Nothing New Under The Sun

A COMMON observation made about Magnus Carlsen's playing style is that he is very good at conjuring wins out of seemingly sterile positions.

It is not just 'run-of-the-mill' pundits who make this claim.

Even some of the world's greatest players acknowledge this ability of the current world champion.

For example, Anatoly Karpov said of Carlsen in a 2016 interview: "He can convert a minimal advantage into a real one."

But crediting players with such an ability is nothing new, as the following example from 500 Master Games Of Chess by Savielly Tartakower and Julius du Mont shows.

Notes in italics are algebraicised from the book.

Rudolf Charousek - Emil Schallopp

German Chess Federation Congress (Köln) 1898

Bishop's Opening

In the following elegant game White engineers a win out of practically 'nothing'. His exploitation of an increasing pressure on the open f file is an object lesson in logic.

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3

An ultra-solid continuation.

3...Bc5

Black also resorts to the quietest reply.

Calling 3...Bc5 "the quietest reply" seems rather unfair, especially when 3...d6 and 3...h6 are available.

4.Nc3 d6 5.Be3

Lifeless would be 5.Na4 Bb6 6.Nxb6 axb6, and Black has some compensation for the elimination of his controlling bishop (a [semi-]open a file, a compact mass of pawns on the queenside [and] a general simplification of the contest).

5...Bxe3

Presenting his adversary with an as yet invisible asset in the [semi-]open f file. An easier continuation is 5...Bb6, or even 5...Nc6 as after 6.Bxc5 dxc5 Black's pressure on the d file would compensate him for his doubled c pawns.

6.fxe3 c6 7.Qe2 0-0 8.Nf3 b5 9.Bb3 a5 10.a4

Very readily White blocks up the queenside, so as to devote the more energy to the opposite wing, where the [semi-]open f file furnishes him with an ideal base of action.

10...b4 11.Nb1

More useful than 11.Nd1.

Stockfish15 agrees with this verdict but Komodo13.02 marginally prefers the d1 retreat. If then, as in the game, 11...Nbd7, Komodo13.02's idea, at least at first, is 12.Nf2 (it later prefers 12.0-0), eg 12...d5 13.0-0 Re8 14.Nd2, although both engines reckon 14...Nc5 gives Black the upper hand.

11...Nbd7 12.Nbd2 Nc5 13.0-0 Nxb3 14.Nxb3 Ba6 15.Qe1

Evading the threat 15...Nxe4.

15...Ne8 16.Qg3 g6 17.Rf2 Ng7 18.Raf1 f5?

Restless play, which only precipitates events to his detriment. Better is 18...Qe7.

The engines agree the text is a mistake but 18...Qe7? is worse as it allows 19.Nxa5. It seems unlikely 18...Qe7 ("18...Q-K2" in the book) is a typo as 18...Qc7? is no better, thanks to the reply 19.Ng5. The engines reckon 18...f6 is equal.

How should White proceed?

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19.Nh4?

This parries the threat of 19...fxe4 and attacks the f5 pawn a fourth time, whereas it is effectively defended but twice (on account of a potential pin on the g file).

But the correct way to parry Black's threat to capture on e4 is 19.Nfd2, according to the engines, after which they reckon White has a slight edge.

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19...f4?!

Almost certainly better is the engines' 19...Nh5 20.Qh3, and now 20...f4, when 21.g3?! and 21.g4? seem to be successfully countered by 21...Bc8, so White should probably play 21.exf4, but then 21...Nxf4 gives Black at least equality.

20.exf4 exf4?

Black had to play 20...Nh5, when the engines reckon 21.Qg5 Nxf4 22.Qxd8 gives White a slightly better version of best play in the previous note.

21.Rxf4

Winning the pawn fairly and squarely, as the fork ...g5 is not applicable now or on the next move.

21...Rxf4 22.Qxf4 Qc7

For if 22...g5 [then] 23.Qf7+ Kh8 24.Nf5 etc.

23.Nc5

An elegant manoeuvre. But not 23.Nxa5 on account of 23...Nh5 24.Qg5 Bxd3 etc.

As the engines point out, 25.cxd3 wins for White, eg 25...Rxa5 26.Nf5! Kh8 27.b3 Qb8 28.Qh6 Ra8 29.Nd4, after which White is up a protected passed pawn and has the safer king and better-coordinated pieces.

23...Nh5 24.Nxa6 Qb6+ 25.Qf2 Qxf2+ 26.Kxf2! Rxa6 27.Ke3

It is hard to imagine that this position should lead to an easy and rapid win.

How would you assess the position?

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White is a pawn up and has the more-active king and rook. The engines agree White is winning, and while "an easy and rapid win" may not be expected, Tartakower/du Mont's last comment seems more connected with their first comment on this game rather than on the position the game has reached.

27...Kg7 28.Nf3 Nf6

Or 28...h6 29.Nd4 etc.

29.Ng5 h6?!

Almost certainly better is the engines' 29...Ra8.

30.Ne6+ Kf7 31.Nc5

A 'deflecting sacrifice'. In a twinkling Black's game collapses.

31...dxc5

Or 31...Ra7 (parries 32.Nd7) 32.e5 dxc5 (32...dxe5 33.Ne4, winning the knight) 33.Rxf6+ followed by 37.Rxc6 and wins.

32.e5 Ke6 33.Rxf6+ Kxe5 34.Rxg6 1-0

A very strangely annotated game by Tartakower and du Mont. Naturally it is easy to appear wise with the help of powerful engines, but one wonders how many of Carlsen's 'wins out of nothing' would stand up to rigorous analysis.

New York Giants

CONTINUING to go through Tartakower and du Mont's 500 Master Games Of Chess, I have reached a game played in the final of the first American Chess Congress, held in New York in 1857.
This event was organised as a series of knockout matches that happily ended with a final between the two strongest players, Paul Morphy and Louis Paulsen.
Both had been unbeaten in reaching the final, with each conceding just a single draw against their semi-final opponents.
According to Bill Wall's chess trivia, it cost $10 to play in the tournament, with an admission fee for spectators of $5.
These are much larger sums than they may seem at first sight. According to the Measuring Worth website, $10 in 1857 is worth almost $300 today if comparing consumer prices, and an eye-watering $4,000+ if comparing average incomes.
Notes in italics are algebraicised from 500 Master Games Of Chess.
Paulsen - Morphy
Spanish Four Knights
Although this game is adorned by one of the most famous queen sacrifices in the literature of the game, it also illustrates quite a number of additional tactical and strategic points; a temporary sacrifice, operations on open files, exploitation of a hole (d3), breaking up of the king's defences, irruption on the seventh rank, etc. Historically, this game spread Morphy's fame to Europe and presaged his coming triumphs in the old world.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3
A forerunner of the modern style, Louis Paulsen prefers a quiet and solid opening, whereas the general tendency of his time was to play the gambits - King's, Scotch, Evans, etc.
3...Nf6 4.Bb5
The Spanish Four Knights, the most scientific of all. Playable also is 4.Bc4, the Italian, and 4.d4, the Scotch Four Knights. Less pugnacious is the restricted development 4.Be2, and Gunsberg's 4.a3, which is best answered by 4...Bc5, claiming the initiative.
4...Bc5
A more stimulating reply than the symmetrical 4...Bb4.
"Rubinstein's" 4...Nd4!? was apparently first played by Emil Schallopp in 1881 in a loss to … Paulsen.
5.0-0
This continuation, storing up energy, is better than hitting out at once with 5.Nxe5 (5...Nxe5 6.d4) or than 5.d3, renouncing any offensive in the centre.
5...0-0
After the more timid 5...d6, the initiative for a long time to come remains with White after 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Nf5 0-0 9.Bg5 etc.
Paulsen beat Zukertort with this line in 1877.
6.Nxe5
This temporary sacrifice (6...Nxe5 7.d4) is not without risks for White, as his great adversary immediately tries to demonstrate. After 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.Nxe5 Re8 8.Nd3 Bd4 etc, the game has lost some of its plasticity, and after 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Ne7 etc, leads to a slowing down of operations.
6...Re8
Aiming at the full development of his forces. After 6...Bd4 7.Nf3 Bxc3 8.dxc3 Nxe4 9.Re1 d5 10.c4 Nf6 11.Bg5, White has command of the central files. If 6...Nd4, 7.Bc4.
7.Nxc6
A careful defence is 7.Nf3 Nxe4 8.d4 Nxc3 9.bxc3 Bf8, and the position tends to equality.
7...dxc6 8.Bc4
An immediate and full retreat shows more prudence by 8.Be2 Nxe4 9.Nxe4 Rxe4 10.d3 Re8 11.c3 with 12.d4 to follow.
8.Be2 is not in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database, but is the choice of both Stockfish10 and Komodo9.
8...b5
Not yet 8...Nxe4 on account of 9.Nxe4 Rxe4 10.Bxf7+, for if 10...Kxf7, 11.Qf3+ followed by queen takes rook.
An interesting idea here is 8...Ng4 with 9.h3 Nxf2 10.Bxf7+ Kh8, and Black has the last word.
9.Be2 Nxe4 10.Nxe4 Rxe4 11.Bf3
He is hypnotised by Black's weakness at c6. More self-control is shown by 11.d3 Re6 12.c3, to be followed by 13.d4.
11...Re6 12.c3
An error of judgment. He underrates the dangers of the hole at d3. After 12.d3, White's game could be defended.
12...Qd3 13.b4?!
The engines reckon White is fine if he takes immediate steps to evict Black's queen, eg 13. Re1 Rxe1+ 13.Qxe1 Bd7 14.Qf1.
13...Bb6 14.a4?!
A clever plan. Beaten in the first skirmish, White wants to make up leeway in the second, and to release, by turning manoeuvres, the pressure established by Black's queen.
Despite Tartakower's words, Re1 again seems to be better.
14...bax4
Necessary because of the threat 15.a5. If 14...a6, 15.axb5 Qxb5 (evidently not 15...axb5, nor 15...cxb5), 16.d4, breaking the charm.
15.Qxa4 Bd7?
A mistake that allows White a chance, which he misses, to break the bind. Correct was 15...Bb7, covering both c6 and a6.
16.Ra2?
Intending 16.Qc2, but the immediate opposition of the queen by Qa6 is essential.
16...Rae8
A crushing concentration (threat: 17...Qxf1+).
17.Qa6
Too late.

White's queen prevents Black sacing on f1, but ...

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17...Qxf3!!
A splendid sacrifice of the queen, which breaks the hostile king's defence.
18.gxf3 Rg6+ 19.Kh1 Bh3 20.Rd1?
Clearly neither 20.d4 Bg2+ 21.Kg1 Bxf3# [this should read 21...Bxf3+ 22.Bg5 Rxg5#], nor 20.Rg1 Bg7+ 21.Rxg2 Re1+, followed by mate in two. Relatively better would have been 20.Qd3.
Morphy apparently spent 30 minutes over his 17th move, and it may well be a large portion of that time was spent on how to meet 20.Qd3.

Black to play and win after the variation 20.Qd3

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If 20.Qd3, the engines give 20...f5!, the idea being to stop the queen from sacrificing itself for the rook on g6, as 20...Bg2+? 21.Kg1 Bxf3+ fails to 22.Qxg6. After 22...hxg6, Black would have the bishop-pair and a pawn for the exchange, but 23.d3 would prevent Black's rook transferring to the g file, and White's superior pawn-structure would give him the advantage.
After 20.Rd1?, the game continued:
20...Bg2+ 21.Kg1 Bxf3+ 22.Kf1 Bg2+
Morphy has his whole plan cut and dried in his mind. Another method is 22...Rg2, with a view to ...Rxh2 and ...Rh1#.
23.Kg1 Bh3+
This wins very easily, but the engines point out a quicker finish, ie 23...Be4+ 24.Kf1 Bf5 etc.
24.Kh1 Bxf2 25.Qf1
The only chance of prolonging the game for a little while.
25...Bxf1 26.Rxf1 Re2 27.Ra1 Rh6 28.d4 Be3+ 0-1