The Luzhin Defence - The Finale

The Finale

The chess position they play for the final between Turati and Luzhin is already a winning position for Black (Luzhin), even though Black is down on material. By playing 1. Kg4 (as opposed to 1. Kf2) White walks into a forced checkmate with a rook sacrifice:

• 1. Kg4 f5+
• 2. Kg5 Kg7 If 2. Kh4 Be7#
• 3. Nd5 Rh3!
• 4. gxh3 h6+
• 5. Kh4 Bf2#

If White plays 1. Kf2 instead of 1. Kg4 this leads to a heavy material loss for White and an easy game for Black:

• 1. Kf2 Rxc3+
• 2. Ke1 Rxc1+
• 3. Kd2 Rg1
• 4. Bxa6 Rxg2+
• 5. Kc3 Rxh2

and Black is up by a rook.

In the film Luzhin's final moves were made by his fiance. The tournament had been paused after Luzhin had a nervous breakdown which had been caused by extreme strain. On the same day he was going to get married he committed suicide by jumping from the hotel balcony. His fiance later found a piece of paper inside his jacket where he had written down his final moves against Turati.