Aesthetics and Ethics

Akiba Kiwelowicz Rubinstein – Karel Hromádka
Internationales Schachmeister-Turnier; Mährisch-Ostrau, July 5, 1923
King’s Gambit Declined C30

1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bc4 Nc6 6. d3 Bg4 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 Nd4 9. Qg3 Qe7. The risky 9. ... Nxc2+ 10. Kd1 Nxa1 11. Qxg7 Kd7 12. fxe5 dxe5 13. Rf1 gives White dangerous attacking possibilities, Chigorin – Pillsbury, Hastings 1895. Another try is instead 9. ... exf4!? (Tartakower) 10. Qxg7 Rf8 11. Kd1 Qe7 with unclear consequences. 10. fxe5 dxe5 11. Kd1 c6 12. a4! Rg8. For 12. ... Nh5 13. Qg4 g6 14. Rf1 see Mieses - Leonhardt, London 1905, match game 4. 13. Rf1 h6. No better is 13. ... 0-0-0 14. Ne2 Kb8 15. Nxd4 Bxd4 16. c3 Bb6 17. Kc2 and White eventually won, Hromádka – Prokeš, Prague 1927. 14. Ne2 0-0-0. The simpler 14. ... Nxe2 15. Kxe2 0-0-0 16. c3 has at least the merit of saving time. 15. Nxd4 Bxd4 16. c3! Bb6 17. a5! Bc7 18. Be3 Kb8 19. Kc2! “With all points protected and free play on both flanks, White has a clear advantage”, International Master Craig William Pritchett wrote in his book “Chess Secrets: Great Chess Romantics”, London, Everyman Chess, 2013, p. 110. 19. ... Ka8 20. Rf3! Nd5. A tricky if not desperate countermeasure. 21. Bg1! Rubinstein refuses the gift and inexorably proceeds to his cathartic vision. 21. ... Nf4. “21. ... Nf6! keeps the f-file closed”, says Jan van Reek. This may be true, but after 22. Qf2 Bb8 23. Rf5 White retains his powerful bind. 22. Qf2 Bb8 23. g3! Nxh3 24. Rxf7 Qd6. There is no choice, for after 24. ... Nxf2 25. Rxe7 Black is left with a hopeless endgame.

25. Qb6!! White’s grand attack is crowned by a marvelous sacrifice of the Queen! 25. ... Rd7. Her Majesty is taboo: 25. ... axb6 26. axb6+ Ba7 27. Rxa7+ Kb8 28. Rfxb7+ Kc8 29. Bc5 with mate in short order. 26. Bc5! Rxf7. 26. ... axb6 is not yet possible on account of 27. axb6+ Ba7 28. Rxa7+ Kb8 29. Bxd6+ Rxd6 30. Rfxb7+ Kc8 31. Ba6 and mate next move. 27. Bxd6 Rf2+ 28. Qxf2! Nxf2 29. Bc5 1 : 0. For this magnificent game Akiba Kiwelowicz was awarded the first brilliancy prize.