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Rook Sacrifice - and strong Counter Play on the white-coloured Squares

" If you are under a strong king side attack, counter in the center!" (Nimzowitsch)

Please look at the following position. It came up in the game Geller- Euwe (Zurich 1953)

 

 

It is obviously that White will have problems defending the c4-pawn. With Rc8, Ba6 and Nd6 Black can attack, and at last, win it. So, white decided here to go directly for a strong king side attack


 

 

You already can feel now, the game is driving directly to a high-noon point. Black could not  play here a "wait and see" strategy. He had to react immediately and opened the game in the center. Nevertheless, white pieces came very close to the black king ...


 

 

Now Black king was under immense pressure. Here Euwe decided to sacrifice a rook to bring the queen offside and out of control of the white-coloured squares, especially of the point c2. He played

22. ... Rh8!!?

 

 

Then he started a counter play exactly on these white-coloured squares that were now out of queen-control. He started with

23. ... Rc2!


 

And suddenly, White king came under pressure. Then one incorrect move, and the game was over


 

 

So, we have seen here how it can work, when we get in our games under a strong king attack. We have to hold the king position for a couple of moves and meanwhile to start a strong counter attack. Even if we have to sacrifice a rook for it!

                                                      

Comments


  • 3 months ago

    stueym

    Danny Rensch has actually done a video on this game for Chess.com's youtube channel - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADMeNqyH3OA. Excellent game!

  • 3 months ago

    __vxD_mAte

    Good point, I remember this from "My System" (not the game)

  • 3 months ago

    GMKiiuglik

    nice one

  • 3 months ago

    mauerblume

    Thanks for sharing the Bronstein comment

    It should also not be forgotten that the Bronstein tournament book about Candidates Zurich 1953 is probably one of the best chess books ever written.

    Remarkable that just n that tournament was a Keres- Smyslov with a similar theme.

    http://www.chess.com/games/view.html?id=62007

  • 3 months ago

    dzindzifan

    I just went over this game last week and it's awesome!  Bronstein lauded this game as one of the tournaments best games and it won a Brilliancy Prize. Bronstein: "Euwe, however, carried out two remarkable ideas, 1) utilizing his queenside lines of communication for an attack on the king's wing, and 2) decoying the enemy's forces deep into his own rear area, with the aim of cutting them off from the defense of their king."  The white queen was useless in the end.  And d5 was almost impossible to find ... he mentions there is a series of "only moves" like a key sequence for white to stay alive and ... well he wasn't able to find it. "The analysts also showed that the ..Rf8-h8 idea was actually a little premature, and that .. Rc4 first was better. However, those who love chess will find it difficult to agree with this. Moves like 22. .. Rh8 are not forgotten."  

    This article proves it.  Not Forgotten!!!  

  • 3 months ago

    mauerblume

    Yes, 23. Ne3. I would prefere black position, I think. He would be two pawns ahead and his pieces can develop quickly. Maybe Nd6 and Re8

  • 3 months ago

    Jeffmon

    Yes, instead of 21.Qxh7

    Continuing your line 22..Rc2! 23.Ne3 forces the rook off the 7th but white does look passive.

    edit: Yikes I'm making typos everywhere :) **23..Rc2! 24.Ne3**

  • 3 months ago

    mauerblume

    You mean 21. Nf5 instead of 21. Qxh7 ? This would be countered by 21. ... Qe1+ 22. Qf1 Qxh4

    Edit: Okay, 23. Nxh4 :-)

    So maybe 22. ... Qxf1 23. Kxf1 Rc2! (same idea as in the game!)

  • 3 months ago

    Jeffmon

    Amazing game! Was 21.Nf5 the correct move (..Qc6 or ..Qd5 not yet possible) with another piece involved? Of course I would've played Qxh6 and I'm benefiting from hindsight to consider another move.

  • 3 months ago

    sandmanlk

    Kasparov analysed this game for a sport magazine about 10 years back, I still can remeber reading it. He gave b5!! and Rh8!!

  • 3 months ago

    novzki41

    brilliant ploy! i love the way how black sacrificed his rook so that the queen will be in a bad square.. 

    http://azaleapremier.blogspot.com/

  • 3 months ago

    killanerd

    Genius illustration!!!

  • 3 months ago

    jecunningham

    Excellent example, thanks!

  • 3 months ago

    mauerblume

    Yes, indeed! An unforgettable game!

  • 3 months ago

    FM VPA

    That was a very exciting encounter between the two giants!

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