An Early Double Rook Sacrifice

     1912...in the United States the life expectancy for males was 51.5 years and 55.9 for females (shudder!). Frederick Rodman Law was paid to Jump off the Brooklyn Bridge for A Leap of Love and thus became the first movie stuntman. J.P. Morgan and Milton Hershey were both in Europe and planned to travel back to the US on Titanic’s maiden voyage but made other plans. 

     Violet Jessop (October 2, 1887 – May 5, 1971) was a stewardess/nurse who was aboard the ocean liner Olympic when it collided with a warship in 1911. She was also aboard Titanic (1912) and the Britannic (1916) when they sank. She survived all three sinkings! 

     In France, despite pleas from the police and friends to use a dummy, Franz Reichelt demonstrated his parachute design by jumping off the first level of the Eiffel Tower which is about 187 feet above the ground. He should have listened because the parachute failed and Reichelt fell to his death. 

     It doesn't sound like Russia was a good place to be in 1912. The Lena Massacre or Lena Execution took place in April. It was the shooting of goldfield workers on strike in northeast Siberia near the Lena River. They were striking because of exceptionally harsh working conditions, and when the strike committee was arrested, a large crowd marched in protest. They were fired on by soldiers of the Imperial Russian Army, causing hundreds of casualties. The incident did much to stimulate revolutionary feeling in Russia. Nevertheless strikes begin to grow, with 9000 during the period and along with them the Bolshevik trade unions grew and between 1912 and 1916. 

     Rasputin, a monk and favorite of the Imperial family, accepted sexual favors for political influence and his government appointments created a lot of division.

     There was a minor tournament in St. Petersburg in 1912 that consisted of First Category players (roughly an Elo rating of about 2000-2125, or USCF Expert). Alekhine, Levenfish, Ilya Rabinovich and Romanovsky went on to become prominent players; the others didn't. 

     The following snazzy little game was an especially interesting one when it was played because in the good old days when the double Rook sacrifice was played it was startling, exciting and sensational. Of course, it still is even though the underlying principle is pretty well known...in order to capture both Rooks the victim's Queen allows itself to be lured away from the scene of action, namely an attack on his exposed King.

Alexander Alekhine - Grigory Levenfish

Result: 1-0

Site: St. Petersburg First Category Tmt

Date: 1912

Schmid Benoni

[...] 1.d4 c5 The Benoni as it was originally played was usually condemned. These days the Schmid Benoni, as it is called, is where white's c-Pawn remains on c2 instead of c4. Without the usual Q-side P-majority black's counterplay loses its sting. Karpov's win against Korchnoi's Schmid Benoni in the final, decisive world championship game in 1978 didn't help its reputation. 2.d5 ♘f6 3.♘c3 d6 4.e4 g6 5.f4 Today the preferred move is 5. Nf3 5...♘bd7 6.♘f3 Black does not seem to have any decent way of countering white's initiative. 6...a6

6...♕c7 7.♕e2 This is the most dangerous to black.

7.♗c4 a6 8.a4 ♗g7 9.O-O O-O 10.♕e2 ♘b6 11.♗a2 ♗g4 and in Trompowsky, O-Corral,H/Montevideo 1954 a draw was soon agreed to.

7...♘b6 8.a4 ♗g4 9.♘b5 ♕b8 10.c4 a6 11.♘c3 ♗g7 Chances are even. Vidmar,M-Menchik,V/Carlsbad 1929

6...♗g7 7.e5 dxe5 8.fxe5 ♘g4 9.e6 ♘de5 10.♗b5+ ♔f8 and white is much better. Bellin,R (2385)-Olkinuora,H (2040)/Gausdal 1996

7.e5 This early assault by Alekhine before either side has completed their development is most impressive. 7...dxe5 8.fxe5 ♘g4 9.e6 This gut punch is very painful for black! 9...♘de5 10.♗f4 ♘xf3+ 11.gxf3 ♘f6 12.♗c4

12.exf7+ is also good. 12...♔xf7 13.♕d2 b5 14.O-O-O with a promising position. Note black can't play his intended ...b4 14...b4 15.♘e4 ♘xe4 16.fxe4 ♗d7 17.♗c4 ♔g8 18.♗c7 ♕e8 (18...♕xc7 19.d6+) 19.d6+ e6 20.♕g5 with a very strong attack.

12...fxe6 13.dxe6 ♕b6 By going after the b-Pawn black is barking up the wrong tree. He should try 13...Qd4 after which he would at least have a fighting chance. (13...♕d4 14.♕xd4 cxd4 15.♘a4 b5 16.♘b6 and white is better.) 14.♕e2 ♕xb2 Way too greedy. In spite of everything his position is far from hopeless after 14...Bg7 and ...O-O. 15.♘b5 This is the only move that seals black's fate.

15.♔d2 Trying to save his Rs is good for black! 15...♕b6 16.♖ab1 ♕a5 17.♖b5 Best 17...axb5 18.♗xb5+ ♗d7 19.exd7+ ♘xd7 20.♕e6 ♗g7! and suddenly the chances are equal.

15...♕xa1+

15...axb5 is unplayable because after 16.♗xb5+ ♗d7 17.exd7+ ♘xd7 18.♗e5 white is winning.

16.♔f2 ♕xh1

16...♕d4+ fails to save the game... 17.♘xd4 cxd4 18.♗b5+ axb5 19.♕xb5+ ♗d7 20.exd7+ ♘xd7 21.♕xb7 ♖xa2 22.♕c8+ ♔f7 23.♕xd7 ♖xc2+ 24.♔g3 ♗g7 25.♕d5+ ♔e8 26.♖a1 ♖c8 27.♗g5 ♖d8 28.♕e6 ♗f8 29.♖a7 mates in 3.

17.♘c7+ ♔d8 18.♕d2+ ♗d7 19.exd7 Black resigned.

19.exd7 ♘e4+ 20.fxe4 ♕xe4 21.♘e6+ ♕xe6 22.♗xe6 a5 23.♕d5 ♗g7 24.♕xc5 ♗d4+ 25.♕xd4 a4 26.♕xh8#

Powered by Aquarium