Annotated chess game: Manhattan Chess Club 1947 Simultaneous by World Champion, Opening Ruy Lopez

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ANNOTATED GAME

Manhattan Chess Club 1947 Simultaneous by World Champion, Opening Ruy Lopez
Dr. Max Euwe vs. Dr. Joseph Platz
Annotated by: robroy8 (1200)
Chess opening: Ruy Lopez (C83), open, classical defence

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In the early 1920's in the international chess arena, a group of young masters had appeared, all of them highly talented. I just mention Colle, Koltanowski, Kostitsch, and Dr. Euwe. It was the last one who was going to develop into a star of first magnitude. I met Dr. Euwe first in a chess club in Amsterdam Holland, just after he had won a brilliant game in a club tournament. The club members idolized "Max" as everybody called him, but little did anybody sense then that this tall and slender, pleasant and modest young man would in a match beat the great Alekhine and become world champion in 1935. The second time I met Dr. Euwe was in my hometown, Cologne Germany in 1926. At that time the chess master Richard Reti lived in Cologne. He was planning to play in the great tournament, but apparently felt that he should improve his knowledge in the Sicilian Defense. Dr. Euwe was known to be an expert in opening play, especially in the Sicilian Defense. And so, Reti had Euwe come to Cologne for opening analysis. Dr. Euwe's knowledge of the Sicilian Defense was fantastic. The third time I met Dr. Euwe was at the Manhattan Chess Club, New York in 1947. He played 15 chess games simultaneously. It turned out to be too much for him. But we let the game speak for itself. - ConnecticutChess.com -

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Be7 10. Bc2	I chose the opening line to the Ruy Lopez because; 1) I always liked it, 2) I hoped to learn alot from this game knowing that it is also a favorite line of Dr. Euwe. With his 10th move my opponent deviates from the theory which commands here 10 Nbd2.



10... O-O 11. Qe2 Nc5	Practically forced. I rejected 11...Bf5 because of 12 Rd1 and I rejected 11...f5 because of 12 ef e.p. Rxf4 13 Ng5 or 13 Rd1 with advantage for White.



12. Nd4 Qd7 13. b4 Nxd4 14. cxd4 Nb7 15. Qd3 g6 16. Bh6 Rfe8	After 12 moves it will become apparent that 16...Rfc8 would have been better. But this was not a combination, only a positional move. Who can fortell the future for 12 moves ahead ? Capablanca was once asked: "Senor Capablanca, how many moves do you figure ahead ?" Capa answered: "One !" "Only one ?" "Yes," said Capablanca, "the best one !"



17. Qd2	Black was threatening Bxb4 and Bf5 - After 17 moves of a Ruy Lopez, Black has the initiative ! The center is locked, his King-side is secure, so Black will start action on the Queen-side.



17... a5 18. bxa5 Nxa5 19. Nc3 Nc4	If instead 19...Bb4 so White plays 20 Qf4 and Black lost a move.



20. Qf4 Ra3 21. Bb3 Bf5 22. h3 b4 23. Ne2 Bd3 24. Rfe1 Na5 25. Nc1 Nxb3 26. Nxb3 Qf5	White must now exchange Queens, otherwise he will be pushed back further and further.



27. Qxf5 Bxf5 28. Rec1 Rea8	If on his 16th move Black would have played his Rook to c8, he could now continue with 28...Bd8, then double his Rooks on the a-file.



29. Rxc7 Bd8	This looks pretty good but better was probably Bf8.



30. Rcc1 Ra3xa2 31. Rxa2 Rxa2 32. g4 Be6	Bitter necessity ! I had relied on 32...Bc2 ? Black should have played 29...Bf8.



33. Nc5 Ra8	Undoubtedly the safest move here. If 33...Bh4 so 34 Be3. Risky for both sides would be 33...Bh4 34 Nxe6 Bf2+ 35 Kf1 fe 36 Rc8+ Kf7 37 Rf8+ Ke7 38 Rxf2 b3 39 Bf8+ Kd7 40 Ba3 Rxa3 41 Rb2 Ra1+ 42 Ke2 Ra2 43 Rd2 b2 and Black wins. Or instead of 39 Bf8 White plays 39 Bc1 Ra1 40 Ke2 Rxc1 41 Kd3 Rh1 42 Kc3 Rxh3+ 43 Kb2 Rg3 better for Black.



34. Rb1 Ba5	Not 34...Rb8? 35 Na6 !



35. Ra1	Better would have been 35 Nb7.



35... Ra7 36. Nb3 Bb6 37. Rxa7 Bxa7 38. Bd2 h5 39. f3 hxg4 40. hxg4 Bd7 41. Bxb4 Kg7	White is a pawn up but Black has confidence in the Bishop pair and plays for a draw.



42. Bc5 Ba4 43. Na5 Bb8 44. Bb6 f6 45. f4 g5 46. exf6+ Kxf6 47. Bd8+ Kg6 48. f5+	Alternatives are here 48 fg Bf4 or 48 Bxg5 Ba7 each time with an easy draw.



48... Kh6 49. Kg2 Bd1 50. Kh3	Absolutely necessary was here 50 Nc6 Bf4 51 Ne5 Bxe5 52 de Bxg4 draw.



50... Be2	Now for White the only move would have been to give up the g-pawn and play 51 Kg2. Most likely a draw would result, although Black might have slight winning chances in this variation. However it was 2 AM and Dr. Euwe was probably very tired from the stubborn resistance. He overlooked what Black was threatening and played 57 Nc6 ?? after which Black played 51...Bf1 mate.



51. Nc6 Bf1#	Dr Euwe's exhibition at the Manhattan Chess Club had the following surprising result: Dr. Euwe +3 -6 =6. As we can see out of 15 games the world champion was able to win three ! Visit http://www.ConnecticutChess.com for more chess games by Dr. Joseph Platz and others.