A Mieses Classic

     Back in the good old days it seems sacrifices were played instinctively and the “combinations” as tactics were called then were, if mot sound, always exciting and sensational. 

     In the case of the double Rook sacrifice the principle underlying the sacrifice is simple and fairly well known. It happens when the victim’s King is exposed and he removes his Queen from the action by grabbing both Rooks that are sitting on the 1st or 8th rank. 

     This Craddock—Mieses game is a good example. Craddicj grabs both Rooks which puts his Queen is out of the game on h8. Mieses’ Queen on the other hand is poised to end the game quickly. 

     James M. Craddock 1913-2001) was the under-18 British Champion in 1929, 1930 and 1931 and played top board for Cambridge in his college days. He played for the National Liberal Chess Circle. 

     Jacques Mieses (1865-1954) was born in Leipzig. He won the chess championship of Berlin at the age of 17 and was a professional player. In 1938 Mieses settled in England and became a British citizen. He was awarded the Grandmaster title in 1950. 

[Event "Club game, London"] [Site ""] [Date "1939.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "James Craddock"] [Black "Jacques Mieses"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A25"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "28"] [EventDate "1939.??.??"] {[%evp 9,28,-26,39,30,81,6,48,40,50,-4,-19,-290,-297,-612,-618,-29994,-29995, -29997,-29998,-29998,-29999] A25: English Opening} 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Bb4 5. e3 {At this point white has played just about every reasonable move you can think of, but the most popular by far is 5.Nf3} d6 6. Nge2 Bg4 {This is not particularly effective. Simply 6...O-O was more precie.} 7. Qb3 {This gets out of the pin and threatens 8...Bxc6+} (7. h3 {is better.} Be6 8. Nd5 Ba5 9. a3 Bb6 10. Nec3 O-O 11. b4 {with a favorable game.}) 7... Rb8 {Or 7...O-O} 8. Nd5 Bc5 {Now the reason for black's odd looking last move is clear.} 9. Nxf6+ {He could still have played 9.h3. The text is not really bad, but as it turns out white is barking up the wrong tree.} Qxf6 {This move contains a trap which Craddock fails to fathom.} (9... gxf6 {This may have been what white was anticipating and it gives him a good game after} 10. h3 Be6 11. O-O {and he can hope to take advantage of black's compromised K-side.}) 10. Bxc6+ {[%mdl 8192] After this white falls victim to a quick attack.} (10. Nc3 O-O 11. Nd5 Qg6 12. O-O {is completely equal.} (12. Nxc7 {would land white in difficulties after} Bf5 13. O-O (13. a3 Bc2 14. Qa2 Qd3 15. Nb5 Nd4 16. exd4 exd4 {with mate in 5} 17. f4 Rbe8+ 18. Be4 Qxe4+ 19. Kf2 Qe2+ 20. Kg1 d3+ 21. Nd4 Bxd4#) 13... Bc2 14. Qb5 (14. Qc3 Bb4 {The Q is trapped.}) 14... a6 15. Nxa6 Na7 16. Qa5 bxa6 17. Qxa6 Bd3 18. Re1 e4) 12... Be2 13. Re1 Bd3 {White's position is cramped, but free of organic weaknesses.}) 10... bxc6 11. Qxb8+ { Falling victim to the classic double R sacrifice. He could have held out longer by retreating the Q to d1, but hjis position would be pretty ugly.} (11. Qd1 O-O 12. a3 d5 13. b4 Be7 14. Bb2 (14. O-O Bh3 15. Nc3 (15. Re1 Qf3 16. Nf4 Qxd1 17. Rxd1 exf4) 15... Bxf1) 14... Bf3 15. Rg1 dxc4 16. Qc2 c5) 11... Kd7 12. Qxh8 {With the Q out of play black has a mate in 6} (12. Qb3 {This attempt to weasel out of difficulty also results in a complete rout.} Qf3 13. Qd3 Qxh1+ 14. Ng1 Qxg1+ 15. Qf1 Qxh2) 12... Qf3 13. Kd1 (13. Kf1 Qxe2+ 14. Kg2 Qf3+ 15. Kg1 Bh3 16. Qd8+ Kxd8 {mate next move.}) 13... Qxe2+ 14. Kc2 Qxc4+ {White resigned. A real debacle.} (14... Qxc4+ 15. Kb1 Qd3#) 0-1