for duras qd7 bad call bxc6 Oldrich fiddle for knight

Back in the game line, 35.Re6 is also a nice move ... but I suppose there are other wins available, so it's not really necessary.

After 32.Rg4 black <created diversion> playing 32...Rf2. Certainly, Wolf didn't know that "The traps should be forbidden"- S>Tartakower. In reality this <trap> was the blinder, because after 33.Ne4 two black pieces were under attack, and they had no time to play 33...Bxe4 because of 34.Qxg7#.

I saw at once 38.Rf4 Qe7 39. Re4
and 39...Qf8 is met by 40.Qd7
39...Re6 loses after 40. Rxe6 Qxe6 41. Qd8+ Qg8 42. Qxc7 and paws rising with no single check available for black as long as the Queen stay on the b8-h2 diagonal.

Black King if checked, will be mate and White should not allow pawns in front of the King to move and provide escape route for King:

38.Rf4
Black becomes helpless by this move:

38..........Qxd4
39.Rf8#

OR
38.........Qe7
39.Qd7 <if...Qxd7 40.Rf8#>

Duras had an outstanding tournament result at Vienna 1907, finishing as the only undefeated player, in 2nd place, one point behind the winner, Mieses.

To the credit of both players, this game featured many interesting and difficult positions. At move 19, Wolf was down material, but he could have reduced to an end-game, with some chances of a draw, by playing 19...Rxf3 20.Qxf3 Qxf3 21.gxf3 Bxh3. Here is that position:

click for larger view

It is stated in, "The Year Book of Chess", that several annotators have pointed out this line of play. However, Leopold Hoffer in, "The Field", stated: <"But with a Pawn behind Wolf would not change pieces. It is an instance of what can be done by a player bent upon fighting, judging from the remainder of the game. as a matter of fact, the difficulties only commence now.">

By move 30, Wolf had set a trap for Duras. This trap has since been proved to be flawed, but it was a very clever try. Here is the position for Wolf trap #1:

click for larger view

Wolf was hoping for 30.Nxg7 Qxg3+ 31.Kxg3 Rxg7+ 32.Kh4 Rxg2 33.Qb8+ Rg8 34.Qxc7 Bf3 35.Qe5+ Rxe5, with a draw.

Wolf pointed out this line of play after the conclusion of the game. Later this clever line was proved to be flawed, as White can still win with 34.Qb4!! (only move), and if 34...Rg6, or 34...Rgf8, or 34...Rg7, White wins with 35.Qd4!.

With his 32nd move, Wolf had prepared another trap. Here is the position for Wolf trap #2:

click for larger view

Here Wolf was hoping for 33.Rxh4? Rxg2+ 34.Kh1 Rxg5+ 35.Rhe4 Rf3!, with an equal position, obtaining the draw.

I didn't log into CG earlier Friday because I was excited for the finale of Reggio Emilia.

I therefore watched the games unfold live online and thought, "Geez what about today's POTD?"

"I'll get back to it later," my thoughts went...

I took like an hour nap and then perused an old puzzle book of mine called 'Play For Mate' by David Hooper and another author.

I looked at a puzzle that said Duras vs Wolf and solved it. After watching a movie called 'Traitor' with Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce, I said to myself "Solve Friday's puzzle and post it on Saturday's so all the regulars know that you found the solution."

To my utter astonishment, it is the exact same puzzle that I was looking at and solved earlier today after taking a nap from my puzzle book!

Freaky Friday indeed!

Here's my solution to Friday's POTD:

38. Rf4!

a) 38...Qxd4 39. Rf8#

b) 38...Qe7 39. Qd7! deflecting the Black Q, allowing a back rank mate.