(The annotations to this game, by I. O.

Lipnitsky, are from Voprosy Sovremennoi Shakhmatnoi Teorii

(Gosudarstvennoe Meditsinskoe Izdatel'stvo Uk.SSR, Kiev 1956). The translation from the
original Russian is by Douglas Griffin.)

Reshevsky – Ragozin
3 round, Semmering, 10th September 1937
rd

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 d5 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qa4+ Nc6 6.e3 0–0 7.Bd2 a6!
The most accurate move in this variation.

8.Qc2 dxc4
It is possible not to hurry with this move. More elastic here is 8...Qe7.

9.Bxc4 Bd6 10.a3

Here and later (12.a3) White unproductively wastes time. Better was 10.e4, 10.Rd1, 10.0–0 or
10.Ng5.

10...e5
Now in all variations Black has a comfortable game.

11.d5
Another possible continuation here was 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Bxe5 13.0–0 with approximately
level chances. Black could not have continued 13...Bxh2+ 14.Kxh2 Ng4+, since after 15.Kg3 he
would have had no compensation for the sacrificed piece.

11...Ne7 12.h3
The move 12...Bg4 was no dangerous for White; therefore better was 12.0–0 or 12.e4. White's
passive play permits Black to seize the initiative.
XIIIIIIIIY
8r+lwq-trk+0
7+pzp-snpzpp0
6p+-vl-sn-+0
5+-+Pzp-+-0
4-+L+-+-+0
3zP-sN-zPN+P0
2-zPQvL-zPP+0
1tR-+-mK-+R0
xabcdefghy
12...b5
 The beginning of active play on the queen's flank. This would have been impossible without
the move 7...a6!

13.Ba2
Possibly, a little better here was 13.Bd3 (with an indirect defence of the d5–pawn). But after the
later 13...h6 14.e4 Black, after short preparation (...Bb7 and ...Rc8) succesfully carries out an attack
on the centre with the standard ...c7–c6. With the position of the bishop at a2, the undermining
move ...c7–c6 is already less tempting.
XIIIIIIIIY
8r+lwq-trk+0
7+-zp-snpzpp0
6p+-vl-sn-+0
5+p+Pzp-+-0
4-+-+-+-+0
3zP-sN-zPN+P0
2LzPQvL-zPP+0
1tR-+-mK-+R0
xabcdefghy
But Black has other possibilities of fighting for the initiative. As can be seen from the diagram,
Black has completed his opening set-up. White, however, is behind in development (a
consequence of the manoeuvre Qd1–a4–c2 and the unecessary moves a2–a3 and h2–h3). In order
to castle and to reinforce the d5–pawn with the e-pawn, White still has to spend two moves.
Ragozin immediately exploits this time to seize the initiative.

13...Qd7!
The beginning of an interesting and highly original plan of attack on White's position, the idea of
which becomes clear in the near future.

14.e4
In view of the threat of ...a6–a5 and ...b5–b4 White reinforces the d5–pawn, but soon the pawn
at e4 will itself be in need of defence.

14.b4 would have been of no help on account of 14...a5! 15.Rb1 axb4 16.axb4 Bb7 17.e4 (or
17.Qd3 e4! etc.) 17...c6 18.dxc6 Qxc6, and material loss for White is inevitable.

14...a5 15.0–0
Finally White has castled, but Black's offensive is in full swing. However, White was not in a
position to prevent the move ...b5–b4.
15...b4 16.axb4 axb4 17.Ne2
XIIIIIIIIY
8r+l+-trk+0
7+-zpqsnpzpp0
6-+-vl-sn-+0
5+-+Pzp-+-0
4-zp-+P+-+0
3+-+-+N+P0
2LzPQvLNzPP+0
1tR-+-+RmK-0
xabcdefghy
At first sight it could appear that White has avoided immediate difficulties. On 17...Ba6 there
follows not 18.Be3 Nxe4!, but 18.Bc4!. But after the reply

17...Qa4!
Black's strategic idea is revealed in full. After the exchange of queens White does not avoid
material loss: he has difficulty in simultaneously counteracting the pressure on the a-file and the
threat of ...Nxe4. For example, 18.Qxa4 Rxa4 19.Ng3 Ba6! (also winning a pawn, but not a
central one, is 19...Bxh3 20.gxh3 Rfa8) 20.Rfe1 (or 20.Rfd1 Bd3 21.Bg5 Bc2 and 22...b3!) 20...Bd3
and in view of the threat of ...Rfa8 White loses a pawn.

Instead of the exchange of queens, 18.b3 is also unattractive. Reshevsky chooses the only
acceptable defence.

18.Bb3! Qxa1 19.Rxa1 Rxa1+ 20.Nc1

XIIIIIIIIY
8-+l+-trk+0
7+-zp-snpzpp0
6-+-vl-sn-+0
5+-+Pzp-+-0
4-zp-+P+-+0
3+L+-+N+P0
2-zPQvL-zPP+0
1tr-sN-+-mK-0
xabcdefghy
 White cannot go to e4 with the king in view of a little combination - 20.Kh2 Nxe4! 21.Qxe4 Bf5
22.Qc4 e4+ and 23...exf3.

Here is what Black has achieved as a result of having carried out his plan, initiated with the move
13...Qd7! Although mathematically the forces are level, the positional advantage is on the side of
Black. It is not easy for White to exploit the force of his queen or to achieve active piece play.
There remains for him to attack the opponent's weak pawn at b4. As a counter-balance to this
Ragozin carries out a regrouping of his forces, the aim of which is an attack on the white king.

20...h6 21.Ne1 Bd7 22.Qd3 Rb8

This move would have also followed on 22.Qc4. In that case White could not have attacked the
b4–pawn with the knight, since after 23...Bb5 he would have suffered material loss.

23.Be3 Ng6 24.Kh2 Nf4 25.Qc4

Obviously, 25.Bxf4 would have been worse.

25...g5 26.f3
It is difficult to get by without this move. After 26.Ned3 the position of the white king on the
same diagonal as the black bishop gave the grounds for the development of combinational blows.

26...Kg7
In the offensive on the queen's flank the success of the matter was decided by every tempo.
Now however Black can prepare a breakthrough on the king's flank methodically and without
hurrying: it is difficult for White to undertake anything.

27.Ned3
XIIIIIIIIY
8-tr-+-+-+0
7+-zpl+pmk-0
6-+-vl-sn-zp0
5+-+Pzp-zp-0
4-zpQ+Psn-+0
3+L+NvLP+P0
2-zP-+-+PmK0
1tr-sN-+-+-0
xabcdefghy
Permitting Black to bring about the opening of the position more quickly. However, good
advice for White is at a premium.
27...N4xd5! 28.exd5 e4+ 29.g3 exd3 30.Nxd3 Re8 31.Qd4
White strives to hinder the invasion of the rook in the 2nd rank, in so doing pinning the black
knight.

31...Bf5
Black wants to eliminate the d3–knight, which prevents the second of his rooks from becoming
established on the e-file. The same goal was also achieved by the move 31...Bb5.

32.Nf2 Re1 33.Bd2 R1e2

Black dominates the whole board.

34.Kg2 Bc5! 35.Qxc5 Rxd2 36.Bc4

Repulsing the threat of 36...Rxb2, but losing a pawn. However, Reshevsky was probably already
reconciled to inevitable defeat, since only a miracle can save him.
XIIIIIIIIY
8-+-+r+-+0
7+-zp-+pmk-0
6-+-+-sn-zp0
5+-wQP+lzp-0
4-zpL+-+-+0
3+-+-+PzPP0
2-zP-tr-sNK+0
1+-+-+-+-0
xabcdefghy
36...Rxb2?
The miracle happens! Black commits a vexing mistake, depriving him of a deserved victory.
Winning was 36...Nxd5! 37.Bxd5 Ree2 followed by 38...Rxf2+. For example, 38.Qxc7 Rxf2+
39.Kg1 Rg2+ 40.Kh1 Rh2+ 41.Kg1 Rdg2+ 42.Kf1 Bd3+ and mate at the following move.

37.d6!
Now the bishop at f5 and the pawn at c7 are attacked.

37...Bc8
(Translator’s note: In fact, it is only the text move that lets the win slip, though Ragozin can
hardly be blamed for failing to see the study-like win for Black after 37...Rc2!! 38.Qxf5 (38.dxc7?
Be6, etc.) 38...Rxc4 39.Qb5 (after 39.dxc7 Rxc7 the b-pawn will gradually prove decisive) 39...Rc2
40.Qxe8! (the best chance) 40...Nxe8 41.d7 Nd6 42.d8=Q b3
 XIIIIIIIIY
8-+-wQ-+-+0
7+-zp-+pmk-0
6-+-sn-+-zp0
5+-+-+-zp-0
4-+-+-+-+0
3+p+-+PzPP0
2-+r+-sNK+0
1+-+-+-+-0
xabcdefghy
(analysis diagram)

when, incredibly, despite his material advantage, White cannot halt the further advance of the black
b-pawn; nor can he even hope to obtain a draw by perpetual check, since the black knight is
perfectly placed to prevent this. For example, 43.Qb8 (or 43.Qe7 b2 44.Qe5+ Kh7, etc.) 43...b2
44.g4 Nc4 45.Kg3 Rc1, etc. A remarkable situation!)

38.Qxc7 Be6 39.Bxe6 Rxe6 40.d7 Nxd7 41.Qxd7 Ree2

Black regains the piece, but he cannot avoid perpetual check. There still followed:

42.Kg1 Rxf2 43.Qd4+ Kg6 44.Qe4+ Kf6 45.Qd4+ Ke6 46.Qe4+ Kd6 47.Qd4+ Kc6 48.Qc4+
Kb6 49.Qd4+ Kb5 50.Qd5+ Ka4 51.Qa8+ Kb3 52.Qd5+ Kc3 53.Qe5+ Kc4 54.Qe4+ Kc5
55.Qe5+ Kc6 56.Qe4+ Kb6 57.Qd4+ Ka5 58.Qd5+ Ka4 59.Qa8+ Kb3 60.Qd5+ Kc3 61.Qe5+
Kd3 62.Qe4+
XIIIIIIIIY
8-+-+-+-+0
7+-+-+p+-0
6-+-+-+-zp0
5+-+-+-zp-0
4-zp-+Q+-+0
3+-+k+PzPP0
2-tr-+-tr-+0
1+-+-+-mK-0
xabcdefghy
Agreed drawn. Despite the mistake committed, this game was an excellent creative achievement
by Ragozin.