Rotlewi versus Rubinstein was a game of chess played by Gersz Rotlewi (as White) and Akiba Rubinstein (as Black).[1] It featured a brilliant sacrifice (of a queen and rook for two minor pieces) by Rubinstein to win the game,[2] in an example of an overload.[3]
Kasparov described the game as "...his most famous creation:" [4] and as "Rubinstein's truly 'immortal' game!"[5]
Contents |
White: Gersz Rotlewi Black: Akiba Rubinstein Location: Lodz, Poland, December 1907 Opening: Tarrasch Defense: Symmetrical Variation (ECO D32)
| This section uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves. |
Notes are based on notes from the referred-to books and The Big Book of Chess by Eric Schiller.
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.e3 c5 4.c4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.a3 a6 8.b4 Bd6 9.Bb2 0-0 (diagram position)
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
| 8 | 8 | ||||||||
| 7 | 7 | ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | ||||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
10.Qd2?
Savielly 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]
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 square near White's king. Eventually, this leads to the brilliancy that often leads this game to be cited.
21.Be4 Qe4 22.g3 (diagram position)
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| 8 | 8 | ||||||||
| 7 | 7 | ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | ||||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
22...Rxc3!!
The bishop on e4 is defended by both White's queen and his knight, but his queen must also defend the h2-pawn against ...Qxh2#. When Black sacrifices to remove the knight, White's queen is as a result overloaded with defending both e4 and h2, which it cannot do at the same time.
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!!
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 (24.Qe1, for example, loses to 24...Rxh2#) and 24.Qxg4 Bxe4+ 25.Rf3 Rxf3 leads to checkmate next move by ...Rf1# (26.Qxf3 Bxf3#; 26.Qg2 Rf1+! 27.Rxf1 Bxg2#), while keeping the queen in place also loses (24.R(either)e1 Bxe4+ 25.Qxe4 Rxh2#; 24.Rf2 Bxe4+ 25.Qxe4 Rxf2 26.Kg1 Rxh2+ 27.Kf1 Rxg3 mates quickly).
24.Qxd2 Bxe4+ 25.Qg2 Rh3! 0-1
Black ignores the fact that he can capture White's queen, and instead forces mate soon by ...Rxh2# (since White's queen is pinned to the king), despite being a queen and a rook down on material for two minor pieces.[7][8] White resigns.