Rotlewi versus Rubinstein
Rotlewi versus Rubinstein is a game of chess played between Gersz Rotlewi and Akiba Rubinstein in Łódź, Poland in 1907.[1] It features a brilliant sacrifice by Rubinstein to win the game (of a queen and rook for two minor pieces), in an example of an overload.[2][3]
Garry Kasparov described the game as "Rubinstein's truly 'immortal' game" and "his most famous creation".[4][5]
| This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves. |
The game
White: Gersz Rotlewi Black: Akiba Rubinstein Opening: Tarrasch Defense, Symmetrical Variation (ECO D32)
Łódź, Poland, December 1907
[Notes are based on The Big Book of Chess by Eric Schiller, and other referenced works.]
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 c5 4. c4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. dxc5 Bxc5 7. a3 a6 8. b4 Bd6 9. Bb2 0-0 10. Qd2?
- Tartakower criticizes this as a "loss of time": "The queen will soon have to seek a better square. The most useful move is 10.Qc2."[6]
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
| 8 |
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8 | |||||||
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| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
| 8 |
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8 | |||||||
| 7 | 7 | ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||||
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| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
10... Qe7!
- This move sacrifices a pawn, but 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Nxd5? accepting the sacrifice allows 12...Nxd5 13.Qxd5 Rd8! with a strong attack.
11. Bd3 dxc4 12. Bxc4 b5 13. Bd3 Rd8 14. Qe2 Bb7 15. 0-0 Ne5 16. Nxe5 Bxe5
- Threatening to win a pawn by 17...Bxh2+! since 18.Kxh2 allows the fork 18...Qd6+ followed by 19...Qxd3.
17. f4 Bc7 18. e4 Rac8 19. e5 Bb6+ 20. Kh1 Ng4
- Black is trying to attack White's kingside. Both bishops, the knight, and soon the queen are attacking squares near White's king.
21. Be4 Qh4 22. g3 (see diagram) Rxc3!!
- White's bishop on e4 is defended by both his queen and knight, but his queen must also defend h2 against ...Qxh2#. Black sacrifices to remove the knight, causing White's queen to be overloaded defending both e4 and h2.
23. gxh4
- White has little choice but to accept the sacrifice of Black's queen, since 23.Bxc3 and most other moves lose to 23...Bxe4+ 24.Qxe4 Qxh2#, and 23.Bxb7 loses to 23...Rxg3.[3]
23... Rd2!! (see diagram)
- Black deflects White's queen from defending the bishop on e4 by sacrificing a rook in addition to the queen. White has to take the rook because White's queen is pinned against the h2-square, for example:
- 24.Qe1 Rxh2#
- 24.Qxg4 Bxe4+ 25.Rf3 Rxf3 (threatening 26...Rf1#)
- 26.Qxf3 Bxf3#
- 26.Qg2 Rf1+! 27.Rxf1 Bxg2#
- 24.Rfe1 or 24.Rae1 lose to 24...Bxe4+ 25.Qxe4 Rxh2#
24. Qxd2 Bxe4+ 25. Qg2 Rh3!
- Black ignores the fact he can take White's queen and instead forces mate soon by ...Rxh2#, despite being down in material by a queen and rook for two minor pieces.[7][8]
0–1
- White resigns.
See also
Notes
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Further reading
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