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Stefan Brzozka vs David Bronstein
Asztalos Memorial (1963), Miskolc HUN, rd 6, Jul-??
Dutch Defense: Leningrad. Warsaw Variation (A88)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 4 OF 4 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Mar-05-10  Utopian2020: Intuitively obvious.
Mar-05-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Jimfromprovidence: <nuwanda> <what about (starting from your second diagram) 62...Kc5 63.Ra5+ Kb6 64.Ra4 Kb5 ?

e.g. 65.Rb4+ Kc5 66.Ba4 Ra1 67.Rb5+ Kd6 68.Rb6+ Ke7 and i dont see anything against check on the second rank followed by d3>

Your continuation thru 68...Ke7, below looks very promising.


click for larger view

What happens after 69 Rb2?

Mar-05-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  kevin86: Brilliant! Black sacs the rook to take advantage of his crushing space advantage.
Mar-05-10  YouRang: I thought about 48...Rxb3+, and even thought that it *might* be the solution. That's about as far as I got.
Mar-05-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  doubledrooks: After 48...Rxb3+ 49. Kxb3 Rb6+ 50. Kc2 Rb2+ 51. Kc1 Re2, another try for white is to sac the bishop with 52. Bxe4 fxe4, when 53. Rg5 Kf7 54. Rd5 Rxe3 55. Rxd6 Rxg3 56. Rd5 Rh3 57. Rxc5 Rxh4 looks good for black.
Mar-05-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  scormus: Just realised I didn't look up what was actually played.

<Jim> you guys sure analyse a long way! I played out just a few moves but I agree black would have to go several more rounds against good defense. I expect I'm blind but isnt 69 ... Rxa3 70 B moves c3 good enough. I fancy 69 Rb4 might keep W in the fight a bit longer.

Mar-05-10  Justawoodpusher: Saw the combination till 52...♖xe3 and was quite sure that it is the only way to win. Feeling not able to calculate further I looked at the played moved in the game and tried every time to make the correct move. Found them till 55...d5, but after 56.♖b1, I erred with 56...♖b4 believing without much calculation that it is necessary to block the file...

So for me not solved. I am quite sure that I would not have tried to play 48...♖xb3 over the board, except perhaps in a "must win" situation. Nevertheless those puzzles are really good to improve my board vision.

Mar-05-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  scormus: <Justawoodpusher> you did pretty well to get them all up to move 55. But the superiority of the BR over WR is so great it was vital to keep the piece on the board. This is a great piece of endgame play, Bronstein gave a masterclass here.

I take the point about OTB. A bit like a real fight vs. workout in the gym. I like to think that practicing these positions gives the confidence to play the right (difficult) move when you see it.

Mar-05-10  rapidcitychess: I got this one right! I'm only 1500 Glicko! Is anyone else feeling that these problems are too easy?
Mar-05-10  goodevans: Another one of those puzzles where the first move is easy to find but seeing the full solution is really quite tough. In my reckoning the critical line is <48 ... Rxb3+ 49 axb3 a2 50 Bxa2 Rxa2 51 Rd2 Ra1 52 Rg2 Ke6> leaving white in Zugzwang.

I would go as far as to say that any puzzle that requires seeing 5 moves deep to a Zugzwang has no business showing itself on a weekday!

Mar-05-10  muralman: Like just about everyone else, I could see Rxb3 was the only move that allowed play. I looked at doubling the rooks, and saw quickly that was drawland.

The trouble for me is, this is just the kind of puzzle I don't enjoy. I saw the next two moves, but then, whence from there? Just a tedious, long, trudge through the trenches.

Although Black is in the drivers seat, going for a win is fraught with obstacles, like Patzer 2 shows. Fritz, he says, eventually judges the battle even.

Mar-05-10  lzromeu: <48 ... Rxb3+ 49 axb3 a2 50 Bxa2 Rxa2 51 Rd2 Ra1 52 Rg2 Ke6>

AFter this is impossible to defend b,e and g pawn with a king and rook.

Rxb3 is a win move 10 to 15 moves before.

Mar-05-10  ajile: White played rather poorly in the opening. White needs to challenge black with either an early d5 or e4. The move 12.e3 was especially insipid. White is playing defense (e3 prevents ..f4) instead of offense.

Also 16.dxc6? and now Black gets to retake with the c pawn adding to his central pressure. White should maintain the spearhead d5 pawn unless there is tangible compensation.

I like the Leningrad Dutch defense but this game doesn't do it justice since White played without any plan in the opening and middlegame.

Mar-05-10  Eduardo Leon: Black is an exchange up, but he is unable to open the position by conventional means (ruptures and exchanges). It's only because of the unfortunate position of the white bishop at b1 that black can now play...

48...♖xb3+! 49.♔xb3

Black also wins after 49.axb3 a2 50.♗xa2 ♖xa2 51.♖d2 ♖a1! (both 52...♖e1 and 52...♖g1 are threats now) 52.♖g2 ♔e6, zugzwang.

49...♖b6+ 50.♔c2

Of course, if white gives up his extra bishop, the difference in power between the white and black rooks would decides the endgame.

50...♖b2+ 51.♔c1 ♖e2!

The key move. The light squared bishop cannot do anything to prevent the black rook from snapping two more pawns.

52.♖d1

Since the e3 pawn will fall, giving up the one at g3 would mean giving up the whole kingside.

52...♖xe3 53.♖g1 ♖c3+

And 54...♖xc4. Black will push his central pawns like a steamroller to achieve victory.

Mar-05-10  MaxxLange: great puzzle! the difference between a guy like Bronstein and an ordinary strong master.....boom, the mobile pawns
Mar-06-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  al wazir: <Quentinc: 51 Rd2 Ra1> 52. Rg2. Now what? If 52...Re1, then 53. Kd2 Rb1 (53...Ra1 54. Kc3) 54. Kc2, etc. I don't see black making any progress.
Mar-06-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Pawn and Two: <Eduardo Leon> I noted your line, 48...Rxb3 49.Kxb3 Rb6+ 50.Kc2 Rb2+ 51.Kc1 Re2 52.Rd1 Rxe3 53.Rg1 Rc3+ 54.Kd2 Rxc4, followed the game continuation.

Fritz indicates the players followed the strongest continuation for the next two moves: 55.Bc2 d5 56.Rb1 d4.

After 56...d4, we have the following position:


click for larger view

White then played 57.Bd1?, Fritz indicates that 57.Kd1! was considerably stronger: (-.51) (28 ply) 57...Kd6 58.Rb6+ Kc7 59.Rb3 d3 60.Bxd3, (-.51) (31 ply) 60...exd3 (60...Rd4 leads to the same position) 61.Rxd3 Ra4 62.Kd2 Kc6 63.Rb3 Kd5 64.Kc2 Kc4 65.Rd3 Ra6 66.Kd2 Kb5.

I could not find a winning continuation for Black in this line. After 57.Kd1!, can you show a winning continuation for Black?

Mar-06-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Pawn and Two: <al wazir> 49.axb3? is inferior to 49.Kxb3. See my last posting for a review of the game continuation, 49.Kxb3.

After 48...Rxb3 49.axb3? a2 50.Bxa2 Rxa2 51.Rd2 Ra1, Fritz provides the following continuation: (-2.31) (31 ply) 52.Rg2 Kd7 53.Rb2 Rd1 54.Re2 Kc6 55.Kc2 Rg1 56.Kc3 Kb6 57.Kc2 Rxg3 58.Kb2 Kb7 59.Kc2 Kc6, (-3.41) (31 ply) 60.Kd1 d5 61.cxd5+ Kxd5 62.Rd2+ Kc6 63.Ke2 Rg2+ 64.Kd1 Rg4 65.Rd8 Rxh4, (-3.75) (27 ply) 66.Rc8+ Kb5 67.Rb8+ Ka5 68.Kc2 Rh1 69.Rc8 Kb6 70.Rb8+ Kc7 71.Rg8 Rg1, (-3.96) (27 ply) 72.Kc3 h4 73.Kc4 h3 74.Rh8 Kc6 75.Rc8+ Kd6 76.Rd8+ Ke7 77.Rh8 Rg3 78.Kxc5 Rxe3, (-4.87) (25 ply) 79.b4 Rf3 80.Kc4 e3 81.Kd3 Rxf4 82.Rxh3 Rxb4, and Black is clearly winning.

No doubt improvements can be found for both sides in this long and difficult rook & pawn ending. However, I believe Black should win the ending after, 48...Rxb3 49.axb3.

Mar-07-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Pawn and Two: After the moves, 48...Rxb3 49.Kxb3 Rb6+ 50.Kc2 Rb2+ 51.Kc1, we have the following position:


click for larger view

In this position, Black played 51...Re2 (see my analysis of 03/06/10).

Instead of 51...Re2, Black could have tried 51...Rg2. This move appears promising, but in the end, Fritz could not find a way for Black to make progress: (-.62) (33 ply) 51...Rg2 52.Rd1 Rxg3 53.Re1 Rh3 54.Kd2 Rxh4 55.Bc2, (-.63) (33 ply) 55...Kf6 56.Ba4 Rh3 57.Re2 Ke6 58.Rg2 Kf7 59.Bd1 Rh1 60.Re2 h4 61.Re1 Rh2+ 62.Re2 Rh3.

My conclusion is that 51...Rg2, like 51...Re2, leads to a draw.

Clearly, Bronstein's brilliant 48...Rxb3! was the only move that gave Black any possibility of playing for a win. If White was given the opportunity, he could have secured his position with 49.Bc2! After 48...Rxb3!, Brzozka played several good defensive moves, but in the end he finally failed to fend off the Black's avalanche of pawns.

However, even after the brilliant 48...Rxb3!, and the many claims by others to have seen a win in perhaps just seconds, computer analysis indicates White can still draw.

Dec-02-10  Ulhumbrus: Bronstein comments on this game in his book "The sorceror's apprentice". As Bronstein indicates, on 46...Ra6!! White lacks any useful move. He has to play 47 Rd1 a move which does nothing to stop Black's a pawn in the event of 47...Nxd5+ 48 Rxd5+ Rxb3+!! 49 axb3 a2.

After 47 Rd1 Nxd5+ 48 Rxd5+ Rxb3+ 49 Kxb3 Rb6+ 50 Kc2 Rb2+ Black's Rook runs amok in White's position, winning the e and c pawns and acquiring a central pawn steam-roller.

Bronstein's move 46...Ra6!! can be described as a truly wonderful example of imaginative play, worthy of a briliancy prize.

< Pawn and Two: ...White then played 57.Bd1?, Fritz indicates that 57.Kd1! was considerably stronger: (-.51) (28 ply) 57...Kd6 58.Rb6+ Kc7 59.Rb3 d3 60.Bxd3, (-.51) (31 ply) 60...exd3 (60...Rd4 leads to the same position) 61.Rxd3 Ra4 62.Kd2 Kc6 63.Rb3 Kd5 64.Kc2 Kc4 65.Rd3 Ra6 66.Kd2 Kb5. I could not find a winning continuation for Black in this line.>

In this line an alternative to 58...Kc7 is 58...Kd5 and an alternative to 57...Kd6 is 57...Rc3.

Dec-05-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: this game is featured over at chess.com today. great strategic vision to see that one can give up a piece but create the mobile connected passers.
Dec-05-10  Ulhumbrus: Bronstein comments on this game in his book "The sorceror's apprentice". As Bronstein indicates, on 46...Ra6!! White lacks any useful move. He has to play 47 Rd1 a move which does nothing to stop Black's a pawn in the event of 47...Nxd5+ 48 Rxd5+ Rxb3+!! 49 axb3 a2. After 47 Rd1 Nxd5+ 48 Rxd5+ Rxb3+ 49 Kxb3 Rb6+ 50 Kc2 Rb2+ Black's Rook runs amok in White's position, winning the e and c pawns and acquiring a central pawn steam-roller.

Bronstein's move 46...Ra6!! can be described as a truly wonderful example of imaginative play, worthy of a brilliancy prize.

< Pawn and Two: ...White then played 57.Bd1?, Fritz indicates that 57.Kd1! was considerably stronger: (-.51) (28 ply) 57...Kd6 58.Rb6+ Kc7 59.Rb3 d3 60.Bxd3, (-.51) (31 ply) 60...exd3 (60...Rd4 leads to the same position) 61.Rxd3 Ra4 62.Kd2 Kc6 63.Rb3 Kd5 64.Kc2 Kc4 65.Rd3 Ra6 66.Kd2 Kb5. I could not find a winning continuation for Black in this line.>

In this line an alternative to 58...Kc7 is 58...Kd5 and an alternative to 57...Kd6 is 57...Rc3.

Jan-30-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  Pawn and Two: <Ulhumbrus: In this line an alternative to 58...Kc7 is 58...Kd5 and an alternative to 57...Kd6 is 57...Rc3.>

Your suggestions were in response to Fritz's indication of a likely draw, after the moves 57.Kd1! Kd6 58.Rb6+ Kc7.


click for larger view

In response to 57.Kd1! Rc3, Fritz indicates, (.00) (30 ply), 58.Rb3! Rc4 59.Rxa3 Rb4 60.Ra4 d3 61.Bb3 Rxa4 62.Bxa4, with an equal position.

If 57.Kd1! Rc3 58.Rb3! Rxb3?, (2.95) (28 ply), White is winning: 59.Bxb3 Kf6 60.Kc2 Ke7 61.Bc4 e3 62.Kb3.

In the line 57.Kd1! Kd6 58.Rb6+, your suggestion of 58...Kd5??, is an error that gives Black a lost game after 59.Bb3. Perhaps you meant 58...Kd7 or 58...Ke7, however Fritz indicates both of these moves provide only an equal position.

In addition to Fritz's indication of a draw with the move 57.Kd1!, there is <Zanshin's> interesting suggestion of 60.Rd3!


click for larger view

Fritz 12 agrees with <Zanshin & patzer2> that 60.Rd3! likely leads to a draw: (-.98) (26 ply) 60...Ke6 61.Ba4 Rg1 62.Bb3+ Ke7 63.Kf3 Rf1+ 64.Ke2 Rf2+ 65.Ke1 Rg2 66.Bc4 Rxg3 67.Rxa3 Rh3 68.Ra7+ Kd8 69.Ra8+ Kc7 70.Rg8 Rh1+ 71.Ke2, (-.50) (24 ply) 71...Rxh4 72.Rg7+ Kd8 73.Rg8+ Kd7 74.Rg7+.

<jimfromprovidence> suggested that White may have been able to draw the game, with the continuation: 61.Ra4.


click for larger view

Fritz agrees with <patzer2>, that Black is winning after 61.Ra4. Fritz gives 61...Kd6! 62.a3 (best) 62...Kc6! 63.Rb4 (best), (-3.44) (24 ply) 63...Kc5 64.Ba4 Rg1 65.Rb5+ Kd6 66.Rb6+ Kd5 67.Rxg6+ Rg2+ 68.Ke1 Ra2, (-8.88) (22 ply) 69.Rg8 d3, and Black is clearly winning.

Apr-15-12  Everett:    <MaxxLange: great puzzle! the difference between a guy like Bronstein and an ordinary strong master.....boom, the mobile pawns>

Yes, there is that famous missed win vs Botvinnik in '51, and many, many others. Bronstein was addicted to the <piece sac for two mobile pawns> just as much as Petrosian was the master of the <exchange sac for a pawn>.

Feb-17-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  kingscrusher: The engine doesn't seem to recommend the breakthrough Rxb3 ..... And is stuck with just a theoretical advantage as a result - hilarious!

Stefan Brzozka - David Bronstein, USSR 1963


click for larger view

Analysis by Houdini 4 x64:

1. (-1.59): 48...Ke6 49.Bc2 Ra7 50.Bd1 Rab7 51.Be2 Kd7 52.Bf1 Kc6 53.Rd2 Re7 54.Rd1 Rd7 55.Rd5 Rdb7 56.Rd2 2. (-1.59): 48...Ra7 49.Bc2 Ke6 50.Bd1 Rab7 51.Be2 Kd7 52.Bf1 Kc6 53.Rd2 Re7 54.Rd1 Rd7 55.Rd5 Rdb7 56.Rd2 3. (-1.59): 48...Rab6 49.Bc2 Kd7 50.Bd1 R6b7 51.Be2 Kc7 52.Bf1 Kc6 53.Rd2 Re7 54.Rd1 Rd7 55.Rd5 Rdb7 56.Rd2

(Doe, 17.02.2014)

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