Average Players Slug it Out

    It was said of this game that back in the mid-1800s it might have been hailed as an immortal game because sacrificial play triumphed. Jump forward to the mid-1900s when it was played and it was recognized that white’s triumph was only the result of his opponent’s feeble defense. Moving even further forward to the days of Stockfish we find the play of both players was pretty feeble. Nevertheless, it’s a fun game to play over. 

    The game was played in an unknown tournament in an unknown city in Ohio. The names of the players are known, but they are not, if you know what I mean. The 1951 USCF rating list did not have a rating for Wetman, but there was an R. Schaeffer from Ohio listed with a rating of 1611.

 

 

[Event "Ohio"] [Site "?"] [Date "1949.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "M. Wetman"] [Black "R. Schaeffer"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A03"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "73"] [EventDate "1949.??.??"] {A03: Bird's Opening} 1. f4 {The Bird is rare and has little theory and it does offer white some attacking chances.} d5 {After this the game can become a reversed version of the Dutch Defense, but not in this game.} 2. e3 Nc6 { More ususal are either 2...Nf6 or 2...c5} 3. Bb5 Bd7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. b3 e6 (5... g6 6. Bb2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. Bxc6 Bxc6 9. Ne5 {equals. Silva,M (2207)-D'Arruda, R (2271) chess.com INT 2022}) 6. Bb2 a6 7. Bxc6 Bxc6 8. d3 (8. Ne5 Bc5 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. O-O {equals. Vahtra,T-Kaniak,M Budva 2003}) (8. O-O Bd6 9. d3 Qe7 10. Nbd2 O-O-O 11. Ne5 {equals. Merle, S-Geronimi,P (1708) Calvi 2007}) 8... Bc5 9. Qe2 O-O 10. Ne5 Bb5 {Better was the immediate 10...Be8. The text allows white to gain a tempo.} 11. a4 Be8 $1 12. Nd2 Nd7 13. O-O f6 14. Nef3 Bh5 15. d4 { Apparently white wanted to prevent ...e5, but 15.h3 would have allowed him to met 15...e5 with 16.g4 and play on the K-side.} Bd6 16. c4 b6 17. Qe1 Qe8 18. Qh4 Kh8 19. e4 Rg8 {This move eventually causes black a lot of problems because his K gets trapped on h8. He can keep things even with 19...Bb4} (19... Bb4 20. cxd5 exd5 21. e5 fxe5 22. dxe5 Bg6 {offers equal chances.}) 20. g4 (20. cxd5 {offers excellent chances.} exd5 21. e5 g5 22. Qf2 Be7 23. f5 Rc8 24. Rac1 c5 25. exf6 Bxf6 26. Rfe1 Qd8 27. Ne5 {with a promising position.}) 20... Bf7 21. e5 $16 g5 22. fxg5 fxe5 23. Nxe5 {[%mdl 8192] White would have done better to keep the N and play instead 23.dxe5} Nxe5 24. dxe5 Bc5+ 25. Kg2 dxc4 26. Nxc4 Rd8 27. Rad1 {[%mdl 8192] This move attacking the Q is quite logical looking, but it is seriously flawed. Instead, white missed a nice tactical shot.} (27. Nd6 {Instead of this he could have also played it safe with the benign 27.Qg3} cxd6 28. g6 Bxg6 29. Qf6+ Rg7 30. exd6 Qg8 31. Rad1 {The position is rife with complications, but the chances are equal. Shootouts were Inconclusive! White scored +1 -1 =3}) 27... Qc6+ (27... Rxd1 {is an alternative that is equally good.} 28. Rxd1 Qc6+ 29. Kg3 {and only now} Bg6 30. Rf1 Rd8 31. Rf3 (31. Nd6 cxd6 32. exd6+ Kg8 {leaves white with a lost position. }) 31... Rd1 {The Rs penetration is decisive.} 32. Ne3 Rg1+ 33. Ng2 Qe4 34. Qh3 Qe1+ 35. Kf4 Qd2+) 28. Kg3 Bg6 {Questionable play on both sides has brought about a unique position in which both Kings are insecurely posted. White is the first to take advantage of the situation.} (28... Rxd1 {practically secures the win.} 29. Rxd1 Qe4 {and it's white who is in serious difficulties.} 30. g6 Rxg6 31. h3 Kg7 32. Bc1 Qc2 33. Rf1 Qxb3+ {wins}) 29. Nd6 cxd6 {Black is much too obliging!} (29... Rdf8 30. Qh3 Be3 31. Qg2 Qxg2+ 32. Kxg2 Rxf1 33. Rxf1 Rd8 (33... cxd6 34. exd6+ Bd4 35. Bxd4+ e5 36. Bxe5+ Rg7 37. Rf8#) 34. Rf3 Bc5 35. Nf7+ Bxf7 36. Rxf7 Rd2+ {with a decisive advantage.}) 30. exd6+ Rg7 { This is a very tricky position!} 31. Qh6 (31. Bxg7+ {looks reasonable, but it would be a mistake.} Kxg7 32. Qh6+ Kg8 {and white is out of plausible moves.} 33. Qh3 Bxd6+ 34. Kh4 Qc2 35. b4 Qb2 36. b5 axb5 37. axb5 Rd7 {Much better than taking the b-Pawn.} (37... Qxb5 38. Qe3 Bf7 39. Qf2 Qe8 40. Qxb6) 38. Rf6 Bf4 39. Rxf4 (39. Rxd7 Qf2+) 39... Rxd1 {and black is clearly winning.}) (31. Kh3 {is his only defense. After} Kg8 32. Qe1 Rxd6 33. Qe5 Qc7 {and the position is even.}) 31... Bxd6+ 32. Kh4 Rdg8 33. Rd2 {This prevents ...Qg2} Qc7 {Missing his chance to strike at the exposed white K. Black drifts into the main line of his opponent's tactical idea.} (33... e5 34. Rf6 Qe4 35. Rdxd6 Qe2 {The threat of mate (...Qxh2#) is too much to handle.} 36. Rd2 Qxd2 37. Bxe5 { h2 is covered, but...} Qe1+ 38. Bg3 Qe2 {White is out of reasonable moves.}) 34. Rc1 {Once again we are back to equal chances...if black plays his cards right.} Qb8 {[%mdl 8192] ...which he does not! Instead, he commits suicide.} ( 34... Qf7 35. Bxg7+ Rxg7 36. Rc8+ Bf8 37. Rdd8 Qf2+ 38. Kh3 Qf1+ {draws}) 35. Rxd6 {[%mdl 512] Decisive.} Qxd6 {The threat is mate with ...Qxh2} 36. Qxg7+ { The right way.} (36. Bxg7+ {is the wrong way.} Rxg7 37. Rc8+ Rg8 {Black wins.}) 36... Rxg7 37. Rc8+ {Black resigned. A see-saw battle that's typical of most non-master games.} 1-0