backrank: <Everett: A game rife with avoided and unplayed knight forks!> Indeed. After 21 Qg4, Smyslov could safely take the exchange and win:  click for larger viewInstead he sacrifices 21 ... Rxd4!
Of course, 22 Qxd4 Nf3+ is impossible (1st avoided knight fork). So White played 22 Rxd4 Bf5! and the situation on the board is very interesting:  click for larger viewThe white queen has nowhere to run!
I 23 Qh4 Nf3+ (2nd avoided knight fork)
II 23 Qf4 Ne2+! 24 Bxe2 Nh3+ (3rd avoided knight fork) III 23 Qh5 g6! 24 Qxh6 Nf3+ (4th avoided knight fork) In the game continuation 23 Bxc3, Smyslov even dispenses with taking the queen, since 23 ... Bxc3 is stronger, leading to a full piece ahead:  click for larger view24 Qf4 Bxd4 25 Qxd4? Nf3+ (5th avoided knight fork)!
After 27 Rd7, Black continues showing us some tactics:  click for larger view27 ... Bxe5!, and 28 Qxe5 Nf3+ as well as 28 Nxe5 Qxe5! 29 Qxe5 Nf3+ run again into a knight fork (6th avoided knight fork). Of course Black had to calculate in advance that after 28 h4 Ne4 his extra piece is safe. In the final position
 click for larger view34 Rxf4 Ne2+ or 34 Qc4 Qxd4! 35 Qxd4 Ne2+ lead to the 7th avoided knight fork! |