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Bernhard Fleissig vs Carl Schlechter
"Schlechter's Immortal" (game of the day Nov-13-2010)
Casual game (1893), Vienna AUH
Polish Opening: General (A00)  ·  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 9 v010218 (minimum 6s/ply)better is 4.bxc5 Bxc5 5.e3 d5 6.d4 Qb6 7.Ra2 Be7 8.c4 O-O = +0.07 (28 ply)= -0.47 (26 ply) 5.e3 a6 6.a4 axb5 7.axb5 Rxa1 8.Bxa1 Bd6 9.c4 Nbd7 = -0.08 (23 ply) ∓ -1.63 (21 ply)better is 6...Be7 7.e3 Ne4 8.Bd3 Nxc3 9.Qd2 c4 10.Bxc3 Qxb5 ⩱ -1.43 (23 ply) 7.e3 a6 8.dxc5 Bd7 9.Bd3 Nxc5 10.Ne2 Na4 11.Rb1 Nxb2 ⩱ -0.93 (23 ply)-+ -2.69 (23 ply) after 7...Nd7 8.f3 Nd6 9.e3 Nc4 10.Bc1 a6 11.bxa6 b5 12.Ra2 9...Rf8 10.e3 Be7 11.Qd4 Bf6 12.Qb4 Qxb4 13.axb4 Bxc3+ -+ -3.02 (26 ply) ⩱ -1.08 (27 ply) 10...Rf8 11.Nf3 Nd7 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Bc3 Qd8 14.Nd2 b6 ⩱ -1.49 (24 ply) ⩱ -0.53 (24 ply) 12.Nf3 Nxc3+ 13.Bxc3 Qxc3 14.Rb1 Nd7 15.e4 b6 16.Bd3 Bb7 = -0.30 (26 ply)-+ -8.18 (26 ply) 13...Qxb5 14.Qc7+ Nd7 15.Nf3 Qd5+ 16.Bd2 Be3 17.Qxc3 -+ -9.71 (24 ply) 14.Qxb7 Rd8 15.a4 Qb6 16.Ba3+ Kf6 17.Qxb6 Nxb6+ 18.Kc1 = 0.00 (30 ply)-+ -12.70 (30 ply)-+ mate-in-5 after 18.Qd8+ Kxd8 19.Bg5+ Kc8 20.Bd2 Qxd2+ 21.Kb1 Qd1+19.Kb1 Qd1+ 20.Ka2 Qxc2# -+ mate-in-20-1

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

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Given 40 times; par: 37 [what's this?]

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

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 4 OF 4 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Dec-09-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  Dionysius1: Makes one wonder - what is the greatest imbalance of potential power (pieces)under which someone has won at master level or above?
Mar-30-14  DirkMcCallahan: <why not 2...Bxb4?>

3. Bxg7 is rather unpleasant.

Jun-07-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sargon: Someone reliable has submitted a correction slip which claims, although without providing any evidence, that this game ended with 18...Qd2+.

It's always best to document such assertions. Can anybody confirm that this game ended after move 18 for black? The remaining moves shown would obviously be analysis if that's the case.

Jun-07-15  thomastonk: <Sargon> I'm sure you have checked C.N.s 6665 and 6668, which are cited above. So I have only one additional information: the chess column in "Allgemeine Sport-Zeitung" appeared in 1893 under the name of (Dr.S.) Gold, but in fact it was already Schlechter himself who led the column. This was revealed on 26. November 1893, when the change was made offical. Moreover, it is stated that he led the column already for one year.*

In my view, this makes the snippet presented in C.N. 6665 a primary source, even though Schlechter mixed up the names.* Therefore, it would be correct to assume that the game ended already after 18.. ♕d2+.

+++

* I observed this some time ago, when I read that Schlechter claimed that he led this chess column since 1892 (instead of 1893).

Aug-03-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: I think that old discrepancies in game scores can be explained if players did not keep score during the game. Then when the game was over, if it was any good, the players had a post mortem and reconstructed the game. Reporters watching the post mortem may have had to rely on their memory.
Nov-03-15  julillo: Some serious mistakes were done.
13. Qxf8? (13. Nf3! aprox equal chances for both players ) dxc3 14. Bc1 Nd7? (14...Qxb5 mantain the advantage for White) 15. Qxa8?(15. Qxb7! defending b5 was last chance to come back in game)
Feb-26-16  WorstPlayerEver: I think White's trouble started with 5. d4
Mar-09-16  jimcrickman143: 12.Qxc8?? was the fatal mistake. Better was 12.Nh3
Apr-12-16  The Kings Domain: An immortal indeed. Had Fleissig not been so gluttonous over his opponent's pieces and overprotective of his own he could have still salvaged his game even at the end.
Jun-13-17  ColeTrane: I have a board from there!
Jun-14-17
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: <ColeTrane: I have a board from there!> From Marostica? They are big, aren't they?
Apr-16-18  AlbertoDominguez: <thomastonk: I observed this some time ago, when I read that Schlechter claimed that he led this chess column since 1892 (instead of 1893).>

This makes perfect sense, since Dr. S. Gold arrived in the US on December 11, 1892 (according to Wikipedia).

Jul-17-19  Chesgambit: amazing
Mar-24-20  basicvboy: I cannot seem to find the wikipedia page mentioned above concerning Dr. S. Gold. Does anyone have the link.
Mar-25-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  mifralu: <I cannot seem to find the wikipedia page mentioned above concerning Dr. S. Gold.>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samue...

Oct-30-21  Whitehat1963: Caution to the wind!
Oct-03-24  King.Arthur.Brazil: The king thinks that he had seeing this game before, the idea is: 6...Qd2+ 17. Bxd2 cxd2+ 18. Kd1 Be1 19. Qc8 Nf2# or 19... Nc3#. But W need not to avoid the promotion, which seems the most hard line: 18. Kb2 Bd4+ 19. Ka2 Bxa1 20. Kxa1 d1=Q+ 21. Kb2 Qd4+ 22. Kb1 Nc3+ 23. Kc1 Qf4+ 24. Kb2 Na4+ 25. Ka2 Qc4+ 26. Kb1 Qb5+ 27. Kc1 Qb2+ 28. Kd2 Qc3+ 29. Kc1 Qxa3+ 30. Kd2 Qc3+ 31. Kc1 Ndc5 32. Qg8 Nb3+ 33. Kb1 Qb2# or 33. Kd1 Qd2#.
Oct-03-24  King.Arthur.Brazil: No, I didn't see it... fatastic! My line is quite looong... lgs but is interesting. In the end: 19. Kb1 Qd1+ 20. Ka2 Qxc2#.
Oct-03-24  landshark: I'm not familiar with this game but somehow the right moves seemed to jump out at me: Deflect white's DSB off the diagonal by force feeding it 2 minors, leaves the Q all alone in front of the goal for the game winning shot.
Oct-03-24  mel gibson: I chose 16. .. Be1.

Stockfish 17 says:

16. .. Be3+

(16. .. Be3+ (1. ... Be3+ 2.Bxe3 Nf2 3.Qd8+ Kxd8 4.Bg5+ Kc8 5.Bd2 Qxd2+ 6.Kb1 Qd1+ 7.Ka2 Qxc2+) +M7/76 5)

Black wins _ mate in 7

If I force SF to play my choice:
16. .. Be1

(16. .. Be1 17. Nf3 (1.Nf3 Bd2+ 2.Nxd2 cxd2+ 3.Bxd2 Qxd2+ 4.Kb1 Nc3+ 5.Kb2 Na4+ 6.Kb3 Qc3+ 7.Kxa4 Qc4+ 8.Ka5 b6+) -M8/67 4)

Black wins _ mate in 8.

Oct-03-24  TheaN: What looks like a difficult combination is surprisingly pretty easy because the ideas for Black are so direct: <16....Be3+!> clearance <17.Bxe3 (Kb1 Qb5+ 18.Ka2 Qb2#) Nf2!> deflection (and guarding a critical square):


click for larger view

Outstanding position if anything. Black's already down two rooks and a piece, can go down another piece, but as that goes at the cost of the king White can't do that. However, there is literally no way to defend against Qd1+ with Qxc2+.

18.Kb1 Qb5+ with 19....Qb2#. The text, 18.Bxf2 Qd2+ 19.Kb1 Qd1+ 20.Ka2 Qxc2#. That just leaves spite checks: <18.Bg5+> seems to give White some air, but no, Bf1 comes too late: <18...Qxg5+ 19.e3 Qxe3+ 20.Kb1 Qb6+ 21.Bb5 Qxb5+ 22.Ka2 Qb2#>.

Oct-03-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  chrisowen: I dull its z its hark its jufa Be3 gg cag c q abo its lo its at duh its axiom juggle its buff its z cc Be3 jao its;
Oct-03-24  TheaN: Quite a bit has already been said about this game, but would like reiterate that this is by far not a flawless game by Black in hindsight.

6....Ne4 (Nbd7 ∓) is a logical jab but White can just play 7.e3! ⩱ considering 7....Nxc3 8.Qd2 White regains the piece. 10....d4?! is a bit odd, as (10....Rf8 ∓) 11.Qxh8 Ke7 12.Nf3 = would have given White an even game (and Nf3 is really fairly straightforward) where Black has to watch out being down material.

Perhaps the biggest mishap is 13....Nd7?! (Qxb5 -+) where White can equalize sort of with the very logical 14.Qxb7 ⩱, 14....Rd8 15.Qxe4! Nf6+ 16.Qd3! and the attack stalls, White's underdeveloped but up in material. After 14.Qxa8?? it's -#7 and Black plays that start to finish. Goes to show even the biggest brilliance in this game doesn't come with flaws.

Oct-03-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  chrisowen: Really good pp :)
Oct-04-24  Rosbach: I didn't get it. I found a slower way which works as well, I think: 16...Be1 17. Nf3 Bd2+ 18. Nxd2 cxd2+ 19. Bxd2 Qxd2+ 20. Kb2 Qc3+ 21. Kb1 Nd2+ 22. Kc1 Nb3+ 23. Kd1 Qd2#
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