This Game has it All

Submitted by kenytiger on Sat, 01/19/2008 at 11:51am.

Oldrich Duras (1882-1957), was one of the world's premier tournament players from 1905 until the start of the first World War. He was three-time Czech Champion (1905, 1909 and 1911) and tied for first in the German Championship of 1912. FIDE awarded him the Grandmaster title in 1950, when it was first introduced.

The following game is a classic; a course in winning chess tactics. Knight forks, pins and double attacks are rampant. To boot, the strategic concept of simultaneous attack and defense is exemplified. Duras dominates Spielmann beautifully by a well-directed attack. White's 23.Nxa5! initiates one of the finest combinations ever conceived in a chessboard. Austria, 1907, is the scene of play.

» posted in Amazing Games

366 reads | 5 comments |

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by batgirl - 18 hours ago
NC United States

Member Since: Jun 2007
Member Points: 2004

very sharp game, indicative of both Speilmann and Duras.

by benws - 17 hours ago
NC United States

Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 312

Can someone explain why Black doesn't take the knight on move 19 or 20? this game is awesome!

by Somonel - 16 hours ago
LA United States

Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 26

Black can't take the white knight because then white responds with his c-file knight to check him, and then Queen to a3. Practically a gauranted checkmate.

truth is, I actually saw the move Nxb7 once black moved pawn to a5 on move 16. Great move for white, I thought! But then the next move, white harassed the queen with his pawn instead. So I was a bit confused. I played out the game with a computer, moving 17. Nxb7, and it turns out that the move is premature. Black can trade off rooks, and basically go into an attack which is almost impossible to defend against. So moves 17 and 18 were insurance against the queen along its effective white diagonal, and the black bishop attacking the vulnerable B pawn. This was all preparation so that white could carry out Nxb7. Such foresight! White had seen what would happen six or seven moves ahead!

Great game! Thanks for posting!

by Am3692 - 15 hours ago
Newbury Park, CA United States

Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 112

If the king takes it Nc5+ Kb8 (a8, a7, and c8 would be instant mate) and from there Qa6 threatens mate no matter what. Nice. Yea if I played, I would automatically take that b7 pawn, but I see the early dangers of it.That Nxb7 deserves an "!"

by kenytiger - 13 hours ago
Texas United States

Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 603

Somonel, thanks for that good information. It has been added to the game notations. Am3692, you are right, 19.Nxb7 deserves an "!", I already made the change, thanks for pointing that out.

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