Attack together with Paul Keres part Four
Attacking in the Style of Keres’ Games, Part Four
(Two Exceptional Games by Keres)
The third installment of this series on Paul Keres' attacking style concluded with a beautiful game, Keres–Smyslov, 1939, in which Keres first prepared the attack delicately and then launched it, sacrificing a piece on the f5 square. In this section, our theme remains the attack on the opponent's king, when both kings are on the same side, and our first game once again features a sacrifice on f5, this time with a knight being offered. It should be noted that at the time this game was played, such sacrifices were not very common (though, of course, not unknown), and they required boldness, courage, and, above all, a deep understanding of the position.
Later on, sacrifices on f5 would appear frequently (and still do) in the Sicilian Defense, for instance, but they are not of the same type. I suggest that the reader pay attention to how Keres gradually prepared the attack, and then, after the sacrifice, launched a full-on assault – the fundamental principle in an attack is: when we attack, we do so with all available forces, as fiercely as possible. It is also important to consider the historical context of the game: two young players met who had already demonstrated that they were worthy contenders for the future World Championship title (and, indeed, both were serious candidates for many years!). Besides the chess aspect, the game had a psychological subtext: who was better between the two? This time, it was Keres.
Let us examine the first, preparatory phase of this exceptionally interesting game, which I have commented on somewhat differently than what can be found in other sources.
If the first part of the game contained many positional subtleties, the second part will showcase a direct attack, and we will revel in its beauty. It is true that there were certain inaccuracies, but that is part of the game and does not diminish the beauty of the game.
A great achievement by Keres!
Now we come to one of the most significant games Paul Keres ever played—his encounter with the legendary Capablanca. Naturally, to play against Capablanca (who by that time had long since relinquished the World Champion title and had almost come to terms with it) was already a great honor, but defeating him was an even greater achievement. However, this game is not solely notable for the victory itself—after all, victories can be achieved in many ways.
At the very outset, Keres indirectly declined a draw by avoiding an early queen exchange. He then played a rather "strange" move: instead of exerting standard pressure against Black’s isolated pawn on d5, he captured on c6, creating hanging pawns for Black. Subsequently, he opened the position with the move c4, and even the great Capablanca could not navigate such complexities.
I have analyzed the preparatory phase of the game differently from other well-known sources (such as Kasparov, Zenon Franco, and Keres himself), and I kindly ask readers to pay close attention to this segment.
A true master is recognized by the way he places his rooks. White positioned his rooks on c1 and d1, but the question remains whether this was indeed the best arrangement. Black defended in an original manner, intending to operate with his rook along the fifth rank (a rather unusual idea at the time), but at a certain moment he realized that this plan was ineffective and withdrew the rook.
In the commentary, we will examine whether this retreat was truly justified.
Let us now take a look at this phase of the game:
The second phase of the game is conducted by Keres with flawless precision. Indeed, had we not known the identity of the players, we might easily believe that this masterpiece was played only yesterday, rather than over eighty-five years ago. Readers are invited to enjoy the creative brilliance demonstrated by both players:
It is truly impressive with what freshness Keres approached the game! The elegance, grace, and deep logic that characterized his play ensure that his games remain both beautiful and instructive for generations to come.
To be continued...
