Rubinstein's Immortal
Rotlewi – Rubinstein, Lodz 1907 · 0–1 · 3 songs · 7:28
- 0:00 Overture
- 0:26 ♫ Out and Back to d3
- 2:49 Interlude
- 3:04 ♫ Rooks Still Sleeping
- 5:05 Interlude
- 5:20 ♫ The Quiet Final Blow
- 6:58 Finale
Overture
Lodz, 1907. Rotlewi plays White, Rubinstein plays Black, in a game known as Rubinstein's Immortal. It begins quietly, pawns meeting in the centre, knights and bishops coming out. Then White starts pushing pawns on the queenside.
Out and Back to d3
sung from White's side
Verse 1
Queenside space, I stroll, I roam
Bishop to b2 eyes his king's home 9.Bb2 O-O
Long diagonal, but pawns cost time
Lazy queen to d2, mistake of mine 10.Qd2
D-file queen, his rook's on the way
His queen to e7, simple, strong play 10...Qe7
Chorus
Every piece must join the dance
Wind it back, one more chance
Centre first, pawn takes on d5 11.cxd5 exd5
Then bishop to e2, calm, level, fine 12.Be2
Verse 2
Back up, my mistake, bishop to d3 11.Bd3
He takes on c4, bishop takes back 11...dxc4 12.Bxc4
His pawn to b5, a small attack 12...b5
Bishop back to d3, he's two tempi free 13.Bd3
His rook to d8, my queen to e2 13...Rd8 14.Qe2
His bishop to b7 eyes my kingside too 14...Bb7
Chorus
Every piece must join the dance
Wind it back, one more chance
Centre first, pawn takes on d5 11.cxd5 exd5
Then bishop to e2, calm, level, fine 12.Be2
Interlude
White castles. Black's knight steps to e5 and trades itself for the knight on f3, the best defender of White's king. Both black bishops point at the kingside, and White reaches for his pawns.
Rooks Still Sleeping
sung from an observer's seat
Verse 1
Pawn to f4, bishop to c7 17.f4 Bc7
Then pawn to e4, it looks like heaven 18.e4
But each pawn step opens a line
Toward White's own king, every time
Black's rook to c8, calm as day 18...Rac8
Now all Black's pieces are in play
Chorus
Every piece must join the dance
White's rooks wait, still in a trance
On a1 and f1, nothing done
All Black's pieces in, every one
Verse 2
Safety first is king to h1 19.Kh1
Black still better, but knockout? None
Go back — White plays pawn to e5 19.e5
Real mistake: from b7 the diagonal's alive
Check: bishop to b6, king to h1 19...Bb6+ 20.Kh1
Black's knight to g4 eyes h2, won't run 20...Ng4
Chorus
Every piece must join the dance
White's rooks wait, still in a trance
On a1 and f1, nothing done
All Black's pieces in, every one
Interlude
White puts his bishop on e4 to block the dangerous bishop on b7. But the black queen swings to h4, and with the knight beside her she threatens mate on h2. White must find an answer.
The Quiet Final Blow
sung from Black's side
Verse 1
White plays pawn to g3 22.g3
My rook takes knight on c3 22...Rxc3
Queen on h4 hangs, let it be
Pawn takes queen, my rook to d2 23.gxh4 Rd2
His queen takes rook, away from e2 24.Qxd2
Bishop takes on e4, queen to g2 24...Bxe4+ 25.Qg2
Chorus
Rook to h3, the quiet final blow 25...Rh3
My bishop pins his queen on g2
My rook pins the pawn on h2
Mate is coming, White lets go
Every piece must join the dance
Verse 2
But if his bishop takes my rook 23.Bxc3
Bishop takes on e4, check, now look 23...Bxe4+
Queen takes, my queen takes h2, mate 24.Qxe4 Qxh2#
Taking on c3 loses straight
All pieces active, sacrifices come through
Back to the game, his queen on g2
Chorus
Rook to h3, the quiet final blow 25...Rh3
My bishop pins his queen on g2
My rook pins the pawn on h2
Mate is coming, White lets go
Every piece must join the dance
Finale
White resigned, because mate on h2 cannot be stopped. Rubinstein, with Black, wins the game known as Rubinstein's Immortal. Its lesson: develop your pieces first, and when all of them are active, sacrifices work.
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