Samuel Reshevsky vs Anthony Santasiere (1938)

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Samuel Reshevsky vs Anthony Santasiere
United States Championship (1938), New York, NY USA, rd 13, Apr-18
Gruenfeld Defense: Brinckmann Attack. Grünfeld Gambit (D83) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Dec-03-17		bengalcat47: This game can be found in the book "Modern Ideas in the Chess Openings."

Feb-21-24		Korora: Got it! Bye-bye birdie, and the ♕ comes in.

Feb-21-24		mel gibson: I saw the first ply straight away but couldn't see a path to checkmate - it was just a worthwhile King hunt. Stockfish 16 says: 37. Rcxd5+ (37. Rcxd5+ (1.Rcxd5+ cxd5 2.Qxd5+ Kc7 3.Qc5+ Kd7 4.Qe7+ Kc6 5.Qe6+ Qd6 6.Rc5+ Kb6 7.Qxd6+ Rc6 8.Qe7 Rgc8 9.a5+ Ka7 10.Rxc6 Rxc6 11.d5 Rc2 12.d6 Rd2 13.d7 Rxd7 14.Qxd7 Kb8 15.Qd8+ Ka7 16.g4 b6 17.axb6+ Kb7 18.Qc7+ Ka8 19.Qc8+) +M19/85 647) White wins _ mate in 19.

Feb-21-24		thegoodanarchist: The then 26-year-old Reshevsky plays a cool combination. The black king is forced out and will be suffocated by the White heavy pieces.

Feb-21-24		Mayankk: The sad position of Black King, so near to White heavy pieces, suggests a sacrificial mate combination is in the offing. However White has a key decision to make: Rcxd5+ or Rexd5+. Choosing the wrong Rook may wreck its goals. 37 Rexd5+ cxd5+ 38 Qxd5+ Ke7 allows the Black King to access the open spaces on Queenside while 37 Rcxd5+ cxd5 38 Qxd5+ Kc7 keeps it immobile on the Kingside with few open squares. Choosing the latter we have 39 Qc5+ Kd7 40 Qe7+ Kc6 etc. At this point I thought 41 a5 should suffice as it blocks out the b6 escape square. I wasn't sure though and it was no surprise that the actual game had a quicker mate after 41 Qe6+. Nevertheless I was happy to hit the right notes and come so close to the actual sequence of moves.

Feb-21-24		vajeer: The text line is simple. I calculated until white wins black queen. The other potential reply I considered was - 37...Kc7 38. Rd7+ Kb6 39. Qc4 Ka7 40. Ra5 click for larger view Black has to now lose material to prevent mate 40...Rc7 41.Rxc7 Qxc7 42.Qxg8 ±

Feb-21-24		King.Arthur.Brazil: I guess that I already see this game before. However, it is the first time I try to remember the elegants moves: 37. Rcxd5+ cxd5 38. Qxd5+ Kc7 39. Qc5+ Kd7 40. Qe7+ Kc6 41. Qe6+ (Kc7 42. Rc5+ Kd8 43. Rd5+ Kc7 44. Qd6#), so: 41... Qd6 42. Rc5+ Kb6 43. Qxd6+ Ka7 44. a5 with a ♕ to defeat a ♖.

Feb-21-24		cocker: First two moves obvious, but requires accuracy afterwards.

Feb-21-24		TheaN: Great position to show how major pieces can coordinate, but also have to do so delicately to not lose key squares. Realized relatively quickly it had to be <37.Rcxd5+>. The point being that if Black accepts, we control the center and confine the king to the cramped queen side. How to continue we'll see then. If 37....Kc7, I opted for 38.Re7+ Kb6 39.Rdd7 +-: we are eventually going to take on b7, going Q2P:2R which should be relatively easily winning in the position at hand. The computer throws in the mind-boggling 38.Rd7+!, of course 38....Kxd7 39.Qf7+ with Qe7#, but I thought it was a bit of a mess after Kb6. From a human standpoint I'd prefer to keep the king from going to a7. <37....cxd5 38.Qxd5+ Kc7> with that same idea, I was positive it had to be <39.Qc5+ Kd7>, because Kb6-a7-a8 is a nasty safety route. How to confine the king now though? I followed the game line with <40.Qe7+ Kc6>, the rook's correctly placed, and now <41.a5!?>: click for larger view Reshevsky's 41.Qe6+! is stronger but it requires 41....Kc7 42.Rd5! #5, a silent move I missed in this case. 41.a5 instead felt more natural, taking away b6 threatening Rc5#. 41....b5? 42.d5# and I thought 41....b6? was also d5#, but that requires 42.b5+! axb5 43.d5#: click for larger view Beautiful mate, all things considered. Black doesn't really have anything else to prevent Rc5# but to sac the queen: the direct 41....Qxe5 42.dxe5 +- gives a very unpleasant endgame, I'd force White into <41....Qd6>, which gives some options to slip up a bit. Best is <42.Rc5+! Qxc5 43.Qxc5+ Kd7 44.Qb6! +-> followed by a running d-pawn.

Feb-21-24		chrisowen: I cog it was bunk jufa Rcxd5+ it was aeg og doh it was axiom juggle it was bide it was ex Rcxd5+ go;

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