Sacrificial rite

Rudolph Spielmann, a contemporary of Rubinstein, Reti, Alekhine and Capablanca, can be seen as the Romantic equivalent to a further great master of the 1920s, Aron Nimzowitsch. Whereas Nimzowitsch made his literary reputation with his book of chess strategy, My System, Spielmann entrusted his thoughts on the right way to play chess in his parallel tome, The Art of Sacrifice. The ideal in Spielmann’s eyes was to play the opening like a book, the middlegame like a magician, and the endgame like a machine. Spielmann believed that the power of sacrifice lay not necessarily in its soundness, but in its ability to daze and confuse the opponent. In the foreword to his book Spielmann wrote: ‘The glowing power of the sacrifice is irresistible: enthusiasm for sacrifice lies in human nature.’
 
Learn to Attack with Rudolph Spielmann by Dr Eric Schiller is published by Ishi Press. The following notes are based on those in the book.
 
Spielmann-Tarrasch: Carlsbad 1923; King’s Gambit Declined, Marshall’s Defence
 
1 e4 e5 2 f4 Bc5 3 Nf3 d6 4 c3 Bg4 5 fxe5 dxe5 6 Qa4+ Bd7 7 Qc2 Nc6 8 b4 Bd6 9 Bc4 Nf6 10 d3 Ne7 10 … 0-0 should be met by 11 Qe2 since 11 0-0 b5 12 Bb3 a5 13 bxa5 Nxa5 14 Bg5 Nxb3 15 Qxb3 h6 16 Bh4 Qe7 17 Kh1 Qe6 was better for Black in Day-Zwaig, Skopje 1972. 11 0-0 Ng6 12 Be3 b5 13 Bb3 a5 14 a3 axb4 15 cxb4 0-0 15  … Bxb4? would be met by 16 Ng5 0-0 17 Nxf7 Rxf7 18 Bxf7+ Kxf7 19 Qb3+ Be6 20 Qxb4 winning. 16 Nc3 c6 17 h3 Qe7 18 Ne2 Bb8 The idea is to pivot at a7 and get rid of White’s powerful e3-bishop. 18 … Nh5 is also possible. 19 Kh2 Ba7 20 Bg5 h6 21 Bxf6 Qxf6 22 Nfd4 Qd6 23 Nf5 Bxf5 24 Rxf5 Nf4 25 Rf1 g6 (see diagram 1) 26 R1xf4 A bold sacrifice – and a real one, since there is no forced win. 26 … exf4 This is the wrong recapture. Necessary is 26…gxf5 27 Rxf5 Be3 28 Qc3 when the position is in dynamic equilibrium. 27 e5 Taking control of f6. 27 … Qe7 28 Rf6 Kg7 The king belongs on h8. If 28 … Qxe5 then 29 Rxg6+ Kh7 30 d4 Qxe2 31 Qxe2 fxg6 32 Qe7+ Kh8 33 Qe5+ Kh7 34 Qc7+ Kh8 35 Qxc6 Bxd4 36 Qxg6 and Black is in deep trouble. 29 d4 Bxd4 30 Bxf7 (see diagram 2) 30 … Bxe5 30 … Rxf7 would have held out longer but White’s victory is now inevitable: 31 Qxg6+ Kf8 32 Nxd4 Rxf6 33 exf6 Qf7 34 Qxh6+ Ke8 35 Qxf4. 31 Qxg6+ Black resigns