[Event "Barmen IT Masters-A"] [Site "Barmen"] [Date "1905.??.??"] [Round "3"] [White "Mieses, Jacques"] [Black "Von Bardeleben, Curt"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C14"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "1905.08.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "15"] [EventCountry "GER"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] {This is a fantastic game in the romantic period of chess, ie pre-World War II, actually this goes back to pre-World War I. The games gets into an unusual position which is famous, to serious followes of the game. Niether are famous players, though Mieses is more well heard of, of the two, and has an opening move named after him ie 1 d3. Jacques Mieses was actually german born but naturalised himself in Britain, while Curt Von Bardeleben was a German all his life.} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 {I get to this position after the move order 1 Nc3 d5 2 d4 Nf6 3 Bg5 e6 4 e4 which starts as a Veresov Opening but this position it has transposed to is the French Defence Classical Variations Main line.} Be7 5. Bxf6 Bxf6 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Bd3 c5 8. e5 (8. dxc5 $11 ) 8... cxd4 (8... Be7 $15) 9. exf6 $5 (9. Ne2 $6 Be7 $1 10. Nfxd4 $2 f6 11. exf6 Bxf6 12. O-O $2 e5 13. Nb3 e4 14. Bb5 a6 15. Ba4 b5 $19) 9... dxc3 10. fxg7 Kxg7 11. bxc3 Nc6 12. Nd4 e5 $1 13. Qh5 $2 exd4 14. Qxh7+ Kf6 15. Qh6+ Ke7 16. O-O Be6 (16... Qd6 $5 $19) 17. Rab1 Rb8 18. cxd4 Rh8 19. Qe3 Kd7 20. f4 $6 (20. h3 $17) 20... f5 21. Rfd1 $2 Qh4 22. h3 Rhg8 $1 23. Be2 Rg3 24. Bf3 $2 Qxh3 $3 25. Re1 $1 Bf7 26. c4 Kc7 $4 {this needless retreat loses valuable time and does nothing to help blacks position.} (26... Rbg8) 27. cxd5 Rbg8 $2 28. Rxb7+ $3 {A trully brilliant concept by the almost Brit.} Kxb7 29. dxc6+ Ka8 $4 {Ka8 and the position is winning for Black but now can you see the win for White in 4 moves. Answer below the 30th move.} (29... Kc8 $19) 30. c7+ ({ This is the answer to the win in 4. If you spotted this you are indeed a good player. 30.c7+ also wins.} 30. Qe8+ Rxe8 31. Rxe8+ Bxe8 32. c7+ Rxf3 33. c8=Q#) 30... Rxf3 31. Qe8+ Rxe8 32. Rxe8+ {the difference in this position and the one that led to mate is subtle but it is the availability of a flight square for the King to b7 which would indeed be blacks next move ie 32.Kb7 (note- the Bishop was still on f3 in the 4 move mate, defending that b7 square) 32... c8=Q+ and its all over especially after 33.Kb6 (only move) 33...gxh3 would see a resigning. After 32.Bxe8?? which actually mates without having any pieces with 33.c8=Q#. A highly remarkable state of affairs seeing as Curt has a Queen, Rook AND Bishop, all hopelessly misplaced.} 1-0