This is a very famous game. It is Black to move. How should Black proceed?
Bonus trivia: Without looking this up, can you name the two famous players who played this game?
5k2/3b2p1/1p4qp/p1pPp1p1/P1P1Pn2/2P5/2Q3PP/3BB1K1 b – – 0 27
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Spassky – Fischer (1972)
Bxa4
Yes, that is it.
Instantly recognizable if you know the game, yes.
Something I’ve always found interesting about this position — look at Black’s (light squared) bishop and his seven pawns (on dark squares). Maximum fluidity!
kingscrusher has a nice video on this game @youtube
I never saw this game before… so it can’t be that famous. 😉
The solution is 1. -, Bxa4. If the queen does not take the bishop but goes to b1 (2. Qb1) Bxd1 3. Qxd1, Qxe4 wins three pawns.
So 2. Qxa4, Qxe4 and there are two threats: Qxg2# and Qxe1#.
Only defense is 3. Kf2(!) but now Nd3+ 4. Kg3, Qe3+ (Qxe1+ wins, too, for sure) 5. Kg4, g6!! 6. Bg3/g3, h5+ 7. Kh3, Nf4#.
I hope I haven’t overseen anything, perhaps there is a faster way to mate after Kf2?
Best regards
Jochen
I hope I haven’t overseen anything, perhaps there is a faster way to mate after Kf2?
27…Bxa4
28.Qxa4 Qxe4
29.Kf2 Nd3+
30.Kg3 Qh4+
31.Kf3 Qf4+
32.Ke2 Nc1#
Hmpf, that is one move faster (or even two moves as white can sacrifice the queen in my variation to live one move longer).
But I like my variation more because it has this silent move g6! in it. 🙂
Thanks for posting the short and forced mate, ano.
Best regards
Jochen
It is a very recent game; perhaps topolov – Kramik?
Artic Knight
Play over the whole game here.