Winner Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia got off to a bad start that involved a draw in the first round and a loss to Alexander in the second.
Alexander and Matanovich led the field up to the halfway point. At that point Alexander began to fade while Matanovich lost in the eighth round against Bogoljubow who was just beginning to amass a few points.
It was not until the eighth round that Gligoric succeeded in catching up with the leaders. After that he retained his lead until the end and was finally helped by Bogoljubow who smashed Trifunovich in the penultimate round thus paving the way for Gligorich to finish first by a half point.
The following game played between Yugoslav (Serbian) GM Aleksandar Matanovic and Nicolas Rossolimo made a great impression on Dr. Max Euwe who called it an Immortal Game.
The name Nicolas Rossolimo is probably familiar, but hsi opponent probably is not.
Aleksandar Matanovic (born May 23, 1930) was junior champion of Yugoslavia in 1948 and Yugoslav national champion in 1962 (joint), 1969 and 1978 and he finished second in 1951, 1956, 1959 and 1967.
He is probably most famous for being the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Chess Informant which was first published in 1966. The Informants contained, among sections on openings, tactics and endings, several hundred games most of which were annotated with the then new system of codes for the classification of openings and its system of symbols such as = and +/=, etc.
Concerning the following game, Euwe asked, "How close is the bond between practical chess and problem chess?" and "Can I improve my game by devoting myself systematically to problem-solving?"
In answer, Euwe pointed out that while a problem uses the same
sort of material as in OTB play the goal is not quite the same. In problems the objective is to force mate in a specified number of moves.
Still, in problems and OTB, they have one thing in common...they call for the deployment of the pieces at maximum power. For this reason there are times in practical chess when there is a close approach to the problem world, and such was the case in the last round Matanovic-Rossloimo game.
Euwe wrote, "Rarely have I seen such a succession of problem moves-not restricted to one side, by the way, as the limited canons of problem art require, with one side having all the chances against a powerless adversary." He described the game as a sharp duel with each player "striving ingeniously to compose a problem of unique freshness and subtlety"
I'm not so sure you can actually call this game an "Immortal", but it had it's brilliant moments, even on the loser's part.
Aleksandar Matanovic - Nicolas Rossolimo
Result: 0-1
Site: Staunton Centenary, England
Date: 1951
Ruy Lopez
[...] 1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 a6 4.♗a4 ♘f6 5.O-O ♗e7 6.♖e1 b5 7.♗b3 d6 8.c3 ♗g4 This move, which is made with the idea of exerting indirect pressure on the center, is frowned upon by theory. White can counter it by avoiding d4 and playing d2 which leaves black's B rather ineffectual and usually it has to retreat to either d7 or g6. 9.h3 The most theoretical way to counter black's last move is 9.d3 followed by Nd2-f1 eventually forcing a decision on the black B after black has castled. The disadvantage of the text is that it requires white to play g4 which slightly weakens his K-side which invites black to attack. 9...♗h5 10.d3 h6
10...♕d7 11.a4 ♖b8 12.♘bd2 g5 13.axb5 axb5 14.♘f1 g4 15.hxg4 ♗xg4 worked out well for white in Charbonneau,P (2501)-Ibragimov,I (2624)/Montreal 2006
11.g4 Euwe wrote that this mvoe is more or less forced as black was threatening the advance ...g5-g4 thereby exploiting the weakening 9.h3. Actually, Euwe's evaluation is nowhere near correct as that plan did not work out well for black in the Onischuk-Kornilov game.
11.♘bd2 Black should now castle. 11...g5 12.♘f1 g4 13.hxg4 ♗xg4 14.♘e3 ♕d7 15.♘xg4 ♕xg4 16.♘h2 White is better and in the game went on to win in 28 moves. Onischuk,V (2349)-Kornilov,P (2079)/Minsk 2005
11...♗g6 12.♘h4 ♕d7 Note by the way that black need not fear the capture on g6 because it opens the f-file which is to his advantage.
12...h5 This is premature as after 13.g5 ♘h7 14.♕f3 ♖f8 (14...O-O 15.♘xg6) 15.♗d5 ♔d7 16.♕g2 ♘xg5 17.d4 followed by a4 and white has a huge advantage.
13.♕f3
13.♘xg6 fxg6 14.a4 ♘a5 15.axb5 ♘xb3 16.♕xb3 ♖b8 17.♖xa6 ♘xg4 18.hxg4 ♕xg4+ 19.♔f1 ♖f8 20.♗e3 ♖f3 21.♖e2 ♖h3 22.♔e1 ♖h1+ 23.♔d2 ♕g1 24.♕c2 ♕xb1 25.♕xb1 ♖xb1 26.♔c2 A fascinating unclear position. In Shootouts white scored +3 -0 =3, but the generally they were long Q+P ending, so black certainly has drawing chances in practical play.
13...♘a5 14.♗c2 ♘h7 Carefully preparing his counterplay. 15.♘f5 ♗f6 16.♘d2 h5 Playable because the reply g5 is out of the question. 17.♘f1 hxg4 18.♕xg4 Surprising but not bad. White cannot tolerate Black's occupying g5. 18...♘c6 19.♘1g3 ♘f8 Heading for e6 now that occupying the square g5 is not feasible. 20.a4 According to Rossolimo this Q-side activity ultimately proves futile and the right course was 20.Be3 followed by Rad1 and d4. But, that's a rather simplistic suggestion that does not work out in practice. Actually, 20.a4 is perfectly OK here.
20.♗e3 ♗xf5 21.exf5 ♖h4 22.♕e2 ♘h7 23.d4 ♔f8 24.dxe5 ♘xe5 25.f4 ♘c4 26.♕f3 ♖e8 27.♗f2 with equal chances.
20...♖b8 21.axb5 axb5 White has succeeded neutralizing black's K-side attack and now the opening of the a-file assures him of at least equality. 22.♖a6 ♘e6 23.b4 However, with this move white weakens his c-Pawn, a factor which may be of importance in certain eventualities. As a result, the position is now equal.
23.♗e3 would have kept a slight advantage after 23...♘e7 24.♗b3 ♗xf5 25.exf5 ♘d8 26.♗g5 ♗xg5 27.♕xg5 followed d4 at the appropriate moment.
23...♔f8 24.♗b3 ♘cd8
24...♘f4 is very inviting, but it results in great complications. After 25.♗xf4 exf4 26.♕xf4 ♗xc3 Threatening to capture the b-Pawn. White's best line is 27.♕c1 ♗xe1 28.♖xc6 ♖c8 29.♗d5 ♗xf5 30.♘xf5 g6 31.♘g3 ♗xf2+ 32.♔xf2 ♖xh3 The position is unclear. Black does best to avoid all these complications.
25.d4 This pretty sacrifice of two Ps in order to storm black's position is not quite correct, but it is far more interesting than the boring 25.Bd5 25...exd4 26.f4 dxc3 27.e5 dxe5 White gets slightly the better of it after this. (27...♗xf5 28.♘xf5 g6 29.exf6 gxf5 30.♕xf5 with a balanced position.) 28.fxe5 ♗e7 29.♖d1 ♕e8 30.♖f1 Black's pieces have been thrown back, and his only hope is the strong defensive strength of his Ns. 30...♖b6 In view of white's threat of Bxe6, black adds additional protection to the N on e6, but how about his B on g6?
30...♔g8 was better, but white is slightly better after 31.h4 ♗f8 32.h5 ♗xf5 33.♘xf5
31.♖xb6 This lets black off the hook!
31.♖a8 keeps up relentless pressure. In fact, white is winning here. 31...f6 32.♘xe7 ♔xe7 33.♖d1 ♔f7 34.♘f5 ♗xf5 35.♕xf5 ♔e7 36.♖axd8 ♘xd8 37.♗e3 with a winning attack. 37...♘e6 38.♗c5+ ♘xc5 39.exf6+ ♖xf6 40.♕xc5+ ♖d6 41.♖e1+ wins the Q
31...♗xf5 The only move, but it is quite sufficient. (31...cxb6 32.♕xg6 fxg6 33.♘d6+ ♘f7 34.♘xe8 ♔xe8 35.♗xe6 wins) 32.♘xf5 Capturing with the Q or R leaves him a piece down with a lost position after 32...cxb6 32...cxb6 33.♖f3 But this is wrong. Correct was 33.h4 after which black has no really useful moves and about all he can do is shuffle his pieces back and forth. For his part, white has no way to force and advantage either. Things are kind of stalemated. I will not give a "best" line here as Stockfish could not seem to come up with anything clear cut!! 33...♕c6 Obviously black does not intend to part with his only consolation, the passed P, without putting up a fight. 34.♖g3 g6 35.♘xe7 ♔xe7 36.♗g5+ ♔e8 37.♗f6 ♖h5 38.♕d1 ♖f5 39.♖d3 ♕c7 40.♕c1 It's quite possible that the time control was approaching and that white was in time pressure. This move is a losing blunder because it gives black an opportunity to obtain a measure of freedom in his rather constricted position. And, while it's true that the text threatens Qh6, black can easily parry the threat.
40.♕c2 is correct because black must give up the exchange with either 40...Rxe5 or 40...Rxf6 after which the game, while technically equal, is difficult for black to play. 40...♖xe5 41.♗xe5 ♕xe5 42.♕xc3 ♕xc3 43.♖xc3 ♘d4 44.♖e3+ ♔f8 45.♖d3 ♘8c6 46.♔f2 ♘xb3 47.♖xb3 With what result? In Shootouts all 7 games were drawn.
40...♘f4 White must be on guard against ...Ne2+ 41.♖e3 ♘de6 42.♗c2 ♘d4 Black threatens ...Nfe2+ and his Q and R would be on hand to cooperate in the attack. 43.♕a1
43.♕a3 This move was given by Euwe with a magnificent drawing line as follows... 43...♘xc2 44.♕a8+ ♔d7 45.♖d3+ ♘xd3 46.♕d5+ and draws. Amazing!!
43.♕a3 unfortunately, Euwe missed the fly in the ointment. 43...♘xh3+ There are also other moves that keep the win in hand. Capture of the B on c2 was simply an outright blunder. 44.♖xh3 (44.♔g2 ♘f4+ 45.♔g3 ♘de2+ 46.♔g4 ♕c8 47.e6 ♖xf6 winning) 44...♘e2+ 45.♔g2 ♕b7+ 46.♗e4 ♕xe4+ 47.♖f3 ♕xf3+ 48.♔h2 ♖h5+ mate next move.
43...♘fe2+
43...♘xh3+ was even more forceful. 44.♔h2 (44.♖xh3 ♘e2+ and all roads lead to mate.) 44...♖xf6 45.♔xh3 ♕c8+ 46.♔g3 ♘xc2 47.♖xc3 ♖c6 and black wins.
44.♔g2 ♕b7+ Best!
44...♘xc2 allows white to equalize! 45.♕a8+ ♔d7 46.♕d5+ draws
45.♗e4 ♘c2 An amazing counterstroke. Anything else allows white to equalize. 46.♗xb7 Almost all of black's pieces are en prise, and yet white has no choice.
46.♖xe2 ♕xe4+ 47.♖xe4 ♘xa1 48.♖e1 ♘c2 49.♖c1 ♘xb4 50.♖xc3 ♘d5 is winning for black.
46...♘xe3+ Another brilliant move.
46...♘xa1 is a mistake. 47.♖xe2 c2 48.♗c6+ ♔f8 49.e6 ♖xf6 50.e7+ ♔g7 51.♖xc2 ♖e6 52.♖a2 ♖xe7 53.♖xa1 White is winning, but he will have technical difficulties.
47.♔h1 If it were white's move he could play 47.Qa8+, but it's not. 47...♖f1+ 48.♕xf1 ♘xf1 The resulting exchange of the heavy pieces means that the passed P now plays a decisive role. 49.♗c6+ ♔f8 50.♗xb5 c2 This lengthens the game.
50...♘fg3+ seems even better 51.♔g2 ♘h5 52.♗xe2 ♘xf6 is decisive.
51.♗g5 ♘fg3+ 52.♔g2 ♘e4 Again, not the strongest.
52...♘d4 53.♗h6+ ♔e7 54.♗g5+ ♔e6 55.♗c4+ ♔f5 56.♗d2 ♘ge2 57.♗xf7 c1=♕ 58.♗xc1 ♘xc1 with a won ending.
53.♗h6+ ♔e7 54.♗d3 (54.♗xe2 runs into 54...g5 and the P queens.) 54...c1=♕ 55.♗xc1 ♘xc1 56.♗xe4 Material equality has been reestablished; but black's N is more effective than the B and his K is in more active. All of which adds up to a routine win. 56...♘a2 57.b5 ♘c3 58.♗c6 ♔e6 59.♔f3 ♔xe5 60.♗e8 ♔e6 61.♔f4 ♘d5+ 62.♔g5 ♘c7 63.♗c6 ♔e5 64.h4 ♘e6+ 65.♔g4 ♘d4 66.♗e8 ♔e6 67.♔f4 ♔e7 68.♔e4 ♔xe8 69.♔xd4 f6 Matanovic resigned. Somehow it seems that his play deserved more than a zero. Rossolimo once suggested a scoring system using a panel of judges in which points were assigned based on who played the most beautiful moves. He added in such a system it might be possible for the loser to receive more points than the winner if he played the most beautiful moves!! Powered by Aquarium
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