Though most people love to look at the games of the great attacking masters, some of the most successful players in history have been the quiet positional players. They slowly grind you down by taking away your space, tying up your pieces, and leaving you with virtually nothing to do.
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[Event "rated untimed match"] [Site "Lodz"] [Date "1907.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Rotlevi"] [Black "Rubinstein"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "David Hayes"] [BlackElo "0"] [ECO "D02"] [TimeControl "0"] [WhiteElo "0"] 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 O-O 10. Qd2 { A waist of time. The Queen is poorly positioned here an will eventually have to move to c2 or e2. Better is Qc2. } 10... Qe7 11. Bd3 dxc4 { A well timed capture forcing the white Bishop to waist time by moving again. } 12. Bxc4 b5 13. Bd3 Rd8 14. Qe2 { The white Queen moves again feeling the heat of the black rook. } 14... Bb7 15. O-O Ne5 { Removing the white knight; the best defender of the king. } 16. Nxe5 Bxe5 { Black now threatens to win a pawn with Bxh2 Kxh2 Qd6+ and Qxd3 next. } 17. f4 { Rad1 was better. This move seriously weakens the kingside. } 17... Bc7 18. e4 Rac8 19. e5 Bb6+ 20. Kh1 Ng4 21. Be4 ( { White is worse after: } 21. Qxg4 Rxd3 22. Rad1 Rdxc3 23. Bxc3 Rxc3 24. Qe2 Rxa3 { Black's bishop pair and extra pawn are enough to win. } ) 21... Qh4 ( { Also good is: } 21... Nxh2 22. Kxh2 Qh4# ) 22. g3 ( { Also good is: } 22. h3 Rxc3 23. Bxc3 Bxe4 24. Qxe4 Qg3 25. hxg4 Qh4# ) 22... Rxc3 23. gxh4 ( { White can try: } 23. Bxb7 Rxg3 24. Rac1 Rh3 25. Rc2 Re3 26. Qg2 Re1 27. Rc1 Nf2+ 28. Kg1 Nd1+ 29. Kh1 Rxf1+ 30. Qxf1 Nf2+ 31. Kg1 Ng4+ 32. Kg2 Rd2+ 33. Kf3 Nxh2+ 34. Ke4 Nxf1 35. Rxf1 Qh3 36. Re1 Qg2# ) 23... Rd2 24. Qxd2 ( { White can try: } 24. Rf2 Bxe4+ 25. Qxe4 Nxf2+ 26. Kg1 Nxe4+ 27. Kf1 Rf2+ 28. Ke1 Re3+ 29. Kd1 Rd2+ 30. Kc1 Re1# ) 24... Bxe4+ 25. Qg2 Rh3 { The game ended here because nothing can stop Rxh2#. } 26. Bd4 Bxd4 27. Rf2 Bxf2 28. Qxe4 Rxh2# 0-1