Reuben Fine – Paul Keres

[#] The so-called Worall attack. White defends the e-pawn with his queen, frees the d1 square for his rook and plans Rd1-c3-d4. The main drawback of the move is that the Queen is slightly exposed on this square, and Bg4 move is always slightly annoying for White

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Date: November 15, 1938
Location: The Netherlands
Tournament: AVRO
Round: 7
Opening: C86 Spanish - Ruy Lopez, Worrall Attack
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Published on: June 11, 2023

[Event "AVRO"] [Site "The Netherlands"] [Date "1938.11.15"] [Round "7"] [White "Reuben Fine"] [Black "Paul Keres"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C86"] [PlyCount "114"] [EventDate "1938.11.06"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Qe2 {[pgndiagram] The so-called Worall attack. White defends the e-pawn with his queen, frees the d1 square for his rook and plans Rd1-c3-d4. The main drawback of the move is that the Queen is slightly exposed on this square, and Bg4 move is always slightly annoying for White} b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a4 {[pgndiagram] But this is very rare move, even from today's perspective} (8. c3 Bg4 9. h3 Bh5 10. Rd1 O-O 11. d3 {[pgndiagram] Constitutes the main line nowadays, with slower play, more characteristic of the d3 Anti Berlin lines}) 8... Bg4 {This is not a pawn sacrifice; Black is threatening Nd4} 9. c3 (9. axb5 Nd4 {Is really unpleasant}) 9... O-O {[pgndiagram] But this time this really is a pawn sacrifice.. Or more precisely a pseudo-sacrifice} 10. axb5 {Accepting the gauntlet. With hindsight, it might have been wiser to refrain from doing it} (10. h3 {Or}) (10. d3) 10... axb5 11. Rxa8 Qxa8 12. Qxb5 Na7 $1 {[pgndiagram] A key move that I imagine Fine missed} 13. Qe2 (13. Qa6 Nxe4 {[pgndiagram] Is no good for White as well}) 13... Qxe4 14. Qxe4 Nxe4 {[pgndiagram] Now Black has a very pleasant endgame. He will take on f3 and spoil White's structure. This factor is more important than the two bishops here} 15. d4 (15. Bd1 {Trying to defend against Bxf3 is too artificial for instance} Nc5 {The knight jump to d3 is really unpleasant} 16. d4 Nd3 17. Be2 Nxc1 18. Rxc1 e4 {[pgndiagram] And White loses a piece}) 15... Bxf3 16. gxf3 Ng5 17. Kg2 Rb8 18. Bc4 exd4 19. cxd4 Ne6 20. d5 {