Today’s game is another instructive win by Alexander Kotov. This time the victum was the English IM Harry Golombek (1911-1995, 83 years old). Born in London, he warded the IM title at its inception in 1950 and an Emeritus GM title in 1985. Golombek was British Champion in 1947, 1949 and 1955. He was an accomplished author with biographies on Capablanca and Reti as well as other lesser known chess books.
In this game Kotov again demonstrates his tactical prowess. We all enjoy tactics and this game shows how sometimes in a very deeply calculated variation a surprise tactic is lurking. And, sometimes they are found only by accident. In this game Kotov used a tactical
blows to solve a comp1icated strategical problem.
Alexander Kotov–Harry Golombek1–0E24Venice ITA11Venice ITA10.1950Stockfosh 17
E24: Nimzo-Indian: Saemisch 1.d4 f6 2.c4 e6 3.c3 b4 4.a3 This sharp
move, the Saemisch Variation, has fallen into disuse in favor of the
Rubinstein Variation (4,e3) or the Capablanca Variation (4.Qb2). Originally 4.
a3 was a direct attempt to refute the Nimzo0Indian. White accepts doubled Ps
to get the two Bs. xc3+ 5.bxc3 Black has several possibilities; the most
common is to blockade the c-Pawns with 5....c5 and then proceed to attack them
with ...b6, ...Ba6, ... Nc6-a5 and ...Rc8. As compensation, white gets a
strong P-center. d6 This seldom played move has not proven very successful. 6.f3 6.e4 This is an interesting move suggested by Stockfish which has
been played only rarely. In the few example I foind black always played 6...e6,
bit theengine line looks intriguing. xe4 7.g4 f5 8.xg7 f6 9.xf6 xf6 10.d3 with equal chances. 6...e5 Golombek choose a system that aims to
restrict the advance of white;s Ps. White's goal is now to break thorough
while black will try to consolidate his position. 6...c5 is an alternative.
7.e4 c6 8.e3 b6 9.d3 and black can play either 9...Na5 or 9...e5 with
equal chances. 7.e4 c6 8.e3 8.g5 e7 9.e2 d7 10.g3 h6 with
equality. Bosiocic,M (2562)-Postny,E (2662) 13. EICC Plovdiv BUL 2012 8...b6 9.d3 0-0 9...a5 10.e2 c5 11.g4 e7 12.h4 a6 13.d5 0-0-0 equals.
Malinovsky,P (1971)-Rocha,S (2316) World Senior 50+ 2022 Assisi ITA 10.e2 a6 10...a5 11.g3 c5 12.d5 a6 13.e2 c7 White has the more active
position. Dimitrov,R (2437)-Emiroglu,C (2260) 52. World Juniors Kocaeli TUR
2013 11.g3 This makes room for the Q on e2 in the event black plays ...
Na5 with a double attack on the P on c4. In failing to play 11...Na5 Golobek's
position begins to deteriorate. d7 The Q is badly placed here as it allows
white to carry out a P maneuver which secures him a positional advantage. 12.f5 Even better was 12.O-O and 13.f4 e8 This move is too pssive. On order
to stay in the game b;ack needs to play energetically. 12...h8 A high
class waiting move. 13.g5 13.f4 would be a mistake because after exf4 14.xf4 xe4 15.xe4 ae8 16.0-0 16.f3 xf5 16...xe4 Black is much
better/ 13...h5 14.d5 a5 with equal chances. 12...h5 13.f4 f6 13...exf4 This is ineffective with the N on e8 and not f6. 14.xf4 e7 15.xe7+ xe7 16.0-0 with an active position. 13...e7 Challenging the N
on e5 is his best try. After 14.xe7+ xe7 15.0-0 Black has two moves that
give him some active play: 15...f5 and 15...c5?! 14.d5 White has to play
vigorously or else black will generate counterplay on the Q-side. Consequently,
Kotov decides to block the center which sets a clever tactical trap. a5
Attacking the c-Pawn is routine and quite logical, but Golombek has not
noticed the lurking dangers. Although white still has the better of it,
challenging the N on e5 with 14...Ne7 was better. 15.c5 Kotov
makes an astute observation stating that "tactics are the service of strategy.
" With this move white turns the weak c4 square into a strong styrategic
outpost. that practically decides the outcome. Whi te's strong P-formation
separates so that they are unable to offer any coordinated resistance. xd3 16.c6 Driving a serious wedge in black's position. d8 17.xd3 Notice how
poorly placed all of black's pieces are. g6 18.h6+ g7 19.f5 Beginning
the final assault against which black is destitute of any real defensive
resources. g5 WIth the pitiful hope yjay his opponent will allow the K-side
to be locked up. 20.h4 20.g4 h5 21.f2 b3 and black can offer some
resistance. 20...b3 Of course the N cannot be taken. 20...xh6 21.hxg5+ g7 22.g6 h8 23.e2 White adds his Q to the fray. g8 24.g4 g7 25.h6 Intending to double on the h-file. e7 26.h4 wins. 21.b1 c5 22.xc5 dxc5 Black is completely helpless. 23.g3 h8 23...g4 is just a
fraction better. 24.xg4 e7 25.f2+ h8 26.e3 g8 with a very faint
hope that he can use the g-file to beat back the attack. 27.g4 ...but it's
not likely; black's pieces are just too limited in scope. 24.hxg5 fxg5 25.g4 f6 26.xe5 d6 Leading to mate is 26 ... Qe8 27 Nxf6 Qxe5 28 Rxh7. Now,
however, the exchange of queens and knights is forced, after which the rook
ending is won without difficulty for White thanks to the menacing c6 pawn. 26...e8 hoping to trade Qs is met by 27.xf6 which eventually leads to
mate. Black cannot play xe5 28.xh7# 27.xd6 cxd6 28.xf6 xf6 Golombek has successfully beaten off the attack and reached
a double R ending whicj are often difficult for the superior side to win. but
here white plays with gfreat finesse and opens files for his Rs while black's
are powerless. 29.d2 e8 30.d3 g7 31.a4 Kotov begins a very clever
winning maneuver. f7 32.a5 bxa5 33.g4 fe7 34.he1 f6
One might expect white to attempt some sort of a R invasion on the a- or
h-file, nut he has a tactical trick up his sleeve that results in two
connected passed Ps on d5 and c6 which are decisive. 35.e5+
Decisive. Golombek's play was actually quite good, but Kotov's was even better!
35.e5+ A sample line might be dxe5 36.e4 Black has no useful move. d8 37.h1 f7 38.d6 There was no way to prevent this. a4 39.c7 c8 40.h6+ g7 41.b8 xh6 42.xc8 a3 43.g8 a2 44.c8 a1 45.e6+ f6 46.xf6# 1–0
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