Vera Menchik vs Frantisek Schubert (1928) Death and the Maiden

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Vera Menchik vs Frantisek Schubert
"Death and the Maiden" (game of the day Aug-12-2016)
Scarborough (1928), Scarborough ENG, rd 9, Jun-02
Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange. Saemisch Variation (D35) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Aug-21-03		Honza Cervenka: 31...Rd6 is bad, but after 31...Rde8 32.Rg4 Bc8 33.fxg5 Bxg4 34.Qxg4 Qxg4 35.hxg4 hxg5 36.Nxf7 white has also considerable advantage.

Sep-14-09		Wayne Proudlove: I was curious about the history of female players and this woman's name came up in a search. She was the first women's chess champion and she beat some of the top male masters of her time as well. In fact, an entire era is named for her as she reigned as champion for nearly twenty years. I'm sure a biography detailing her adversities and triumphs would make for compelling reading, and inspirational too, particularly for girls and women.

Sep-15-09		TheFocus: <Wayne Proudlove> Women's World Champion Bykova did a book on Menchik, but it was never translated from the Russian that I know of. I don't know how extensive it is, although I will order it. I do some research on Vera Menchik; I have a lot of material on her. Don't know if I will publish it yet as a book.

Nov-19-09		Phony Benoni: For those of you baffled by the pun: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_...

Nov-19-09		WannaBe: Can someone else explain the pun?? The only opera, that I like, is outlawed in Israel... Does it have to do with the text/translation of 'pass by me, oh pass by me'? Or is there a chess term of 'quavers' that I don't know the definition of?

Nov-19-09		Bdellovibrio: <Can someone else explain the pun?? The only opera, that I like, is outlawed in Israel...> John Adams' Death of Klinghoffer?

Nov-19-09		RandomVisitor: Instead of 28...Nh7, 28...Ne4 seems to hold for black: After 28...Ne4: 1: Vera Menchik - Frantisek Schubert, Scarborough 1928 click for larger view Analysis by Rybka 3 : <[+0.12] d=19 29.f5> Nf6 30.Ree3 Bd5 31.Rg3 Kh8 32.Bxd5 Nxd5 33.Rd1 b5 34.Qg4 Qf6 35.Rc1 Ne7 36.Rf3 Qd6 37.Kh2 Qxd4 38.Qxd4 Rxd4 39.Rc7 f6 40.Rxe7 00:18:26 78150kN

Nov-19-09		backrank: <Can someone else explain the pun??> 'Death and the Maiden' is both the title of a song and a maybe even more well-known string quartet in d minor by Franz Schubert. You might also consider the facts that the first name of the second player means Franz in German, and that the above game was played 1928, while the composer with the same name as the player died in 1828. The 'maiden', of course, is Miss Menchik who was still very young when this game was played, where she gently lead Franz Schubert to death for the second time, 100 years later, now on the chessboard.

Nov-19-09		gtgloner: Another member of the Vera club!

Nov-19-09		RandomVisitor: 4 minutes per move: Vera Menchik - Frantisek Schubert [D35] Scarborough Scarborough (9), 26.05.1928 [Rybka 3 ] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4 c6 7.e3 last book move 7...Ne4 0.52/19 8.Qc2 0.29/19 [Rybka 3 : 8.Bd3 Ndf6 9.0-0 Bd6 10.Ne5 0-0 11.h3 0.52/19 ] 8...Ndf6 0.35/18 9.Bd3 0.29/19 Nxc3 0.51/21 [Rybka 3 : 9...Bd6 10.0-0 Bxf4 11.exf4 0-0 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Bxe4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4 Re8 15.Qc2 Be6 16.Rfe1 f6 17.Re3 Qd5 18.Qc5 b6 19.Qxd5 Bxd5 20.Rc1 Rad8 21.Nd2 0.29/19 ] 10.bxc3 0.36/19 Be7 0.51/19 [Rybka 3 : 10...Bd6 11.0-0 0-0 12.Rab1 b6 13.Be5 h6 14.c4 Ba6 15.Rfc1 Rc8 16.Bxd6 Qxd6 17.Bf5 Rc7 0.36/19 ] 11.0-0 0.47/20 0-0 0.66/18 [Rybka 3 : 11...Bd6 12.h3 0-0 13.Be5 Qe7 14.Rab1 g6 15.Rfe1 Bxe5 16.Nxe5 Be6 0.47/20 ] 12.Rab1 0.47/18 h6 0.79/19 [Rybka 3 : 12...Bd6 13.Be5 g6 14.h3 Qe7 15.Rfe1 Bxe5 16.Nxe5 c5 17.Qa4 Be6 18.dxc5 Qxc5 19.Qd4 Qc7 20.Red1 b6 21.Nf3 Qe7 0.47/18 ] 13.h3 0.43/20 [Rybka 3 : 13.c4 dxc4 14.Bxc4 Nd5 15.Bg3 Bd6 16.Ne5 Qe7 17.e4 Bxe5 18.Bxe5 Nb6 19.Bb3 Be6 20.a4 Nd7 21.Bxe6 Nxe5 22.Bf5 Ng6 23.Bxg6 fxg6 24.f3 Rad8 25.Qb3+ Rf7 26.Qc4 0.79/19 ] 13...Bd6 0.63/18 14.Ne5 0.32/18 [Rybka 3 : 14.Be5 b6 15.c4 Ba6 16.Rfc1 Rc8 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.c5 Bxd3 19.Qxd3 bxc5 20.dxc5 Bc7 21.Rb7 a5 22.Rcb1 Qe7 23.Qc3 Qe4 24.Nd4 0.63/18 ] 14...Qc7 0.40/16 15.c4 0.32/17 c5 0.43/17 [Rybka 3 : 15...b6 16.Rbc1 Bb7 17.cxd5 Nxd5 18.Bc4 Nxf4 19.exf4 Rad8 20.Rfd1 Ba3 21.Ra1 Bd6 22.Bb3 b5 23.a4 a5 0.32/17 ] 16.Rfc1= 0.14/17 [Rybka 3 : 16.Rbc1 Be6 17.Qb1 Rfe8 18.cxd5 Bxd5 19.a4 b6 20.Rfd1 Qe7 21.Re1 Rad8 22.Bb5 Rf8 23.a5 bxa5 24.f3 0.43/17 ] 16...cxd4 1.09/21 [Rybka 3 : 16...Be6 17.Qe2 b6 18.cxd5 Bxd5 19.Rd1 c4 20.Bxc4 Bxc4 21.Nxc4 Bxf4 22.exf4 Qxf4 23.Qe5 Qe4 24.Nd6 Qd5 25.Rbc1 Rad8 26.Nf5 Kh7 27.Ne7 Qxa2= 0.14/17 ] 17.exd4 1.09/20 b6 1.09/18 18.Qd1 0.87/17 Qe7 1.45/18 [Rybka 3 : 18...Qd8 19.c5 bxc5 20.dxc5 Bc7 21.Qa4 Re8 22.Qd4 Re6 23.Bg3 Qe7 24.f4 g6 25.Re1 Nd7 26.Nxd7 0.87/17 ] 19.Nc6 0.46/20 [Rybka 3 : 19.Qf3 Bb7 20.c5 bxc5 21.dxc5 Bxe5 22.Bxe5 Qxe5 23.Rxb7 Ne4 24.c6 Rac8 25.Bxe4 dxe4 26.Qc3 Qxc3 27.Rxc3 a5 28.Kf1 Rfe8 29.c7 Kf8 30.Rc5 a4 31.Ke2 Ke7 32.Rd5 g6 1.45/18 ] 19...Qc7 0.46/21 20.Bxd6 0.26/21 Qxd6 0.46/20 21.Ne5= 0.20/19 [Rybka 3 : 21.cxd5 Nxd5 22.Be4 Be6 23.Qf3 Kh8 24.Ne5 Rad8 25.Rc6 Qe7 26.Bc2 Nf6 27.Qd3 Rfe8 28.Re1 Kg8 29.a3 Qb7 30.Rc3 0.46/20 ] 21...dxc4 0.21/18 22.Bxc4= 0.00/19 [Rybka 3 : 22.Nxc4 Qd5 23.Ne3 Qd6 24.d5 Bd7 25.Be2 Rac8 26.Qd4 Rfd8 27.Bf3 Qa3 28.Re1 Rc3 29.Red1 Qc5 30.Qxc5 Rxc5 31.Rbc1 Rdc8 32.Rxc5= 0.21/18 ] 22...Bb7 0.29/19 [Rybka 3 : 22...Be6 23.Rb2 Nd5 24.Qf3 Rac8 25.Rbc2 Rc7 26.Qe4 Rd8 27.Qf3 Rf8 28.Qe4 Rd8 29.Qf3 Rf8 30.Qe4 Rd8 31.Qf3 Rf8 32.Qe4 Rd8 33.Qf3 Rf8 34.Qe4 Rd8 35.Qf3 Rf8 36.Qe4 Rd8 37.Qf3 Rf8= 0.00/19 ] 23.Rb3= 0.00/18 [Rybka 3 : 23.Qb3 Bd5 24.Bxd5 Qxd5 25.Qa4 Rfd8 26.Nc6 Re8 27.Re1 Qd7 28.Qc4 a6 29.Rbc1 Rxe1+ 30.Rxe1 Re8 31.Rxe8+ Nxe8 32.Ne5 b5 0.29/19 ] 23...Rad8= 0.25/18 [Rybka 3 : 23...Rac8 24.a4 Bd5 25.Rbc3 Qe6 26.Bb5 Rxc3 27.Rxc3 Qd6 28.Rc1 Rd8 29.Qe1 Nh7 30.Bc4 Bxc4 31.Rxc4 Nf6= 0.00/18 ]

Nov-19-09		RandomVisitor: continued: 24.Rd3= -0.10/19 [Rybka 3 : 24.Rbc3 Bd5 25.Qa4 a5 26.Qb3 Rfe8 27.a4 Bxc4 28.Rxc4 Nd5 29.Qf3 f6 30.Nc6 Rd7 31.R4c2 Nf4= 0.25/18 ] 24...Nd5 0.30/17 [Rybka 3 : 24...Be4 25.Rd2 Nd7 26.f4 Nf6 27.Qa4 Bd5 28.Kh2 a5 29.Rb2 Rc8 30.Qb3 Bxc4 31.Rxc4 Nd5 32.g3 Rfe8 33.a4 Rcd8= -0.10/19 ] 25.Qg4= 0.04/19 [Rybka 3 : 25.Rf3 Nf6 26.Rfc3 Bd5 27.Qa4 a5 28.Qb3 Bxc4 29.Rxc4 Nd5 30.a4 Rfe8 31.Qf3 f6 32.Nc6 Rd7 33.Qh5 0.30/17 ] 25...Nf6= 0.11/18 [Rybka 3 : 25...Bc8 26.Qh4 Be6 27.Bxd5 Bxd5 28.Rg3 Kh7 29.Qg4 g6 30.Qf4 Kg7 31.h4 Be6 32.Rd1= 0.04/19 ] 26.Qh4= 0.00/19 [Rybka 3 : 26.Qe2 Rc8 27.Rg3 Rc7 28.Qb2 Bd5 29.Rgc3 Rfc8 30.Bd3 Be4 31.Qb3 Bd5 32.Rxc7 Rxc7 33.Qb1 g6 34.Rxc7 Qxc7 35.Qb2= 0.11/18 ] 26...Ne4 0.45/17 [Rybka 3 : 26...Bd5 27.Rdc3 Bxc4 28.Rxc4 Rfe8 29.Ra4 Re7 30.Rac4 b5 31.R4c2 Rde8 32.Rc8 Qa3 33.R1c2 Rxc8 34.Rxc8+ Re8 35.Rxe8+ Nxe8 36.Qd8 Qc1+ 37.Kh2 Qf4+ 38.Kh1 Qc1+ 39.Kh2 Qf4+ 40.Kh1 Qc1+ 41.Kh2 Qf4 0.00/19 ] 27.Re1= 0.08/20 [Rybka 3 : 27.a4 Ng5 28.Rdd1 Qa3 29.Qg4 Bd5 30.Bd3 Qd6 31.Re1 f6 32.Nc4 Qd7 33.Qxd7 Rxd7 34.Ne3 Be4 35.Bc4+ Nf7 0.45/17 ] 27...Ng5 0.28/19 28.f4= 0.00/20 [Rybka 3 : 28.Qg4 b5 29.Bb3 Bd5 30.Bxd5 Qxd5 31.h4 f5 32.Qd1 Ne4 33.Ng6 Rfe8 34.f3 Qd6 35.fxe4 Qxg6 36.e5 Qb6 37.Qb3+ Kh8 38.Qb2 b4 39.Qf2 Qe6 0.28/19 ] 28...Nh7 0.72/18 [Rybka 3 : 28...Ne4 29.Qh5 Bd5 30.Rxe4 Bxe4 31.Nxf7 Rxf7 32.Qxf7+ Kh7 33.Rg3 Qxd4+ 34.Kh2 a5 35.Qc7 Rd7 36.Qc8 Rd8 37.Qc7 Rd7 38.Qc8 Rd8 39.Qc7 Rd7 40.Qc8 Rd8 41.Qc7 Rd7 42.Qc8 Rd8 43.Qc7 Rd7= 0.00/20 ] 29.Rg3 0.49/18 [Rybka 3 : 29.Kh2 Bd5 30.Bxd5 Qxd5 31.Rg3 Rd6 0.72/18 ] 29...Qxd4+? 2.12/20 [Rybka 3 : 29...Qf6 30.Qg4 b5 31.Bb3 a5 32.Rge3 Bc6 33.Qe2 a4 34.Bc2 Be8 35.Qd3 g6 36.d5 Qd6 37.f5 Qxd5 38.fxg6 fxg6 39.Qxd5+ Rxd5 40.Bxg6 0.49/18 ] 30.Kh2 1.92/19 Ng5 2.03/17 31.Re2 0.75/18 [Rybka 3 : 31.Ng4 Nf3+ 32.gxf3 Kh8 33.Ne3 Rde8 34.Rxg7 Qxg7 35.Rg1 Rxe3 36.Rxg7 Kxg7 37.Qg4+ Kh8 38.Qd7 Rxf3 39.Qxb7 Rxf4 40.Qe7 Kg7 41.Qc7 Rf6 42.Qxa7 Rc8 43.Bd3 Rd6 44.Qa3 Rc5 45.h4 Rcd5 46.Be4 2.03/17 ] 31...Rd6? 5.03/18 [Rybka 3 : 31...Rde8 32.Bb3 Rxe5 33.Rxe5 a5 34.Rge3 Ne4 35.Re1 Nf6 36.Qg3 a4 37.Rd1 Qb2 38.Bxa4 Qxa2 39.Bb3 Qb2 40.Rde1 Qd2 0.75/18 ] 32.Rd3 5.03/19 Qc5 5.12/18 33.Rxd6 5.12/19 Qxd6 5.12/18 34.fxg5 5.12/18 b5 5.71/16 35.Bb3 4.73/16 hxg5 5.96/12 36.Qxg5 6.57/15 a5 7.51/13 37.Qd2? 4.80/20 [Rybka 3 : 37.Rd2 Qf6 7.51/13 ] 37...Qc7? 6.95/15 [Rybka 3 : 37...Qxd2 38.Rxd2 Bc8 39.Nxf7 Kh7 40.Rd6 Bf5 41.Ng5+ Kh8 42.Rd5 a4 43.Bd1 Bb1 44.Rxb5 Bxa2 45.Bxa4 Ra8 46.Bb3 Bxb3 47.Rxb3 Re8 48.Rb7 Kg8 49.Kg3 Kf8 50.Kf3 Re5 51.h4 4.80/20 ] 38.Qc2 5.12/20 Qb8? 12.16/16 [Rybka 3 : 38...Qxc2 39.Rxc2 5.12/20 ] 39.Qf5 11.98/15 Qc7 9.60/14 40.Rc2 8.19/15 1-0

Nov-19-09		waustad: <pb>This one was easy to get. The impossible ones involve pop culture.

Nov-19-09		bvwp: Wonderful title. Actually made me laugh.

Nov-19-09		chillowack: <RandomVisitor: Instead of 28...Nh7, 28...Ne4 seems to hold for black:> RandomVisitor, is this your own idea, or Rybka's? I only ever see Rybka analysis in your posts. Personally I'd much rather see your own ideas and opinions, rather than endless computer variations, but that's just me: perhaps others here enjoy the Rybka analysis. I thought for sure Menchik was going to play the interesting tactical shot 29.Nxf7, which appears to lead to a considerable advantage for White (29...Rf7 30.Re7 g5 31.Qe1). I'm sure a player of Menchik's strength saw this simple maneuver; I wonder why she didn't play it?

Nov-19-09		al wazir: Great pun. For once it doesn't hinge on a mispronunciation of a player's name.

Nov-19-09		kevin86: All focus on f7-but even here,white finds the power to divert the defender.

Nov-19-09		Jimfromprovidence: <Chillowack> <RandomVisitor>'s analysis is like having the answer key at the back of a math book. I find it incredibly helpful. Anyway, in your own line... <I thought for sure Menchik was going to play the interesting tactical shot 29.Nxf7, which appears to lead to a considerable advantage for White (29...Rf7 30.Re7 g5 31.Qe1). I'm sure a player of Menchik's strength saw this simple maneuver; I wonder why she didn't play it?> ...black has 30...Bd5, and you lose a piece. click for larger view

Nov-19-09		chillowack: <Jimfromprovidence: black has 30...Bd5, and you lose a piece.> So simple! I guess that explains why Menchik didn't play this. Thanks, Jim--both for the refutation, and for finding it yourself (rather than consulting a computer).

Nov-19-09		RandomVisitor: <chillowack><RandomVisitor, is this your own idea, or Rybka's?>A little of both. The analysis I present is best interpreted as a starting point for your own personal investigation. For example, after 18...Qe7, it looks like white has a better move, 19.Qf3, as backed up by this analysis, and it might even be winning: 1: Vera Menchik - Frantisek Schubert, Scarborough 1928 click for larger view Analysis by Rybka 3 : <[+1.39] d=24 19.Qf3> Bb7 20.c5 bxc5 21.dxc5 Bxe5 22.Bxe5 Qxe5 23.Rxb7 Rfc8 24.c6 Rc7 25.Bf5 Qd6 26.Rxc7 Qxc7 27.Qg3 Ne8 28.Qxc7 Nxc7 29.Rb1 g6 30.Bd7 Na6 31.Rb5 Kf8 32.Rxd5 Nc7 33.Re5 Kg7 34.Re2 02:17:59 1932799kN

Nov-19-09		Hitokiri Battousai: there is also a movie "Death and the Maiden". From Roman Polanski. But the pun is for the composer of the quartet

Nov-19-09		Jim Bartle: I thought it was an excellent movie, with Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley in the lead roles, in a political-torture drama set in Chile, but I'm in the minority.

Nov-19-09		Phony Benoni: <Waustad> But this pun does involve pop culture! OK, maybe great-great-great-grandpop culture. But it was cutting edge, far-out stuff in the 1820s.

Nov-19-09		AccDrag: A pretty awful game. Black did his best to move his Ns the maximum possible times. Aside from that, a wholly non-commendable game.

Nov-19-09		WhiteRook48: 40...Qe7 41 Ng6

Nov-19-09		Once: <AccDrag: A pretty awful game> Not a classic, I grant you! Sometimes CG.com gives us a mediocre game if it allows a good pun. I suppose one can't have everything in life.

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