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Veselin Topalov vs Alexander Morozevich
NAO Masters (2002), Cannes FRA, rd 1, Feb-22
Spanish Game: Morphy Defense (C78)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Jul-26-06  Wilson H. L.: Took me 20 seconds to find it. The move is strong, and there's no way for black to escape.
Jul-26-06  awfulhangover: This must be an easy Wednesday puzzle, Took me a few seconds, and I guess I wasn't lucky! But the move is cute.
Jul-26-06  jmuller: jmuller: <MaxxLange: weak back rank, double threat, discovered attack>

Hey Max! :-)

I recently changed my approach to trying to solve these puzzles. I used to just look for checks and captures, strong forcing moves. Now, however, I look first for loose pieces and potential tactics like back rank mate, discovered attack, etc. I think this new approach gets me farther into the week on the puzzle of the day. I also think it will help me recognize tactical opportunities in my games.

Thx! :-)

Jul-26-06  artemis: rochade18: perhaps you have not seen this game:
Mikhail Tal vs Hans-Joachim Hecht

While it is true that there are only three white pieces hanging, this is after he has already sacrificed his queen. The point of his manuevers here was simply to saddle black with 6(!) isolated pawns.

After the game, Tal said something to the effect of "While three of my pieces may have been hanging, black cannot take them all with only one move."

Jul-26-06  Richerby: <artemis> I think Kasparov attributes an almost identical quote to Petrosian from one of his games against Spassky. Or perhaps he just uses the idiom. I'll have a look tonight if I remember.
Jul-26-06  ReikiMaster: Very elegant indeed but still easiest of the week, I think.
Jul-26-06  Castle In The Sky: This was a Monday level puzzle as the only piece which is dynamic is the bishop.
Jul-26-06  Whitehat1963: I stared and stared at Monday's and Tuesday's puzzles, but this one came to me pretty easily.
Jul-26-06  WarmasterKron: This was fairly obvious, but only because 33.Be4 is incredibly strong.
Jul-26-06  wgb: Found this one pretty fast.
Jul-26-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  gawain: After a long break this was a nice one to come back to. Quick to solve, as most back-rank mate puzzles seem to be (for me, anyway) but a lovely final position with all those pieces hanging. Thanks.
Jul-26-06  Fezzik: Phew!

When I saw the players listed, I girded myself for a Sunday-type of analysis. After getting over the shock, I realised that the solution was indeed easy.

Of course, getting to that position....

I forget who said of Alekhine's attacks that he could finish the attacks. Alekhine's genius was creating the positions from which to attack in the first place. (Was it Rudolph Spielman?) The same could be said of today's grandmasters.

Jul-26-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  kevin86: Pretty easy! White suddenly attacks three pieces with three different pieces and black is lost! Strange: all three attacking pieces are also subject to capture but each is taboo.

33...♖xa7 34 ♖xb8#
33...♖xb5 34 ♖a8+ and mate in two more moves
33...♖xe4 34 ♖xb8+ ♔h7 35 ♖xf7 and white is up two pawns and the exchange.

Jul-26-06  EmperorAtahualpa: Missed this one, but that's probably because I've been away for a week (hence out of shape) and I've missed this week's theme!
Jul-26-06  drnooo: Perhaps somebody here knows the game better than I: Capablanca played somebody in a position very similar to this with a long lead up to the final whammo, very famous game along the lines of Ill never forget whatshisname. Someday somebody is going to collect a book of stuff like this of very very similar middlegame and endgame positions with the killer move. But the Capa game escapes me.
Jul-26-06  Kelvieto: Found it in under ten seconds!
Jul-26-06  R00K33: I admit 33.Be4 is sweet but why is it over??
What about 33...Nxf2+ 34.Kg2 Rbe8
Jul-26-06  artemis: ROOK33:35.Rxe7 Rxe7 36. Rb8+ Re8 37. Rxe8#
Jul-26-06  zb2cr: Funnily enough, saw this one almost right away; it was under 10 seconds. Prepared for a much harder struggle, but no--33. Be4 does the trick all around.

Who cares how many pieces are hanging, if you're threatening mate?

Jul-26-06  KampongBoy: I agree, an easy one...or we are all more brilliant than we realize!
Jul-26-06  JohnBoy: (1) I don't care if their games are 40/150 or blindfold - the games are all hard fought and high quality. Great battle!

(2) I think black would have done better with 23...Be4 rather than ...Bf6.it does not give white such easy access to the pair of q-side passers.

Jul-27-06  Richerby: The Kasparov quote I mentioned earlier was on the game Petrosian vs Spassky, 1966 (round 12 of their World Championship match). In the position


click for larger view

White has just played 31.♘d2-f3!! and Kasparov says,

``Placing a third piece en prise! It is clear that with the disappearance of the g7-bishop, the black king has suddenly become uncomfortable.

`` `Petrosian rightly considered that, firstly, the bishops had nowhere to go, and secondly, with two arbiters watching, in one move Spassky would be unable to capture all three pieces simultaneously. Those who were happy were the spectators. The auditorium began buzzing like an animated beehive.' (Bronstein)'' -- Kasparov, <On My Great Predecessors>, Volume 3, page 77.

I guess Bronstein was probably aware of Tal's comment after Tal vs Hecht, 1962, played four years before the Petrosian-Spassky game.

Aug-05-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  patzer2: Topalov's neat discovered attack with 33. Be4! decisively unravels the fragile Black position, taking advantage of the weakened back rank and the unprotected Black pieces.
Aug-01-13  phryxolydian: This puzzle features on Charles Hertan's Forcing Moves book, which I'm currently studying, and I thought I'd check out the whole game. Checking with the comp Black had an interesting alternative at move 19 with ...Ne3! (threatening mate) 20. Bxe3 Bxd1 21. Ndc6! (threatening on e7) ...Qe6 (Rbe8 is also ok but allows white the capture on b6 after Rfxd1)22. Raxd1 Bxe3 23. fxe3 g6 24. Nxb8 Qxe5 25. Nd7 Qg3+ and Black draws with a perpetual. Interesting game!
Jul-13-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  plang: The main lines are 13..exd and 13..Bxf3; Morozovich innovated here with 13..h6. 19 hxg?..Bxg4 20 Nxe5..Bxd1 21 Nec6..Rbe8 would have been strong for Black. 25..Ng5 was suggested as an improvement. After 27..Bg5? Black was in trouble; 27..Rfd8 would have been better. A tougher defense would have been 29..Na5 30 Bd5..Nxb3 31 Rb1..Nd2 32 Rxb8..Rxb8 33 Rxf7..Kh7 34 Rc7..Rb5 35 Rc6 though White would have retained a sold positional edge.

<phryxolydian:... Checking with the comp Black had an interesting alternative at move 19 with ...Ne3! (threatening mate) 20. Bxe3 Bxd1 21. Ndc6!>

Atalik gives 21 Nec6..Bc5 22 Rfd1..Rxb2 23 Rd2 with some edge for White.

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