Browsing An Old Reinfeld Potboiler - Again

    A couple of years ago I did a post about browsing an old Reinfeld potboiler and today’s game is another one taken from the book that you will enjoy. The finish makes a good tactical puzzle; it features a Q sacrifice, an underpromotion and a back rank mate. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Event "Unknown"] [Site "?"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Anonymous"] [Black "Anonymous"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B85"] [Annotator "Fred Reinfeld,Stockfish"] [PlyCount "47"] {B85: Sicilian Scheveningen} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 {Reinfeld comments that white has a well-centralized N and black cannot imitate it. Note also that white controls the important center square d5.On these two grounds it seems likely that white will dominate the center and will therefore enjoy superior mobility, he says.} Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2 e6 {Black has set up the Scheveningen Variation in which he [laces his e-Pawn on e6 where it guards d5 rather than play the space-gaining ...e5. The e-Pawn also prepares ...Be7 followed by ...O-O. White can often launch an attack by advancing his K-side Ps.6.Rg1.} 7. Be3 Be7 8. O-O O-O {Reinfeld asks, "How has the situation developed as regards mobility?" He explains: both qhite Bs have free diagonals while both of black' are hemmed in. His claim that "The outlook for black's game is very unpromising." does not ring true. Statistically black wins his share of games. White's job is to figure out how utilize his mobility. Advancing his K-side Ps is the usual answer.} 9. f4 {[%mdl 32]} Qc7 {This move is frequently played, but it does not give good results. A-side counterplay beginning with 9...a5 produces better results. 9///Bd7 is also a possibility/} 10. g4 {[%mdl 32] This rare move is rather rash, but not at all bad.} (10. Kh1 a6 11. a4 Re8 12. Bf3 {is the Main Line which has been played countless times with about equal chances.}) 10... a6 {After white's last move this is a bit too slow...more aggressive play is called for.} (10... Nxd4 11. Bxd4 e5 { This is also playable if white takes with the Q,} 12. Be3 exf4 13. Bxf4 Qc5+ { with equal chances.}) 11. g5 {It's pretty clear that black i going to be on the defensive and that he is going to have to be careful.} Ne8 {Much too passive! In Castrillon Gomez,M (2169)-Culma,R (2036) Ortega COL, 2014, black tried 11...Nxd4 but both players misplayed the subsequent moves. A better idea is 11...Nd7 and ...e5} 12. f5 Qd8 {Black has played 12...Bd7 and 12...Ne5 here. The idea of the text is to put pressure on white's advancing Ps. Whatever he does he is facing a strong attack.} 13. h4 Nxd4 14. Qxd4 {Black's passive opening play has resulted in white getting a very promising position.} e5 { A very poor move. True, it drives away the Q, but at the cost of permanently losing d5. As Reinfeld observes, this vital center square now becomes a hole completely in white's control and black weak on the light squares.} (14... Rb8 {striving for play on the Q-side is the best chance.} 15. Rf2 b5 16. Rd1 Rb7 17. Bd3 Rc7 18. fxe6 fxe6 19. Rdf1 Rxf2 20. Rxf2 Bb7 {White is better, but black is far from lost.}) 15. Qd2 Nc7 16. Bb6 {Nd5 would now be deadly.} Qd7 17. Rf2 Bd8 18. Raf1 {White menaces a decisive breakthrough with 19..f6 g6 20. h5} f6 {Black stops the threatened advance of white's f-Pawn, but his just further weakens his K-side and white breaks through in a different way. Unfortunately for black there wasn't anything that was really better because at this point white is winning.} 19. Bc4+ Kh8 20. g6 h6 21. Bf7 Qc6 22. Bxc7 { White could also win with 22.Be3, but it's a bit more complicated and the text is good enough.} Bxc7 23. Rg2 {White threatens Qxh6+! and mate.} d5 {After this it's white to nate in 4} (23... Rxf7 24. gxf7 Bd7 25. Rg6 Bb6+ 26. Kh1 { it's a mate in 6.} Bxf5 27. Rxf5 Kh7 28. Qg2 Qc7 29. Rxg7+ Kh8 30. Rg8+ Rxg8 31. fxg8=Q#) 24. Qxh6+ {[%mdl 576] Black resigned. A puzzle-like finish! Here's Fritz 19s breakdown: Mistakes: White=0 Black=7 Inaccurate: White=3 Black=0 OK moves: White=4 Black=3 Best moves: White=0 Black=1 Brilliant: White=1 Black=0} (24. Qxh6+ gxh6 25. g7+ Kh7 26. gxf8=N+ Kh8 27. Rg8#) 1-0