Ftacnik's Immortal: Polugaevsky v Ftacnik - Luzern 1982

Lev Polugaevsky vs Lubomir Ftacnik
Luzern olm ;BIG 1982
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation. Hedgehog Defense (A30)
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Nc3 e6 4. g3 b6 5. Bg2 Bb7 6. O-O Be7 7. d4 cd4 8. Qd4 d6 9. Rd1 a6 10. b3 Nbd7 11. e4 Qb8 12. Bb2 O-O 13. Nd2 Rd8 14. a4 Qc7 15. Qe3 Rac8 16. Qe2 Ne5 17. h3 h5 18. f4 Ng6 19. Nf3 d5 20. cd5 h4 21. Nh4 Nh4 22. gh4 Qf4 23. de6 fe6 24. e5 Bc5 25. Kh1 Nh5 26. Qh5 Qg3 27. Nd5 Rd5 28. Rf1 Qg2 29. Kg2 Rd2
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Please watch: "The Best Game Played On Lichess | Lichess Game of the Month: December 2023"
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[@iweirjkdkfmk]

Great to see a spectacular moves by someone from my country- SLOVAKIA!!! Ftacnik is indeed a brilliant player.

[@nathanael2572]

Very often I am able to guess the killer move(s) when invited to pause, but not in this case. A spectacularly complex game.

[@TheDraftsDrawer]

thanks MatoJelic! you make it so interesting i cant help but keep on watching, video after video, for hours now. your commentary is brilliant

[@tranquilmogambo]

I'm addicted to your channel! Thank you for all the good work Mato.

[@andrewschultz6608]

KZbin kept recommending me Immortal games presented by Mato, and I kept clicking them. And it was a lot of fun. I suppose I have plenty of non-immortal games left to enjoy.

[@vladeradulovic841]

Mato, Ljudina si, pozdrav iz Arilja, Srbija.

[@perodronjic8933]

Mato veliki Respekt pratim ove tvoje Kommentare Igre pa sam postao cak i ovisan hvala i sve naj bolje

[@ihortelvakh9604]

Amazing game! Just Amazing! Thank you so much, Mato! Happy Easter!

[@mdburchan]

greetings from Turkey! great lecture, thank u for everything mato!

[@paulbilous6634]

I saw that! But after K takes Q I would play Rook takes Pawn, disclosed check and Queen is toast. That you for presenting this game and I hope you enjoyed as much as I did.

[@franckferrante6614]

I'm addicted to your videos !

[@sandeepkandwal8241]

Thanks a zillion for these videos.. my most favorite part is pausing and thinking about the killer move.. i never got it though... :)

[@lequipedoado8724]

Same for me

[@Enigmaprince]

Hi Mato. I was rewatching this beautiful gem of a chess match. And actually I seem to have found a more brilliant finisher at the end :) So at the 9:32 I found this beautiful move. First Qxh3. Then after Bxh3, Rookd2 checkmate :-)

[@nietelnmaster]

That is not mate, after Rd2+ white simply blocks with Rf3 and you are out of options for checks

[@markbutler6788]

Congratulations to Mato on his pronunciation of so many difficult words. Brilliant presentation.

[@andrewdanger2830]

Thanks Mato--and I like your voice--adds suspense.

[@massabranca]

This was a specially suspense-filled analysis, Mato! Thank you so much, I admire you deeply - not only for your chess skills but also for your communication abilities! You're amazing!

[@KillberZomL4D42494]

What a fantastic game.

[@fporretto]

"A double check is more deadly than double pneumonia." -- my old chess tutor. With those coordinated black bishops and the white queen deflected from the defense of the second rank, something like that had to be coming.

[@ahmed_mahrouky]

everyday i come back from work in ahurry to see your new video thank you mato very much dr mahrouky , from egypt

[@axelstoll6536]

this mate is just beautiful

[@coosoorlog]

Cthulhu v Fhtagn is also immortal

[@nikhilmekala3446]

haha cracked me up that one

[@siquenoquenoquesi]

hhahaha the immortal one!

[@provalparaisoproval1770]

Buenísimo Mato gracias.

[@andrzejdupek3552]

super/przewaga 2 gońców/klasyka

[@alexnedev7877]

Awesome videos, Mato! My mornings start off with coffee and your chess lectures! :)

[@northfolkshaq3054]

yessss me too

[@gianfrancocenteno6187]

Thank you for sharing this video, Mato. I could only guess two moves.

[@skiesofarcadia4885]

It's funny to me that this is considered Ftacnik's immortal game--and it really is amazing!--but this would be par for the course were Tal playing instead of Ftacnik. This is the epitome of Tal's playing style and exemplify's the vast majority of his games.

[@preparedsurvivalist2245]

Amazing how powerful Black's light colored bishop was. It was left hanging for the last half of the game, yet it was still attacking and creating pins and discoveries. The black Queen kept menacing and White couldn't waste a tempo to take that pesky bishop. The power from the pair of bishops dominating the the two center diagonals was the game changer.

[@everettkane2282]

Instablaster.

[@AliMoeeny]

After the killer move, after queen takes knight on h5, black can play, bishop takes bishop on g2. Looks even better to me.

[@JC-ws7bs]

I agree, it would bring checkmate much sooner with queen to f2 after king takes bishop...

[@dineshsharma-mg3xq]

Best game thanks matto❤❤❤

[@FormostPanda]

Brilliant!

[@ronaldpratama6805]

This game is...otherworldly

[@Oscar7468]

Ctulhu cannot wake, Coos Oorlog; condemned to sleep and dream eternally by a curse of a more powerful God, Nodens, he is like dead... this game is really nice and interesting; the sense of positional play which Ftacnik shows here is great. But.. - there is always a "but" -, if Polugaevsky would have played 24.Rxd8 instead of 24. e5, Ftacnik would have had (sorry for my english) still much to work before he might earn immortality! But thank you anyway for your clear presentation and analysis, Mato!

[@Herman47]

Lev Polugaevsky was an extremely powerful chess player who was a candidate in the world championship tournaments. He defeated Mato's favorite, Mikhail Tal, at least once, and there is even a "Polugaevsky Variation" in the Sicilian Defense. Yet he was, alas, the losing player in at least two other individual's "immortal" games; this game here, as well as Polugaevsky's game against Nezhmetdinov in 1958.

[@OJC6]

can you really feel bad about losing to such a brilliancy?

[@leonschneider8728]

+Herman47 everybody lost and nobody never lost.....even fischer lost to tal.

[@AlecLudlow1]

I got the "Kaboom" move straight away. I guess I have been watching too many Mato Videos!

[@MichelePardini]

fantastic video Mato.

[@Grymmorgan]

Another defense which is answered here is, after 26…Qg3, 27. Qg4, perhaps hoping to sacrifice the pawn at e5 or exchange queens…but 27…BxB immediately mates. A beautiful cornering position!

[@mpeterll]

I saw the queen sacrifice, but not the forced mate afterwards. After KxQ, there is RxP, discovered check, winning the queen back next move; thus going into the endgame ahead on material and with a better pawn structure (should be enough to win).

[@abbasamhar9638]

There many chess lesson on utube but u are numero uno mato!!!

[@pashapasovski5860]

didn't see the Queen. ..but I saw the knight sacrifice. I was thinking in line of a ruck takes pawn, didn't see the queen !!! ! It's so much easier to find a good move when looking over the shoulder, that's how we learned back in the old country, watching my father and uncle curse each other, slaming the board and teasing each other, it was more a boxing match then chess! All for the bragging rights !!!

[@carloscaramba3347]

I love your voice Mato

[@MatoJelic]

Thank you

[@VoraXYZ]

I guessed none of the moves. This game was too complex.

[@jamescioffi3796]

what a game!!!

[@otavioturolo7970]

I think before Ftinick played Nh5 he saw mate combination with Qxg2

[@andreashoppe1969]

Found the killer move, but not the follow-up. Nice game!

[@1st-Impressions]

When Ftacnik sacrificed his knight on h5 it was obviously to draw the queen away from the king's defence. I am surprised that games are not analysed more based on these strategic decisions (flanking attacks, undermining defences etc) rather than the more tactical move analysis. From watching a lot of this series, it appears that king hunts arise either because the defensive pieces wander off, or because one side has better strategic focus after the opening, or both. Very enjoyable series.

[@MySquash1]

The Q sacrifice seemed obvious under the circumstances with double check. I think we have learned to look for such killer moves. Thanks Mato.

[@janniedzwiecki3419]

I found queen takes bishop and I am so glad :D

[@D4n21]

FINALLY i got one...

[@MrMoeqt]

I PREDICTED THE QUEEN SACRIFICE, I'M A GENIUS WOOOOOOOOOO

[@bowskiechessplaya3337]

this calculation must have been 30 moves or more. spectacular

[@dishil1]

Thanks Mato...:) #TrueFan

[@lalsinghtyagi8135]

10:15 QxH3 was even better followed by Rook to D2 Discovered checkmate

[@inconversation5435]

I saw queen takes bishop but I thought the continuation would be the rook takes whites pawn giving a discovered chech while simultaneously attacking the queen.

[@marathibharat3853]

perfect

[@edwardalexandercrowley42]

Once I read in a magazine an interview with a GM & he said "Kasparov has killer instincts". Infering that Kasparov kills his opponents on the board. Like Fischer's "I like see'em skirm!". This kind of assassin chess is too much to be beared when they apply it to you. I guess you get into a shock state. I have done brilliancies in tournaments & sadly my opponents even quit chess. Their prides were so wounded they don't want another killer blow & preffer to devote themselves to music or another sport after facing me!

[@grosefakelolsubtomynewchan2362]

hi i am deshawn from Whitefriars

[@MatoJelic]

Thank you for visiting my channel Deshwan

[@grosefakelolsubtomynewchan2362]

Your welcome your teaching is great and has helped me a lot

[@moonblink]

white played timidly, black played patiently... interesting game

[@V8SupersQirreL]

Yes! This was immortal!! ... but who is Ftacnic? I'm glad i don't have to pronounce that Name. Great!!

[@AdrianCotirta]

Instead of Queen takes Bg2 game could end more quickly with Queen takes pawn on h3, black is forced to take queen and afterwards comes rook to d2 double check and check mate :P

[@dishil1]

Power Full Game...:)

[@1mehra]

audio and video not synchronized . whats wrong with my laptop.help

[@mitsuhide03]

What a Qh3+ xBh3 Rd2+ Then it is mate in two, where the only moves for white are to sacrifice the queen and bishop. Or am I missing something?

[@MarcusBoorba]

Nice

[@husenkhatri5148]

what about black Qe2 instead of Nd5 after the white Knight sacrifice???? ( 9:13)

[@jacoboribilik3253]

Dah killah move

[@danielps97]

The second killer move was pretty easy to see

[@dorothyreyes8724]

mpetterll i think ur missing Qf3. BxQ RxB and he can keep fighting. Ty

[@commonsense5852]

i guessed the last move the queen taking was obvious ,but maybe another continuation after discovering check, but the first move i thought queen take pawn on h4 the threat is queen take h3 check-mate

[@nickomo21]

nice game..i think that instead of Kh5,better would be Qxh4..if pawn captures knight on f6 there is checkmate in one,Qxh3

[@delsub2813]

lol is polugaevsky always at the receiving end of spectacular mating nets ??

[@911Gameover]

I could not find any of the killer moves in this one

[@megakeenbeen]

Polugaevsky disliked this

[@Enigmaprince]

7:57 what about killer move Qxh4!! this looks also deadly threat is Qxh3 checkmate and the other queen cant come close to guard or exchange (becoz knight controlling e4 and g4 square. :)

[@Enigmaprince]

***** Thanks for the response that was informative and I learned :-)

[@FabianWilhelm1]

10:18 What about Qg3xh3+? And after Bg2xh3, Rd5-d2+? So white would play Bh3-g2 and then Bb7xg2+. And after Kh1-h2 Bg2-f3+ and white queen is lost. Isn't this better? Maybe i overlooked something?

[@GoldinDr]

+Falken Berg In your variation, Rd2 is not check because the White king is standing on h1. You'd be sacrificing your queen for nothing.

[@FabianWilhelm1]

+GoldinDr It is check, because of the bishop standing on b2! But I have seen my mistake. If my white square bishop gives check on f3, the rook on f1 just would take my bishop

[@FabianWilhelm1]

+What do I tell? It is check because the bishop standing on b7!

[@GoldinDr]

+Falken Berg My mistake, it is check--but it still doesn't work, because White just plays Rf3 to block the check, and if Bxf3+, then Qxf3 and Black's attack is finished.

[@Rawmanko]

I was looking at this variation too. I found that it was at best a temporary sacrifice winning two pawns. So after ...Qxh3+ then Bxh3 Rxe5+ Kh2 Rxh5

[@andreassund5538]

at 10:10 isnt queen takes h3 better, after bishop makes the forced capture, black rook to d2 is winning no?

[@irvinekinneas1]

Mato your videos have really low volume, maybe you want to check it out.

[@schlagerhansi]

I wonder what was so bad about the position at 05:11. Doesn't look nice, but the game doesn't seem to be lost yet.

[@Leberteich]

I think instead of the Queen sacrifice, Rxe5 is also winning.

[@GoldinDr]

+Leberteich Nope, that loses badly: 29. Qf7+ followed by Qxb7.

[@kvlpnd]

how about white queen to G4 at 9.10? it avoids all threats.

[@blave4936]

+Keval Pandya Black's bishop goes to G2 check mate bro.

[@kvlpnd]

+Batın Ustael yupp, missed that bit bro :D

[@kyrpichko]

yep, Bishop pair ain't nothing to screw with

[@mlgbblade5221]

Hmm an English opening with a Sicilian middle game structure

[@servicemale]

I guessed zero moves this game. Too deep for me. I enjoyed it nevertheless.

[@Stormgebieder]

*KABOOM* :-D

[@IZn0g0uDatAll]

Are you ready? Kaboum.

[@anirudh_12386]

queen g 4 move

[@dhimpoksae8410]

kaboom

[@sonicpowerr4068]

after Ba3 why Nc5?, why not e5? attacking the queen? & after she gets back on Qd2 (seems more logical than Qe3) then Nc5 attacking the pawn on e4 and after that Ne1, so that, that pawn on e4 can not captured by the knight on c5 square, and move no 24 Bc5+ wasn't the best move, it was better to play Qg3 sacrificing the Knight and if exf6, then Bc5+ is the best move to play, then kf1 - Qf4+, Ke1- Qxh4+ Kf1- Qxf6+- Bf3, Bxf3- Rxd8+, Rxd8, Nd1- Bxe2+(white lose the queen) and ultimately its a winning game for white, there could be other replies from white, possible replies could be, after Qg3, b4 or Nd5 or even Kf1, but still black will be winning the game.

[@crossoverbjj4199]

Kaboom lol

[@grosefakelolsubtomynewchan2362]

school

[@RayJ2507]

I I really like your videos because they're a combination of good explanatory commentary and puzzle solving. But please stop whispering. Talk in a normal voice level. Whispering is kinda creepy. I also like that you show other possible lines of play but you don't go so far afield that the viewer gets lost. Keep up your excellent selection of games with interesting positions to ponder.

[@elCantante1189]

If he stops talking in that voice, he will lose half his followers :p

[@mikeb8674]

His voice is usually louder. He may have been under the weather here.

[@-7-man]

I didn't realize I have watched this video once before then I looked for the like button and there it was highlighted in blue

[@jaiminpandya9378]

Hey Mato incredible Video Thumbs Up Don't you have Tal's immortal !?!

[@happyjay]

That is an incredible attack caused by the bishop pin

[@muradnnolaki6788]

Legendary game!

[@spainsoccer4ever]

at 10:22 Rook takes pawn wouldve been a great move but im not a chess master

[@adamlevin44]

Someone help me - at 9:56, if black played 28. ... Rd7 to protect against Qf7+, and White played Rf3 to block, wouldn't black just continue with Bxf3 and the same mate threats would still be there? Yes I know Rd7 is not as good as what was played but is there anything wrong with it? isn't it still winning by force for black?

[@adamlevin6328]

+johnny peace for the exercise of it

[@Uncles780]

Mato, why not rook D1 at 10:12, pinning the F1 rook? Wouldn't that force an exchange leading to a check mate from the queen at H3 or G2. Thank you for all of your videos.

[@GoldinDr]

+Joe Trabucco Qf7+ followed by Qxb7.

[@andreashoppe1969]

Hedgehog formation or Hitchcock formation? I didn't get it. Thanks

[@rachelzimet8310]

+Andreas Hoppe The Hedgehog. It's because it has a small centre but is prickly and can spike you at any moment.

[@pneumatic00]

Magnificent attack!!

[@gervaishennequin]

powerfull mate