[Event "Prague"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1908.??.??"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Alapin, Semyon"]
[Black "Rubinstein, Akiba"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Hartwig,Th"]
[ECO "C30"]
[EventDate "1908.??.??"]
[PlyCount "102"]

{ I'd like to start with an old game by one of the deepest positional players ever, Rubinstein. This game is not exactly unknown, but I will propose a new perspective on this game that seems helpful.  It seems to me that the key to understanding what is going on in this game is to think about black as playing noncommittal, solid moves, and most importantly REACTING to mistakes by white.  This game emphasizes the negative side of pawn moves and in many cases Rubinstein's key moves come AFTER pawn moves by white have weakened his position in some way.  And before we get into the game I would also tentatively suggest that it makes a good "solitaire chess" exercise if you're up for it.  I haven't awarded points for each move or anything like that, but if you configure your program so you can't see the moves and make a quick run through with the arrow keys, comparing your guesses to Rubinstein before you look at my notes, I think it would make the game and notes that much more valuable. } 1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Bb5 $5 { The first four moves might be out of fashion, but this move is the first to seem slightly odd.  Clearly the bishop is best on c4; because white can, and eventually will probably exchange on e5, the bishop will support the rook on the open f-file bearing down on f7 (although it is a complication that white cannot castle to do this), and the bishop cannot be challenged by ...d5.  Instead of playing the most natural move, Alapin pursues a more concrete, but one-dimensional idea. } 5... Bg4 6. d3 Ne7 $1 { There are many ways to look at this move, which seems to be clearly best if less obvious than 6...Nf6.  I would like to see it as black's first "reaction" move, against the slightly odd 5.Bb5.  After black castles and eradicates the pin, this bishop essentially stops contributing to the fight for the center, since Bxc6 can be met with a recapture by the knight. } 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 O-O 9. f5 $6 { In this game, it seems that every time white moves a pawn, it causes him trouble.  Here he returns the bishop pair (although it wasn't easy to see what to do with it) and takes the pressure off of the center, making it easier for black to play ...d5. } 9... Nd4 10. Qg3 Nxb5 11. Nxb5 ( 11. Bh6 Ng6 $1 12. fxg6 fxg6 ) 11... f6 $1 12. Be3 Bxe3 13. Qxe3 d5 $1 14. O-O $6 ( 14. Qf2 $142 c6 15. Nc3 $15 ) 14... c6 $1 15. Na3 { This is a very ugly knight.  Besides that, the crux of black's advantage is that he has the lever to open the d-file WHEN HE IS READY TO DO SO, by way of which he takes over the game. } 15... Qb6 $5 16. Qxb6 axb6 17. c3 { This creates a serious weakness on d3.  One implication is that now exd5, trying to liquidate into a slightly worse position, becomes impossible as black recaptures with a rook and puts too much pressure on the weak pawn.  Less obvious is that after black exchanges d-pawns, the square remains weak, and in fact white's entire queenside, especially the a4 and c4 squares.  This is because, with c2-c3 already played, b2-b3 creates further weaknesses.  Nonetheless, it was already difficult for white, and the idea to get his knight into play seemed reasonable. } ( 17. Nb1 dxe4 $5 ( 17... Rfd8 18. Nc3 dxe4 19. Nxe4 ) 18. dxe4 Rfd8 19. Nc3 Rd2 $1 ( 19... Rd4 20. Rad1 ) 20. Rf2 Rd4 { also seems very good for black. } ) 17... Rfd8 $1 { Of course the a8-rook, since it is doing something where it is, should be the last to move. } 18. Rf2 Rd7 $1 { And this is the key; black is able to take over the d-file because of his pawn lever. } 19. Nc2 Rad8 20. Re1 dxe4 21. dxe4 Nc8 $1 { And this can be seen as the second "reaction move".  Because 17.c3 created weaknesses on a4 and c4, black prepares to bring his knight within reach of those squares. } 22. Rfe2 b5 23. Na1 Nb6 24. Nb3 Na4 $1 25. Kf2 c5 26. Rc2 g6 $3 { Everything was going nicely on the queenside; black has a grip on the d-file and a very bothersome knight while white's pieces just look jumbled up, and suddenly Rubinstein makes a move on the side of the board we had forgotten all about.  It seemed he wasn't interested in playing out ...c4 Nc1 on the board yet since it gives white information before black is ready to strike.  Instead, it's time to calmly improve matters some more, waiting for white to make more concessions before black REACTS.  And ...g6 fxg6 does improve matters because now black can create a passer at any moment with ...f5. } 27. fxg6 ( 27. g4 { was critical but: } 27... c4 28. Nc1 Rd1 29. Ree2 ( 29. Rxd1 Rxd1 30. b3 cxb3 31. axb3 Nc5 32. Kf3 Rf1+ 33. Ke3 Rh1 { The weaknesses of h3 and e4 are too much to sustain, proving that 26...g6 was specifically justified by black's control of and possible entry on the d-file. } ) 29... Rh1 $19 { (Razuvaev) } ) 27... hxg6 28. Nc1 c4 { Now 29.b3 is met by 29...Nc5. } 29. Ke3 Kf7 30. Rf1 Rd1 $1 { Rubinstein seems to remove all of white's good pieces, while maintaining just enough material to win.  Now white has no chances to double on f6. } 31. Rxd1 Rxd1 32. Ke2 Rd8 { Even now, the weaknesses of the queenside and the e4-square prevent white from challenging the d-file for several moves. } 33. Ke3 Nc5 34. b3 Ke6 35. bxc4 bxc4 36. Rb2 $5 { White goes for counterplay, but this also weakens his own defenses. } 36... Rd1 37. Rb6+ Kd7 38. Ne2 { The knight is clumsy on this square and no longer controls d3, so now white has to hope that his counterplay with the rook will come to something. } 38... Kc7 $1 { An excellent tactical finnesse which forces the rook to give up ground. } 39. Rb4 ( 39. Rxf6 $4 Rd3+ 40. Kf2 Nxe4+ 41. Kg1 Nxf6 $19 ) 39... Rd3+ 40. Kf2 Nxe4+ { The first fruit finally falls. } 41. Ke1 Nd6 42. Ra4 Kc6 43. Ra8 Kd5 44. h4 ( 44. Rf8 Ke6 $19 ) 44... Nf5 $1 45. Rf8 Ne3 $1 46. Rg8 ( 46. Rxf6 Rd1+ 47. Kf2 Ng4+ 48. Kg3 Nxf6 $19 ) ( 46. g3 Rd1+ 47. Kf2 Ke4 $19 ) 46... Nxg2+ 47. Kf2 Nxh4 48. Rd8+ Ke4 49. Ng3+ Kf4 50. Ne2+ Kg4 51. Rc8 Rf3+ { White is quite clearly lost, but a couple of variations are required to conclude that 51...Rf3+ was actually the most precise finish.  This was a tremendous game by black in every phase. } ( 51... Rf3+ 52. Kg1 ( 52. Ke1 Ng2+ 53. Kd1 Rf1+ 54. Kd2 Rf2 55. Kd1 Ne3+ 56. Kd2 Kf3 $19 ) 52... Rh3 $1 53. Rxc4+ ( 53. Kf2 Rh2+ 54. Kf1 Kf3 55. Ng1+ Ke3 56. Rxc4 Rf2+ 57. Ke1 Ng2+ 58. Kd1 Kd3 $19 ) 53... Kf3 54. Nc1 Rg3+ 55. Kh2 g5 56. Nd3 Rg2+ 57. Kh1 Kg3 58. Rb4 Rxa2 $19 ) 0-1