Why CG presents a game where the actual play differs from the "best"/"optimal" line so drastically??

Maybe it's an intention ? catch 22 ?? to tell the story that so-called masters did MISS the thing!!

Whether or not either or both players were "mesmerized," they do appear to have been playing on autopilot.

I wonder what percentage of GM games go like this: One player makes an accidental "transposition," playing the moves of a well-known line in the wrong order (and punishably so, as in this case) and gets away with it.

I'm guessing it's rare but not extremely so. We don't hear of it often, perhaps because the players tend to "transpose" back into the familiar line without pausing to see if the move order allows other and more incisive responses.

f7 looks weak. Mating attempts don't quite work, as the f6 knight blocks queen incursions at d5 or h5. Ng5/Nf7 doesn't quite work either, since ... Rf8 defends.

What does work is

12 Bxf7+ Kxf7
13 Ng5+ (K moves)
14 Ne6

White to play (12.?) "Easy"

If I recall correctly, this was a move that both players missed! Pretty hard to believe, even in a rapid game. I don't remember if this was a rapid game or what the tournament was, but eager to hear the story behind this.

12. Bxf7+! Kxf7

Better is 12...Kh8 13. Bxe8 Qxe8, but still resignable at the GM level.

This can be a problem with openings these days when people don't think just memorize. I remember Aronian blundering a queen early last year as he had memorized his opening wrong.

Fascinating to hear how the moves were reported wrongly, history rewritten. I wonder how often that has happened. Hopefully it's harder for people to get away with that now with live coverage.

This was Anand's excuse for missing a tactical shot v Carlsen in the last World Championship match.

This postion:

click for larger view

has appeared quite a few times in OTB play with White missing Bxf7+

One was this joyful effort where White missed it twice.

Mokry,K (2515) - Farago,I (2540) Austria Ch, 1994.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Re8 12. Ng5 Rf8 13. Ngf3 Re8

These two then agreed a draw.

Source:

http://chess-db.com/public/game.jsp...

Someone may care to calm Susan's blushes and add this to the 4 games between these two that are already here.

-----

I read with mild amusement some of the comments.

When I first saw the puzzle I thought Oh No! the engine users will have a field day with this one. There will grumbling and great gnashing of teeth.

"How could this happen?"

Everytime I see such a miss my mind goes back to...

Chandler - Birkett, Edinburgh Open 2003 (White to Play)

click for larger view

Did the boy wonder play Qh5 and Qd5 1-0.

No. I quickly chopped Rooks and castled because I am a castle first and philosophise later player. Too much Reinfeld, not enough Morphy.

(and also note how wonder boy has left out his initial - Murray can have this one.)

I lost - we played over the game and again Qh5 was missed by both players (Black went onto to win the tournament so he is no mug.)

One year later Black emails me and tells me he was entering the game into his databse and Fritz saw it.......The absolute shame of it all.

For me to miss that in a bread and butter position was shocking and players who have been in same situation will know how I felt when it was discovered.