Sometimes a tactical shot is the result of deep calculation and other times they appear almost by accident. In either case they can come as a complete surprise to one of the players who is suddenly faced with an unforeseen possibility. In the following game a surprising Knight move to an out of the way square by Kotov immediately decides the outcome, but not before Donner tried a little trick of his own.
The winner of this game, Soviet GM Alexander Kotov (1913-1981) was a two-time world title Candidate and a prolific chess author.
His writing were often filled with praise for rhe Soviet political system. He is probably best remembered for his trilogy Think Like a Grandmaster, Play Like a Grandmaster and Train Like a Grand master.
His opponent was the GM Jam Hein Dinner (1927-1988) who was also an author who was Dutch champion in 1954, 1957 and 1958. In 1983, at the age of 56, he suffered a stroke and went to live in what he described as a kind of nursing-home. He was unable to walk, but had learned to type with one finger and wrote for a Dutch magazine.
[Event "Venice"]
[Site ""]
[Date "1950.10.??"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Jan Donner"]
[Black "Alexander Kotov"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D44"]
[Annotator "Kotov/Stockfosh 17.1"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[EventDate "1950.??.??"]
{D44: Semi-Slav: Botvinnik System} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5.
Bg5 dxc4 {This variation was introduced into tournament practice by Botvinnik
and so is known as the Botvinnik Syaten, The other often seen move is 5...h6} 6.
a4 {The main line is 6.e4, but the text has the point of preventing 6...b5 and
the creation of a Pawn mass on the Q-side.} (6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 {
and now great complications arise after} 9. Nxg5 hxg5 10. Bxg5) 6... Bb4 7. e4
Bxc3+ {While often played, Kotov thought it questionable, but because he
wanted to avoid Donner's home preparation he chose this move which he
considered risky because after this exchange his dark squares are very weak
and white's pieces might be able to attack on them.} (7... b5 {is also
frequently played, but it's not so good. B;ack's best is probably 6...h6} 8. e5
h6 9. exf6 hxg5 10. fxg7 {wuth a good game.}) 8. bxc3 Qa5 9. e5 Ne4 10. Bd2 {
Kotov harshly criticized this move calling it an incomprehensible retreat, but
that seems unfair and there is not much difference between it and the
"natiral" move 10.Rc1 after which black has a wide choice of playable moves.}
Qd5 {Certainly 10...Nxd2 was worth considering.} 11. Qc2 c5 {Black must react
with vigor or risk getting a passive position.} 12. Be3 Nc6 {This is a major
error, but luckily for Kotov, Donner missed the refutation!} (12... cxd4 {
is correct.} 13. cxd4 {Black should now play 13...Bd7 when white is slightly
better.} Qa5+ 14. Nd2 Nxd2 15. Bxd2 {Ivanchuk,V (2779)-Smeets,J (2601) Wijk
aan Zee 2009. White is better, but he misplayed the game and later lsot.}) 13.
Be2 {After this the position is equal.} (13. O-O-O cxd4 14. Nxd4 Nc5 {He
should have castled.} 15. Nb5 Nb3+ 16. Kb2 Qxe5 17. Nd6+ Ke7 18. Nxc4 {1-0
Danielian,O (2440)-Ceteras,M (2335) Vejen DEN 1993}) (13. Rd1 {is by far the
strongest move here after whicjh black's position is very difficult.} cxd4 14.
Nxd4 Nc5 15. Nb5 Nd3+ 16. Bxd3 cxd3 17. Nc7+ {followed by 18.Rxd3 with a
decisive advantage.}) 13... cxd4 {There are other reasonable moves, but
black's resoning here is that this move weakens white's d-Pawn.} 14. cxd4 {
Donner has missed the point of his opponent's last move.} (14. Nxd4 {was
correct.} Nxe5 (14... Nxd4 15. cxd4 Qa5+ {White is slightly better.} 16. Kf1)
15. O-O Bd7 16. Rfd1 {with equal chances.}) 14... Nb4 15. Qc1 (15. Qxc4 {
is not good...} Qxc4 16. Bxc4 Nc2+) {While wgite's position id hardly critical,
his} 15... c3 {[%mdl 2048] Donner's minuscule slip last move has allowed black
to seize the initiative.} 16. O-O Bd7 17. Ne1 {The plan is to play f3 and
after ...Nd2+ and then after the exchange on d2 he can play Qg5 after which he
can launch an attackm vut there is a fly in the ointment.} Rc8 (17... a5 {
is better.} 18. f3 Nd2 19. Bxd2 cxd2 20. Qxd2 Rd8 21. Qg5 (21. f4 Bc6 22. Nf3 {
The need to defend his d-Pawn has prevented him from launching a K-side attack
and ;eft b;acl with the better position/}) 21... Qxd4+ {wins the R on a1.}) 18.
f3 {Completely missing an important point.} (18. Nc2 {was must play after
which he has chances of holding the position. Now ...Nd2 would lose, so} a5 (
18... Nd2 19. Nxb4 Qe4 20. Bd3 Qh4 21. Bxd2 cxd2 22. Qxd2) 19. Nxb4 axb4 20. f3
Ng5 (20... Nd2 21. Bxd2 cxd2 22. Qxd2 {is equal.}) 21. Bxg5 h6 22. Be3 O-O {
A very sharp position where black's two passed Ps are plenty of compensation.})
18... Nd2 {[%mdl 512]} (18... Ng5 {doesn't work now.} 19. Bxg5 Qxd4+ 20. Be3
Qd5 21. Bxa7 {with a decisive advantage.}) 19. Bxd2 {Now, of course, Donner
was expecting ...cxd2 as in the previous variations} Na2 {Bang!} 20. Rxa2 {
Donner realized he was losing and so decided to sacrifice the exchange and at
the same time set a cunning trap.} (20. Qd1 {was worth a try.} Qxd4+ 21. Kh1
Qxd2 22. Qxd2 cxd2 23. Rxa2 dxe1=N 24. Rxe1 Rc5 {But, here it's doubtful white
can save the game.}) 20... Qxa2 21. Bg5 {Hoping Kotov will fall for taking the
N on e2.} h6 {Sends the B packing and white can't play Qa3+} (21... Qxe2 22.
Qa3 {Threatening mate on e7. Black can avoid it, but the cost is too high.} f6
23. exf6 gxf6 24. Bxf6) 22. Bd3 {Other moves are just as hopeless.} (22. Bh4
Qxe2 23. Qa3 Qe3+ 24. Kh1 g5 {ends it.}) 22... hxg5 23. Qxg5 Qd2 24. f4 (24.
Qxg7 {is easily met by} Qe3+ 25. Kh1 Qh6) 24... Bc6 {A nify little tactical
point...white can't take the g-Pawn.} 25. Qg3 (25. Qxg7 Qe3+ 26. Kh1 Qh3 27.
Kg1 Qxh2+ 28. Kf2 Qxf4+ 29. Nf3 Ke7 {wins easily.}) 25... g6 {White resigned.
Short, sharp and even the loser manages some clever play.} 0-1
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