Rotlewi, Georg A2556–Rubinstein, Akiba26050–1D40Lodz1Lodz1907
The Players Georg Rotlewi (1889-1920) was
a Polish player who achieved considerable success in his short career. His
best result was probably fourth place in the enormously strong tournament at
Karlsbad 1911 with a score of 16/26 (including only two draws!). Shortly after
this he contracted a serious illness and never played again. Akiba Rubinstein
(1882–1961) was one of the world’s best players in the period 1907–22.
Born in the small Polish town of Stawiski, he learned chess at the age of 16
– unusually late for one who goes on to become a great player. A few years
later he moved to Lodz and his chess developed rapidly. By 1907 he was already
recognized as one of the leading masters and in the following five years he
won a whole string of major international events. Rubinstein challenged Lasker
for the World Championship and a match was arranged, but a poor performance by
Rubinstein at St Petersburg 1914 followed by the outbreak of the First World
War dashed his hopes of a title match. After the war years Rubinstein’s
career continued successfully and in 1922 he agreed terms with Capablanca, who
had taken the title away from Lasker the previous year. However, he was unable
to raise the necessary finance and his hopes of becoming World Champion faded
for ever. Rubinstein effectively retired from chess in 1932, with his mental
health in poor shape. Destitution and the Second World War cast a further
shadow over his declining years and he became one of the many great masters
who suffered poverty and deprivation in later life. The Game Rubinstein was
primarily a positional player whose endgame play was of unparalleled subtlety,
but when he was provoked he could be a fierce attacker. Rotlewi plays the
opening too naïvely, and soon relinquishes the initiative. In symmetrical
positions, the advantage of a single tempo can have a disproportionate
influence on the play. Here Rubinstein exploits White’s inaccuracies with
great energy, first inducing Rotlewi to weaken his kingside and then crashing
through with one of the most stunning combinations ever played. 1.d4 d5 2.f3 e6 3.e3 c5 4.c4 c6 5.c3 f6 6.dxc5 xc5 7.a3 a6 8.b4 d6 9.b2 0-0 LiveBook: 154 Games 10.d2?! QUESTION: This is a strange move, isn't it?
ANSWER: White doesn't want to develop his bishop yet, since he would like to
recapture on c4 without losing a tempo, but while this is a developing move,
it will not prove useful, as Rubinstein will demonstrate. EXERCISE: What did
Rubinstein play in this position to call 10 Qd2 into question? ANSWER: e7! A pawn sacrifice for the sake of accelerating Black's development – the
imminent arrival of a black rook on d8 will be uncomfortable for the white
queen. 11.d3?! Inconsistent with his previous move. EXERCISE (easy):
What's the snag with 11 Bd3 - ? ANSWER: dxc4! Unlike Black's king's bishop,
White's will have spent two tempi recapturing the c-pawn, with the further
snag, as will become apparent, that the queen is badly placed on d2. 12.xc4 Black is slightly better. b5 13.d3 EXERCISE (easy): How should Black
continue? ANSWER: d8 Of course; the white queen is under X-ray pressure
from the d8-rook and sooner or later will be forced to lose another tempo. 14.e2 QUESTION: White was already "playing with Black" - in a symmetrical
position with Black to move – but now he will be two tempi down. Was 14 0-0
better? b7 15.0-0 EXERCISE: How can Black exploit his slight advantage in
development? ANSWER: e5! With the exchange of knights
White's castled position loses an important defender, and the two black
bishops will be aimed menacingly at his kingside. . Black fights for an
advantage. 16.xe5 xe5 With the familiar threat of 17...Bxh2+. 17.f4
Closing the h2-b8 diagonal, at the cost of weakening his kingside. c7
With the idea of opening the game with 18...e5. To answer 18.e4 Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Georg A Rotlewi X Akiba Rubinstein - Lodz 1907
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