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A02 Bird (1.. ≠d5)

Bird Opening: From Gambit. Lasker Variation

Savielly Tartakower vs William Winter, 1936

1-0, 31 moves

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Savielly Tartakower"]
[Black "William Winter"]
[ECO "A02"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "59"]
1. f4 {Notes by Alekhine} e5 2. fxe5 d6 3. exd6 Bxd6 4. Nf3 g5 {The Lasker Attack (Bird-Lasker, 2nd match-game, 1892) leads to lively situations if White avoids, as in the present game, the exchange variation : 5 d4 g4 6 Ne5 Bxe5 7 dxe5 Qxd1+ etc.} 5. d4 g4 6. Ng5 {If Black replies ...f5 then 7 e4 h6 8 Nh3 sacrificing a piece for an interesting attack. After Black's actual move White should keep his superiority without any sacrifices.} Qe7 7. Qd3 {! Threatening 8 Ne4 and preparing also for h3.} f5 8. h3 Nc6 9. hxg4 {9 c3 was also to be considered, but the text move is keener and better.} Nb4 10. Qb3 f4 11. Bd2 {? A tame move which spoils the whole effect of the energetic opening play. Logical was 11 Rxh7! Rxh7 (Qxg5 12 Qf7+ followed by 13 Rxh8 and wins) 12 Qxg8+ Kd7 13 Nxh7 Nxc2+ 14 Kd1 Nxa1! 15 e4! fxe3 16 Bxe3 with an overwhelming attack, as Black must be mated or lose his queen if he takes the bishop (16...Qxe3 17 Nf6+, etc.). After the exchanges in the text Black gets ample compensation for his slight material inferiority.} Nxc2+ 12. Qxc2 Qxg5 13. Nc3 {If 13 Rxh7 then simply rxh7 (not Bf5 14 Qa4+) 17 Qxh7 Bxg4 with a promising position.} Nf6 14. Ne4 Nxe4 15. Qxe4+ Qe7 16. Qf3 {16 Qxe7+ Kxe7 17 Bc3 Bxg4 18 d5 h5 19 Bxh8 Rxh8 gives Black a splendid game. White's bishop being imprisoned.} Be6 17. Qxb7 {Not merely for the sake of a pawn but also tp prevent O-O-O.} O-O 18. Qf3 Qg7 19. Bc3 Bxg4 20. Qd5+ Kh8 21. O-O-O Rae8 22. Rd3 {The only possible attempt to bring the king bishop to life; but without the opponent's help it certainly could not succeed.} Bf5 23. Rf3 Be4 {Why such a hurry? After Re7 for instance, White would be without useful moves.} 24. Qh5 Bxf3 {? So false an appreciation of the position by a player of Winter's experience can only be due to shortage of time. By 24... c6 25 Rfh3 (d5 26 Be5) Rf7 followed by Bd5 he could still keep up a tremendous pressure. The "win" of the exchange, on the contrary, completely changes the aspect of the game in his opponent's favour.} 25. exf3 Re3 26. Bc4 Rfe8 27. Bb3 R8e7 28. Qf5 c5 {? A last error. But also after 28...Re8 29 Bc2 his position would remain very difficult.} 29. Rxh7+ Qxh7 30. Qf8+ 1-0

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