have been fine with 16. Nd4. Perhaps, Steiner thought Kevitz would fall for a simple trap, the position now being: click for larger view 16... Ng6! 16...Bxg2?? would get crushed by 17. Nd6+. But after the text, Steiner was in serious jeopardy. 17. 0-0 Rg8 Kevitz played this portion of the game superbly. He was no poised for a murderous attack. click for larger view 18. g3 He had nothing better than 18. Rf2. 18... Rd8 Suddenly, and thanks to White's weak play, the open d-file was important. 19. Qe3 Bh6! click for larger view 20. Kf2? 20. Rad1 was the only real chance to survive the looking Black assault. 20... Nxf4! click for larger view White is busted. 21. gxN? Sheer suicide. He would still be lost after the better 21. Qe5, but he might have been able to resist for at least a while. 21... bxf4 22. Qh3 Bxh2 23. Nd4 click for larger view 23... Bg3+ This wins, but the fastest and most brutal line was 23...Rg2+ 24. Ke1 Bg3+ 25. Kd2 Rh2 after which White would have to give up Queen for Rook to stay in the game even a little while. 24. Ke3 b5! 25. Qxh7 click for larger view Kevitz still had the game very much in hand. But from here he faltered badly, first making the win more difficult (his 25th move); then blowing the move entirely (move 26); and and the blundering away the game (move 28).

Dec-06-20		KEG: Post III 25... Rg6? With 25...Rf8, Black could have proceeded to rip the White position to shreds. The text gave Steiner at least some practical chances, the position now being: click for larger view 26. Nd2? Awful. White would have had a fighting chance with 26. Rad1. Keeping the extra piece was far less important than getting the White King to safety. After Steiner's actual move, the game should have been over, the position now being: click for larger view Black to move and win. 26... f4+? Missing 26...e5 which pretty much ends White's chances of resistance. After the text, Steiner was able to flee to safety and the win for Black was gone. 27. Kd3 e5 Too late! 28. Bh5 The saving move, the position now being: click for larger view 28... Re6? From here on, Black was lost. He could have saved the game with 28...exd4 or 28...Rg5. But now, he gets massacred: 29. Qg8+ Kd7 30. Qxf7+ Re7 31. Qf5+ Kd6 32. NxB KxN+ 33. Kc2 click for larger view 33... e4 This only speeds the end, but 33...Qd7 would at most prolonged the game. 34. Nxd4 Re5 By this point, Kevitz seemed to be playing like a deer in the headlights. But 34...Qe5 would only have extended the game a few more moves. 35. Qg6+ Kb7 35...Rd6 would not have been much better. After 35...Kb7, the position was: click for larger view

Dec-06-20		KEG: Post IV 36. NxB 36. Rad1 would have been faster, but this trade also leaves White in complete control and Black helpless. 36... fxN The intermediate move 36...Rd6 might have slightly lengthened the game. 37. Rf7 click for larger view Kevitz could have safely resigned here. 37... Re7 38. Bf3+ 38. RxR obviously also wins immediately. 38... Kc8 39. Qa6+ click for larger view 39... Kb8 39...Kd7 40. Re1 would also not have been any fun for Black. 40. Qxb5+ Kc8 The only way to avoid a quick mate was with 40...Qb6. But that was also obviously hopeless. 41. Bg4+ click for larger view 1-0 A terrible missed opportunity for Kevitz.

Dec-06-20		NM JRousselle: This game was a lucky escape for White. 26... e5 looks crushing. I'm sure Black missed lots of other winning continuations.

Dec-07-20		KEG: <NM JRousselle> It was a lucky escape indeed. The Tournament Book suggests time pressure may have been a factor. And as you point out, Kevitz could have won more simply even before missing 26...e5. After 26...f4?, the win was gone.

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