Botvinnik, Mikhail – Euwe, Max (World Championship 1948) by Andreas
White to move. What is the best continuation for Botvinnik?
4k2r/1b5p/1q2pp2/1p2N3/3p4/3Q4/PP3PPP/2R3K1 w k – 0 22
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Tuesday World Champion’s Tactic
What about 1.Qg3 with the idea 1.fe5: 2.Qg7 Rf8 3.Rc7
I’m looking at Qg3 followed by Qg7 and Rc7. I can’t quite see all the way thru.
(That’s why I have given up my dream of being world champion. However, the world champion probably still dreams of being ME!)
1.Qg3, threating 2.Qg7 3.Rc7 seems like a decent plan, example:
1.Qg3 PxN (1…Rf8 2.Qg7 PxN 3.Rc7 QxR 4.QxQ Bd5 (4…d3 doesn’t really work) 5.Qxe5 d3 6. Qd4 and white is winning)
2.Qg7 and the above combination ensues.
I really don’t see how can black prevent that, though.
hmm, now going over it, in my line after 6.Qd4 white has to play precise since black has some tricks
6. Qd4 Bc4! (black has a couple of tricks)
7.b3 Rf7!
8.PxB Rd7
However, white saves the day with
9.Qh8+ Ke7
10.Qxh7+ Ke8
11.QxR+ KxQ
12.Kf1 bxc4
14. Ke1 and white can either push the h or a pawn for promotion…
11.QxR+
Very flashy, and it does win, but 11.Qh5+ Kd8 12.cxb5 d2 13.Qd1 keeps total control of the situation.
For those interested in the whole game :
Botvinnik,Mikhail – Euwe,Max [D49]
World Championship 18th NLD/URS (12), [1948]
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 c6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 a6 9.e4 c5 10.e5 cxd4 11.Nxb5 axb5 12.exf6 Qb6 13.fxg7 Bxg7 14.0–0 Nc5 15.Bf4 Bb7 16.Re1 Rd8 17.Rc1 Rd5 18.Be5 Bxe5 19.Rxe5 Rxe5 20.Nxe5 Nxd3 21.Qxd3 f6
[Diagram]
22.Qg3! fxe5 23.Qg7 Rf8 24.Rc7 Qxc7 25.Qxc7 Bd5 26.Qxe5 d3 27.Qe3 Bc4 28.b3 Rf7 29.f3 Rd7 30.Qd2 e5 31.bxc4 bxc4 32.Kf2 Kf7 33.Ke3 Ke6 34.Qb4 Rc7 35.Kd2 Rc6 36.a4 1–0
Pharaoh
I agree that Qg3 is devastating but I am wondering about another way of winning whoch is:
1. Ng6!? fxg6 (Rg8 2.Nf4 with the menace Qh7 seems winning)
2. Qxg6+ Kf8 (on all the other moves black loses the rook h8)
3. Qxf6+ Kg8
4. Rd1 (or perhaps Re1) Qç6
5. f3 and I cannot see how black can stop heavy losses
Am I missing something?
1.Ng6?! Rg8
(If 1…fxg6? White wins)
2.Nf4 Rg7 =
Pharaoh
1. Ng6!? fxg6
ITYM 1…hxg6.
(Rg8 2.Nf4 with the menace Qh7 seems winning)
Just tagging along after pharaoh here — 2.Rg7 holds everything.
2. Qxg6+ Kf8 (on all the other moves black loses the rook h8)
3. Qxf6+ Kg8
4. Rd1 (or perhaps Re1)
4.Qe5 (threatening 5.Rc7) is the move you want here.
Qç6
5. f3
How about 5.Qg5+ instead (guarding both c1 and g2)?
and I cannot see how black can stop heavy losses
Am I missing something?
Well, I’m sure missing something. What heavy losses? I don’t even see that White has any particular threats after 5…Rh7:
6.Rxd4? Qc1+
7.Kf2 Qxb2+
… and it’s Black who has White on the run, or:
6.Qxd4 Qc7 (threat: 7…Qxh2+)
7.Qd8+ Qxd8+
8.Rxd8 Kf7
… and Black seems to be in fine shape.