Rubinstein's "Immortal"
The chess of Akiba Rubinstein was clear and logical and has inspired generations of chess players. But Rubinstein's life was tragic.
He was born in Stawiski, a small village in Poland, about 160 kilometers from Warsaw, but experts argue about the exact date of his birth. His gravestone gives December 1, 1880, other sources date Rubinstein's birth on October 12, or December 12, 1882.
Rubinstein's family was poor. He was the youngest of twelve children, his father died shortly before Rubinstein's birth and ten of Rubinstein's siblings died from tuberculosis at a young age. Rubinstein was supposed to follow the tradition of his family and become a rabbi and a scribe. But, as Ernst Strouhal writes:
[at 16 years of age] Rubinstein left the childhood misery of Stawiski and abandoned the study of Thora and Talmud to play chess. He now was one of the 'luftmenschn', as the jews without money or education were called, who moved from the shtetl to the slums of Warsaw, Lodz or Minsk. In the urban centres they formed a Jewish subproletariat, a class of parias among the parias.
(Ernst Strouhal, "Alles Schöne war geistig...", KARL, 03/2013, p. 12.)
Rubinstein later described his development as a chess player in an article for the Deutsche Zeitung Bohemia:
With chess I was already acquainted as a 14-year in the Cheder [the Jewish elementary school -Ed.]. When I was 16, I studied theory. Then I was told to go to Lodz where the great master Salwe lived. With him I perfected my chess, I was, so to speak, his apprentice. That's how became a master. I felt passion and talent vividly within me. I also have an extraordinarily good memory. For example, I still remember all the games I have played during my 21 years as a chess master. I do not have a good memory for names and locations, just a special chess memory. I am captivated by the aesthetic pleasure, which arises from a beautiful combination. I almost get into a feverish state. Chess is not only art, but also science. Fighting and victory take place on a scientific basis.
(Akiba Rubinstein, "Wie wurde ich Schachmeister?", Deutsche Zeitung Bohemia, 18. April 1926, p. 19, quoted in Strouhal, "Alles Schöne war geistig...", KARL, 03/2013, p. 17.)
In just a few years, Rubinstein's talent and hard work made him one of the best players in the world. In 1912 he won a number of major tournaments and in 1913 he achieved his best historical Elo rating of 2789. In retrospect, this makes him the world's best player at that time. However, all plans to play a world championship match against reigning world champion Dr. Emanuel Lasker came to nought, and were finally ruined by the outbreak of World War I, in 1914.

Akiba Rubinstein (right) against Emanuel Lasker, St. Petersburg 1909 | Photo: Tournament book
After the First World War, Rubinstein, despite a number of good results, no longer had his old playing strength. Moreover, mental and psychological problems from which he had suffered for a long time were now becoming more and more evident and led to a whole series of anecdotes about Rubinstein's strange behaviour at tournaments.
In 1917 Rubinstein married Eugenie Lew, who was eleven years younger than him. Jonas, the first son, was born in 1918, Samy, the second son, in 1927. In 1919, the Rubinstein family moved to Gothenburg and in 1926 to Belgium. In 1931 Rubinstein stopped playing tournament chess.
In 1942, his wife sent him to a mental hospital where he survived the Nazi persecution of the Jews. His wife and two sons could also save themselves from the Nazis. Rubinstein's wife Eugenie died in 1954, seven years before her husband, who died on March 15, 1961.
Rubinstein has made numerous contributions to opening theory and he is famous for the clarity and logic of his positional play and for his skill in rook endings, but his best-known game is a tactical masterpiece. It was played in Lodz, in 1907. Rubinstein had black, his opponent was Georg Rotlewi.
1.e4 | 1,166,623 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
1.d4 | 947,298 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
1.Nf3 | 281,602 | 56% | 2441 | --- |
1.c4 | 182,102 | 56% | 2442 | --- |
1.g3 | 19,702 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
1.b3 | 14,265 | 54% | 2427 | --- |
1.f4 | 5,897 | 48% | 2377 | --- |
1.Nc3 | 3,801 | 51% | 2384 | --- |
1.b4 | 1,756 | 48% | 2380 | --- |
1.a3 | 1,206 | 54% | 2404 | --- |
1.e3 | 1,068 | 48% | 2408 | --- |
1.d3 | 954 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
1.g4 | 664 | 46% | 2360 | --- |
1.h4 | 446 | 53% | 2374 | --- |
1.c3 | 433 | 51% | 2426 | --- |
1.h3 | 280 | 56% | 2418 | --- |
1.a4 | 110 | 60% | 2466 | --- |
1.f3 | 92 | 46% | 2436 | --- |
1.Nh3 | 89 | 66% | 2508 | --- |
1.Na3 | 42 | 62% | 2482 | --- |
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1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 c5 4.c4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.a3 a6 8.b4 Bd6 9.Bb2 0-0 10.Qd2 Qe7 11.Bd3 dxc4 12.Bxc4 b5 13.Bd3 Rd8 14.Qe2 Bb7 15.0-0 Ne5 16.Nxe5 Bxe5 17.f4?! 17.Rfd1 17...Bc7 18.e4?! Rac8 19.e5? Bb6+ 20.Kh1 Ng4! 21.Be4 21.Qxg4? Rxd3 21.Ne4 Rxd3! 22.Qxd3 Bxe4 23.Qxe4 Qh4 24.h3 Qg3! 25.hxg4 Qh4# 21.Bxh7+ Kxh7 22.Qxg4 Rd2-+ 21...Qh4 22.g3 22.h3 Rxc3! 23.Bxc3 23.Bxb7 Rxh3+ 24.gxh3 Qxh3+ 25.Qh2 Qxh2# 23.Qxg4 Rxh3+ 24.Qxh3 Qxh3+ 25.gxh3 Bxe4+ 26.Kh2 Rd2+ 27.Kg3 Rg2+ 28.Kh4 Bd8+ 29.Kh5 Bg6# 23...Bxe4 24.Qxg4 24.Qxe4 Qg3-+ 24...Qxg4 25.hxg4 Rd3 22...Rxc3‼ 23.gxh4 23.Bxc3 Bxe4+ 24.Qxe4 Qxh2# 23.Bxb7 Rxg3 24.Rf3 Rxf3 25.Bxf3 Nf2+ 26.Kg1 Ne4+ 27.Kf1 Nd2+ 28.Kg2 Nxf3 29.Qxf3 Rd2+ 23...Rd2‼ 24.Qxd2 24.Qxg4 Bxe4+ 25.Rf3 Rxf3-+ 24.Bxc3 Rxe2 25.Rf2 Bxe4+ 26.Kg1 Bxf2+ 27.Kf1 Bf3 28.Rd1 Nxh2# 24.Bxb7 Rxe2 25.Bg2 Rh3-+ 24...Bxe4+ 25.Qg2 Rh3‼ 25...Rh3‼ 26.Rf3 26.Rf2 Bxf2 27.Qxe4 Rxh2# 26...Bxf3 27.Qxf3 Rxh2# 0–1
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Rotlewi,G | - | Rubinstein,A | - | 0–1 | 1907 | D40 | Lodz1 | |
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This DVD offers a complete repertoire for handling this solid opening, often featuring a dynamic approach to pose the opponent more practical problems. Both of the main continuations 3...Nf6 and 3...Be7 are covered in two separate parts.
Rubinstein's games have influenced whole generations of chess players. Perhaps the best still active player among the many Rubinstein fans is Boris Gelfand, who has repeatedly emphasized how much he admires Rubinstein and how much his games influenced and inspired him. Gelfand's book Positional Decision Making in Chess, published in 2016, was a tribute to Rubinstein.

Boris Gelfand at the Aeroflot-Open 2016 | Photo: Amruta Mokal)
But it was Vishy Anand, who managed to "replay" the game Rotlewi vs Rubinstein against Levon Aronian at the Tata Steel Tournament in Wijk aan Zee 2013.

In the footsteps of Rubinstein: Vishy Anand | Photo: Amruta Mokal
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bd6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Qc2 Bb7 11.a3 Rc8 11...a6 11...a6 12.Ng5 Bxh2+ 13.Kxh2 Ng4+ 14.Kg1 Qxg5 15.f3 12.Ng5 12.b4 c5 13.bxc5 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nxc5 15.dxc5 Rxc5 16.f4 Nd5 17.Bb2 Nxc3 18.Bxc3 Qc7 19.Rfc1 Rc8 20.Bxh7+ Kh8 21.Bd3 Rxc3 22.Qxc3 Qxc3 23.Rxc3 Rxc3 24.Bxb5 Bxa3 25.Kg2 g6 26.Rd1 Rc7 27.Rd7 Rxd7 28.Bxd7 Kg7 29.e4 Kf6 30.Kf3 a5 31.e5+ Ke7 32.Ba4 Bc5 33.h3 Bb6 34.Bb5 Bc5 35.Ba4 Bb6 36.Bb5 Bc5 37.Ba4 12...c5! 13.Nxh7 13.Bxh7+ Kh8 14.Be4 Nxe4 15.Ngxe4 Bb8 13...Ng4 14.f4 14.h3 Bh2+! 15.Kh1 Qh4 16.Be4 16.d5 Rfd8 16...Bxe4 17.Qxe4 f5 18.Qxe6+ Kxh7 19.Qxd7 cxd4 20.exd4 Bb8 21.Kg1 Bh2+ 22.Kh1= 14...cxd4 15.exd4 Bc5! 16.Be2 16.dxc5 Nxc5 17.Nxf8 Nxd3 18.h3 Qd4+ 19.Kh1 Ndf2+ 20.Rxf2 Nxf2+ 21.Kh2 Kxf8 22.Qh7 Nd3 23.Qh8+ Ke7 24.Qh4+ f6 25.Qg3 Kf7 26.Be3= 16...Nde5‼ 17.Bxg4 17.fxe5 Qxd4+ 18.Kh1 Qg1+ 19.Rxg1 Nf2# 17...Bxd4+ 18.Kh1 Nxg4 19.Nxf8 19.Ng5 f5 20.h3 Rf6 21.Nf3 Rh6-+ 19...f5! 20.Ng6 Qf6 21.h3 21.Ne5 Nxh2 21...Qxg6 22.Qe2 Qh5 23.Qd3? 23.Rf3 Nf2+ 24.Kh2 24.Rxf2 Qxh3+ 25.Kg1 Qxg2# 24...Bxf3 25.Qxf3 Qxf3 26.gxf3 Bxc3 26...Nd3-+ 27.bxc3 Rxc3-+ 23...Be3 0–1
- Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Aronian,L | 2802 | Anand,V | 2772 | 0–1 | 2013 | D46 | Tata Steel-A 75th | 4 |
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The first DVD with videos from Anand's chess career reflects the very beginning of that career and goes as far as 1999. It starts with his memories of how he first learned chess and shows his first great games (including those from the 1984 WCh for juniors). The high point of his early developmental phase was the winning of the 1987 WCh for juniors. After that, things continue in quick succession: the first victories over Kasparov, WCh candidate in both the FIDE and PCA cycles and the high point of the WCh match against Kasparov in 1995.
Running time: 3:48 hours
Vishy Anand is one of the greatest chess talents of all times. On this DVD he speaks about his career, his views on chess, and presents the most beautiful and interesting games of his career.
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