A Warning

When I'm trying to show young players and even adults how to think about material on the chess board, I often show a Greco game that I've played in its entirety in online blitz. It, along with Paul Morphy's Opera game, illustrates that the pieces in the battle matter, while those on the board who are watching the game do not count.

There is another relatively famous game that I've played in its entirety multiple times. Alas, these games have been quick and embarrassing losses. The players of this famous game are not well known. They seem to have surnames only everywhere I've seen the game referenced.


Silbermann -- Honich [A40]
Czernowitz, 1930

1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Qe7 4.Bf4?!

A risky move.

4.Nc3;
4.Qd5

4...Qb4+ 5.Bd2

forced

5...Qxb2

White to move

6.Bc3??

The White pieces have a mutual protection pact. Alas, Black can crush it with a pin.

6.Nc3 is White's only reply

6...Bb4+- 7.Qd2

Better is 7.Bxb4 Nxb4–+

7...Bxc3 8.Qxc3

8.Nxc3 Qxa1+ 9.Nd1 and Black is winning.

8...Qc1# 0–1