Lissitsin – Smyslov (Moscow 1944) by Andreas
Black to move. How should Black proceed?
q3r1k1/2r2ppp/1p2p3/3n4/2BP1b2/1Q4P1/PB3P1P/1R1R2K1 b – – 0 1
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1. …, Rc4
2. Qc4, Ne3
3. fe3, Be3
4. Kf1, Qf3
5. Ke1, Qf2++
2.gxf4 would lose a bit more slowly, but the game did in fact continue 2.Qc4 Ne3. Now 3.fxe3? walks right into the mate, not that it really makes any difference. Lisitsin actually gave up his queen with 3.Qf1 and hangnailed his way along for another fifteen moves. When they reached the time control, he resigned.
Better defence?
1…Rxc4
2.gxf4
Though…
2…Nxf4
3.f3 Rc3!?
4.Qxc3
(4.Bxc3 Qxf3 and dual threats of Qg2 and Nh3 makes mate unavoidable.)
4…Ne2+ followed by 5…Nxc3
Maybe there’s even better moves than 3…Rc3 though?
1….Rxc4
2.gxf4 Nxf4
3.f3 Rc3!
4.Bxc3 Qxf3
and mate is inevitable. (…Qg2++ and …Nh3++)
[If 4.Qxc3 Ne2 of course.]
Nd6 looks real strong.
And if:
1….Rxc4
2. Qd3
???
I found the main line quickly but I missed the 2. gxf4 variation. Finding 1..Rxc4 in a real game is more difficult.
Thanks Andreas and Susan for this World Champion’s tactic series. We had Capablanca, Lasker, Karpov and now Smyslov.
A. Weiler
“And if:
1….Rxc4
2. Qd3″
Simply move away the bishop: Bh6.
White still can’t capture the rook c4 and black has won a light figure.
I ‘found’ something else in the second line with Bxf4.
2. -, Rc3 immeadiately.
Is it playable?
After 3. Bxc3/Qxc3, Nxf4 with the same ideas.
Of course Nxf4 first and Rc3 afterwards may ne stronger but is Rc3 first a mistake which helps white defending herself?
Best regards
Jochen
To Jochen :
”I ‘found’ something else in the second line with Bxf4.
2. -, Rc3 immeadiately.
Is it playable?
After 3. Bxc3/Qxc3, Nxf4 with the same ideas.”
1….Rxc4
2.gxf4 Rc3?
3.Bxc3 Nxf4
4.d5! +-
So,
after
2.gxf4 Black must take with the Knight, thus : 2…Nxf4
The real beauty is that you need to see this tactic before you start actually moving you bishop to f4 threatning Rxc4 🙂