Pretty games can reveal saving moves in seemingly hopeless positions.
Richard Reti White
Max Euwe Black
Rotterdam 1920
Staunton Gambit A83
1 d4 f5 2 e4 fxe4 3 ♘c3 ♘f6 4 ♗g5 g6 5 f3
Better than 5 ♗xf6? exf6 6 ♘xe4 d5!, when Black’s two good bishops favor him.
5...exf3 6 ♘xf3 ♗g7 7 ♗d3 c5 8 d5 ♕b6!? 9 ♕d2!
After 9 ♖b1 0-0 Black can meet 10 0-0? with 10...c4+! and wins.
9...♕xb2 10 ♖b1
White’s compensation is clear after 10...♕a3 (11 0-0 0-0 12 ♘b5 or 11...a6 12 ♘e5).
10...♘xd5!
Black favorably regains his queen after 11 ♖xb2 ♗xc3.
11 ♘xd5! ♕xb1+ 12 ♔f2
Now if 12...♕xa2, White wins with 13 ♘c7+!.
Question 351: And on 13...♔d8 ?
12...♕xh1 13 ♗xe7
So that 13...♘c6 14 ♕g5 sets up 15 ♕xg6+! hxg6 16 ♗xg6 mate.
13...d6?
White’s threats include ♗xc5/♕e2+. But if Black blocks the e-file, 13...♕a1 14 ♗xc5 ♗e5!, White gets no more than perpetual check (15 ♕g5 ♘c6 16 ♗xg6+ hxg6 17 ♕xg6+).
14 ♗xd6 ♘c6 15 ♗b5 ♗d7
Or 15...h6 16 ♘c7+ ♔d8 17 ♗xc5+. For example, 17...♔xc7 18 ♕d6 mate. Or 17...♗d7 18 ♕d6 and 19 ♘e6+ ♔e8 20 ♗xc6. The threat was 16 ♘c7+ ♔d8 18 ♕g5+.
16 ♗xc6 bxc6 17 ♕e2+ ♔d8 18 ♗c7+ ♔c8 19 ♕a6 mate.
Alexander Ignatiev White
Baira Kovanova Black
St. Petersburg 2001
1 d4 f5 2 e4 fxe4 3 ♘c3 ♘f6 4 ♗g5 c6 5 f3 d5 6 fxe4 dxe4 7 ♘ge2 ♕a5 8 ♕d2 ♗f5 9 ♘g3 ♗g6 10 ♗c4 ♘bd7 11 ♗e6 ♖d8 12 0-0 c5?? 13 ♘d5! resigns.