Zurich CC | Zurich 1953

Zurich 1953

[Event "Candidates Tournament"] [Site "Zuerich"] [Date "1953.08.31"] [Round "2"] [White "Geller, Efim P"] [Black "Euwe, Max"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E28"] [PlyCount "52"] [EventDate "1953.08.30"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "30"] [EventCountry "SUI"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] 
 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 b6 7. Bd3 Bb7 8. f3 Nc6 9. Ne2 O-O 10. O-O Na5 11. e4 Ne8 12. Ng3 cxd4 13. cxd4 Rc8 14. f4 Nxc4 15. f5 f6 16. Rf4 b5 $1 {The beginning of a most impressive plan of defense and counterattack. Euwe's cold-bloodedness in the face of White's violent attack on the kingside has deeply impressed chess students ever since.} 17. Rh4 Qb6 18. e5 Nxe5 19. fxe6 Nxd3 20. Qxd3 Qxe6 21. Qxh7+ Kf7 22. Bh6 Rh8 {There were objectively stronger moves, such as 22. ... Rc4, 22. ... Rc3 and Kasparov's 22. ... Dd5 [22...Dd5 23.Te4 Tc6 24.Tae1 Te6 ] but Euwe's rook sacrifice with the simple aim of making c2 accessible to the other rook, distinguishes this game as one of the most remarkable counterattacks ever played.} 23. Qxh8 Rc2 24. Rc1 $2 {Unsettled by the unexpectet turn of events, Geller does not realize the danger. For the time being, his move defends against the threat of 24. ... Rxg2 25. Kf1 Qc4+, but with his 25th move Euwe demonstrates that there are other means of reaching the king. [By playing 24.d5 Lxd5 25.Td1 he could have held on, because now 25...Db6+ can be parried by 26.Thd4 , while after 26... Txg2+ 27.Kf1 the position also remains unclear.} Rxg2+ 25. Kf1 Qb3 26. Ke1 Qf3 $1 {White resigned as mate is unavoidable} 0-1 
 [Event "Candidates Tournament"] [Site "Zuerich"] [Date "1953.09.13"] [Round "9"] [White "Euwe, Max"] [Black "Najdorf, Miguel"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E61"] [PlyCount "73"] [EventDate "1953.08.30"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "30"] [EventCountry "SUI"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] 
 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. Nc3 c5 6. d5 e5 $5 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bxf6 Qxf6 9. d6 $1 Nc6 10. e3 b6 11. Bd5 Kh8 12. Ne4 Qd8 13. h4 f5 14. Ng5 Bb7 15. g4 e4 16. Ne2 Bxb2 17. Nf4 Qf6 ({As demonstrated by Garry Kasparov, one of the many annotators of this captivating struggle, White also obtains a strong attack after} 17... hxg5 18. Nxg6+ Kg7 19. Nxf8 Qxf8 20. hxg5) ({or} 17... Bxa1 18. Nxg6+ Kg7 19. gxf5 Bc3+ 20. Kf1) 18. gxf5 $1 {The sober Max Euwe invests a |_hole rook} Bxa1 (18... gxf5 19. Qh5 $1 {(Kasparov)}) 19. Nxg6+ Kg7 20. Nxe4 { The only point when Euwe's play could be improved upon. The immediate 20.Sf4 ! was stronger, as shown by Bronstein and Kasparov} Bc3+ 21. Kf1 Qxf5 22. Nf4 $3 {A quiet move of exceptional force. Black is temporarily a rook ahead, but he connot save his bishop c3} Kh8 (22... Be5 23. Ng3 Qh7 24. Qg4+ Kh8 25. Ng6+ Kg7 26. Nh5#) 23. Nxc3 Rae8 24. Nce2 Rg8 {White has a pawn for the exchange and an attack, guaranteeing him excellent winning prospects. Nevertheless, 24...La6 ! would have put up stiff resistance (Kasparov).} 25. h5 $1 Rg5 26. Ng3 Rxg3 27. fxg3 Rxe3 28. Kf2 Re8 29. Re1 Rxe1 30. Qxe1 {Despite much simplification, White's threats remain deadly.} Kg7 31. Qe8 Qc2+ 32. Kg1 Qd1+ 33. Kh2 Qc2+ 34. Ng2 Qf5 35. Qg8+ Kf6 36. Qh8+ Kg5 37. Qg7+ {Black resigned. A splendid performance by the former world champion} 1-0 
 [Event "Candidates Tournament"] [Site "Zuerich"] [Date "1953.10.13"] [Round "24"] [White "Keres, Paul"] [Black "Smyslov, Vassily"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E14"] [PlyCount "56"] [EventDate "1953.08.30"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "30"] [EventCountry "SUI"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] 
 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. e3 Be7 5. b3 O-O 6. Bb2 b6 7. d4 cxd4 8. exd4 d5 9. Bd3 Nc6 10. O-O Bb7 11. Rc1 Rc8 12. Re1 Nb4 13. Bf1 Ne4 14. a3 Nxc3 15. Rxc3 Nc6 16. Ne5 Nxe5 $5 17. Rxe5 Bf6 18. Rh5 g6 $1 {Against the threat of 19. Rxh7! Kxh7 20. Qh5+ Kg8 21. Rh3 Bh4 22. Rxh4 f5 23. Qh7+ with a strong attack} 19. Rch3 {The rook offer is the logical folloup to his aggressive play. What can Black do against the threatened capture on h7? After deep thought Smyslov hit upon a convincing replay:} dxc4 {If the rook sacrifice is acceptetd White could develop a savage attack after: 19...gxh5 20.Dxh5 Te8 with the wily continuation 21.a4!!  As in the Sicilian Dragon Variation, Black relies on the defensive powers of his dark squared bishop and banks on a counterattac} 20. Rxh7 {Losing the thread. After Black's simple reply the game is over} ({Keres can not now recapture on c4:} 20. bxc4 gxh5 21. Qxh5 {because his attack is stopped by} Be4) (20. Qg4 {White could have stabilized the kingside situation, so that} c3 {could be met by} 21. Bxc3 Rxc3 22. Rxc3 Qxd4 23. Qxd4 Bxd4 24. Rc7 gxh5 25. Rxb7 {with equality (Bronstein)}) 20... c3 21. Qc1 {A last attempt to make the attack work} (21. Bxc3 Rxc3 22. Rxc3 Kxh7 $19) 21... Qxd4 $1 22. Qh6 Rfd8 {Everything fits together for Black. White's line-up on the h-file looks very threatening, but after this simple reply it proves worthless} 23. Bc1 Bg7 24. Qg5 Qf6 25. Qg4 c2 26. Be2 Rd4 27. f4 Rd1+ 28. Bxd1 Qd4+ {White resigned} 0-1 
 [Event "Candidates Tournament"] [Site "Zuerich"] [Date "1953.09.16"] [Round "11"] [White "Smyslov, Vassily"] [Black "Bronstein, David I"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A12"] [PlyCount "80"] [EventDate "1953.08.30"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "30"] [EventCountry "SUI"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] 
 1. c4 Nf6 2. g3 c6 3. Nf3 d5 4. b3 Bf5 5. Bg2 e6 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Bb2 Be7 8. Nc3 O-O $5 {By postponing the standard move 8. ... h6 Bronstein provokes the following complications} 9. Nh4 $6 Bg4 10. h3 Bh5 11. g4 {Expecting 11. ... Bg6, when White obtains a pleasant game with 12. Nxg6 hxg6 13. d4 or 13. e4. However, there follows a nasty surprise} d4 $1 12. Nb1 ({After} 12. gxh5 dxc3 13. Bxc3 Nxh5 14. Nf3 Bf6 {Black has a comfortable position. The text move, on the other hand, allows a very dangerous piece sacrifice for two pawns}) 12... Bxg4 13. hxg4 $1 Nxg4 14. e4 $2 {An intermediate move which could easily lead to fatal punishment. After Nf3 Bd6! Black has a very strong initiative, and after moves such as ...f5, ...Qf6, ...Rae8 and ...e5-e4 it can easily result in a vicious attack (if 15. Bxd4?!, then 15. ... e5! and 16. ... e4} Nxf2 $2 { Black obtains a third pawn for the piece while keeping the initiative.  [However, both players overlooked that Black could have immediately decided the game in ihis favor with 14...La3!! (Bronstein). After 15.Lxa3 Dxh4 16.Te1 Dxf2+ 17.Kh1 Dh4+ 18.Kg1 the simplest path to victory is 18...Sde5 19.Lxf8 Txf8 , followed by 20. ... Qh2+ and 21. ... f5 with devastating threats. After this missed opportunity the game remains intersting, although its cours is no longer smooth} 15. Rxf2 Bxh4 16. Rf3 Ne5 17. Rh3 Bg5 18. Na3 Ng6 19. Nc2 Nf4 20. Rh2 d3 21. Ne3 Ne2+ 22. Kh1 f5 23. exf5 exf5 24. Bf3 Ng3+ 25. Kg1 Bf6 26. Bxf6 Qxf6 27. Qe1 $6 f4 {Bronstein's initial intention was 27. ... Rae8!, which would probably have given him a decisive advantage.} 28. Ng4 Qd4+ 29. Kg2 Rae8 30. Qg1 Qb2 31. Qc1 Qd4 32. Qc3 Qd6 {nstead, 32...Dxc3 33.dxc3 d2, still promised a substantial endgame advantage} 33. c5 Qg6 34. Qc4+ Kh8 35. Rh3 h5 36. Kh2 Qh7 37. Nf2 g5 38. Qd4+ Kg8 39. Qc4+ Kh8 40. Qd4+ Kg8 {Draw agreed. As was later revealed, Smyslov's sealed move was not the expected queen check on c4 but 41 Rg1!?, after which the fire could have flared up again} 1/2-1/2 
 [Event "Candidates Tournament"] [Site "Zuerich"] [Date "1953.09.22"] [Round "13"] [White "Reshevsky, Samuel Herman"] [Black "Bronstein, David I"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E69"] [PlyCount "130"] [EventDate "1953.08.30"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "30"] [EventCountry "SUI"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] 
 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. Nc3 d6 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. O-O e5 8. e4 Re8 9. h3 exd4 10. Nxd4 Nc5 11. Re1 a5 12. Qc2 c6 {Pawn grabbing with 12... Sfxe4 13.Sxe4 Lxd4 is not recommended on account of Bg5} 13. Be3 Nfd7 14. Rad1 a4 {The King's Indian Defense and the present variation, in particular, were one of the major theoretical battlegrounds of the tournament} 15. Nde2 {The game Euwe-Gligoric saw 15. g4, wheras in Stahlberg-Boleslavsky 15. f4 was tried. Reshevsky's choice is no improvement. Today 15. b4! is considered best.} Qa5 16. Bf1 ({There is nothing to be gained from} 16. Rxd6 Ne5 17. b3 axb3 18. axb3 Bxh3) 16... Ne5 17. Nd4 a3 18. f4 Ned7 19. b3 Na6 20. Bf2 Ndc5 21. Re3 Nb4 22. Qe2 Bd7 {Strategically, White has been completely outplayed. Black simply threatens 23. ... Re7, followed by ... Rae8. Reshevsky therefore seeks salvation in tactical complications} 23. e5 $6 dxe5 24. fxe5 Rad8 25. g4 Ne6 26. Bh4 Nxd4 27. Rxd4 Qc5 28. Rde4 Bh6 29. Kh1 Be6 30. g5 (30. Bxd8 Rxd8 31. Rg3 Rd2 32. Qe1 Nxa2 {and the a-pawn brings about a quick decision}) 30... Bg7 31. Rf4 Bf5 32. Ne4 Bxe4+ {Despite mutual time trouble Bronstein is not caught by Reshevsky's devilish trap} 33. Rfxe4 Na6 34. e6 {Before Black's knight reaches e6 White liquidates his weak e-pawn. Despite the simplification he stll has two severe handicaps: his useless light squared bishop and the constant danger emanating from Black's far advanced pawn on a3} fxe6 35. Rxe6 Rf8 36. Re7 Bd4 37. R3e6 Qf5 38. Re8 Nc5 {An even stronger line was 38. ... Nb4, threatening 39. ... Nxa2!.} 39. Rxd8 Nxe6 40. Rxf8+ Kxf8 41. Bg3 Qxg5 42. Qxe6 Qxg3 43. Qc8+ Ke7 44. Qg4 {Despite bishops of opposite colors, White's game is hopeless. With queens still on the board Black can continually set up new mating threats, and later on he could even allow the exchange of queens as the treat of invading with the king to b2 proves decisive} Qc3 45. Kg2 Qb2+ 46. Qe2+ Kd6 47. Kf3 Bc5 48. Ke4 Qd4+ 49. Kf3 Qf6+ 50. Kg2 Kc7 51. Qf3 Qb2+ 52. Qe2 Qd4 53. Kf3 h5 54. Kg2 g5 55. Kg3 Qf4+ 56. Kg2 g4 57. hxg4 hxg4 58. Kh1 Kb6 59. Kg2 Kc7 60. Kh1 Bd6 61. Kg1 Kb6 62. Qg2 Bc5+ 63. Kh1 Qh6+ 64. Qh2 Qe3 65. b4 Bd4 {White lost by overstepping the time limit. After 66.c5+ Ka7 67.Dg2 g3 he would have been caught in a decisive zugzwang.} 0-1 
 [Event "Candidates Tournament"] [Site "Zuerich"] [Date "1953.09.23"] [Round "14"] [White "Averbakh, Yuri L"] [Black "Kotov, Alexander"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A55"] [PlyCount "102"] [EventDate "1953.08.30"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "30"] [EventCountry "SUI"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] 
 {The game with the tournament's most beautiful combination. Kotov's "magnet queen sacrifice" has few equals at such a high level.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nf3 Nbd7 4. Nc3 e5 5. e4 Be7 6. Be2 O-O 7. O-O c6 8. Qc2 Re8 9. Rd1 Bf8 10. Rb1 a5 11. d5 Nc5 12. Be3 Qc7 13. h3 Bd7 14. Rbc1 g6 15. Nd2 Rab8 16. Nb3 Nxb3 17. Qxb3 c5 18. Kh2 Kh8 19. Qc2 Ng8 20. Bg4 Nh6 21. Bxd7 Qxd7 22. Qd2 Ng8 23. g4 f5 24. f3 Be7 25. Rg1 Rf8 26. Rcf1 Rf7 27. gxf5 gxf5 28. Rg2 f4 29. Bf2 Rf6 30. Ne2 {White saw the possibility of 30. Rh6, but overlooked the even stronger main threat. With either 30. h4 Rh6 31. Qe1 of 30. Rg4 he could have defended against both} Qxh3+ $3 {Black does not have an immediate mate, but White's king is drawn deep behind the enemy lines. With his army virtually cut off by pawn barriers, White proves to be helpless even against the rather slow regrouping of Black's forces which now follows.} 31. Kxh3 Rh6+ 32. Kg4 Nf6+ 33. Kf5 Nd7 {threatening 34. ... Rf8 35. Kg4 Rg8+ 36. Kf5 Rf6 mate.} ({Later Analysis proved that 33...Sg4 would have been even more effective as White's rook move to g5 would have been prevented. As Kxg4 Rg8+ leads to mate, White's only try would have been} 33... Ng4 34. Nxf4 (34. Kxg4 Rg8+) 34... Rg8 (34... Rf8+ 35. Kxg4 Rg8+ {would be inaccurate on account of} 36. Ng6+ Rgxg6+ 37. Kf5 Rh5+ 38. Rg5 Bxg5 39. Kg4) 35. Nh5 {(forced)} Rhg6 36. Qg5 {(forced)} Bxg5 37. Kxg4 Bf4+ 38. Kh3 Rxg2) 34. Rg5 {Despite severe time trouble Averbakh finds the only way of putting up resistance. Kotov now chose to repeat moves several times in order to adjourn the game after move 40 an work out a winning line at home. White has to comply} Rf8+ 35. Kg4 Nf6+ 36. Kf5 Ng8+ 37. Kg4 Nf6+ 38. Kf5 Nxd5+ {Of course, Black cannot allow a threefold repetition of the position and he therefore captures the d-pawn to win time.} 39. Kg4 Nf6+ 40. Kf5 Ng8+ 41. Kg4 Nf6+ 42. Kf5 Ng8+ 43. Kg4 Bxg5 {In home analysis Kotov found the right path to victory} 44. Kxg5 {White has no alternative use of the respite. After other continuations 44. Be7, followed by ... Nf6, wins quickly.} Rf7 45. Bh4 { The only defense against 45. ... Rg7+ and 46. ... Ne7 mate. But now the king is hemmed in on the h-file} Rg6+ 46. Kh5 Rfg7 47. Bg5 {Again the only move, as is easily verified. The king remains in the mating net, however, requiring further largescale sacrificing to fend off the immediate threats.} Rxg5+ 48. Kh4 Nf6 49. Ng3 Rxg3 50. Qxd6 R3g6 51. Qb8+ Rg8 {White resigned.} 0-1

Commentary from «The Zurich Chess Club, 1809 - 2009»
by Richard Forster, foreword by Vladimir Kramnik
with a chapter on the jubilee festivities with eight living world champions.
McFarland & Company, Inc. Publishers

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Zurich 1953

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