Chess
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Your support makes all the difference.Two final examples of the artistry of Miguel Najdorf, who died this week. The first is the delightful, lightweight encounter that Tartakower dubbed "the Polish immortal" game. Has anyone else ever sacrificed all four minor pieces to force mate?
White: Gliksberg. Black: Najdorf
Warsaw 1935
1 d4 f5 12 g3 Qh5
2 c4 Nf6 13 Kg2 Bg1
3 Nc3 e6 14 Nxg1 Qh2+
4 Nf3 d5 15 Kf3 e5
5 e3 c6 16 dxe5 Ndxe5+
6 Bd3 Bd6 17 fxe5 Nxe5+
7 0-0 0-0 18 Kf4 Ng6+
8 Ne2 Nbd7 19 Kf3 f4
9 Ng5 Bxh2+ 20 exf4 Bg4+
10 Kh1 Ng4 21 Kxg4 Ne5+
11 f4 Qe8 22 fxe5 h5 mate
Najdorf also showed great attacking energy in the next game. His 10...e5! was a well-judged tactic to maintain his pawn at d4. His energetic undermining of White's central outpost with 16...f5! laid the foundations for the brilliant 20...Nf2!! in the diagram position. After 21.Kxf2 Qh4+ 22.Kf1 (22.Kg1 Re1+ or 22.g3 Qxh2+ are also fatal) Bb5+ 23.Nd3 Bxd3+ White is quickly mated. As the game went 21.Nxc6 Nxd1! left Black threatening mate on e1, giving White no time to capture the queen.
White: Kramer. Black: Najdorf
New York, 1949
1 d4 Nf6 19 Bf3 Bc6
2 c4 g6 20 Nb4 Nf2
3 Nc3 d5 21 Nxc6 Nxd1
4 Qb3 dxc4 22 Bd2 bxc6
5 Qxc4 Bg7 23 Rxd1 d3
6 Nf3 0-0 24 Qa6 Qd4+
7 e4 Na6 25 Kh1 Qxb2
8 Be2 c5 26 Qc4+ Kh8
9 0-0 cxd4 27 h3 c5
10 Rd1 e5 28 a4 Qd4
11 Nxe5 Nd7 29 Qxd4 Bxd4
12 Nxd7 Bxd7 30 Bg4 Rc7
13 Nd5 Rc8 31 Ba5 Rf7
14 Qb3 Nc5 32 Bb6 Rf2
15 Qa3 Re8 33 a5 d2
16 f3 f5 34 Kh2 Re1
17 Qxa7 fxe4 35 Kg3 Rxd1
18 fxe4 Nxe4 White resigns
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