[Event "Match/Nation ENG-CSR"] [Site "London"] [Date "1947.??.??"] [Round "1"] [White "Abrahams, Gerald"] [Black "Zita, Frantisek"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A50"] [Annotator "MJDonnelly"] [PlyCount "162"] [EventDate "1947.??.??"] [EventType "team"] [EventRounds "2"] [EventCountry "ENG"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "1999.11.16"] [SourceQuality "1"] {[%evp 0,162,25,19,31,27,49,33,37,32,43,29,31,26,31,24,17,11,3,9,9,1,-6,-17,9,-2,11,12,7,0,18,-13,3,9,30,22,14,18,6,-90,-67,-58,-72,-136,-144,-143,57,67,72,72,66,92,743,-401,0,0,183,196,196,264,264,384,377,466,452,88,70,86,88,83,83,98,66,60,118,143,194,202,195,199,199,211,211,211,225,238,236,193,209,221,222,155,222,201,192,-153,-119,-133,-145,-142,-142,-144,-131,-128,-127,-127,-134,-158,-155,-155,-151,-153,-153,-150,-154,-159,-153,-155,-153,-159,-159,-202,-206,-195,-204,-210,-199,-210,-146,-153,-153,-180,-179,-197,-210,-203,-188,-188,-188,-196,-196,-230,-230,-270,-306,-505,-507,-527,-527,-547,-557,-557,-567,-692,-774,-774,-1167,-1308,-1479,-1449,-1002,-1481,-1689,-29985,-28038]} 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 b6 3. g3 Bb7 4. Bg2 g6 {Black employs a double fianchetto set up. This is a very flexible system as Black can respond in numerous ways to whatever pawn formation White employs. As in the Queen's Indian and Nimzo-indian Defences control of e4 is a key feature of the game. The line has become very popular in recent years and is played often by many of the highest rated players in the World.} 5. O-O Bg7 6. c4 O-O 7. Nc3 Ne4 {the most commital and most common move. Black can also choose to wait with d6, e6, or even} (7... a6 {with the idea of b5 for example} 8. Qc2 c5 9. d5 b5 10. e4 d6 11. Re1 Nbd7 $11 {Vrenegoor-Hoogendoom, Ruhrgebiet VL1 1999.}) (7... c5 {is less popular as the bishop can be immediately shut out with} 8. d5 ({White is unable to hold the centre with} 8. b3 {as Black can still open up the game with} cxd4 9. Nxd4 Bxg2 10. Kxg2 d5 {Kiprov-Popov, BUL KIngdom-ch Sofia 1942.}) 8... d6 9. e4 Nbd7 10. Bf4 Ng4 11. Qe2 Nge5 12. Nd2 a6 13. a4 Re8 14. Be3 Nf6 15. h3 Nh5 16. g4 Nf6 17. f4 Ned7 18. Rae1 {White has more space but Black was fine in Donnelly-Bullock, Coventry League KO Cup final 2006.The game was subsequently drawn after the moves} e5 19. dxe6 fxe6 20. Bf2 Nf8 21. e5 Bxg2 22. Kxg2 dxe5 23. fxe5 N6d7 24. Bg3 Nxe5 25. Bxe5 Bxe5 26. Nde4) 8. Qd3 ({White is unable to exploit the loose b7 bishop , as in some lines of the QID, with} 8. Ng5 {as Black can simplify via} Nxc3 9. bxc3 Bxg2 10. Kxg2 {and White has only achieved double pawns and no advantage: De Fre-Sivuk, Ghent op 2022.}) ({other White options are} 8. Nxe4 Bxe4 9. Be3 d6 10. Qd2 Nd7 11. d5 c5 {preventing Bd4 and the White queen coming to d4 to embarrass the bishop on e4 as in So-Carlsen, Speed Chess Chess.com INT blitz 2023.}) (8. Bd2 {gives Black the two bishops and even though one is blocked by the d5 pawn Black is fine after} Nxd2 9. Qxd2 c5 10. d5 d6 11. e4 Nd7 12. a4 a6 13. Rfe1 Qc7 {Patuzzo-Svane, Basel op 2015.}) ({and} 8. Qc2 Nxc3 9. Qxc3 (9. bxc3 {is similar to the main game except the c4 pawn is unguarded (Dreev-Melkumyan, Titled Tuesday intern op May Chess.com INT blitz 2022).}) 9... c5 {with pressure on White's centre as in Horowitz-Kashdan, Match NY 1938 (and many more recent games such as Fedoseev-Carlsen, Titled Tuesday intern op Mar. Chess.com INT blitz 2023).}) 8... Nxc3 9. bxc3 d6 10. e4 Nd7 11. Bh3 {This move is fairly common when bishops face each other on the long diagonal. It avoids a disadvantageous bishop exchange and can put pressure on Black along the h3-c8 diagonal, for example, discouraging Rc8, or in this case f5.} (11. Be3 {reinforces the centre and Black may choose between} e5 (11... c5) (11... Nf6 {all with a satisfactory game as Black has the better pawn formation to compensate White's central control.})) (11. Rb1 {is possible trying to jettison the c4 pawn with some play after} e5 12. c5 dxc5 13. d5 a5 14. c4 {as both Black bishops are somewhat restricted although Black could prevent the whole idea with 11...c5.}) 11... c5 {Black blockades the doubled pawns and in a similar manner to the Samisch variation of the Nimzo-Indian will attempt to win the c4 pawn.} 12. d5 Nf6 13. Re1 Bc8 14. Bg2 Bg4 15. Nh4 Qd7 16. f4 {As in the Samisch variation mentioned earlier White generates a king's-side attack in lieu of the potential loss of the c4 pawn.} Qa4 17. h3 (17. f5 {appears to trap the bishop but Black has tactical resources such as} Nd7 18. h3 Ne5 19. Qf1 Nxc4 20. hxg4 Bxc3 21. Bh6 Bxa1) 17... Bc8 18. e5 Ne8 19. f5 {White goes all out for the attack with some imaginative sacrifices to follow.} Ba6 (19... gxf5 20. Bf4 {when White is better placed for if Black continues with the plan to win the c4 pawn then White's attack wins eg} Ba6 21. Nxf5 Bxc4 22. Nxe7+ Kh8 23. Qf5) (19... Bxe5 20. fxg6 hxg6 21. Rxe5 dxe5 22. d6 (22. Nxg6 {only leads to a draw} fxg6 23. Qxg6+ Kh8 24. Qh6+ $11 ({since} 24. Be4 {loses to} Qd1+)) 22... Nxd6 23. Bxa8 {and Black must defend g6 with Kg7 or play e4 with a highly double edged game, if} Bxh3 {White wins for instance by} 24. Nxg6 Rxa8 25. Nxe7+ Kf8 26. Qxd6 $18) 20. fxg6 fxg6 {Black has no time to take on c4 with either queen or bishop.} (20... Bxc4 21. gxh7+ Kh8 22. Qf3 Bxe5 23. Rxe5 dxe5 24. Ng6+ fxg6 25. Qxf8+ Kxh7 26. Qh6+ Kg8 27. Qxg6+ $18) (20... Qxc4 21. gxh7+ Kh8 22. Qxc4 Bxc4 23. Bg5 Bxe5 24. Bxe7 (24. Rxe5 {is also strong} dxe5 25. Bxe7)) 21. Nxg6 {Foreceful but not best. Instead} (21. Bg5 {connecting rooks gives more chances and is no less complex with each line unclear.} Bxc4 (21... Qxc4 22. Qxc4 Bxc4 23. Bxe7 Rf7 24. exd6 Bxc3 25. d7 Bxa1 26. d6 ({not the early} 26. d8=Q Rxd8 27. Bxd8 Bd4+ $19) 26... Bd4+ 27. Kh1 (27. Kh2 Bb5 28. Bxa8 Rf2+) 27... Nf6 28. Bxa8 Nxd7) 22. Qe4) 21... hxg6 {Best as once again taking on c4 is better for White after} (21... Bxc4 22. Nxe7+ Kh8 23. Qe4 Bxe5 24. Bh6 $14) ({or} 21... Qxc4 22. Qxc4 Bxc4 23. Nxf8 $18) 22. Qxg6 dxe5 (22... Bxc4 {is out of the question due to} 23. Be4 dxe5 24. Qh7+ Kf7 25. Bg6+ Kf6 26. Bg5+ Kxg5 27. Qh5+ Kf6 28. Qf5#) ({but for a moment in the game} 22... Qxc4 {is optimum as White's follow up leaves his own king too exposed} 23. Be4 (23. Qe6+ Rf7 24. Rf1 Qxf1+ 25. Bxf1 Bxf1 $19 (25... Nc7 26. Qd7 Rxf1+ 27. Kh2 Raf8 28. Qxc7 R8f2#)) 23... Rf1+ $19) 23. d6 (23. Be4 Rf6 {defends the king adequately but not the more obvious} (23... Nf6 24. Bh6 Rf7 25. Rf1 Bxc4 26. Rxf6 exf6 27. Qh7+ Kf8 28. d6 Rd8 29. Qh8#)) 23... Rf6 (23... Bxc4 {is unplayable due to} 24. dxe7 ({and not the materialistic} 24. Bxa8 Bf7 {with taking on d6 to follow and Black has beaten back the attack.}) 24... Rf6 25. Qg4 $18) (23... Qxc4 {remarkably leads to a draw following} 24. Bxa8 (24. dxe7 Rf6 $17) 24... Rf1+ 25. Kh2 (25. Rxf1 Qxf1+ 26. Kh2 Qf2+ 27. Bg2 Bb7 28. Qxe8+ $11) 25... Rf2+ 26. Bg2 Bb7 27. Qxe8+ Kh7 28. Qh5+ $11) 24. Bd5+ e6 25. Bxe6+ {Now Qxc4 is avoided.} Kf8 26. Qh7 $6 (26. Bg5 {this winning move in given by Abrahams in his wonderful book "The Chess Mind". In the chapter on "Imagination its Use and Abuse", Abrahams makes the point that imagination must always be active and controlled. Furthermore, he states as a player gains experience he (or she in these days) learns when to concentrate along lines in a quest for ideas and when to be content with an easier task. Generally, though greater effort will be required, and at more stages of a game, as a player develops. The perception of the idea behind Bg5 "would have subsequently saved White a great deal of labour and anxiety". A most astute and interesting comment.} Bxc4 (26... Rxg6 27. Be7#) 27. Bxf6 Bxe6 28. Be7+ Kg8 29. Qxe6+ Kh8 30. Qd5 {easily wins.}) 26... Rxe6 27. Rf1+ Rf6 28. Bh6 Bxh6 29. Qxh6+ Kg8 30. Rxf6 Ng7 (30... Nxf6 {is unplayable due to the nearness of the d6 pawn to promotion} 31. Qg6+ Kf8 32. Qxf6+ Kg8 33. Qe6+ Kf8 34. d7 Qxc4 35. Qf6+ Qf7 36. d8=Q+ Rxd8 37. Qxd8+) 31. Rg6 Qd7 32. Rg4 {Too slow in taking time to defends c4 even though the move retains the pin of the knight. Bringing the Ra1 into the game wins easily. For instance,} (32. Rf1 Bxc4 33. Rf5 Bd3 (33... Rf8 34. Rxf8+ Kxf8 35. Qh8+ Bg8 36. Rf6+ $18) 34. Rxg7+ Qxg7 35. Rg5 Qxg5 36. Qxg5+ Kf7 37. Qxe5 $18) 32... Rf8 33. Qg6 Qf7 34. Qxf7+ Rxf7 35. Re1 Bc8 36. Rg5 Bxh3 $2 37. g4 {Now White is much better again having excluded the bishop from the game.} Kf8 38. Rexe5 Ne8 39. Rh5 Nxd6 40. Rh8+ Kg7 41. Rxh3 Nxc4 42. Rg5+ Kf8 43. Rd5 a5 44. g5 Kg7 45. Rg3 a4 46. g6 Re7 47. Kg2 $4 {In the tournament book (with a forward written in September 1947 by Ritson Morry), Abrahams here comments in his own notes to this game "my opponent at this stage drowned the board in tears of gratitude". After playing an oustanding attacking game White, probably exhausted with the massive complexities, makes a simple blunder and now has to find the determination to draw the ending.} (47. Kf2 {should win with White a clear exchange up and having a guarded passed pawn. Some possible lines are} Kf6 48. Rdg5 Rg7 (48... Kg7 49. Rh3 Kg8 50. Rg4 b5 51. Rh7 Rxh7 52. gxh7+ Kxh7 53. Rxc4 bxc4 54. Ke3 Kg6 55. Ke4 Kf6 56. Kd5 $18) 49. R5g4 $18) 47... Ne3+ 48. Rxe3 Rxe3 49. Rd6 b5 50. Rb6 Rxc3 51. Rxb5 Kxg6 {Without the White rook's pawn there are similar examples in the remarkable work of Rueben Fine's namely "Basic Chess Endings" published in the USA in 1941. The similarity with a position in this book (Schlechter-Tarraasch, Cologne 1911) is pointed out in CHESS magazine of August 1947 by an unnamed annotator with the only other comment being a reference to the famous game Marshall-Rubinstein , San Sebastian 1911 and that such positions are considered to result normally in a draw. Abrahams makes reference to this in his annotations in the tournament book, published later in 1947 along with several repetitions of how tired he was.} (51... Rc2+ {causes no real problems for White who draws comfortably by} 52. Kf3 Rxa2 53. Rxc5 Kxg6 54. Ke4 $11) 52. Kf1 $6 {A danger pointed out in "Practical Chess Endings" by Keres is to avoid the king being cut off on the back rank as this sometimes gives the side with extra pawns some winning chances.} ({Activating both the rook and king to compromise Black's pawns and rook with} 52. Ra5 Rc4 53. Kf2 {is a draw as the White king can proceed to d3.}) 52... Kf5 $2 {Black improves the position of the king and aims to support the BP to free up the rook. However, as impied in Keres' comment} (52... Rc2 {should win for example via} 53. Ke1 a3 54. Ra5 Rxa2 55. Rxc5 (55. Kd1 c4 56. Kc1 c3 $19) 55... Rb2 $19 {as Black can play a2 and promote the pawn with Rb1+.}) 53. Ke1 $2 {Too passive and White slips into a losing endgame. With the king on the back rank Black may be able to engineer mating threats by moving the king to e3. The more active} (53. Ke2 {draws after} Rc2+ ({and also after} 53... Ke4 54. Ra5 Rc2+ 55. Kd1 Rxa2 56. Rxc5 $11) 54. Kd3 $11 Rxa2 55. Rxc5+ $11) 53... Ke4 54. Kd2 Kd4 55. Ra5 Ra3 56. Kc2 Rxa2+ 57. Kb1 {Abrahams in his notes considers the position to be "well known" but in the current game the Black king is too far advanced.to make it an easy task to draw.} Ra3 58. Kb2 Rb3+ 59. Kc2 Rc3+ 60. Kd2 {Now the king is far from the RP so cannot at present help prevent its advance.} (60. Kb2 {helps restrain the pawns so should draw via} a3+ 61. Ka2 ({but not} 61. Rxa3 Rxa3 62. Kxa3 Kc3 63. Ka2 Kc2 $19) 61... Kd3 62. Ra8 c4 63. Rd8+ Kc2 64. Rd4 Kc1 65. Rh4 $11) 60... Ra3 61. Kc2 Kc4 62. Kb2 Kb4 63. Ra8 (63. Rb5+ $2 {loses simplistically to} Kxb5 64. Kxa3 c4 65. Kb2 Kb4 $19) ({as does} 63. Rxc5 Rb3+ ({but} 63... Kxc5 {lets White off the hook with} 64. Kxa3 Kb5 65. Kb2 Kb4 66. Ka2 a3 67. Kb1 Kb3 68. Ka1 a2 $11)) 63... Rh3 64. Rb8+ Kc4 65. Rc8 Rb3+ 66. Ka2 Kb4 67. Rb8+ Kc3 68. Rh8 c4 69. Ra8 (69. Rh3+ Kb4 70. Rh8 Rd3 71. Rc8 Kc3 {would also win.}) 69... Rb2+ 70. Ka1 ({The other king move} 70. Ka3 {is given by Abrahams as better with the following analysis} Rb3+ (70... Kc2 71. Rxa4 c3 72. Rh4 $11) (70... Rb1 71. Ka2 Kc2 ({However, the following wins as White is unable to prevent the advance of the c-pawn.} 71... Rd1 72. Rxa4 Kd3 $19) 72. Rxa4 c3 73. Rh4 Rd1 74. Rh2+ Rd2 75. Rh1 {with hopes of saving the game.}) 71. Ka2 $11 (71. Kxa4 Kb2 $19)) 70... Re2 71. Kb1 (71. Rxa4 {fails to} Kb3 {threatening mate and the rook}) 71... Re1+ 72. Ka2 Kd3 73. Rd8+ ({If} 73. Rxa4 c3 {again wins as White is unable to constantly check the Black king with} 74. Ra3 Kd2 75. Ra8 c2 76. Rd8+ Ke2 77. Re8+ Kf2 78. Rf8+ Kg3 79. Rg8+ Kf4 80. Rf8+ Kg5 81. Rg8+ Kf6 82. Rf8+ Ke7 {and wins the rook.}) 73... Kc2 74. Rc8 c3 75. Rc7 Kd2 76. Rd7+ Kc1 77. Ka1 c2 78. Ka2 Rd1 79. Rh7 Kd2 80. Rh2+ Kd3 81. Rh4 Ra1+ {A staggeringly complex game the initial part of which was played with grest imagination by White. The disapointment of losing obviosuly carried over into the next round of this event as once again Abrahams built up an overwhelming attacking position against the same opponent only to loose out to very stubborn defence. Fortunately for the Chess World Abrahams continued to play and took part in many British Championships and Internationals hardly ever drawing and sometimes winning against very strong opponents and just as often losing. He also wrote several excellent books on very diverse matters including chess. His personal life was also dramatic as indicated in comments in CHESS but clearly Abrahams was one of England's great Chess characters.and on his day a very fine player.} 0-1