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Lewis Haller vs Alexander Robbins
St. Louis (1884), St. Louis, MO USA
King's Gambit: Falkbeer Countergambit. Blackburne Attack (C31)  ·  0-1

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
Notes by Stockfish 11 (minimum 6s/ply) 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 c6 4.Bb3 d5 5.Nf3 Bd6 6.Nc3 d4 7.Ne2 = +0.32 (36 ply) 2...exf4 3.Bc4 Qh4+ 4.Kf1 d6 5.Nc3 Ne7 6.d4 Bg4 ⩱ -1.07 (36 ply)= +0.02 (31 ply) after 3.exd5 exf4 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.Nc3 Ne7 6.d4 c6 7.dxc6 7...Nd7 8.Qe2+ Be7 9.d6 cxd6 10.d4 Nh6 11.g3 fxg3 ⩱ -0.54 (32 ply)better is 8.c4 Nd7 9.d4 b6 10.Nc3 Ne7 11.Ne4 Nf5 12.b4 Nf6 13.g3 ⩲ +0.96 (31 ply) 8...Nd7 9.c4 b6 10.Qe1+ Qxe1+ 11.Kxe1 Ne7 12.Nc3 Nf5 = +0.43 (29 ply) 9.c4 Nd7 10.c5 Nxc5 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.Qe1 Qxe1+ 13.Kxe1 ± +1.74 (31 ply)= -0.28 (36 ply) after 9...Nf5 10.Ne4 O-O 11.c4 Re8 12.c5 Bf8 13.g3 fxg3 14.Bg5 10.Qd3 Re8 11.g3 Qh3+ 12.Bg2 Qh5 13.Bf3 = 0.00 (37 ply) ⩱ -1.15 (32 ply) 11...c5 12.g3 Qh3+ 13.Kg1 Nxd4 14.Nxf4 Qc8 15.b3 b5 ⩱ -0.86 (32 ply) ⩲ +0.88 (34 ply) 13.Qe1 Qd8 14.c5 Be7 15.Nc3 Re8 16.g3 Nd7 17.Kg2 Bf8 ⩲ +0.66 (33 ply) ⩱ -0.77 (33 ply) 14...b6 15.Qf1 Qh6 16.Qb1 a5 17.a3 Nd7 18.Qf5 Rad8 19.Rf1 = -0.48 (31 ply) ± +1.55 (35 ply)better is 15...b6 16.Qb1 Qxb1 17.Raxb1 a5 18.Rbd1 Nd7 19.Rhe1 Rae8 ± +1.53 (34 ply) 16.dxc6 Nxc6 17.c5 Be7 18.Rf1 Qd7 19.Qa4 Bf6 20.Rac1 Qc8 ± +2.08 (34 ply) 16...cxd4 17.Nxd4 Qf6 18.Rf1 Bxb4 19.d6 Bc3 20.Bxb7 Qxd4 = +0.38 (39 ply) 17.dxc5 bxc5 18.bxc5 Bxc5 19.d6 Nd7 20.Bxa8 Rxa8 21.Qd5 ± +2.01 (37 ply) ⩱ -0.51 (35 ply) 18.bxc5 bxc5 19.Rb1 Rab8 20.Rb3 Rfe8 21.Nc3 cxd4 22.Bh5 = 0.00 (37 ply) ⩱ -0.82 (33 ply)better is 20.Nd4 Qg6 21.Nb3 Rae8 22.Qe2 Qd6 23.Bg4 Ne5 24.Bh3 g6 = -0.30 (34 ply)better is 20...Rab8 21.Rb1 Rxb1 22.Qxb1 Qe5 23.Na4 Rb8 24.Qe4 Bf8 ⩱ -0.99 (33 ply)better is 21.Qd3 Rab8 22.Rae1 Rb2+ 23.Re2 Rfb8 24.Re1 h5 25.Nd1 = -0.31 (31 ply) ⩱ -0.81 (33 ply) after 21...Bd6 22.Rb1 Nb6 23.Qc2 Nxa4 24.Qxa4 Rac8 25.Rfe1 Rc7 22.Rb1 Rxb1 23.Qxb1 Rb8 24.Qe4 Bf8 25.Qxe5 Nxe5 26.Be2 ⩱ -0.87 (35 ply)-+ -3.30 (36 ply) 23.Qa3 e2 24.Rfe1 Rxc4 25.Nxc5 Nxc5 26.Rab1 Rc2 27.d6 g6 -+ -3.21 (36 ply)-+ -6.47 (36 ply)-+ mate-in-12 after 29.Qxf8+ Bxf8 30.Rab1 Bd6 31.Rb3 Rxb3 32.axb333.Qh3 Rxh3+ 34.Kg2 Rg3# -+ mate-in-20-1

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer).      [35437 more games annotated by Stockfish]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Apr-16-14  LucB: Wow, I got it!.. 'took me over 5 minutes to work out the variations, but still..
Apr-16-14  Patriot: Black is down a pawn. White threatens 31.Qxe5.

Black can play the very forcing 30...Rxh2+ 31.Kxh2 Qxg3+ 32.Kh1 Qh4+:

33.Qh3 Rxh3+ 34.Bxh3 Qxh3#

33.Kg2 Rg3+ 34.Kf2 Qh2#

Apr-16-14  Patriot: I somehow missed the bishop hitting f2 in the second line so 33.Kg2 Rg3#.
Apr-16-14  mathlover: relatively easy
Apr-16-14  agb2002: Black is one pawn down.

White threatens 31.Qxe5.

Black has four pieces and one pawn to attack the black king. This suggests 30... Rxh2+ 31.Kxh2 Qxg3+ 32.Kh1 Qh4+ 33.Qh3 (33.Kg2 Rg3#) 33... Rxh3+ 34.Bxh3 (34.Kg2 Q(R)g3#) 34... Qxh3#.

Apr-16-14  M.Hassan: "Medium/Easy"
Black to play 30...?
Black is a pawn down

30...........Rxh2+!
31.Kxh2(forced) Qxg3+
32.Kh1 Qh4+
<if 33.Kg2 Rg3#>

33.Qh3 Rxh3+
34.Bxh3 Qxh3#

Apr-16-14  diagonalley: darn... i spent ages trying to get 30 ....QxR to work and didn't even look at 30 ....RxP+ :-(
Apr-16-14  stacase: I spent too much time looking at ways to Queen the Pawn before I saw that there was a Rook and Bishop on the job. Then it fell apart.
Apr-16-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  ferrabraz: Just like Patriot, I missed the imediate checkmate with 33. Kg2 Rg3 (the bishop on c5 covers f2).
Apr-16-14  patzer2: The sham Rook sacrifice 30...Rxh2+! demolishes pawn cover and decoys or deflects the White King to force mate and solve this Wednesday puzzle.
Apr-16-14  Cheapo by the Dozen: Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see a good defense for White after 30 ... Qxa1, with the dual threats of Qxe1# and Rf1+. In particular, I don't see how White can proceed in the line:

30 ... Qxa1
31 Qe8+ Bf8

Apr-16-14  Cheapo by the Dozen: Ack. I considered the game line first, but missed something -- I think it was that Black's queen could check at h4 to get around the defense at h3.
Apr-16-14  patzer2: White missed an opportunity with 17. bxc5! bxc5 18. dxc5 Bxc5 19. d6! Nd7 20. Bxa8 Rxa8 21. Qd5 Qxd5+ 22. cxd5 Bxd6 23. Rac1 , winning the exchange with a strong initiative.

Fritz 12 shows White's decisive mistake was 22. Qd3? which gives Black a decisive advantage with 22...Rb4! (-1.67 @ 20 depth).

Instead, Fritz recommends 22. Qc2 or 22. Rb1 .

Apr-16-14  morfishine: 30...Rxh2+ 31.Kxh2 Qxg3+ 32.Kh1 Qh4+
33.Kg2 Rg3#

*****

Apr-16-14  patzer2: <Cheapo by the Dozen> Black wins after 30...Qxa1 31. Rxa1 (diagram below)


click for larger view

However finding the winning 31...Re3! here might be difficult, especially since the tempting alternative 31...Rf1+?? 32. Kg2! turns the tables on Black.

Apr-16-14  zb2cr: Straightforward, for a Wednesday. 30. ... Rxh2+; 31. Kxh2, Qxg3+; 32. Kh1, Qh4+. Now two short variations:

33. Kg2, Rh3#.

33. Qh3, Rxh3+; 34. Bxh3, Qxh3# (Or 34. Kg2, Qg3#).

Apr-16-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: I thought of 31...Rf1+, but realized there are 2 attackers and only 1 defender.
Apr-16-14  PJs Studio: I couldn't see the mate after quickly calculating to 31...Qxg3+ Because Qh3 was distracting me.

Something I've noticed having trouble with is deeply calculating the effects of open board queen checks AFTER line openings and exchanges. Any recommendations on how I can work on that?

Apr-16-14  kevin86: The rook and queen should mate soon...and do.
Apr-16-14  Once: Interesting that the Prince Charles pawn on e2 doesn't have much to do with the solution. Black puts the coronation dreams to one side and delivers a snap mate.

Except that isn't quite true. This is the position after 26...e2


click for larger view

At first glance, it looks as if the e pawn's job is to reach the first rank and promote. But it's also preventing white from keeping a rook on f1 and kicking white away from the f file so that black can use it.

After 27. Qxf7+ (what else?) Kh8 28. Re1 Rf8 ...


click for larger view

... we can see a striking transformation. The f file which had seemed so utterly in white's power now belongs to black. What is worse (for white) is that black will follow up with Rf2+ and then nasty things will happen in the vicinity of the white king.

It seems that the power of a passed pawn isn't just the threat of promotion, it is also its ability to control squares deep in enemy territory.

Honourable mention must also go to the Bc5. This not only protect f8 (thus making 28...Rf8 possible), it also allows 29... Rf2+.

But then I suppose that is the essence of chess. Both sides start the game with identical and symmetrical forces. The only way to win is to make your pieces more useful than your opponent's. And one way to do that is for your pieces to do more than one job whilst some or all of your opponent's pieces are not doing anything useful.

Interesting also how we can sometimes wins by switching tactical goals. Today black starts with a materialistic objective (to queen a pawn) and then switches into a checkmate. Similarly, we can sometimes break off a mating attack to grab decisive material.

Not just multi-tasking but also multiple objectives at the same time.

Apr-16-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  chrisowen: Trade for one line every chance aim fold delve in...

fly at good off a rook f2 sweep across a h2 tres bien to the max in rack my mind as to why he means 25.Qe2 job at hand was to create a threat of his own aid ogles isn't it another bind in a foot rook wheel in also oner way direction after minimal fuss of the queen be meter 25.Qf5 keeps the peace intact for a while joggle a feel f5 line from the scene stuff eg offer free get active in king's side pave find a feint lung bleeder b8 sends queen on hurries journey prey tell if I be face pros each and cons at work before lights time is up accolade in a oomph the queen at mercy safe was a big foot f5 to stop the rot a mist f7 the brave call fad big friendly giant me verificate rook in churlish mode to swing b8 and come down aim f8 at seize the shape off to hunt a king hone flap rook plane sights for,

a fog in be on aim ford if ive got this correct line delve infer no ground to made unless to,

referral aim hope check in h2 oh tell us a monopoly embargo rolly up I good aims to bank family a king steal offer is the point rook in wheel away a,

dragon dead in the water rook swoop in eg liege nt in rich ore mind you mate alive in 5 after e6 in early doors eline crow man service resume at cover c6 threatens aid ogle to swap off yet black would be best advised to sac at h2 in check down e5 whence he came from in ogles son slid e5 at g3 all...

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ointment in too fly back nadda nadda be bullshin am dig bold gold in store queen rook and bishop aims at dutiful crum rook pivot able have gets caught in the act rack back a ribber muddy a try et tu brute and wolfs at he door e5 bus am g3 angles to bangles all star and spangle respect infer tile took free ground f7+ in light foot sixes and sevens to span the gap a king rate at h8 out of trouble to flare rook bullseye in fare port of call aim frogmarch in fanciful spectrum bless e6 looks set to trade yes if the motion carries just in time carriage it an e2 then energy ruts tag in e2 have providor eminate again flurry it dog in dig at honour and hope in ecumen one a c5 skim cone palm queen to pluck at,

mother goose a king as left in pocket waver monarch as tender a much e6 queen effect to try gap in foilables 29...Rf2+ le banquet in honour of rook his majesty pride of rook place am deo meo it's good he bin feed in at back far from f8 rook queen maddens job in heads cobble together bind in frank be of currency a nip in the bud so renege queen a reef e6 mind over cook 30.Kh1 Rxh2+ alive liner a bag success it low in at g3 side queen majesty ramble gives mid feint mate in 6 bar aid majesty free off if ever moon pan for free gold to be had struck at oh g3 gg base nod h4 ersats jolly livery me thinks ie pincer movement as claw back in kind a nellie black sees at shin soluable diminish for majesty ramble give moot beyond the pail aim I 31.Kxh2 Qxg3+ fed changer true delights calm triangle to prove a point rifles at a3 comes across right ranges a gg at son I see cuffs eg ment quarter back at h3 makes the grade at gash c5 in stride covers a g1 square monarch I shape a fork up holy water e6 raise the candle forge a path in be h4 as left red off saw caws jaws from attention dark e5 at he bids a mettle chip an e6 a vested interestmessing around 6 step mate dank and dusty e6 lairs la bind of side he right to left ride would jig be 32.Kh1 Qh4+ mate in two hod carrier do hog he er good hoof rough enough slipshod host here over done to a degrees 0l buddy in wave just cool off rook queen memory lane free his bally hoo basic meter to slam pop an e2 slap f5 on mop head cop quip in cocks a door jacks hip hi hopscotch ram jam free hatter in h4 a cheap again quote chess bask at your rooks peril flap enter at h3 although ide puzzle over f5.

Apr-16-14  MostlyWatch: I set up Stockfish to play against itself, level 10 v. level 1, from move 30 Kh1. It played the text. I can actually beat level 1, so this must be an area of the tree of possible moves which has no escape.
Dec-27-22  Messiah: It is ridiculous to see that <chrisowen> wasn't moderated even in 2014.
Dec-27-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  jnpope: You have to admire his perseverance to stick with that shtick for as long as he has. First time I saw one of his posts I thought he was having a stroke.

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