Tactical Blows by Kotov

    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.

 

[Event "Venice ITA"] [Site "Venice ITA"] [Date "1950.10.??"] [Round "11"] [White "Alexander Kotov"] [Black "Harry Golombek"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E24"] [Annotator "Stockfosh 17"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate "1950.??.??"] {E24: Nimzo-Indian: Saemisch} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 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.} Bxc3+ 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.} Nxe4 7. Qg4 f5 8. Qxg7 Qf6 9. Qxf6 Nxf6 10. Bd3 {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 Nc6 8. Be3 b6 9. Bd3 {and black can play either 9...Na5 or 9...e5 with equal chances.}) 7. e4 Nc6 8. Be3 (8. Bg5 Qe7 9. Ne2 Bd7 10. Ng3 h6 {with equality. Bosiocic,M (2562)-Postny,E (2662) 13. EICC Plovdiv BUL 2012}) 8... b6 9. Bd3 O-O (9... Na5 10. Qe2 c5 11. g4 Qe7 12. h4 Ba6 13. d5 O-O-O {equals. Malinovsky,P (1971)-Rocha,S (2316) World Senior 50+ 2022 Assisi ITA}) 10. Ne2 Ba6 (10... Na5 11. Ng3 c5 12. d5 a6 13. Qe2 Qc7 {White has the more active position. Dimitrov,R (2437)-Emiroglu,C (2260) 52. World Juniors Kocaeli TUR 2013}) 11. Ng3 {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.} Qd7 {The Q is badly placed here as it allows white to carry out a P maneuver which secures him a positional advantage.} 12. Nf5 {Even better was 12.O-O and 13.f4} Ne8 {This move is too pssive. On order to stay in the game b;ack needs to play energetically.} (12... Kh8 {A high class waiting move.} 13. Bg5 (13. f4 {would be a mistake because after} exf4 14. Bxf4 Nxe4 15. Bxe4 Rae8 16. O-O (16. Qf3 Qxf5) 16... Rxe4 {Black is much better/}) 13... Nh5 14. d5 Na5 {with equal chances.}) (12... Nh5) 13. f4 f6 ( 13... exf4 {This is ineffective with the N on e8 and not f6.} 14. Bxf4 Ne7 15. Nxe7+ Qxe7 16. O-O {with an active position.}) (13... Ne7 {Challenging the N on e5 is his best try. After} 14. Nxe7+ Qxe7 15. O-O {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.} Na5 { 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 {[%mdl 544] 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.} Bxd3 16. c6 {Driving a serious wedge in black's position.} Qd8 17. Qxd3 {Notice how poorly placed all of black's pieces are.} g6 18. Nh6+ Kg7 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. Ng4 h5 21. Nf2 Nb3 {and black can offer some resistance.}) 20... Nb3 {Of course the N cannot be taken.} (20... Kxh6 21. hxg5+ Kg7 22. g6 Rh8 23. Qe2 {White adds his Q to the fray.} Kg8 24. Qg4 Ng7 25. Rh6 {Intending to double on the h-file.} Qe7 26. Qh4 {wins.}) 21. Rb1 Nc5 22. Bxc5 dxc5 {Black is completely helpless.} 23. Qg3 Kh8 (23... g4 {is just a fraction better.} 24. Nxg4 Qe7 25. Nf2+ Kh8 26. Qe3 Rg8 {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. Ng4 Nf6 26. Qxe5 Qd6 {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... Qe8 {hoping to trade Qs is met by} 27. Nxf6 {which eventually leads to mate. Black cannot play} Qxe5 28. Rxh7#) 27. Qxd6 {[%mdl 64]} cxd6 28. Nxf6 Rxf6 {[%mdl 4096] 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. Kd2 Re8 30. Kd3 Kg7 31. a4 {Kotov begins a very clever winning maneuver.} Rf7 32. a5 {[%mdl 512]} bxa5 33. g4 Rfe7 34. Rhe1 Kf6 { 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+ {[%mdl 512] Decisive. Golombek's play was actually quite good, but Kotov's was even better! } (35. e5+ {A sample line might be} dxe5 36. Ke4 {Black has no useful move.} Rd8 37. Rh1 Rf7 38. d6 {There was no way to prevent this.} a4 39. c7 Rc8 40. Rh6+ Kg7 41. Rb8 Kxh6 42. Rxc8 a3 43. Rg8 a2 44. c8=Q a1=Q 45. Qe6+ Rf6 46. Qxf6#) 1-0