Gufeld's Greatest Game of Chess

Several readers have told me that I had not included Gufeld's Greatest Game in the collection of Gufeld games that I posted. This is known as the "Mona Lisa Game" and Gufeld wrote a book about it.

I have finally found the game. What caused me problems is that this game is not in the Big 2000 database which I use. Also, there is another game, with the same players, same opening and same year in Big 2000. It is an un-interesting 55 move draw.

I kept searching and finally I found this game at http://www.chesslab.com/PositionSearch.html

I am sure you can see the nice mate at the end, as the queen chases the king around the pawn.

Sam Sloan


[Event "USSR Semi-finals Ch."]
[Site "USSR"]
[Date "1973.??.??"]
[White "Bagirov,V"]
[Black "Gufeld,E"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A40"]

1.d4 g6 2.c4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.e4 Nf6 5.f3 O-O 6.Be3 Nc6
7.Nge2 Rb8 8.Qd2 a6 9.Bh6 b5 10.h4 e5 11.Bxg7 Kxg7 12.h5
Kh8 13.Nd5 bxc4 14.hxg6 fxg6 15.Qh6 Nh5 16.g4 Rxb2 17.gxh5
g5 18.Rg1 g4 19.O-O-O Rxa2 20.Nef4 exf4 21.Nxf4 Rxf4
22.Qxf4 c3 23.Bc4 Ra3 24.fxg4 Nb4 25.Kb1 Be6 26.Bxe6 Nd3
27.Qf7 Qb8+ 28.Bb3 Rxb3+ 29.Kc2 Nb4+ 30.Kxb3 Nd5+ 31.Kc2
Qb2+ 32.Kd3 Qb5+ 0-1

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