WITH 64 fields: Catch up and overtake

While the First Moscow International Tournament (1925) was dominated by foreign chess players - with the exception of the winner Bogoljubov, who himself would emigrate to Germany a few years later, this time the Soviet chess players, led by Botvinnik, offered strong resistance to the stars of world chess.

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Botvinnik received a car as a result, Photo: UGC
Botvinnik received a car as a result, Photo: UGC
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

The Second International Grandmaster Tournament, Moscow, 1935, was marked by the famous motto that the “leader of the international proletariat” and “father of the people” Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin liked to emphasize - To catch up and to overtake. And the Soviet chess players not only fulfilled, but also exceeded expectations.

While the First Moscow International Tournament (1925) was dominated by foreign chess players - with the exception of the winner Bogoljubov, who himself would emigrate to Germany a few years later, this time Soviet chess players, led by Botvinnik, offered strong resistance to the stars of world chess.

Botvinnik shared first and second place with the Czechoslovak Flora, ahead of Lasker, Capablanca and Spielmann, while his compatriots Kahn, Levenfish, Ragozin, Romanovsky and Avatorcev firmly occupied the upper part of the table.

How much attention was paid in the Soviet Union to the chess player's successful performance, and especially to Botvinnik's victory, is shown by the fact that after the tournament, the Minister of Heavy Industry, Ordzhonikidze, presented Mikhail Moiseevich with a car.

From this grandmaster tournament, we are broadcasting an exciting clash between two Soviet players, Ryumin and Botvinnik.

SPANISH PARTY

RJUMIN - BOTVINIK

MOSCOW, 1935.

COMMENTS: VM. D. MAROVIĆ

Ryumin and Botvinnik diagram
photo: UGC

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 0-0 5.Be7 6.Qe2

The intention is the same - to implement c3 and d4, only this time with the rook on d1.

6..b5 7.Lb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.d4

Here they recommend a4 as better.

9..Bg4 10.Rd1 ed4 11.cd4 d5.

Black counters in the center at the right time. 12.ed5 is not recommended because of Na5 and Black will return the pawn with a pleasant play, so White is forced to fix the pawn center.

12.e5 Se4 13.h3 Lh5 14.a4

On Nc3, Black would calmly take c3 and pull Qd7. The move in the text again has its serious flaws.

14..b4 15.a5

On Bc2, Black would pull f5. 16.ef6 Rxf6, offering a pawn sacrifice to break the castling. With a5, White deprives his opponent of the possibility of Na5.

15..Kh8

Prepares the advance of the f-pawn.

16.g4 Bg6 17.Nh2 Bh4 18.Be3 f5 19.f4

On f3, f4 is good.

19.Lg3! 20.g5

The problem is that on 20.Rf1 Black would play 20…fg4 21.hg4 Bxf4 22.Rxf4 23.Bxf4 Nxd4 24.Qe3 c5 with a superior position. The move, however, allows the opening of the g-file and gives up the important h4 square, as we will see in the further course of the game.

20..h6 21.gh6 gh6 22.Nd2 Ne7

A strong, natural move, which frees the queen with the d5 defense.

23.Kh1

On 23.Nxe4 Botvinik saw fe4. 24.Qg4 Rg8 25.Qxg3 Bh5 26.Ng4 Nf5 27.Qf2 Bxg4 28.hg4 Rxg4+ 29.Kf1 Rg3 with a win.

23..De8

Black realizes his plan of moving the white bishop to the dominant square h5.

24.Tg1 Lh5 25.Sh f3 Tg8 26.Sf1

On 26.Rg2 Black prepared a nice tactical attack. 26..Bf2 27.Bxf2 Nxd2 etc.

26..Df7 27.Ld1 Tg7 28.Tc1 c6 29.Tc2 Tag8 30.Tg2 Lxf4! 31.Dxa6

After 31.Rxg7 Qxg7, the capture on f4 is again not possible.

31…Rxg2 32.Rxg2 Rxg2 33.Kxg2 Qg6+ 34.Kh1 Bxe3 35.Nxe3 Nxf2+ 36.Kh2 Nxd1 White surrenders.

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