Estrin - Berliner
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The following game is considered
the best game ...
of the whole of the 20th Century
by GM Andrew Soltis.
(See his book, "The 100 Best.")
It is also highly ranked by dozens of other writers and chess historians.
GM Razuvaev considers this contest to be one of the best games of its type.
1.e4
e5; 2.Nf3
Nc6; 3.Bc4!?, {Diagram?}
The Italian Game.
[ 3.Bb5, is the Ruy Lopez. ].
3...Nf6; {Diagram?}
The Two Knight's Defense.
[ Black could also play: 3...Bc5!?;
leading to a Giuoco Piano.
(Or the Evans Gambit.) ].
White's next move is the sharpest,
according to dozens of opening books.
4.Ng5!?, ('!') {Diagram?}
Tarrasch called this, "A duffer's move."
But it forces Black to take drastic action to defend f7.
[ 4.0-0 ].
4...d5!, {Diagram?}
This is the most energetic move
and probably the best.
[ 4...Bc5!?, is the Traxler's Attack. (Wilkes Barre Variation.) ].
5.exd5
b5!?; {Diagram?}
This move is credited to the
Master, O Ulvestad.
[ Probably the best line is:
>= 5...Na5!;
6.Bb5+
c6!; 7.dxc6
bxc6!; 8.Be2
h6;
9.Nf3
e4; 10.Ne5
Bd6;
"/\" and Black has a continuing
initiative for his pawn here. ].
The next couple of moves are all
best, according to modern opening
theory.
6.Bf1!
Nd4!; 7.c3!
Nxd5!; {Diagram?}
We now have transposed to the
Fritz Variation.
White's next move is best
according to most opening
books.
8.Ne4!?
Qh4!!; (TN?)
{Diagram?}
A very sharp move, pioneered
by Berliner. (In some books, this
line is named after him!)
9.Ng3
Bg4!; 10.f3
e4!!; {Diagram?}
Berliner's new move. (TN)
[ The old line was: 10...Nf5;
11.Bxb5+!
Kd8; 12.0-0
Bc5+;
13.d4!
exd4;
14.Ne4!, "+/" {Diagram?}
which clearly favors White. ].
The next part of the game is all
tactics ... and had to be calculated
many, many, ...
many moves ahead.
11.cxd4
Bd6; 12.Bxb5+
Kd8; 13.0-0!
exf3; 14.Rxf3?!,
{Diagram?}
This is inferior, although Soltis does
not give this move the '?!' mark.
[ >= 14.Qb3!, "+/" - GM A. Soltis. ].
14...Rb8!; 15.Be2?, {Diagram?}
A really bad move, and it is
given a question mark by GM's
Soltis, Nunn, Huebner,
and others.
In the book:
[The Mammoth Book
Of] "The World's Greatest Chess
Games,"
(by GM John Nunn,
GM John Emms, and FM Burgess); the authors spend many
pages
looking at the various alternatives
here.
[ Probably best was: 15.a4!, "+/" - LM A.J. Goldsby I.
GM A. Soltis gives the line:
>= 15.Nc3!?
Nxc3; 16.dxc3
Rxb5;
17.Qd3
Rh5!;
"<=>" {Diagram?}
but Black has very good play. ].
15...Bxf3; 16.Bxf3
Qxd4+; 17.Kh1
Bxg3!; 18.hxg3
Rb6!; {Diagram?}
Black already threatens ...Rh6+;
winning the game.
19.d3
Ne3; 20.Bxe3
Qxe3; 21.Bg4!, {Diagram?}
Best, according to Soltis.
[ 21.Nc3!? Rh6+; 22.Bh5 g6!?; 23.g4 gxh5; 24.g5 Qxg5; "-/+" ].
21...h5!; 22.Bh3[]
g5!; 23.Nd2!, {Diagram?}
The best practical chance,
according to GM A. Soltis.
(White threatens Nc4.)
[ 23.Qd2!? ].
23...g4; 24.Nc4
Qxg3; 25.Nxb6
gxh3!; 26.Qf3!
hxg2+; 27.Qxg2
Qxg2+;
28.Kxg2
cxb6!!; {Diagram?}
Capturing away from the center ...
but the absolute best according
to GM A. Soltis, who
also awards
this move two exclamation points.
[ Not as accurate was:
28...axb6!?; 29.a4!, {Diagram?}
followed by b4, gives White
some hope according to
GM Andy Soltis.
(White will get a passed pawn.) ].
Now comes an extremely fine
Rook-plus-Pawn(s) ending.
29.Rf1
Ke7; 30.Re1+
Kd6!; 31.Rf1
Rc8!; (Maybe - '!!')
{Diagram?}
Black sacrifices a Pawn for position.
[ 31...Rh7!? ].
32.Rxf7
Rc7!; 33.Rf2, {Diagram?}
This is forced. (A K+P
ending is lost for White.)
[ 33.Rxc7??
Kxc7; 34.Kh3
Kd6; 35.Kh4
Kd5; 36.Kxh5
Kd4;
37.Kg4
Kxd3; 38.Kf3
Kc2; "-/+" ].
33...Ke5!; 34.a4?;
{Diagram?}
This shortens the game by at
least 10 moves, according
to GM Andrew Soltis.
[ >= 34.Kg3! Kd4, ('!') "=/+" ].
Black continues to play a perfect
ending - with a level of precision
not often seen
outside of super-GrandMaster practice.
34...Kd4; 35.a5
Kxd3; 36.Rf3+
Kc2; 37.b4
b5!;
{Diagram?}
Black keeps a pawn on the
board to avoid certain types
of theoretically drawn endings.
(Black now wraps things up - - - in an extremely efficient.)
38.a6
Rc4; 39.Rf7
Rxb4; 40.Rb7
Rg4+; 41.Kf3
b4; 42.Rxa7
b3; {Diagram?}
White resigns.
A game that is super-stellar in many of its facets.
I mainly used the book:
"The 100 Best," (The 100 Best Games of The 20th
Century, Ranked.);
by GM Andrew Soltis to annotate
this fine & exceptional game.
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby I. Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby, 2002.
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