One of the BEST GAMES EVER PLAYED?!

    Back in 2006 Andrew Soltis published a book titled The 100 Best Chess Games of the 20th Century in which games were judged on 1) overall aesthetics quality, 2) originality, 3) level of opposition, 4) soundness, 5) accuracy and 6) difficulty. The games were played between 1900 and 1999 and had already gained some attention in books and magazines. While you may not agree with Soltis’ selections, it’s still a great book. 

    While today’s engines will uncover some flaws both in the games and the analysis, let’s not get too picky! Playing over them is just plain enjoyable. 

    Let’s take a look at one of the games...the one Soltis considers the sixth best game ever played. It’s Lilienthal vs. Ragozin, Moscow 1935. 

    After the 1925 Moscow tournament and the 1933 Botvinnik - Flohr match, Nikolai Krylenko, head of Soviet chess, wanted to test the Soviet players against the best Western players. To that end eight foreign players, including two former World Champions, were invited to play against 12 Soviet players.

 

    How great was the 1935 tournament? When Max Euwe's book Strategy and Tactics was published back in 1937 he used as examples seven games from the event, but this game was not one of them, probably because it did not fit the themes Euwe was discussing. 

    In the featured game, Ragozin sacrificed the exchange, not once, but twice and Soltis correctly thinks it was impressive. Botvinnik wrote that Ragozin played an extremely fine combination, perhaps one of the finest on record. Dutch GM Ham Timman wrote that it was, "One of the best games and one of the finer combinations ever recorded." 

    How great is the game, really? Stockfish 16’s long shadow dims the brilliance some, but not much. 

[Event "Moscow"] [Site "?"] [Date "1935.02.16"] [Round "?"] [White "Andre Lilienthal"] [Black "Viacheslav Ragozin"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E24"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "94"] {Nimzo-Indian} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 {At the time this game was played this, the Saemisch Variation, was the most popular continuation. Black cedes the two Bs, but gives white doubled Ps. For his part white hopes to establish a strong center. 4.e3 is preferred by modern players.} Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 c5 {Even today this is the main line, but it’s not the only choice black has. } 6. f3 {White’s strategy is to build up a strong center with the hopes of launching a K-side attack.} d5 7. e3 O-O 8. cxd5 exd5 {This is the choice of humans; engines prefer 8...Nxd5} 9. Bd3 Nc6 10. Ne2 Re8 11. O-O a6 {The beginning of a plan to expand on the Q-side.} (11... h6 {lead to an interesting idea by white.} 12. Ra2 {There's a point to this seemingly pointless move!} Be6 13. Nf4 Rc8 14. g4 Nd7 15. Qe1 Na5 16. Rg2 Nf8 17. h4 { and in Bratanov,Z (2332)-Acs,P (2542) Budapest 2000 white scored a quick win.}) 12. Qe1 {It's been suggested that white should have met black's Q-side expansion with 12.a4, but that seem unnecessary.} (12. g4 {didn't yield much in Erdogan,H (2282)-Ataman,A (2209) Antalya 2008 which continued} b5 13. Ng3 Qb6 14. Kh1 Ra7 15. g5 Nd7 16. Nf5 Nf8 17. Nd6 Rd8 18. Nxc8 Rxc8 {with a completely equal position.}) (12. a4 Bd7 13. Rb1 Na5 14. e4 dxe4 15. fxe4 cxd4 16. Bg5 Bg4 17. Bxf6 gxf6 18. cxd4 Bxe2 19. Qxe2 Qxd4+ {with equal chances.}) 12... b5 {A struggle is beginning to shape up over white’s intention to advance his e-Pawn.} 13. Qf2 Be6 (13... c4 {was played in Ochkoos,J (2240) -Walker,B (2265) Toronto 1993} 14. Bc2 Ra7 15. Ng3 Rb7 16. e4 {White has achieved his desired advance, but...} dxe4 17. fxe4 Ng4 18. Qf4 {Black has the clever} Nxd4 19. Rd1 (19. cxd4 {loses} Qxd4+ 20. Kh1 Qxa1) 19... Nxc2 20. Rxd8 Rxd8 21. Ra2 Rd1+ 22. Nf1 Ne1 23. Rd2 {Black put up a tough fight, but eventually lost.}) 14. h3 {A necessary precaution for when he advances his e-Pawn.} Ra7 {What sn interesting strategic move. The R can now move anywhere on the 7th rank to occupy whatever file it might be needed on.} 15. Bd2 { Just a simple developing move, but he might have considered 15.a4} (15. e4 { looks OK here as after} dxe4 16. fxe4 cxd4 17. cxd4 Bc4 18. Bxc4 bxc4 19. e5 Nd5 {Chances are about even as white's a-Pawn is at least as weak as black's c-Pawn.}) (15. a4 {At this point this seems to lead to a favorable position for white after} c4 16. Bb1 b4 17. cxb4 Nxb4 18. e4 {with the better position.} ) 15... Qb6 16. Rfb1 {Not bad because it restrains black's Q-side Ps, however, the best continuation was the aggressive 16.e4!} (16. e4 {and now black's best continuation is} Nd7 17. Nf4 Ne7 18. Be3 c4 19. Bc2 Rb7 20. Rfe1 a5 21. Nh5 Kh8 22. Qg3 Rg8 23. Rab1 {with a clearly more active position.}) 16... Rae7 { This hinders the advance of the e-Pawn.} 17. a4 {White has succeeded in undermining black’s Q-side.} (17. e4 dxe4 18. fxe4 Bc4 19. Bxc4 Nxe4 20. Qf4 cxd4 21. Kh1 Qd8 22. Ba2 Nxd2 23. Qxd2 Rxe2 {with a decisive advantage.}) 17... c4 18. Bc2 Bc8 19. Ng3 {Having restrained black on the Q-side, white now switches his attention to the K-side.} h5 {Why this move? It prevents white from expanding on the K-side. What about the fact that it weakens the position of black’s K? It doesn’t because white is in no position to take advantage of it...at least noit just yet.} 20. Ne2 (20. e4 {Black can safely meet this, but things can get really, really wild!} h4 21. Nf1 dxe4 22. fxe4 Nxe4 23. Qxh4 Bf5 24. axb5 axb5 25. Ne3 {Here black has the clever} Nxd4 26. cxd4 Qxd4 27. Qf4 {Watch this!} Bxh3 28. gxh3 g5 29. Qf5 Re5 30. Qg4 Qxd2 31. Qf3 Nf6 32. Nf1 Qxc2 33. Qxf6 Qd3 {and all the winning chances belong to black.}) 20... Nd8 21. Ra2 Bd7 22. axb5 axb5 23. Rba1 {An interesting situation has arisen. White, it seems, is clearly better, but exactly how can white exploit his advantage? The answer is far from clear.} Bc8 24. Rb2 {With nothing to be accomplished on the a-file he concentrated on the b-Pawn.} Bd7 {Defending the P so white's last move didn't accomplish much.} 25. Qh4 {Turning his attention back toi the K-side.} Ne6 26. Kh1 (26. e4 {is met by} dxe4 27. fxe4 Nf8 28. Nf4 (28. e5 Rxe5 ) 28... N8h7 29. Nd5 Nxd5 30. exd5 Qd6 31. Bxh7+ Kxh7 32. Qxh5+ Kg8 33. Rf1 f6 34. Rf2 Re4 35. Rb1 Rd8 36. Rbf1 Be8 {Black has successfully defended against all threats and established equality.}) 26... Nf8 27. Ng3 {Hoping to support the advance of his e-Pawn.} Rxe3 {This move has been called all kinds of superlatives and give a ! or two and practically so. Unfortunately, the coldblooded Stockfish still prefers white’s position by two Ps! Still, you have to like it.} (27... Qd6 {Prosaic and unimaginative. This is the move Stockfish likes.} 28. e4 dxe4 29. Nxe4 Nxe4 30. fxe4 Bc6 31. d5 {with the advantage.}) 28. Bxe3 Rxe3 29. Nxh5 {With this move all white's advantage slips away because there is no attack left.} (29. Rba2 {Back to the other side where black no longer hasd any pieces.} Qe6 30. Bf5 Ng6 31. Qg5 Re1+ 32. Kh2 Rxa1 33. Rxa1 Qc6 34. Nxh5 Bxf5 35. Qxf5 Nxh5 36. Qxh5 {with a clear (winning) advantage.}) 29... Nxh5 30. Qxh5 Bc6 {This doesn't hurt anything, but there was no reason to avoid capturing the c-Pawn.} 31. Qg5 (31. Rba2 {is better.} Rxc3 32. Qe5 {Black must exercise extreme care.} Rxc2 (32... Ne6 33. Ra8+ Bxa8 34. Rxa8+ Nf8 35. Qe7 Rxc2 36. Rxf8+ Kh7 37. Qxf7 Rc1+ 38. Kh2 c3 (38... Qf6 39. Qg8+) 39. f4 c2 40. Qg8+ Kg6 41. f5+ Kh6 42. Qh8+ Kg5 43. Qxg7+ {wins}) 33. Rxc2 b4 {and black can fight on.}) 31... Rxc3 {Excellent! It looks like black has trapped his own R, but this is the equalizing move. Yes, equalizing, not winning.} (31... Re2 {is a dud.} 32. Rba2 Qb8 33. Bf5 Rxa2 34. Rxa2 b4 35. cxb4 Qxb4 36. Ra7 g6 37. Qg3 Qb6 38. Rc7 Ba4 39. Rc8 Qxd4 40. Qd6 Qg7 41. Bb1 { Black's c- and d-Pawns fall leaving white with a tough, but technical, win. In Shootouts white scored 5-0., but they were long (70-80 move) games.}) 32. Qd2 Rxc2 33. Rxc2 Ne6 {This should have turned the advantage over to white again had he doubled Rs on the a-file.} (33... b4 {was essential.} 34. Rb2 b3 (34... c3 35. Qxc3) 35. Rbb1 Ne6 36. Rd1 Qb8 {and white can make no progress.}) 34. Rd1 (34. Rca2 Qxd4 35. Qxd4 Nxd4 36. Rd1 Ne6 37. Ra6 Be8 38. Rxd5 Nc7 39. Re5 Nxa6 40. Rxe8+ Kh7 41. Rc8 {Black's Ps are held up and white is free to activate his K so he does have some winning chances. In Shootouts white scored +4 -0 -1, but some of the games went nigh on to 100 moves.}) 34... b4 35. Rb2 b3 36. Qc3 {The Ps are held up, but it takes all of white's pieces to do it, so his material advantage means little.} Nc7 {[%mdl 1024] Black has compensation.} 37. Re2 Qa7 38. Qb4 {Threatening the winning 39.Re7 or 39.Qd6} Nb5 (38... Kh7 39. Qd6 (39. Re7 Bb5 40. Qd6) 39... Ba4 40. Re7) 39. Re7 Qa3 { The exchange of Qs would give black a significant advantage.} 40. Qe1 (40. Qxa3 Nxa3 41. Rc7 Ba4 42. Ra7 c3 43. Rxa4 c2 44. Rg1 b2 45. Rxa3 b1=Q 46. Rxb1 cxb1=Q+) 40... c3 {[%mdl 32] As bad as things look for white there is still no win available for black!} 41. Re8+ (41. Ra1 {is also quite good.} Qd6 42. Re8+ {A must play move.} Bxe8 43. Qxe8+ Kh7 44. Qxb5 {This position ius drawn. For example...} b2 45. Qd3+ Qg6 46. Qxc3 bxa1=Q+ 47. Qxa1) 41... Bxe8 42. Qxe8+ { [%mdl 4096] As precarious as white's position looks it's still possible to hold it.} Kh7 43. Qxf7 {A very fine move. Grabbing the N would lose.} (43. Qxb5 c2 44. Re1 c1=Q 45. Qd3+ g6 46. Rxc1 Qxc1+ 47. Kh2 b2) 43... Qa8 44. Re1 { [%mdl 8192] As many annotators have pointed out this threatens to win with 44. Qh5+, but they all missed that it's the losing move!!} Nd6 {And wins.} (44... c2 45. Qh5+ Kg8 46. Re8+ Qxe8 47. Qxe8+ Kh7 48. Qh5+ Kg8 49. Qxd5+ Kh8 50. Qh5+ Kg8 51. Qc5 {and white wins from this position...the best line being...} Nxd4 52. Qc3 Kh7 53. Kh2 Kh8 54. Qxd4 c1=Q 55. Qh4+ Kg8 56. Qd8+ Kh7 57. Qd3+ Kh8 58. Qxb3) 45. Qc7 c2 46. Qxd6 b2 47. Qf4 {This is white's last hope.} Qc6 { White resigned} (47... b1=Q {would ve a terrible mistake!} 48. Qf5+ {and now black has only one move that does not lose} g6 (48... Kg8 {Watch what happens!} 49. Rxb1 cxb1=Q+ 50. Qxb1 Qc6 51. Qb8+ Kh7 52. Qe5 {with a won Q+P ending}) 49. Qf7+ Kh8 (49... Kh6 50. Qf4+ Kh7 51. Qf7+ {draws}) 50. Qf6+ Kh7 51. Qf7+ Kh8 52. Qf6+ Kh7 53. Qf7+ $11) (47... Qc6 48. Qf5+ Kg8 49. Kh2 c1=Q 50. Rg1 Q1c2 { wins easily}) 0-1