I have annotated the game Rudolf Smirka - Carlos Torre, New York 1925 (Replay / Download PGN), from the Alrick H. Man Vienna Gambit Theme Tournament. It nicely illustrates some important but nearly forgotten traps in the Vienna Gambit (C29). The chief trap is one that should have been known already in 1925 from Euwe - Yates, The Hague 1921, but which either remained unknown or had already been forgotten, at least to judge from the game and from Torre's notes on it in the Brooklyn Eagle. The diagram below shows the critical position, with White to play and win after 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Qe2! Nc6? 7.Nxe4 Nd4? 8.Qd3 Bxf3.
 |
| Smirka - Torre, New York 1925 White to play and win. |
This trap arises very naturally as Black seeks to exploit the pin on the Nf3 and the placement of White's Queen at e2. White's winning move, which involves a retreat without capture, is easily overlooked, as it was by both players and even by Torre in his notes.
This series will continue in the coming weeks, and I will eventually post all nine known games from the tournament with the goal of offering a useful introduction to the Vienna Gambit.
See also:
1 comment:
No disrespect to Torre, but Euwe was the better chessplayer of course, including tactics.
Post a Comment