[Event "New York"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1924.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Tartakower,S"]
[Black "Reti,R"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Lopez "Battle Royale""]
[ECO "C77"]
[PlyCount "94"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 { The Ruy Lopez. } 3... a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 { This seems a bit passive. The usual move here is 0-0, while the aggressive 5.d4 is also very playable. But that's the beauty of the Ruy: it allows both players to choose from a variety of plans and options. } 5... d6 { Reti could also have stepped things right up by advancing the d-pawn two squares (5...d5). } 6. c3 { This provides a safe haven for the Bishop, as well as supports a future d-pawn advance to d4. } 6... Be7 7. Nbd2 O-O 8. Nf1 { This is a pretty common Ruy Lopez maneuver. The Knight works its way over to the Kingside, where it can leap to either e3 (on its way to f5 or d5) or g3 (headed to f5). } 8... b5 9. Bc2 d5 10. Bd2 Re8 11. Ng3 { As anticipated, the Knight has moved to g3 (see the note to White's 8th move). } 11... Bf8 12. O-O dxe4 13. dxe4 Be6 { The Bishop develops to a square where it overlooks two diagonals. The next stop is c5 to threaten the f1-Rook. Another idea would be to pin the f3-Knight immediately by playing ...Bg4. } 14. b3 { Tartakower heads Black off at the pass. The intended ...Bc5 is now impossible. } 14... Bg4 15. Qe2 { Notice how Tartakower has overprotected the e-pawn. Now any of the three protecting pieces is free to move and act elsewhere. } 15... Nh5 16. Rad1 Qf6 17. h3 { Not good. Tartakower actually forces the creation of a hole on f4 which will be occupied by the Black Knight. } ( 17. Nxh5 Bxh5 ) 17... Bxf3 18. Qxf3 Qxf3 19. gxf3 Nf4 { The Knight drops itself into the "hole" on f4 (a hole is a square that can't be controlled by enemy pawns). White does have the possibility of Bxf4, but he'd be trading his good Bishop for the Knight. } 20. Kh2 b4 21. Rfe1 Rad8 ( 21... bxc3 22. Bxc3 Bc5 23. Rd2 Rad8 24. Rxd8 Rxd8 25. Rf1 { Black has great development and piece placement. This was better than what was actually played. } ) 22. Ne2 Rxd2 { Not the best move Reti could have played. He's now given the open d-file to his opponent. } ( 22... Nxe2 23. Rxe2 bxc3 24. Bxc3 Nd4 25. Bxd4 exd4 { Black has a passed pawn that has advanced past the center line -- something for White to keep an eye on! } ) 23. Rxd2 bxc3 24. Nxc3 Bb4 { The Knight is pinned, but this isn't critical. } 25. Re3 Nd4 26. a3 { Tartakower sacrifices a pawn to create attacking chances... } 26... Bxa3 27. Nd5 { ...but he misses his opponent's reply: } ( 27. Na2 { This would have kept the Bishop off of c1. } ) 27... Bc1 { Reti must now lose the exchange... } 28. Rd1 Bxe3 29. fxe3 { ...or must he after all? } 29... Nxd5 30. exd4 Ne3 31. Rc1 Nxc2 32. Rxc2 exd4 33. Rxc7 Rd8 { Reti has a dangerous passed pawn backed up by a Rook. It's hard to say whether he saw all of this when the fireworks started on the Queenside, but he certainly got the best of things. } 34. Kg3 d3 35. Rc1 d2 36. Rd1 g5 37. Kf2 Kg7 38. b4 Kf6 39. Ke2 Ke5 40. Ke3 { Notice how both Kings move toward the center in the endgame. } 40... Rd7 41. h4 gxh4 42. f4+ Ke6 43. Kf3 h3 44. Kg3 Rd3+ 45. Kh2 Kf6 46. Kh1 Kg6 47. Kh2 Kh5 { Tartakower gives it up. His King can't cross the third rank to save the White pawns. Reti can snap them all up and will have no trouble advancing a pawn to promotion. } 0-1