Sunday, October 20

Tartakower-Spielmann match: Third game drawn after sharp fight

From Vienna comes word that the third game of the Tartakower-Spielmann match, like the two that preceded it, was drawn.  Thus, under the special rules governing the contest, which stipulate that the first four drawn games will not be counted, scoring has yet to begin and the two players remain tied at 0-0 in their race to five points.  Chess aficionados who strain to see the virtue of these unusual match rules can take solace from the fact that by the conclusion of the fifth game at the very latest at least one of the players will have begun to add to his total.

The nugatory effect of these early draws on the score has not prevented the two masters from producing interesting chess, and the third contest, a Petroff's Three Knights' Game, was distinguished by a sharp struggle in which Tartakower as White and Spielmann as Black attempted to carry out simultaneous King-side attacks.  Spielmann appears to have missed an excellent opportunity for victory at the 26th move when 26...R8h4! in place of the chosen 26...Nc4+ would have severely taxed Tartakower's defensive prowess.  As played, a series of exchanges soon followed, and peace was agreed in an endgame offering few prospects to either side.  We reproduce the game score below.

  

No comments: