AN UNKNOWN JEWEL

 

ALBERT FRANK

 

 

 

In 1946, in a Schmidt – Richter game, the following position arised (white to play):

 

White : Kf2, Qe3, Rb1, Rh1, Be2, Nd5, Ne7 ; c4, e4, f3, g2, h5

 

Black : Kg7, Qa3, Ra8, Rf8, Bc8, Nd4, Ne6 ; c5, d6, d7, f7, g6, h7

 

The game went on:

 

1. Qh6+     Kxh6

2. hxg6+    Kg5

3. Rh5+     Kxh5

4. f4+        Nxe2

5. Nf6+     Kh6

6. Rh1+     Kg7

7. Ne8+*   Rxe8

8. Rxh7+   Kf6

9. Rxf7 mate

 

 

*  : It is this move, that had to be foreseen at the beginning of the combination (sacrifice of four pieces), that makes it splendid.

 

It is interesting to note that the program FRITZ 6, running on pentium 600, doesn't find this continuation in one hour (nor in " play " mode, nor in " search of mat " mode). Maybe it is because an exam of the initial position doesn’t show any particular weakness of the square f7.