Ray Robson vs Prasanna Raghuram Rao (2004)

Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players ·

Kibitzing

Ray Robson vs Prasanna Raghuram Rao
Wch U10 (2004), Heraklio GRE, rd 6, Nov-04
Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation. Yugoslav Attack (B78) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Given 1 time; par: 38 [what's this?]

explore this opening	find similar games	1 more Robson/Prasanna Raghuram Rao game
sac: 25.Rxg8+	PGN: download \| view \| print	Help: general \| java-troubleshooting

TIP: If we are missing an important game, you can submit it (in PGN format) at our PGN Upload Utility.

For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.

PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 1 OF 2 · Later Kibitzing>
Nov-25-14		Bobby Spassky: 25. e6! is good enough

Nov-25-14		Phony Benoni: Hmm. I was looking at the immediate <25.e6>, which has the added merit of sarcasm. "Go ahead. Move."

Nov-25-14		OlymposGR: 25. e6 ...

Nov-25-14		chessamateur: Yep both of them win. I would go for e6 for style points.

Nov-25-14		M.Hassan: "Easy" White to play 25.? Equal but Black has the Bishop pair. Black's LSB is pinned, therefore pushing the pawn to e6 is safe and it forms a support for any White piece sitting on f7: 25.e6 Bxh8 26.Bxh8 Still LSB is pinned and Black seems not to have a play to prevent mate: 26.........Ng7 27.Qf7#

Nov-25-14		offramp: How would you evaluate black's exchange sacrifice in this game?

Nov-25-14		diagonalley: even <diagonalley> got 25.P-K6

Nov-25-14		agb2002: White has a bishop and a knight for the bishop pair. Black threatens 25... Bxh8 26.Rxh8 Ng7. Blacks's light square bishop is pinned. Therefore, 25.e6, threatening mate, 25... Bxh8 26.Rxh8 followed by 27.Qf7#. Another option is 25.Rxg8+ Kxg8 26.e6 followed by 27.Qf7#.

Nov-25-14		TheBish: Robson vs R Prasanna, 2004 White to play (25.?) "Easy", even material. This is not the perfect puzzle, as there two distinct solutions (although similar). But, that adds to this being easy! 25. e6! Bxh8 The only way to delay Qf7#. 26. Rxh8 Ng7 Stopping the mate on g8 and hoping to be able to play 27...Qe8 next move to stop the other mate, but... 27. Qf7#. Alternate solution: 25. Rxg8+! Kxg8 26. e6 Any 27. Qf7#.

Nov-25-14		TheBish: I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but Robson was far from 2527 at age 9! (That would be very impressive though.) He did receive his FM title the following year (2005) and went on to become the youngest American to obtain the GM title (breaking Caruana's record by a few days), and now Samuel Sevian has just broken Robson's record. How low can they go? If anyone is interested, you can see Robson's rating graph here: http://main.uschess.org/datapage/ra...

Nov-25-14		patzer2: Decided quickly on 25. e6! for my Tuesday puzzle solution. Both 25. Roxg8+ and 25. e6! are good for mate-in-three.

Nov-25-14		erimiro1: 25. e6 is nicer, and does the same job.

Nov-25-14		Once: A pair of GOOTs! The game continuation: 25. Rxg8+ Kxg8 26. e6 click for larger view Black can't do anything to prevent Qf7# Just as good is 25. e6 (threatening the immediate Qf7#) Bxh8 26. Rxh8 click for larger view White is threatening three different mates: 27. Qf7#, Rxg8# and Qxg8#. Black isn't in check and can play any move he wants, but there is nothing to save him. Either seems equally good. A very impressive finish for someone so young.

Nov-25-14		morfishine: I like <25.e6> for its powerful simplicity and "positional correctness" evidenced in the way a lowly pawn advances into a free square enabling it to influence the square f7 directly in front of the enemy King Both 25.Rxg8+ & <25.e6> mate on move 27, so there's no difference in the length of the game 25.Rxg8+ is how a ham-fisted blacksmith would proceed 25.e6 is how a musician or artist would proceed *****

Nov-25-14		Once: Or ... the elegant and forcing 25. Rxg8 prepares the way for 26. e6 by eliminating the defender of the e6 square. White mates in the most efficient way possible. White needs just two pieces to give mate with no need for the Rh1 to do anything. By contrast, 25. e6 is a premature pawn push which then needs Rh8 to prevent Bxe6. White needs three pieces for the mate. Who are we kidding? Either way is as good as the other. It's mate in three.

Nov-25-14		morfishine: <Once> No kidding here, its mate in the same amount of moves. Its just a matter of taste. <25.Rxg8+> is one last attack, rooted in malice and hatred of one's enemy <25.e6> is the General's mounted messenger, cantering out from smoky invisible battlelines, White flag held high, announcing the offer of a peaceful surrender I don't view that as premature *****

Nov-25-14		wooden nickel: The choice between 25.RxBg8+ or 25.e6: "...a man, being just as hungry as thirsty, and placed in between food and drink, must necessarily remain where he is and starve to death." -Aristotle (On the Heavens, c.350 BCE) Nice puzzle for Tuesday!

Nov-25-14		morfishine: <wooden nickel> Thats beautiful

Nov-25-14		zb2cr: Put me down for 25. e6.

Nov-25-14		Penguincw: Took me a while to get this puzzle, as 26.e6 is not easy to see (moves that give check are easier to calculate).

Nov-25-14		TheaN: Back from long gone (again), I'm looking forward at picking up the PotD more often. This Tuesday starter was not necessarily difficult as the position simply screams for mate. White's attack breaks through by means of the thorning e-pawn: <25.e6 Bxh8 (else Qf7#) 26.Rxh8 with 27.Qf7# 1-0>. I hadn't actually envisioned Rxg8+ until I saw the solution. The discussion whether e6 or Rxg8 is <better> is pointless. The game ends at move 27 and the mating pattern is the same for both move orders. The <reason> why one chooses one over the other is yet of great value. I dismissed Rxg8+ at first glance because white sacrifices a very active rook for the piece in its pin. After 25.Rxg8 Kxg8 26.e6 white has a piece less in offense and only taken out a weak defender. All the threats on g8 are non-existent. If black had a way of protecting f7 this move order would not win immediately, whereas the other does. As a thumb rule in attacks, bringing in more pieces with threats is usually more effective than boldly sacrificing pieces in the enemy position. If the latter doesn't lead to the former or mate, it is usually not good. 25.e6 is a typical piece engaging move: without compromising the attacking position white brings in the e-pawn, threatens mate on f7 and shuts off the kingside for black defenders. After 25....Bxh8 26.Rxh8, due to the h8 reload, White brought in a new offender (e6) and removed a black defender (Bg7). I'll stop brabbling now. It's mate in three, 'nough said.

Nov-25-14		njdanie: Black's gotta play h5 before white can otherwise the Dragon gets crushed...

Nov-25-14		whiteshark: <Bobby Spassky: 25. e6! is good enough> 4 me, 2!

Nov-25-14		Amarande: 25 e6. Nail down the coffin. :)

Nov-25-14		vasja: The third possibility is 25. Qh7 and B on g8 falls if K makes a run then 25...Kf7 26. Qxg8+ Kg6 27 R(any)h6#

search thread:
< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 1 OF 2 · Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
Nothing in violation of United States law.
No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
No trolling.
The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.

NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.