Vienna, 1910. In what Irving Chernev called probably the most famous of all miniature games, Richard Réti met Savielly Tartakower's loose play with a thunderbolt: a queen sacrifice on move 9 that drags the king into a forced mate. Just eleven moves, and one of the prettiest finishes in chess.
A king caught in the centre with lines open is in mortal danger, even in the opening. Réti spotted that Tartakower's king had no shelter, sacrificed his queen to pull it into the open, and mated with two bishops. The lesson: develop and castle early — and when your opponent doesn't, look for the king in the centre.
Because the finish is perfect: a queen sacrifice on move 9 that forces a clean mate in eleven, punishing a king left in the centre. Irving Chernev called it probably the most famous of all miniature games. It's a favourite for teaching the dangers of an uncastled king.
Tartakower spent his early moves grabbing material and checking with the queen instead of developing and castling. With his king stuck in the centre and the d-file about to open, he was lost the moment Réti castled queenside — and 8...Nxe4 walked into the sacrifice.
Yes — take the board as Réti and try to find 9.Qd8+ and the forced mate, or step through all eleven moves, no sign-up.
BetterChess is a practice tool — we make no guarantee you'll reach 1800 or any rating. This is a historical game; the analysis is our own.