[Event "K+R+2P vs K+R+3P"] [Site "www.masterchessopen.com"] [Date "1953.01.01"] [Round "0"] [White "Szabo"] [Black "Troianescu"] [Result "1-0"] [EventType "game"] [EventCountry "ROU"] [FEN "6k1/5p1p/R5p1/8/8/3K4/1PP3r1/8 w - - 0 1"] [ECO "A00"] [Opening "Polish (Sokolsky; Orang-Utan)"] { A particularly instructive demonstration of the importance of time is seen in Szabo-Troianescu, Bucharest 1953. All pawns but one are in their initial positions. White is to move, which obviously gives him one extra tempo. However, he has one more hidden extra tempo: due to Black's king being on the eighth rank, a white pawn promotes with check. These two tempi are more important than Black's extra pawn. Annotations here are based on those of Barcza. } 1.b4 Rg1 { 1...Kf8 was perhaps preferable. If 2.c4, then 2...Rb2 is slightly better for Black than the actual game continuation. } (1...Kf8 2.c4 Rb2) 2.c4 Kf8 3.c5 { Later analysis showed that with 3.b5 White would advance more easily. } (3.b5) 3...Rc1 4.Kd4 Rb1 5.Ra4! { After 5.Rb6? Ke7 neither of White's pawns can move. If 5.c6 Rxb4+ 6.Kc5 Rb8 7.c7 Rc8 8.Kb6 wins a rook, but because of the Black's three connected passed pawns, the outcome is not so clear. } (5.Rb6? Ke7) (5.c6 Rxb4+ 6.Kc5 Rb8 7.c7 Rc8 8.Kb6 $13) 5...h5 6.c6 Ke7 7.Ke5 f6+ 8.Kd5 Rd1+ 9.Kc5 Rc1+ 10.Kb6 g5! 11.Ra7+ Ke6 12.Ra5! { Avoiding the trap 12.Rh7? g4 13.Rxh5 g3!, or 12.b5? g4 13.Rg7 f5 and White's victory is problematic. Now the threat 13.Rc5 forces Black to the defensive. } (12.Rh7? g4 13.Rxh5 g3!) (12.b5? g4 13.Rg7 f5) 12...Rc4 13.b5 g4 14.Ra1 h4 15.Kc7! { The final touch. If 15.c7? then 15...g3 16. Rg1 f5 17.Kb7 f4 18.c8=Q+ Rxc8 19.Kxc8 f3 20.b6 f2! } (15.c7? g3 16.Rg1 f5 17.Kb7 f4 18.c8=Q+ Rxc8 19.Kxc8 f3 20.b6 f2!) 15...g3 16.b6 g2 17.b7 {#r} 1-0