The Definitive Gusev - Auerbach, 1946 thread

[tpoppins]

Yuri Gusev - E. Auerbach
Molniya Sports Society 1946
Sicilian Defense, Dragon, Classical 6.Be2 without Be3 (ECO B70)
Annotations by Y. Gusev

1.e4 c5
2.Nf3 d6
3.d4 cxd4
4.Nxd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 g6
6.Be2 Nc6
7.Nb3 Bg7
8.O-O

[d]r1bqk2r/pp2ppbp/2np1np1/8/4P3/1NN5/PPP1BPPP/R1BQ1RK1 b kq - 0 8
8...Be6?
The correct continuation in this position is 8...0-0 and on 9.0-0 there follows 9...b5, equalizing. This maneuver has been recommended by V. Rauzer.

9.f4 Rc8
10.f5 Bd7
11.g4 Ne5
12.g5 Ng8
13.Nd5 f6
14.Be3 b6
15.Nd4 Kf7

[d]2rq2nr/p2bpkbp/1p1p1pp1/3NnPP1/3NP3/4B3/PPP1B2P/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 16
16.c3
Intending 17.Qb3.

16...Qe8 17.Ne6!
Threatening to win immediately with 18.Nd5-c7.

17...Bxe6 18.fxe6+

[d]2r1q1nr/p3pkbp/1p1pPpp1/3Nn1P1/4P3/2P1B3/PP2B2P/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 18
18...Kf8
Not 18...Kxe6? because of 19.Qb3 Kd7 20.Qa4+ Kd8 21.Qxa7 and White wins.

19.Nxf6! Nxf6
19...exf6 is met with 20.Qxd6+, followed by 21.Qxe5

20.gxf6 Bxf6

[d]2r1qk1r/p3p2p/1p1pPbp1/4n3/4P3/2P1B3/PP2B2P/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 21

Here White was presented with the choice between 21.Bg5 Kg7 22.Bxf6+ exf6 23.Qxd6, winning a pawn but leaving the opponent with a strong knight on e5, and the chance to continue the attack. White picks the second option.

21.Bh6+ Kg8
22.Rxf6 exf6
23.Qxd6 Rc6

[d]4q1kr/p6p/1prQPppB/4n3/4P3/2P5/PP2B2P/R5K1 w - - 0 24
It appears that White's attack has been repulsed; Black wins the e6 pawn and then retreats the knight to f7, forcing the h6 bishop to abandon its strong post. However, White has a fresh sacrifice at his disposal that leaves Black with almost no moves.

24.Qxe5!! fxe5 25.Rf1!

[d]4q1kr/p6p/1pr1P1pB/4p3/4P3/2P5/PP2B2P/5RK1 b - - 0 25

An extremely interesting position has arisen. White has a rook and two bishops vs. the opponent's queen and two rooks; however, Black's rook on h8 is out of play, his king doesn't have a single move whereas the undefended white pawn on e6 turns out to be as strong as the queen. For example, 25...Rxe6 27.Bc4. The immediate threat is 26.Bb5

Rc8 26.Bd1
Now 26...Qxe6 is met with 27.Bb3 Qxb3 28.axb3 and White wins by moving his king to the queenside and creating a passed pawn there. Therefore Black cannot take the e6 pawn. Meanwhile White threatens a decisive transfer of the bishop to the a2-g8 diagonal, e.g. 26...Rc7 27.Bb3 Re7 28.Bd5, and after the queen moves the invasion of the rook on f7 immediately decides the game. Black blocks the dangerous diagonal with the exchange sacrifice.

26...Rc4 27.Bb3 b5 28.Bxc4 bxc4

[d]4q1kr/p6p/4P1pB/4p3/2p1P3/2P5/PP5P/5RK1 w - - 0 29
Black now has a queen vs. White's bishop, nevertheless it is still impossible to get the h8 rook into play. White wins by utilizing his queenside pawn majority.

29.b3
29.b4 at once was more accurate.

29...a5
Now 30.b4 runs into 30...axb4 31.c3b4 c3! and with the pawn bound to queen it is Black who wins!

30.bxc4 Qe7 31.Kg2 Qa3 32.Rf2 Qe7 33.Rf1 g5 34.Rf5 g4

[d]6kr/4q2p/4P2B/p3pR2/2P1P1p1/2P5/P5KP/8 w - - 0 35
Hoping to give up the a- and g-pawns and then force a perpetual check with the queen, taking advantage of the stalemated position of his pieces.

35.c5 Qd8 36.c6 Qe7 37.c7
Black resigns

[pgn][Event "Molniya Sports Society"] [Site "Chelyabinsk RUS"] [Date "1946.??.??"] [Round "5"] [White "Yuri Gusev"] [Black "E. Auerbach"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B70"] [Annotator "Y. Gusev"] [PlyCount "73"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be2 Nc6 7. Nb3 Bg7 8. O-O Be6 $2 {The correct continuation in this position is 8...0-0 and on 9.0-0 there follows 9...b5, equalizing. This maneuver has been recommended by V. Rauzer.} ($142 8... O-O 9. f4 b5 $11) 9. f4 Rc8 10. f5 Bd7 11. g4 Ne5 12. g5 Ng8 13. Nd5 f6 14. Be3 b6 15. Nd4 Kf7 16. c3 {Intending 17.Qb3.} Qe8 17. Ne6 $1 {Threatening to win immediately with 18.Nd5-c7.} Bxe6 18. fxe6+ Kf8 ({Not} 18... Kxe6 $2 {because of} 19. Qb3 Kd7 20. Qa4+ Kd8 21. Qxa7 {and White wins.}) 19. Nxf6 $1 Nxf6 (19... exf6 {is met with} 20. Qxd6+ {followed by 21.Qxe5.}) 20. gxf6 Bxf6 21. Bh6+ ({Here White was presented with the choice between} 21. Bg5 Kg7 22. Bxf6+ exf6 23. Qxd6 {winning a pawn but leaving the opponent with a strong knight on e5, and the chance to continue the attack. White picks the second option.}) 21... Kg8 22. Rxf6 exf6 23. Qxd6 Rc6 {It appears that White's attack has been repulsed; Black wins the e6 pawn and then retreats the knight to f7, forcing the h6 bishop to abandon its strong post. However, White has a fresh sacrifice at his disposal that leaves Black with almost no moves.} 24. Qxe5 $3 fxe5 25. Rf1 $1 {An extremely interesting position has arisen. White has a rook and two bishops vs. the opponent's queen and two rooks; however, Black's rook on h8 is out of play, his king doesn't have a single move whereas the undefended white pawn on e6 turns out to be as strong as the queen. The immediate threat is 26.Bb5} Rc8 (25... Rxe6 26. Bc4) 26. Bd1 Rc4 ({Now} 26... Qxe6 {is met with} 27. Bb3 Qxb3 28. axb3 {and White wins by moving his king to the queenside and creating a passed pawn there. Therefore Black cannot take the e6 pawn.}) ({Meanwhile White threatens a decisive transfer of the bishop to the a2-g8 diagonal, e.g.} 26... Rc7 27. Bb3 Re7 28. Bd5 {and after the queen moves the invasion of the rook on f7 immediately decides the game. Black blocks the dangerous diagonal with the exchange sacrifice.}) 27. Bb3 b5 28. Bxc4 bxc4 {Black now has a queen vs. White's bishop, nevertheless it is still impossible to get the h8 rook into play. White wins by utilizing his queenside pawn majority.} 29. b3 (29. b4 {at once was more accurate.}) 29... a5 30. bxc4 ({Now} 30. b4 {runs into} axb4 31. cxb4 c3 $1 {and with the pawn bound to queen it is Black who wins!}) 30... Qe7 31. Kg2 Qa3 32. Rf2 Qe7 33. Rf1 g5 34. Rf5 g4 {Hoping to give up the a- and g-pawns and then force a perpetual check with the queen, taking advantage of the stalemated position of his pieces.} 35. c5 Qd8 36. c6 Qe7 37. c7 {Black resigns.} 1-0 [/pgn]


References:

• Shakhmaty v SSSR 10/1951, p. 300 as listed in Chess Notes
• Edward Winter's Chess Notes #8405 - info on Black's name, year and venue
• Chessgames.com - discussion and analysis going back to 2007
• Test Position 2 - CCC thread from 2007 dedicated to the queen sacrifice
• My trusty engine tells me Chess Truth - a ChessPub thread from 2011 dedicated to engine-buster positions. Note: the thread's first post is at the bottom of the page if you are not logged in, so read from the bottom to the top. The discussion of Gusev-Auerbach starts with this post by Vass (a Bulgarian, not to be confused with Vas the Czech ;).
• Vass' groundbreaking discovery of 28.a4! (reply #36 in the ChessPub thread above)
• Looking for a mechanical solution to 11 Epd problems -- Louis Zulli's SF observations in this 2015 CCC thread
• This author's 2015 analysis on Chessgames, starts with this post
• "Poor Fish": very hard test suite - Gusev's namesake recommends the queen sacrifice position for inclusion in Marco Costalba SF-challenging suite in this 2016 CCC thread; some discussion follows
• Defence vs. Attack - further comments, analysis and some background info by this author in a CCC thread from 2017.

[Paloma]

Thanks Tirsa for clarification about Auerbach

The correct Link for Test Position 2 - CCC thread from 2007 dedicated to the queen sacrifice

[tpoppins]

Good catch, Paloma, thank you.

[peter]

Yuri Gusev - E. Auerbach
Molniya Sports Society 1946

Thanks again, corrected that in my database.
Nice collection of links dealing with the position!

[Vinvin]

Yuri Gusev - E. Auerbach
Molniya Sports Society 1946
...
References:
...

More older references :
https://www.stmintz.com/ccc/index.php?id=97415
https://www.stmintz.com/ccc/index.php?id=477316

[Sven]

Nice work, thanks!

Has 29...cxb3 been checked instead of 29...a5? SF9 under CB shows 0.00 on my machine:

[d]4q1kr/p6p/4P1pB/4p3/2p1P3/1PP5/P6P/5RK1 b - - 0 1

Code: Select all

29...cxb3 30.axb3 Qe7 31.Kg2 a5 32.Rf2 Qe8 33.Kg1 g5 34.Rf5 Qd8 35.Kg2 Qd2+ 36.Rf2 Qd8 37.Rf7 Qd2+ 38.Rf2 
=  (0.00)    Depth: 75/19   00:08:23  4325MN

[MikeGL]

Nice work, thanks!

Has 29...cxb3 been checked instead of 29...a5? SF9 under CB shows 0.00 on my machine:

[d]4q1kr/p6p/4P1pB/4p3/2p1P3/1PP5/P6P/5RK1 b - - 0 1

Code: Select all

29...cxb3 30.axb3 Qe7 31.Kg2 a5 32.Rf2 Qe8 33.Kg1 g5 34.Rf5 Qd8 35.Kg2 Qd2+ 36.Rf2 Qd8 37.Rf7 Qd2+ 38.Rf2 
=  (0.00)    Depth: 75/19   00:08:23  4325MN

There is still a forced win after 29...cxb3

1. ... cxb3 2. axb3 Qe7 3. b4 a6 4. Kg2 Qe8 5. c4 Qe7 [(5. .. Qa8 6. Kg3+-)]
6. c5+-

Win involves a zugzwang, so SF might have difficulty at higher depths.
Thanks for this comprehensive analysis and comments by tpoppins.

[tpoppins]

Has 29...cxb3 been checked instead of 29...a5? SF9 under CB shows 0.00 on my machine:

The answer to this precise question is linked in the references above. Since you seem to have some trouble with the link, here's a pic:



I cannot find terms strong enough to recommend to everyone reading that thread from start to finish. When I first read it, for me it was a true eye-opener that forever cured me of the "but my Stockfish sez ..." malaise. This is why in the CG.com posts from 2015 linked above I endeavored to go light on variations (there is a veritable sea of them after 24.Qxe5) and heavy on the explanations. If you re-read those posts a couple of times you should be able to grasp White's basic winning plan and apply it to any 0.00 variation SF may throw at you.

edit: thank you, Mike - you got my point exactly

[Sven]

I have no doubts about the position after 27...b5 being won for White, so the correctness of the queen sac remains untouched. However, the game did not proceed by 28.a4, which was demonstrated to be clearly winning for White in the post you referred to, but by 28.Bxc4 bxc4 29.b3, and my question was exactly about that latter position and the possible reply 29...cxb3. Mike replied there were a forced win after 30.axb3 Qe7 31.b4 but the stronger continuation for Black seems to be 30...a5, as written by TalJechin in the post you referred to. I tried hard to find a zugzwang or another way to win for White but I failed so far. Any idea?

[d]4q1kr/7p/4P1pB/p3p3/4P3/1PP5/7P/5RK1 w - - 0 31

EDIT: From http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgam ... 6#reply142:
"NeverAgain: Now let's turn to AK's claim that the game continuation <25...Rc8> draws. He cites <29...cxb3> as a critical improvement and I won't argue there, because White, in his turn, can improve earlier with <28.a4!>, as Vass of ChessPub discovered in 2011."

[peter]

I have no doubts about the position after 27...b5 being won for White, so the correctness of the queen sac remains untouched. However, the game did not proceed by 28.a4, which was demonstrated to be clearly winning for White in the post you referred to, but by 28.Bxc4 bxc4 29.b3, and my question was exactly about that latter position and the possible reply 29...cxb3. Mike replied there were a forced win after 30.axb3 Qe7 31.b4 but the stronger continuation for Black seems to be 30...a5, as written by TalJechin in the post you referred to. I tried hard to find a zugzwang or another way to win for White but I failed so far. Any idea?

[d]4q1kr/7p/4P1pB/p3p3/4P3/1PP5/7P/5RK1 w - - 0 31

That's to be drawn in my database.

After Backward of this line (one of some more I've stored)

28. Bxc4 bxc4 29. b3 cxb3 30. axb3 a5

31. c4 g5 32. c5 a4 33. bxa4 Qe7
34. c6 Qc5+ 35. Kg2 Qc2+

with nullmove switched off- SugaR and 6 men Syzygys at the position of your dia:

[d]4q1kr/7p/4P1pB/p3p3/4P3/1PP5/7P/5RK1 w - - 0 1

Analysis by S_XPrO 201018 64 POPCNT:

31.c4 g5 32.h3 Qe7 33.Kg2 a4 34.bxa4 g4 35.hxg4 Qa3 36.g5 Qb2+ 37.Kg3 Qb8 38.e7 Qb3+ 39.Kg4 Qg3+ 40.Kxg3
= (0.00) Depth: 51/20 00:01:04 1091MN, tb=10219080

Sting needs some longer lines to get the 0.0 at their endings.
The full drawing- eval isn't to be kept in Sting's hash easily, but that's at least not a winning one nor a winning line (at least not for White ) after Backward again:

4q1kr/7p/4P1pB/p3p3/4P3/1PP5/7P/5RK1 w - - 0 1

Analysis by Sting 10.1 based on Stockfish 2.1.1 64bit:

31.Rf3 g5 32.Kf1 a4 33.bxa4 g4 34.Rf5 g3 35.h3 Qd8 36.Kg2 Qf6 37.Rg5+ Qxg5 38.Bxg5 Kg7 39.Kxg3 Kg6 40.Kg4 h6 41.Be3 Kf6 42.a5 Rg8+ 43.Kf3 Ra8 44.Bb6 Kxe6 45.c4 Kd6 46.Ke2 h5 47.Kd3 Rg8 48.Be3 Rg3 49.h4
+/= (0.32) Depth: 33 00:02:38 2154MN