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Rafael Vaganian vs Gyozo Forintos
"Raf and Tumble" (game of the day Oct-26-2015)
Alekhine Memorial (1975), Moscow URS, rd 12, Oct-??
Queen's Gambit Declined: Harrwitz Attack. Two Knights Defense (D37)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Oct-16-12  paavoh: This one should be a GOTD.
Oct-26-15  DanielHoseano: GOTD now😁
Oct-26-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  kevin86: White will mate after sacrificing at g8!
Oct-26-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Domdaniel: This is one of Raf's best - though my favourite is still his sacrificial win against Reshevsky with the French Defence: Reshevsky vs Vaganian, 1976.
Oct-26-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: <Dom> To this day, I am mystified by Reshevsky opening 1.e4 in the game with Vaganian, in what was surely one of the latter's finest games.
Oct-26-15  Cheapo by the Dozen: Not that I see specific positional similarities, but in general attitude, this was more like a King's Gambit than a Queen's. :)
Oct-26-15  mikrohaus: As much as I like this game on it's surface, it should still be SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for any good player.

The doubled-rooks and protected Ph7 are worth more than Q+R.

So, the loss of the Q wasn't a combination, but merely a winning exchange of units.

That's good chess reasoning.

I doubt the winner spent much time on anything but d-pawn pushes by Black and the like.

Oct-27-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Domdaniel: <perf> - < Reshevsky opening 1.e4 ...> I had the impression that Sammy had a prepared line against the French (complete with Kg3). Admittedly not the sort of thing he usually did, and it came badly unstuck against Vaganian.

This is just my vague notion - I can't cite you a source for Reshevsky's prep.

Mar-03-22  Brenin: 22 gxf6 Rxc2+ 23 Bxc2 Re8 (defending against Rg8+) 24 Rhg1 followed by Rg8+, leadig to an endgame a B ahead.
Mar-03-22  mel gibson: Today was a little bit tricky as there are so many lines.

Stockfish 14 agrees with the main line:

22. gxf6

(22. gxf6 (g5xf6 ♖c8xc2+ ♗d3xc2 ♕d8-c8
♖g4-g8+ ♕c8xg8 h7xg8♖+ ♔h8xg8 ♗c2-h7+ ♔g8-h8 ♗h7-f5+ ♔h8-g8 ♖h1-h5 ♖e5-e8 ♗f5-h7+ ♔g8-h8 ♗h7-e4+ ♔h8-g8 ♖h5-g5+ ♔g8-h8 ♗e4xd5 ♖e8-f8 e3-e4 d4-d3+ ♔e2xd3 ♖f8-d8 ♔d3-d4 ♔h8-h7 ♖g5-g7+ ♔h7-h8 ♖g7xf7 ♖d8-g8 e4-e5 ♖g8-g1 e5-e6 ♖g1-d1+ ♔d4-e5 ♖d1-e1+ ♗d5-e4 ♖e1xe4+ ♔e5xe4 ♔h8-g8 ♖f7xb7 ♔g8-h8 ♖b7-g7 a7-a5 e6-e7 a5-a4 e7-e8♕+) +M25/78 430)

score for White _ mate in 25.

Mar-03-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  An Englishman: Good Evening: Tricky position. White can never play Qc2xc8 because after ...Qxc8 in reply, the Rg4 is en prise with check.
Mar-03-22  saturn2: 32 gxf6 was the first I looked at. It wins a piece. Black gains Q for rook temporarily but has to trade back in order to avoid backrank mate.
Mar-03-22  Granny O Doul: White will be up more than a piece, as he threatens 26. Rg8+ Rxg8 27. hxg8Q+ Qxg8 28. Rh1+.
Mar-03-22  saturn2: 19...Rc8 is an obvious mistake. It allows a tempo check which also opens files against the king.
Mar-03-22  Brenin: <Granny O Doul>: After 22 gxf6 Black can restrict his initial losses to a minor piece by 22 ... Rxc2+ 23 Bxc2 Qc8 24 Rg8+ Qxg8 25 hxg8=Q+ Kxg8. However, by 26 Bh7+ Kh8 (Kf8 27 Bf4, threatening Rh8 mate, is no better) 27 Bf4+ Kg8 28 Rh5 (threatening to win the R by Bh7+) Re8 29 Bh7+ Kh8 30 Be4+ Kg8 31 Bxd5 White can start picking off Ps. They are fairly irrelevant, since anyone but a complete beginner would have resigned long before this point.
Mar-03-22  Granny O Doul: @Brenin: Aha, yes you're right.
Mar-03-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  agb2002: White has a bishop and a pawn for a knight.

Black threatens Rxc2+ and Nxg4.

The white rooks aiming at the black king and the pawn on h7 suggest 22.gxf6 Rxc2+ 23.Bxc2:

A) 23... Re8 24.Rhg1 followed by Rg8+ wins decisive material.

B) 23... Qc8 24.Rg8+ Qxg8 25.hxg8=Q+ Kxg8 26.Rh4 + - [B].

Mar-03-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  Teyss: If I can solve it, it's not Thursday level.

Black is not obliged to take the Q on move 22 but if for instance 22...Re8 to protect the back rank, 23.Qd1 Qxf6 (best) 24.Qg1: White has an overwhelming attack on the Kside (note hxg8+ will be a discovery check impossible to parry).

In the end White is not only a B up: mate is unavoidable. 25...Whatever 26.Rg8+ Rxg8 27.hxg8=Q+ Qxg8 28.Rh1+ (better than Rxg8+) Qh7 29.Rxh7+ Kg8 30.Rh5


click for larger view

White will simply play Rxd5 and Rd8# If 30...Kf8, 31.Rh8#

Mar-03-22  TheaN: White wins a piece after <22.gxf6 Rxc2+> this one of those "what else?" situations <23.Bxc2>. Now White's threatening Rg8+ and there's not much to do about that.

<23....Qc8> attacking Bc2 and Rg4 forcing it. After 23....Re8, a last ditch effort to protect g8, simply follows 24.Rhg1 +- and Black's actually forced to trade all pieces at g8 with an easier game for White.

<24.Rg8+ Qxg8 25.hxg8Q+ Kxg8> and here I'd reconsider how to approach the endgame, but I like <26.Rh4 +->, attacking d4. After the somewhat logical 26....Re6 27.Bh7 Kf8 (Kh8 28.Bf5+ +-) 28.Rxd4 Rxf6 29.Rxd5 +-. White's up a solid pawn also.

Mar-03-22  TheaN: Hahaha the finish after the main line 22.gxf6 Rxc2+ 23.Bxc2 Qc8 24.Rg8+ Qxg8 25.hxg8Q+ Kxg8 is actually kind of brilliant and ridiculous and the same time:


click for larger view

26.Bh7+ Kf8 (Kh8 27.Bf5+) 27.Bf5! Kg8 (else Rh8#) 28.Rh5! Re8 (else B+) and now the rook's essentially tied down:


click for larger view

29.Bh7+ Kf8 30.Be4! +- and d5 falls.

Mar-03-22  TheaN: Actually, after 29....Kf8, 30.Rg5 +- seals the mating net (Rxe3+ prolongs it a bit). Black's forced into one of the weirdest windmills I've seen, 29....Kh8 30.Be4+ Kg8 31.Bxd5 +- and White's dominating the board piece and pawn up.
Mar-03-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  chrisowen: Ochre v x it v auld gxf6 fluff abridge light gel axiom so v it a cuff muff ochre v x it v auld it woz hit vin tigered it v dt i go docile vin cervantes lubbly jubbly buffon v it quaint pj mp it whizz it v hog met emerald v it v block juicy fins frog v it v huh fluffed it efface v it duck finish it v eh huh affable pack if it be c v it v o dom lint no v it v occur accomodate ch ji v it v bushed it v hurry arrive o it jetted it v og go muddle ar it dt c dine it v hog it rife it ac oo it v i gedulf no it oy v it din c cain it dean it fag it hi v it fad it ver fare it v daffy c no v it feel it v bag c dang hang coy bode it z it v frack it dr i c ft he it song it bob v it dt get its da ok ft fc v it dank ar an it elf tin it i fag nn it vagator ai re al a of it sin oy go z it soon rift v it goya v it v nn zoran foots it v i oz it viga i gavel it v afar it v roofs it in gonzo ay again v it leaf it ar gxf6 dick;
Mar-03-22  King.Arthur.Brazil: Easy, everybody will tick on 22.gxf6. but pay attention to 25.♖hg1 which is decisive.
Mar-03-22  parch: Black threatens the Queen, and rook.

22.gf6 looks good, ...R:c2+ 23.B:c2 Re8 (...Qc8)

24.Rhg1 d3+ 25.B:d3 d4 26.Rg8+ R:g8
27.hg8/Q+ Q:g8 28.Rh1+ wins

Mar-04-22  landshark: I finally got one right this week
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