Page "Henry Ernest Atkins" Paragraph 17

Atkins ( Black ) won the following game at London 1922 against Savielly Tartakower ( White ), then one of the world's leading players.

Tartakower thought highly enough of the game to include it in his book 500 Master Games of Chess. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nxe4 5. Nxe4 d5 6. Bd3 dxe4 7. Bxe4 Bd6 8. d4 Nxd4 9. Nxd4 exd4 10. Qxd4 O-O 11. Be3 Qe7 12. O-O-O Re8 13. Bd5?

This allows Black to gain time for his queen-side pawn storm with ... c6.

Correct was 13. Bf3.

Be5 14. Qa4 c6 15. Bf3 Be6 16. Kb1 a5!

With the surprising threat of 17 ... Qb4!

18. Qxb4 axb4 19. b3 Rxa2!

and wins.

17. Bd4 Bd6 18. Bb6?

Bb4 Threatening to drive away the bishop with ... Ra6, followed by ... b5 winning the queen.

19. c3 Ra6!

Now if 20. cxb4, axb4 is devastating.

20. Be3 Bf5 + 21. Ka1 b5 22. Qb3 Bd6 23. a4?

Instead of weakening his queen-side with this move, White should have played 23.

Rd2.

Rb8 24. Rd2 Be6 25. Qd1 Be5 26. Bd4 Bf4 27. Be3 Bxe3 28. fxe3 b4!

29. cxb4 Rab6!

Tartakower and du Mont remark, " Black conducts the game with superb élan.

" Weak would have been 29 ... Rxb4 ??

30. Rd8 +; 29 ... Qxb4?

30. Rd8 +; or 29 ... axb4 30. b3, keeping the queen-side closed.

30. Rd6 Black's attack has become overwhelming.

If 30. bxa5, Rxb2!

wins.

Or 30. Rd4 Rxb4 31. Rxb4 Qxb4 32. Qc2 Bb3 33. Qxc6 Bc4 34. Rb1 Bd3 and wins.