[Event "USSR Championship"] [Site "?"] [Round "0"] [White "Tal"] [Black "Shamkovich"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B15"] [Opening "Caro-Kann: 4.Nxe4"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nc3 e6 7. Bd3 c5 8. Qe2 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Bc5 10. Nb3 Bd6 11. Bg5 a6 12. O-O-O Qc7 13. Kb1 O-O 14. Ne4 Be5 15. f4 Bxf4 16. Nxf6+ Nxf6 17. Bxf6 gxf6 18. Qg4+ Kh8 19. Rhf1 Be5 20. Bxh7 f5 21. Qh4 Kg7 22. Rf3 Re8 23. g4 f4 24. g5 Kf8 {White's attack is proceeding nicely, but there are no open files to work with, so the rooks do not play a significant role. On the other hand, Black has a beautiful bishop which does help defend by guarding the a1-h8 diagonal.} 25. Rxf4 {Tal, one of the most romantic of all chess champions, gives up a whole rook just to deflect the bishop from covering g7.} 25... Bxf4 26. Qh6+ Ke7 27. Qf6+ Kf8 {White has succe ssfully infiltrated with the queen, but even queen and bishop are not enough to deliver mate. But aided by a pawn...} 28. g6 Bh6 {Otherwise the pawn would advance to g7 and deliver mate. But now the f-file, which had been blocked by the bishop, is wide open.} 29. Rf1 {Black resigned, faced with certain mate)} 29... Rd8 30. Qh8+ Ke7 31. Rxf7+ Kd6 32. Qd4+ Kc6 33. Qc5# 1-0