Ratmir Kholmov vs Josip Rukavina (1973)

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Ratmir Kholmov vs Josip Rukavina
Dubna (1973), Dubna URS, Dec-??
Modern Defense: King Pawn Fianchetto (B06) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Feb-17-23		jrredfield: I knew right away that the White N was the piece of interest and was looking for a move that would free up the White B to attack the g5 square. But I vacillated between different destinations for the N and never settled on 25 Nxd5 as my clear choice. Black hastened his demise with 25 ... Bg3 when 25 ... Be5 would have at least given Black a faint fighting chance.

Feb-17-23		Brenin: 25 Nxd5 looks good, e.g. 25 ... Qxd5 26 Qg6+ with mate in a few moves, or 25 ... Rxd2 26 Qe8+ and 27 Re7+ forcing Black to give up his Q with 27 ... Qxe7 28 Qxe7+, or 25 ... Be5 26 Qe8+ and 27 Rxe5.

Feb-17-23		Brenin: White's B sac 26 Bxg5 was unnecessary: 26 Be3, followed by 27 Bc5 if the R moves, was much stronger, e.g. 26 ... Qxd5 27 Qg6+ followed by 28 Bc5+ or Bd4+ as Black plays 27 ... Kf8 or Kh8.

Feb-17-23		mel gibson: I thought like jrredfield: - I knew it was a Knight move but wasn't sure which. Stockfish 15 says: 25. Nxd5 (25. Nxd5 (♘e3xd5 ♗h2-e5 ♕h5-e8+ ♔g8-g7 ♖e1xe5 ♖f2-f1+ ♔h1-h2 ♖f1-f7 ♗d2xg5 h6xg5 ♔h2-g1 ♗c8-f5 ♘d5-e3 ♗f5-g6 ♖e5xg5 ♔g7-h7 ♖g5-d5 ♕d6-e7 ♕e8xe7 ♖f7xe7 ♔g1-f2 ♗g6-f7 ♖d5-a5 ♖e7-d7 ♔f2-e2 ♗f7-g6 ♖a5-d5 ♖d7-e7 g2-g4 ♗g6-f7 ♖d5-a5 b7-b6 ♖a5-a4 ♗f7-d5 h3-h4 ♔h7-g6 a2-a3 ♗d5-e4 ♖a4-d4 ♖e7-e6 ♖d4-d8 a6-a5 ♖d8-f8 ♔g6-g7 ♖f8-f4 c7-c5 ♔e2-f2 b6-b5 ♘e3-f5+ ♔g7-h7 h4-h5 ♗e4-d3 ♔f2-g3 ♖e6-e1 ♖f4-f3 c5-c4 ♖f3-f2 ♖e1-e5 ♘f5-d4 ♔h7-g8 ♔g3-h4 b5-b4 a3xb4 a5xb4 c3xb4 ♖e5-e4 ♘d4-f5 ♔g8-h8 b4-b5 ♖e4-e5 ♘f5-d6 ♖e5-e6 ♖f2-f8+ ♔h8-h7 ♖f8-f7+ ♔h7-g8 ♖f7-d7 ♖e6-e2 ♔h4-g5 ♖e2xb2 ♔g5-h6 ♔g8-f8) +6.62/47 512) score for White +6.62 depth 47.

Feb-17-23		Allderdice83: What about 25. Qe8+? After either 25 ... Kg7 or 25 ... Kh7, White plays 26. Nf5! blocking out the rook and threatening Re7+ while also attacking the queen. 25 ... Kh7 26. Nf5 Bxf5 27. Re7+ Qxe7 28. Qxe7+ Kg6 29. Be3 and 29 ... Re2 30. Qe8+ Kf6 31. Kxh2, with the threat of 32. Bd4+. Black will have to give up the rook for the bishop to prolong the game. If 31 ... g4, then 32. h4. If 31 ... Bg6, then 32. Bd4+ Kf5 33. Qxe2 29 ... Rxb2, 30. Qe8+ and the black King will be forced onto the long diagonal where the bishop will give check, resulting in mate. 25 ... Kg7 is similar, since after 26. Nf5+ Bxf5 27. Re7+ Kf6?? 28. Qf7#

Feb-17-23		King.Arthur.Brazil: It is clear a combination theme: 25. ♘ moves ... 26. Qe8+ Kg7 27. Re7+ Kf6 28. Qf7#. In words, the ♘ in e3 is an obstacle, so its move is crucial for attack. Let's examine the possibilities. 1) 25. Nf5 which theats to capture the enemy's ♕ (you know, the King love it). While 25... Bxf5? allows the previous combination, 25... Rxf5 avoid it, because 26. Qe8+ Rf8 and there's no one good continuation after this. 2) 25. Ne1 Protects the ♗ in d2 and attacks the enemy's ♗, in h2, however remove the ♘ from the teatre of action. Too much passive. 3) 25. Ng4. This move attacks both enemy's ♗ - ♖, while for instance threats also 26.Nh6+ entering in the Black K-side. Black reply can be: 25...Bxg4 26. hxg4 Bg3 (27. Be3? Rf8!). It seems that White attack is paralised. I don't see better pespectives. 4) 25. Nxd5. Black cannot capture 25... Rxd2 because take out the ♖ needed to protect the combination above. (This R is slaved now). Also, 25...Qxd5? 26. Qg6+ Kf8 27. Re8# or 26... Kh8 27. Re8+ with mate in 2. However, Black can reply 25... Be6 (when 26. Qe8+ Kg7 27. Qxe6?? loses to Rf1+ winning the White ♕. (Obviously 27. Rxe6?? also Rf1#). 26. Ne7 Bf7. Other continuation for Black, can be 25... Bd7 which protects also the White checks on e8. I chose this line, although I didn't find a direct win on it. Other possibility is 25. c4. However, I guess there's no immediate answer to 25... Rxd2, for example, 26. Nxd5 Bd7... Black can survive. Hard work today!

Feb-17-23		Allderdice83: Oh never mind, 25. Qe8+ Rf8 and nothing doing. All that for nothing.

Feb-17-23		chrisowen: Wiz jail foot gas crick bin v its quarry hop due my Nxd5 acrid mad hitch affable its off bane u bottle accomodate mob again quality Nxd5 dog;

Feb-17-23		agb2002: White has a bishop and a knight for the bishop pair and a pawn. Black threatens Rxd2. The knight blocks the e-file and the black queen controls g6. These details suggest 25.Nxd5: A) 25... Rxd2 26.Qe8+ A.1) 26... Qf8 27.Nf6+ Kg7 28.Nh5+ Kg8 29.Qg6+ Kh8 30.Re8 wins. A.2) 26... Kg7 27.Re7+ Qxe7 28.Qxe7+ Kg6 (28... Kg8 29.Nf6+ Kh8 30.Qh7#; 28... Kh8 29.Nf6 Rd7 30.Qf8#) 29.Qf6+ Kh5 (29... Kh7 30.Qf7+ Kh8 31.Nf6 wins) 30.Qf7+ Kh4 31.Kxh2 wins decisive material. B) 25... Qxd5 26.Qg6+ and mate in three. C) 25... Be5 26.Qe8+ C.1) 26... Rf8 27.Qxe5 wins a piece. C.2) 26... Qf8 27.Qxe5 Rxd2 28.Nf6+ Kf7 (28... Kg8 29.Nd7+ wins the queen; 28... Kh8 29.Ne4+ wins the rook) 29.Rf1 C.2.a) 29... Kg6 30.Qe4+ wins (30... Kg7 31.Qh7#). C.2.b) 29... Qd8 30.Ne4+ and 31.Nxd2 wins decisive material. C.3) 26... Kg(h)7 27.Rxe5 C.3.a) 27... Rf1+ 28.Kh2 Rf5 29.Qe7+ Qxe7 30.Rxe7+ Kf8 31.Rxc7 Rxd5 32.Rxc8+ wins a piece. C.3.b) 27... Rxd2 28.Re7+ as in A.2. D) 25... Be6 26.Qg6+ Kf8 (26... Kh8 27.Qxh6+ as below) 27.Qxh6+ (27.Rxe6 Rf1#; 27.Qxe6 Rf1+ 28.Rxf1 Qxe6) D.1) 27... Ke8 28.Rxe6+ wins decisive material. D.2) 27... Kg8 28.Qxg5+ frees the bishop and looks winning. For example 28... Ke8 (28... Kh8 29.Qh4+) 29.Rxe6+ Qxe6 30.Nxc7+ wins. D.3) 27... Kf7 28.Qh5+ Kf8 (else 29.Qxg5+ as above) 29.Bxg5 looks winning (29... Qxd5 30.Bh6+ Ke7 -30... Kg8 31.Qg6+ Kh8 32.Qg7#- 31.Qxd5 wins). E) 25... Bd7 26.Bxg5 E.1) 26... Qxd5 27.Qg6+ Kh8 (27... Kf8 28.Bh6#) 28.Bf6+ Rxf6 29.Qxf6+ and 30.Kxh2 wins decisive material. E.2) 26... hxg5 27.Ne7+ E.2.a) 27... Kg7 28.Qxg5+ Kh7 (28... Kf(h)8 29.Qg8#; 28... Kf7 29.Qg8+ Kf6 30.Qg6#) 29.Qh4+ Kg7 30.Qxf2 wins decisive material. E.2.b) 27... Kf8 29.Qh8+ Kf7 30.Qg8+ Kf6 31.Qg6#. E.3) 26... Bc6 27.Ne7+ E.3.a) 27... Kg7 28.Bxh6+ Qxh6 29.Nf5+ Rxf5 30.Re7+ Kf8 31.Qxh6+ Kxe7 32.Kxh2 wins decisive material. E.3.b) 27... Kh7 28.Nxc6 Qxc6 29.Qxh6+ Qxh6 30.Bxh6 Kxh6 (30... Bd6 31.Bc1 + - [2P]) 31.Kxh2 Rxb2 32.Re7 should be winning. E.3.c) 27... Kh8 28.Nxc6 Qxc6 29.Qxh6+ Qxh6 30.Bxh6 Bd6 31.Bc1 + - [2P].

Feb-17-23		Brenin: <agb2002> has excelled even his high standards of thoroughness here, and it feels churlish to criticise, but in his line (E) 25 ... Bd7 and also in the game line (omitted) 25 ... Bg3 I think White does better to avoid the unnecessary B sac 26 Bxg5, and instead to allow the B to join the attack with 25 ... Bd7 26 Ne7+ Kg7 (or Kh7) 27 Be3, or 25 ... Bg3 26 Be3 R moves 27 Bc5, shifting the Black Q from her defensive duties.

Feb-17-23		Jimfromprovidence: After 25 Nxd5, black plays the bold 25...Bxh3?!, below, threatening 26...Bxg2#. click for larger view White still can win, but what's the best way to do it?

Feb-17-23		agb2002: <Brenin:... and it feels churlish to criticism... > Thank you! It shouldn't :-) In my case, the almost sole purpose of this exercise is to combat aging, as probably some kibitzers already suspect. If I can produce accurate analysis then I'll feel satisfied. If my lines are plagued with suboptimal moves, hallucinations or plain blunders (for example 29.Qxh6+ in my line E.3.b instead of the relatively simple 29.Qg4) then it will be OK as long as I did put some effort into them. <... the game line (omitted) 25 ... Bg3> I didn't look wide enough. Again. <I think White does better to avoid the unnecessary B sac 26 Bxg5> This move looked so natural that I didn't even consider any alternative. Again. Better luck tomorrow, I hope.

Feb-17-23		agb2002: <Jim> 26.Qxh3 Qxd5 (26... Rxd2 27.Qc8+ and the attack looks winning) 27.Be3, with the double threat Bxf2 and Kxh2, must be winning.

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