KEG: Janowski mauls Rosen in a 23-move tactical mismatch. As always, Janowski was a genius in using the two Bishops.This win gave Janowski a (short-lived) lead in the Paris 1900 tournament (Lasker lost to Marshall the same day).
But after winning his first five games, Janowski went into a tailspin for the rest of the tournament, losing seven of his remaining ten games.
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Nf6
4. d4
Many play 4. Ng5 here, but this allows Black to sacrifice a pawn for a dangerous attack. Rosen, not unreasonably, decides to seek the initiative rather than trying to weather an attacking storm from the dangerous Janowski.
Perhaps Rosen should have played the simple 4. d3, accepting a very small edge.
4... exd4
5. 0-0
5. e5 is a good alternative. 5. Ng5, however, may now be best for White.
5... d6
5...Bc5, transposing into a variation of the Scotch Gambit, may be best here. 5...Nxe4 is most frequently played, and is also better than the text. But Janowski is biding his time.
6. Nxd4 Be7
7. Nc3 0-0
8. NxN
Rosenthal in the Tournament Book recommends 8. Nf5, but White gets nothing after 8...BxN. Perhaps best here is the temporizing 8. Bb3. But Rosen is still fine after the text.
8... bxN
9. b3
Rosenthal calls this "weak," but it doesn't look all that bad to me. It is at least as good as Rosenthal's proposed 9. h3. 9. Re1 looks best, but Rosen is still fine even after the text. He still has the (somewhat) better game.
9... Be6
10. Ba6
Rosenthal is correct that 10. Be2 would be better, but the text is sufficient for equality. Best for White is probably the prosaic 10. BxB (always a good idea to deprive Janowski of one of his beloved Bishops).
10... Rb8
11. f4
Not fatal in itself, but the beginning of a bad idea. 11. Be2 is best.
11... Re8
12. f5
Exacerbating the King-side weaknesses he began to create with his last move. Rosen's game is still not all that bad, but he is continuing to float into trouble. Best was 12. Qd4.
12... Bc8
13. Bd3?
Very bad. Rosen should have played 13. BxB. Now, Janowski's White-square Bishop will become a ferocious monster.
13... d5!
Janowski is ready to bust Rosen's center and King-side apart. Rosen may already be lost here. With his upcoming errors, he is quickly blown away.
14. exd5
Best. As Rosenthal points out in the Tournament Book, 14. e5 gets crushed by 14...Bc5+ 15. Kh1 Rxe5.
14... cxd5
15. Ne2
15. Bf4 was his only real chance.
15... Rb4?
This move is praised by Rosenthal in the Tournament Book and by GrahamClayton on this site, but in fact it is a mistake. Janowski's idea of Rb4...Rh4 could have been easily countered by 16. Bf4. Janowski had a won game here with 15...Bc5+
16. c3?
Now Janowski is able to play Rh4 and Rosen gets ripped to shreds. Rosenthal's 16. Kh1 is better than the text but still probably insufficient. 16. Bf4 was the only road to saving the game.
16... Bc5+
Janowski now rules the board.
17. Kh1 Rh4!
The position was now:
The brutal conclusion of the game will be covered in a subsequent post.
Kibitzing
