[Event "Netherlands m 3940"] [Site "Netherlands"] [Date "1940.01.05"] [Round "9"] [White "Euwe, Max"] [Black "Keres, Paul"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E19"] [Annotator "Llewellyn, Alan"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "1939.12.24"] [EventType "match"] [EventRounds "14"] [EventCountry "NED"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] {The advent of the Soviet Union saw Stalins famous drive to take over the Chess World. Paul Keres had the ability to be World Champion, as he proves against Max Euwe in this WWII game in occupied terretory. Unfortunately because he played in Nazi propoganda events he was austrocised from chess at the end of the war by Stalin. And thus his chances of being World Champion were deminished. In this game between Soviet early Knowledge and a classical ex-World Champion, Paul shows a great exchange sacrifice(ie Rook for Knight or Bishop-in this case Rook for Knight) to win.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 { avoiding the Nimzo-Indian Defence but with 3...b6 Black plays the Queens Indian Defence instead.} (3. Nc3 Bb4 {The Nimzo-Indian was played in an earlier encounter in this match between these great players.}) 3... b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Qc2 Nxc3 9. Qxc3 d6 10. Qc2 f5 11. Ne1 Qc8 12. e4 Nd7 13. d5 fxe4 14. Qxe4 Nc5 15. Qe2 Bf6 $15 {White has been outplayed in the opening- The wizardry of the Soviet Chess Machine has to be admired, but it was an unfair advantage-in todays world computers have equalised the battles between east and west on the chessboard. (ie with things like Chessbase with its database of chess games played by top players, and computer playing programs for analysis and training dvd-roms).} 16. Bh3 Re8 17. Be3 Qd8 18. Bxc5 exd5 $1 (18... dxc5 $2 19. Bxe6+ $16) 19. Be6+ $2 (19. Be3 d4 20. Bg2 Qc8 21. Bd5+ Bxd5 22. cxd5 Qf5 23. Rd1 dxe3 24. fxe3 Qe5 25. Rf3 Qxb2 26. Qxb2 Bxb2 $17 {with drawing chances.}) 19... Kh8 20. Rd1 dxc5 21. Ng2 $6 ( 21. Qg4 Bxb2 22. Bxd5 Bxd5 23. Rxd5 $17) 21... d4 22. f4 $6 (22. Rfe1 Bc8 23. Qg4 $17) 22... d3 $3 $19 {This wonderfull move opens up the potential of Blacks dark-squared Bishop. Not only is that worth more than a pawn but its worth sacrificing a Queen over for a few minor pieces.} 23. Rxd3 Qxd3 $3 24. Qxd3 Bd4+ 25. Rf2 (25. Kh1 Rxe6 26. Rf3 Rae8 27. b4 Re2 28. bxc5 bxc5 29. h4 Rb2 30. Kh2 Ree2 31. Qf5 Rxg2+ 32. Kh3 Rh2+ 33. Kg4 Bxf3+ 34. Kxf3 Rb8 $19 { and White is lost.}) 25... Rxe6 26. Kf1 Rae8 27. f5 $2 (27. Rd2 Be4 28. Qb3 Bf5 29. Qd1 Bh3 30. Rc2 g5 31. Rd2 gxf4 32. gxf4 Re4 {Threatening Rxf4 which is overwhelming.}) 27... Re5 28. f6 gxf6 29. Rd2 Bc8 30. Nf4 Re3 31. Qb1 Rf3+ $1 32. Kg2 Rxf4 $3 {Latter moves like these were called Tal Sacrifices after Mikhail Tal, who played sacrifices based on position not necesarily tactics. Here the Bishops work in co-ordination to make Max give up just a few moves latter facing mate.} 33. gxf4 Rg8+ $1 34. Kf3 (34. Kf1 Rg1+ 35. Ke2 Rxb1 $19) 34... Bg4+ {Possible lines go 35.Kg2 Bf5+ 36.Kf3 Bxb1 and 35.Ke4 Re8+ 36.Kd3 Bf5# or also 35.Ke4 Re8+ 36.Kd5 Bf3+ 37.Qe4 Bxe4#} 0-1