From Vienna comes word that Rudolf Spielmann kept alive his slim hopes of victory in his match vs. Dr. Saviely Tartakower by taking the 11th game of the contest in a Rook endgame after 46 moves. Spielmann, who thus moved to within two lengths of his adversary in their race to five points, 4 1/2 - 2 1/2, still faces a most difficult task ahead, as Dr. Tartakower needs to gain but one further half-point to decide matters in his favor. Four drawn games played by the two Masters earlier in the match are, by agreement, not reckoned in the current score.
Tartakower as White selected the Vienna Game, with the opening dozen moves presaging a maneuvering struggle. Spielmann's 16...h5 represented a key moment in the contest, for Black by means of that thrust offered the sacrifice of a pawn in the hope of obtaining a superior Rook endgame after 17.Qxe6+ Qxe6 18.Nxe6 Kxe6 19.fxe4 d4. Still, any advantage thereby accruing to Black seemed minor at best, but Spielmann, faced with a situation in which a draw and a loss were equally fatal to his chances, continued to push forward, ready to pounce on the slightest error by his rival. Such a moment came at last at the 43rd move when Tartakower erred with 43.Rb4?, the consensus of endgame experts being that 43.Ke2 was the correct choice. After 43...c3 Black's advantage became decisive, as the c-pawn began to loom ever larger as a threat and White found it impossible to defend both his b- and g-pawns. With the pretty 46...g4! Spielmann forced his opponent's resignation.
We append the game.
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