Réti’s Miniature

The game, move by move

Caro-Kann

1. 1. e4 King’s pawn
2. 1… c6 The Caro-Kann Black prepares d5 with a pawn rather than a piece — the solid answer to 1.e4, then and now.
3. 2. d4 The second centre pawn
4. 2… d5 The point of c6
5. 3. Nc3 A knight to the middle
6. 3… dxe4 Taken
7. 4. Nxe4 Recaptured with the knight White has a knight on e4 and an open file for the queen. Black has one pawn move played twice.
8. 4… Nf6 Out, hitting the knight

A pawn, and a check

1. 5. Qd3 The queen behind the knight d3 holds e4 and puts the queen on the diagonal that ends at h7 — which is the first hint of what this game is.
2. 5… e5 A pawn to the centre Black hits d4 and opens a diagonal for the queen at the same time. It also opens one towards his own king.
3. 6. dxe5 Taken
4. 6… Qa5+ Check, from a5 It looks like Black is the one with the initiative. This is the last move of the game that makes a threat.
5. 7. Bd2 Blocked, and developed The bishop interposes and comes out. Every move White makes from here is a piece landing on its final square.
6. 7… Qxe5 Winning the pawn back And the queen on e5 is now looking down a file with her own king still on it.

Castling, then the queen

1. 8. O-O-O Castling, with a threat The rook lands on d1 and the black king is on d8’s file with nothing in between but his own pieces. Black has no idea he is lost.
2. 8… Nxe4 Taking a knight Materially the right move and the losing one. It removes the last piece guarding d8’s diagonal.
3. 9. Qd8+ The queen, on d8 Offered to a king who has no choice: the rook behind her means every other answer to the check is illegal.
4. 9… Kxd8 Forced

Mate on the square she died on

1. 10. Bg5+ Check, from g5 The bishop that came out on move seven, now doing all of it.
2. 10… Kc7 The only square
3. 11. Bd8# Checkmate The bishop lands on d8 — where the queen was taken two moves ago — and the king is walled in by his own men. Eleven moves.