[Event "GotM #82"] [Site "San Sebastian"] [Date "1912.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Rubinstein, Akiba"] [Black "Schlechter, Carl"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D41"] [Annotator "Connaughton, Ken"] [PlyCount "77"] [EventDate "1912.??.??"] [EventCountry "ESP"] {[%evp 0,77,34,34,34,26,27,-16,-16,-16,45,42,103,87,84,48,57,33,71,71,86,69, 116,116,105,121,120,98,116,122,123,123,102,102,108,96,125,125,128,139,146,95, 159,121,121,156,141,138,142,170,170,175,208,178,208,208,208,240,216,220,220, 250,244,226,226,205,205,256,256,256,287,300,321,244,259,243,261,136,491,505]} 1. d4 {Queen's Pawn Game} d5 {Closed Game} 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 {Transposing to the Queen's Gambit} e6 {Taking us to the Declined lines.} 4. Nc3 c5 {[#] This is now a Semi-Tarrasch.} 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 {[%csl Yc3,Yd4,Ye4] [%CAl Rd8a5,Rf8b4,Rc5d4] [#] White has a Grunfeld like formation and Black will use the tried and tested methods to pressurize White on c3 and d4.} cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Qa5 10. Rb1 Bxd2+ 11. Qxd2 Qxd2+ 12. Kxd2 {[#] White has the edge as his pieces are more developed, with the Queens off his "developed" King is also now an asset. His Rook has an annoying hold on b7, slowing the progress of the Black Bishop.} O-O 13. Bb5 a6 14. Bd3 Rd8 15. Rhc1 b5 16. Rc7 Nd7 17. Ke3 {White's pieces now centralizing nicely and he has a Rook on the 7th rank. Black's pieces are poor in comparison.} Nf6 18. Ne5 Bd7 19. g4 { [#] As White's position is now optimal, it's time to expand on the Kingside and get an attack rolling.} h6 20. f4 Be8 21. g5 hxg5 22. fxg5 Nh7 23. h4 { Schlecter is a resourceful player and he will need all of his chess intellect to keep the mighty Rubinstein at bay.} Rdc8 24. Rbc1 {If your pieces are worse it's a good idea to trade them off but White will at least keep a Rook on the 7th.} Rxc7 25. Rxc7 Rd8 {[#] It's necessary to keep the brakes on a possible pawn push in the center, but now White will worry the a6-pawn. The Black Rook and Bishop are very much tied down to their defensive roles. The Black Knight meanwhile only has the unexciting f8 available.} 26. Ra7 f6 {Necessary to relieve pressure.} 27. gxf6 gxf6 28. Ng4 Bh5 29. Nh6+ Kh8 30. Be2 {[%CAl Rh6f7] White would love to trade Bishops and eliminate the f7 defender. Black must decline and is forced to play the passive ...Be8.} Be8 31. Rxa6 {[#] White knows when to relinquish one advantage to gain another. He gives up the 7th Rank to the Black King and takes the a6-pawn, while threatening e6.} Kg7 32. Ng4 f5 33. Ra7+ Kh8 34. Ne5 fxe4 35. Bxb5 {White has renewed his Nf7+ threat so the Bishop is poison.} Nf6 (35... Bxb5 36. Nf7+ $18) 36. Bxe8 Rxe8 37. Kf4 { It's time for the King to join the attack for the decisive effect. He will charge forward now.} Kg8 38. Kg5 {White's pieces are so superior to their Black counterparts that the King can cheerfully leave the Black passer unattended.} Rf8 39. Kg6 {[#] And suddenly the end is imminent. Black realizes all is lost and resigns. A beautiful example of winning through advantages in space and activity.} (39. Kg6 Nh5 (39... Ne8 40. Nf7 Rxf7 (40... e3 41. Nh6+ Kh8 42. Rh7#) 41. Rxf7 Nd6 42. Rd7 {[%CAl Rd7d8] Threatening # with Rd8 of course.} Kf8 43. Rxd6 Ke7 44. Rc6 $18) 40. Kxh5 $19 {wins for White of course.} ) 1-0