[Event "Vienna"] [Site "Vienna AUT"] [Date "1920.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Geza Maroczy"] [Black "Savielly Tartakower"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C45"] [Annotator "Stockfish16"] [PlyCount "48"] [EventDate "1920.??.??"] {C45: Scotch Game} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 {[%mdl 32]} 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. Nd2 {This is rarely played, but the results are on a par with the usual 6.e5} Bc5 {The alternative is 6...d5, but black prefers to castle first.} 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O {e5 is the strong threat.} d5 {The position is equal.} 9. Qf3 (9. h3 Re8 10. Qf3 Nd7 11. exd5 Ne5 12. Qe4 Nxd3 13. Qxd3 Qxd5 14. Qxd5 cxd5 15. Nb3 {is equal. Christiansen,J (2583)-Krsnik Cohar,I (2296) Porec CRO 2022}) 9... Ng4 10. h3 (10. exd5 {was played by Tartakower in Tartakower,S-Jacobsen,E Copenhagen 1923 which continued} Qd6 11. Qg3 Qxg3 12. hxg3 cxd5 13. Nb3 { with avout equal chances.}) 10... Ne5 11. Qe2 Re8 12. exd5 {White begins to face difficulties after this so 12.Nf3 was better.} cxd5 13. Nb3 Bd6 14. f4 { White will come to regret this weakening of his K-side. 14.Bd2 was his best.} Nxd3 15. Qxd3 a5 {[%mdl 32] This unexpected Pawn sacrifice of a Pawn. The threat of ...Ba3 force white to accept it so that he at least has some material compensation for his poor position. By the way, Tartakower’s move is the first choice of Stockfish.} 16. Qxd5 Ba6 17. c4 {Now white is lost. A much better defense was 17.Rd1} a4 18. Nc5 {Best. It looks very strong because it forces the exchange of one of the bothersome Bishops, but Tartakover has a refutation planned.} c6 {A beautiful sacrifice that can hardly be refused and one that crowns Tartakower’s play.} 19. Qxc6 Rc8 20. Qxa6 Bxc5+ {Now it's obvious that Maroczy's 14th move created a fatal weakness on the dark squares in the vicinity of his K.} 21. Kh2 Qd3 22. Rf3 (22. Re1 {also loses...} Bf2 { and now not} 23. Rxe8+ Rxe8 {and the game is lost.} 24. Qxa4 Qg3+ 25. Kh1 Re1#) 22... Qd1 {The threat is ...Qe1 and ...Bg1#} 23. Qa5 {Meets ...Qe1+} (23. Kg3 { gets him mated.} Qe1+ 24. Kg4 f5+ 25. Kh5 g6+ 26. Kg5 Be7+ 27. Kh6 Qh4#) 23... Rc6 {This slip misses a mate in 9 and should have allowed white an opportunity to perhaps save himself.} (23... Qg1+ {mates} 24. Kg3 Re2 25. Kh4 Rxg2 26. Rg3 Rxg3 27. Bd2 Be7+ 28. Qg5 Bxg5+ 29. fxg5 Rxc4+ 30. Bf4 Rxf4+ 31. Kh5 Rxh3#) 24. Qd2 {[%mdl 8192] White now has a mate in 8.} (24. Be3 {This surprising move may actually save the game.} Qxa1 25. Bxc5 Qxb2 26. Qxa4 {In Shootouts from this position white scored +0 -3 =2}) 24... Qg1+ {White resigned.} (24... Qg1+ 25. Kg3 Rg6+ 26. Kh4 Be7+ 27. Kh5 Rxg2 28. Qd6 g6+ 29. Kh6 Bxd6 30. Rg3 Rxg3 31. b3 Rxh3#) 0-1