A Brilliancy Prize Also Ran

    The previous post featured a Brilliancy Prize game from the 1940 Metropolitan Chess League in New York. Today's game features the other game that was considered, but didn’t make it. Like the preceding game, this one is not really a brilliancy, but white’s attack is a very powerful one. 

ChessBase

S. Schwartz (Bronx CC)–S. Loewy (Astoria CC)1–0D05Met Leafue Match, New York City1940Stockfish 16

D05: Colle System 1.d4 d5 2.f3 f6 3.e3 e6 4.d3 bd7 5.bd2 e7 6.0-0 0-0 7.e1 c5 8.c3 Nowadays GM John Nunn and others regard the Colle as slow and innocuous, but solid. It's main advantage for amateurs is that is that it keeps the opening simple. c4 Black's plan is simplt...expand on the Q-side. Normal is 8...b6 9.c2 b5 10.e4 This is white's main strategy in the Colle and black has allowed him to carry it out unhindered. Even so, white cannot demonstrate any special advantage. b7 But this is wrong because it allow white to gain valuable soace and institute a dangerous K-side attack. 10...dxe4 and black has nothing to worry about. 11.xe4 b7 with a solid position. 11.e5 Already black is in serious trouble. e8 11...e4 is no better. 12.xe4 dxe4 13.d2 f5 14.exf6 xf6 15.xe4 with a clearly superior position. 12.f1 Repositioning the N so it cam participate in the attack. g6 Black wants to make room for his N to reach f5 and hopefully gum up white's J-side attack, but instead all this move does id weaken his K's position. His nest chance wa sto try and expand on the Q-side with 12...a5 13.h6 g7 14.e3 e8 15.g4 f8 16.d2 f5 17.f4 a5 This comes far too late to be of any help as black's weak dark squares on the K-side are already fatal. 18.h4 xh4 Opening up the h-file certainly does not help his cause, but there was really nothing that would save the game. 19.xh4 xh4 20.f6+ 20.e3 was even stronger. For example... d7 21.h3 e7 22.g7 h4 22...f5 23.exf6 xf6 24.xf6 xf6 25.xf6+ 23.xh4 xh4 24.f6+ xf6 25.xh4 20...xf6 21.exf6 d7 21...e5 was his best try. 22.dxe5 e6 23.g3 d4 24.cxd4 xd4 25.ab1 ad8 26.e3 d5 27.bd1 c6 28.f4 it's clear that white is better, but there is no forced win. In fact, in Shootouts white scored 5-0, but the win at 15 plies, for example, tool over 100 moves, so in practice black would have some chances of saving the game. 22.g7 c8 22...e5 loses to 23.dxe5 xe5 24.xe5 xe5 25.xe5 23.g4 b4 23...c6 24.e3 e5 25.dxe5 xe5 26.h3 The threat of Qh6 cannot be met. 24.e3 A winning Rook lift. c6 25.h3 There is no way to meet the coming Rxh7 e5 This wouldn't work before and it won't work now; white mates in 3 25...xf6 This holes out for 7 more moves. 26.xf6 h5 27.gxh5 c7 28.hxg6 fxg6 29.h8+ f7 30.h4+ g7 31.h6+ f7 32.xg6# 26.xh7 It;s mate in 2 xf6 27.h8+ Black resigned. It's mate next move, A pleasing attack by chwartz. 1–0

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