Originally posted by Green PaladinOK. Many squares are attacked and e4 is clearly bad, because after c6 white bishop has to stop defending the queen and the bishop check threatens. These remain: a4, c4, c5, d2, d3.
Work backwards. Which is a better square for the queen?
a4 adds an attacker to a7 but, as seen in the game the pawn cannot be taken. And I don't really know why we'd like to take the pawn. This adds the rook to the black attack... c5 tries to simplify. It looks to me as if the white queen doesn't do much and the black queen does, so perhaps this is good. c4 points the second piece at the black king, but black can simply play c6 again and I don't know what then. d2 and d3 leave the queen at the same file as the rook which I think is OK.
14.Qa4 is a trap!
Of course I jest but such moves were not beyond Tartakower, it's why I love
playing over his games. If you get his book of best games they are filled
with magnificent efforts and you wonder why he was never World Champion.
Then you see some of his losses when his opening experiments failed or
his imagination simply dried up.
Capablanca once said to him; "You lack in solidity."
(Which I think means he could not play a regular sound game. He always went on
a flight of fancy.)
Tartakower replied: "But that is my saving grace."
An excellent game by Atkins which Tartakower praises in 500 Master Games
of Chess. (he adds no comment after 14.Qa4 simply stating after 14...c6 that
Black is gradually gaining the initiative.)
Tartakower's notes in both books mentioned are some of the best
examples on how to annotate a game of Chess.
Clear, crisp, to the point and when needed he adds that touch of humour
that makes all the difference and turns a dull note into a memorable note.
When I'm playing I'm thinking: "Now what would Morphy play."
When I'm noting up a game I'm thinking;"Now what would Tartakower say."
In both cases (especially in the former) I'm often wide of the mark.
Of course if Tartakower was in a trap setting mood (which as I said before was
fairly often) then he would have set the trap he mentions in the notes to this
game just prior to 14.Qa4.
He calls it 'A magnificent trap.' I'm surprised he never went for it.
I would have done. I can see players falling for it.
(I'm all screwed up. I'm playing like Tartakower and writing like Morphy) 🙂
Here, Tartakower to play his 13th move.
Tartakower played 13.Bd5 he thinks 13.Bf3 is better with level chances.
Here is the trap he mentions.
And he was, sort of, Polish! I want to be like him when I grow up. :-)
Thanks, GP. I always look forward to seeing your replies. I would never see those things myself.
PS: Oh, and I'm getting myself this book. What language was it originally in? I hope the copyright to the original has expired and I can get it for free. I'm rather cheap...
I don't think Tartakower really played it for a trap. I just spotted it was there.
And he fed me other one.
"I want to be like him when I grow up."
To play like him I think one needs to grow up but don't grow old.
He never seems to have lost his boyhood love for the game.
You can pick his 500 master games here.... (It's a wonderful chess book.)
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/500-master-games-of-chess-s-tartakower/1000155005
for a few dollars. It is in descrptive notation which is why it's so cheap.
If you are not versed in descriptive I fully recommend you do.
There are loads of good books going cheap in this old style and after
30 minutes or so you do get fully used to it.
I cannot find a really cheap version of his Best Games. 1905 - 1955.
Originally they came in two volumes so you may pick them up cheaper
going that way.
Originally posted by greenpawn34Has it been done over in algebraic?
I don't think Tartakower really played it for a trap. I just spotted it was there.
And he fed me other one.
"I want to be like him when I grow up."
To play like him I think one needs to grow up but don't grow old.
He never seems to have lost his boyhood love for the game.
You can pick his 500 master games here.... (It's a wonderful chess book. ...[text shortened]... 5.
Originally they came in two volumes so you may pick them up cheaper
going that way.
Originally posted by WanderingKingAs you've said, 14. Qe4 fails to 14... c6 followed by 15... Bxb2+.
OK. Many squares are attacked and e4 is clearly bad, because after c6 white bishop has to stop defending the queen and the bishop check threatens. These remain: a4, c4, c5, d2, d3.
a4 adds an attacker to a7 but, as seen in the game the pawn cannot be taken. And I don't really know why we'd like to take the pawn. This adds the rook to the black attac know what then. d2 and d3 leave the queen at the same file as the rook which I think is OK.
14. Qc5 trading queens looks drawish.
14. Qc4 loses time:
14. Qd2 or 14. Qd3 aren't great because you don't really want your queen to spearhead the attack on the open file. (A black rook on d8 is going to be uncomfortable for White's queen.)
14. Qa4 also restrains the black queen from moving off the file as the rook is then en prise. Not for long, but still. The threat on the a7 pawn is not serious yet but it is one more thing for Black to think about. The queen applies maximum pressure on a4 and has the least wrong with it. So, through a process of elimination, I think 14. Qa4 is the best move.
Originally posted by sonhouseI don't know Sonhouuse.
Has it been done over in algebraic?
They deserve to be to reach a wider audience (but they would be priced high).
Theses old ones will a lot cheaper (also in some cases a better quality.)
Learn Descriptive it opens up another door.
In 500 Master Games we have to remember it was a joint authorship with Du Mont.
The two styles match so perfectly that you would struggle to see who wrote what.
(though a genuine Tartakower note sticks out.)
If there is an outpost in the position then after the first steps towards it he may
write something like:
"A Knight with a future." and that is all.
You can stop and look to see what he talking about.
Ah...the outpost.
Premature attacks to gain material get phrases like: "A quest for loot."
I recall a note regarding the White Bishops in the Four Knights.
In some lines they pop out to b5 and g5 and return to f1 and c1.
He does not give all the how's and why's. That is explained as the game unfolds.
He simply states:
"East or West, home's best."
It is the kind of note and it's circumstances you do not forget.
Green Paladin (GPII!) 😉 seems to have covered pretty well the other reasons
for 14.Qa4. As mentioned the seeds of defeat were planted with (according to
Tartakower) 13.Bd5 instead of 13.Bf3.
It did take some excellent play from Atkins to beat him. Against a lesser
player it may have been OK.
Edit.
Went to look for that note in the Four Knights.
Speilman v Rubenstein Carlsbad 1911.
Black has just played 10...Ne6 11.Bc1 (east west, home's best.)
then came 11...c6 and the b5 Bishop goes to f1.
Tartakower now adds:
"Intending entirely fresh activities after g3. The potential of the two Bishops,
to all appearances on the retired list, is remarkable."
Originally posted by greenpawn34I got 500 Master Games a few years ago when you recommended it then. It really is a good book. The games are generally quite short and the annotations light until the critical point in the game. I think you said the games "give you ideas" and that is true: small things that I'd never think of by just playing the game.
I don't know Sonhouuse.
They deserve to be to reach a wider audience (but they would be priced high).
Theses old ones will a lot cheaper (also in some cases a better quality.)
Learn Descriptive it opens up another door.
In 500 Master Games we have to remember it was a joint authorship with Du Mont.
The two styles match so perfectly that you ...[text shortened]... excellent play from Atkins to beat him. Against a lesser
player it may have been OK.
Another nice thing about it is that it's organised by opening so you can quickly pick up the main ideas in an opening. Thanks GP1!
Your'e welcome GP2.
Playing through the games does not sem like work at all.
You enjoy it and this is how it should be.
Of course opening theory it is dated, and this will put a lot of the snoots off.
But the middle games are ageless.
Also a lot of opening books don't give you the interesting side roads
where muggers lay in wait behind every bush and the sign post that reads;
"Free Pawns This Way." leads you to your doom.
Opening books these days are usually GM games 'enchanced and enriched'
with computer analysis. (a bit of Tartkower sarcasm creeping in there.)
Tartakower (and Du Mont) simply delight in pointing these 'short cuts' out.
To me notes like:
Black thinks he has weathered the storm by trading Queens but fresh
disappoints await him.
Simply fire me up.
I cannot wait to see what 'fresh disappointments' for Black are coming.
And I'm learning that although my raging attack has been stiffed by a Queen
swap. Don't despair, infact in some cases go for the Queen swap.
'Fresh disappointments' are about to be dished out.
Originally posted by WanderingKingIt was originally written in French but first published in English,translated by Golombek.
And he was, sort of, Polish! I want to be like him when I grow up. :-)
Thanks, GP. I always look forward to seeing your replies. I would never see those things myself.
PS: Oh, and I'm getting myself this book. What language was it originally in? I hope the copyright to the original has expired and I can get it for free. I'm rather cheap...
I know this because I recenly bought it of ebay for 12 euro's.My best games of chess 1905-1954,two volumes bound as one.
The separate volumes are even harder to find.
You need luck to find such books cheap/reasonable prized.People don't sell them easily,it's testimony to their quality.
I check ebay on a weekly basis.Do this and over time you'll pick up nice books for little money.
Originally posted by tortenI've already ordered it from the site GP1 suggested. I don't think I'll have much trouble getting used to the notation. I sometimes think what I do at University consists mostly in getting used to denoting things differently.
It was originally written in French but first published in English,translated by Golombek.
I know this because I recenly bought it of ebay for 12 euro's.My best games of chess 1905-1954,two volumes bound as one.
The separate volumes are even harder to find.
You need luck to find such books cheap/reasonable prized.People don't sell them easily,it's testim ...[text shortened]... eck ebay on a weekly basis.Do this and over time you'll pick up nice books for little money.