The Ukrainian Immortal! - Best of the 30s - Korchmar vs. Poliak, 1937

Imagine that you have one single recorded chess victory. Then imagine that this victory is one of the greatest games ever played, dubbed the "Ukrainian Immortal." This is the case for Efim Korchmar, a strong player who won his immortal in the 1937 Ukrainian Championship. Against Evsey Poliak, Korchmar launched a checkmating combination that placed his queen en prise on three consecutive moves, each sacrifice more beautiful than the last! Korchmar's legacy also continues outside of this game as his grandson is the 24-year-old active IM Vasily Korchmar.

Top 10 Games of the 1930s

• #1: ????
  
• #2: ????
• #3: ????
  
• #4: ????
• #5: Korchmar vs. Poliak, 1937
• #6: Lilienthal vs. Capablanca, 1935
  
• #7: Botvinnik vs. Flohr, 1933
  
• #8: Alekhine vs. Lasker, 1934
  
• #9: Euwe vs. Lasker, 1934
  
• #10: Parr vs. Wheatcroft, 1938
  
• See also: Top 10 of the 1940s, Top 10 of the 1950s, Top 10 of the 1960s, Top 10 of the 1970s, Top 10 of the 1980s, Top 10 of the 1990s, Top 10 of the 2000s, and Top 10 of the 2010s

The game opens somewhat inauspiciously as the players make some inaccuracies in the opening regarding a possible pawn exchange on d4, and several minor pieces leave the board. It's a good reminder that every chess game has the possibility for brilliance. Poliak falters and allows an e5-break and a massive central build up. Then when Korchmar realizes that only Poliak's knight on d6 is holding together the position, he plays the astonishing sequence 19.Nb4!!, 20.Qxd6!!, 21.Qd5!!, 22.Rxg7!!, and 23. Rg8+! forcing resignation. Each of these moves is the ONLY winning move in a striking combination that demolishes Poliak's back rank.

My annotations are below. Enjoy the game!

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