Simon Rubinstein

    Among the millions who perished in the Nazi concentration camps were a number if chessplayers, some well known, some not. One of the latter that few have ever heard of was Simon Rubinstein (c. 1910–1942), an Austrian master who participated several times in the Leopold Trebitsch Memorial tournaments that were held in Vienna. 

    These tournaments were a chess competition organized by the family of Austrian silk manufacturer Leopold Trebitsch. Twenty tournaments were played in Vienna between 1907 and 1938. Leopold Trebitsch (1842–1906) loved chess and je and his family contributed greatly to the Vienna Chess Club (Wiener Schachklub) to organize the series of tournaments. Because Trebitsch died one month before the first tournament the competitions were named in his memory. Six of the first nine events (1907–18) were won by Carl Schlechter, but his death in December 1918, along with the loss of the Club's Trebitsch fund in the aftermath of World War I, put a temporary halt to the tournament. In 1926, Trebitsch's son made more funds available, enabling eleven additional tournaments to be held until 1938, when Germany's annexation of Austria ended the event.

 

 

    Here is one of only a handful of known Simon Rubinstein's games. Chessnetrics estimates his highest rating to have been 2540 in 1937, ranking him in 67th place. On that list the leaders were: Euwe was first (2753) followed by Botvinnik (2752), Capablanca (2751), Alekhine (2750) and Reshevsky (2745). 

     

[Event "Trebitsch Memorial, Vienna"] [Site ""] [Date "1933.11.27"] [Round "?"] [White "Simon Rubinstein"] [Black "Karl Kopetzky"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D44"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "51"] [EventDate "1933.11.12"] {D26: Queen's Gambit Accepted} 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 dxc4 {The QGA is not a true gambit because white regains the P because it is unprofitable for black to keep it. White will try to use his center space to lainch an attack. Black will try to hold white;s center at bay and gain an advantage in the endgame by giving white an isolated d-Pawn. The resulting oisitons can lead to a sharp fight.} 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 c5 6. Bxc4 Nc6 7. O-O cxd4 8. exd4 Be7 9. Bf4 a6 10. Re1 O-O 11. Rc1 (11. Qd2 b5 12. Bb3 Bb7 13. a3 Qb6 {This position is nearly equal. Walta,P-Seto Wai Ling Dubai 1986}) (11. a3 {This is satisfactory if followed up correctly.} b5 12. d5 exd5 (12... bxc4 {This captur is wrong. Shevchenko,D-Tarnovetsky,R Evpatoria 2005 continued} 13. dxc6 Qb6 14. Nd4 Qxb2 15. Na4 {Whute won quickly.}) 13. Bxd5 Bb7 {with equal chances.}) 11... Nb4 12. a3 Nbd5 13. Be5 {He could also have pkaced a N on e5, but the text also works out well.} (13. Bg3 Nxc3 14. Rxc3 b5 15. Ba2 Bb7 16. Ne5) 13... b5 14. Ba2 { In these types of positions white wull set up a battery attacking h7 with Bb1 and Qd3} Bb7 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Bb1 Qd7 17. Qd3 {[%mdl 2048] While the position is theoretically equal white seems to be the one with all the chances and to keep thing equal black will be forced to defend accurately which is never an easy task.} g6 18. Qd2 {The Q never leaves here, but apparently white was thinking about the possibility of Qh6. The immediate advance 18,h4 was equally giid.} Rfc8 19. h4 Nf6 20. Ng5 {White's pieces have a lot of pent up energy, but sp far black has defended in a satisfactory manner and the position is equal. However, black now slips up.} Nh5 {Black is barking up the wrong tree. Instead of trying to bust up whiye's K-side attack he needs to hunker down on the defensive.} (20... Rxc1 21. Rxc1 Bd8 22. Qf4 Nd5 {with a solid position.}) 21. Nxf7 {This speculative sacrifice pays off handsomely, but with correct defensem always a difficult job, black can equalize. The sharo\p 21.g4 secures a clear plus though.} (21. g4 Rxc1 22. Qxc1 Rc8 23. Qe3 f6 24. gxh5 fxe5 25. hxg6 h6 (25... hxg6 26. Bxg6 {is winning for white.}) 26. Ne4 Bxe4 27. Qxe4 Qxd4 28. Qxd4 exd4 29. Rxe6 {Black is in serious trouble.}) 21... Bxh4 { [%mdl 8192] Fatal! This P is meaningless. Taking the N keeps the chances eqiual...white can't whip up any serious threats.} (21... Kxf7 22. Qh6 Nf6 23. Bxf6 Bxf6 24. Qxh7+ Bg7 25. Bxg6+ Kf8 {An interesting position that is theoretically equal: white has 3 Ps vs. a B. In Shootouts using Stockfish white scored +1 -0 =5. Using the older, weaker Fritz 5.32 white scored +1 -2 =02. So, in actual play the outcome would be unclear.}) 22. Nh6+ Kf8 23. g4 Rxc1 24. Rxc1 Qd5 {Played with the forlorn hope that white will overlook the mate.} 25. f3 Bf6 26. Be4 {Black resigned.} (26. Be4 Qd8 (26... Qd7 27. Rc7 { wins}) 27. Bxf6 (27. Bxb7 Bxe5 28. gxh5 {also wins}) 27... Qxf6 28. Bxb7 Rd8 29. gxh5 Rxd4 30. Rc8+ Ke7 31. Ng8+ {etc.}) 1-0

Jacques Mieses, the Rodney Dangerfield of Chess

    Jack Roy (1921-2004, age 82), better known by his stage name Rodney Dangerfield, was a stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer who was known for his self-deprecating humor and his catchphrase "I don't get no respect!" and his monologues on that theme. 

    Jacques Mieses (1865-1954) might have said the same thing because these days he seems to be remembered (if at all) for losing games. Writing the October, 1944 issue of the British Chess Magazine, Miese himself wrote, “...I have always been an erratic player, even when I was at my best. At that time, when Marshall and myself entered a tournament, the general opinion was that we could as well finish at the top as at the tail of it.” 

    In his prime from the early1900s to the early 1920s Chess metrics has him generally just outside the top ten best players in the world. His highest estimated rating of 2660 was in 1907 which placed him at #11 on the list. The top 10 were: Lasker, Maroczy, Tarrasch, Schlechter, Rubinstein, Marshall, Duram Teichmann, Janowsky and Forgacs. In 1921 Mieses was ranked #9 at 2625/ Cearly he was a better player than most of us give him credit for and he did play a lot of great games. He had a very aggressive style that won him many brilliancy prizes, but he also suffered some catastrophic losses. 

    Mieses was born on February 27, 1865, in Leipzig as a scion of a merchant family. He studied natural sciences (biology, chemistry, physics, and earth sciences, aiming to understand fundamental principles and processes governing the universe, living organisms, and Earth's systems.) In 1882 at the age of 17, he won the Berlin Championship. 

    In 1937, he was nearly killed in a serious car accident and spent almost a year in the hospital. He was affected by World War II and was persecuted by the Nazis, but he managed to escape their clutches and make it to England. When he arrived there in 1938 he had the equivalent of what amounted to about $150 in buying power, but he somehow managed to survive and eventually became a British citizen. 

    Mieses was an international referee and worked as a journalist writing columns and reporting on tournament reports for newspapers across Europe. He also gave a lot of blindfold and simultaneous exhibitions. Although long past his prome, in 1950, FIDE awarded him the GM title and he remained a strong player in his old age. At the age of 88 he took part in the London Blitz Championship.His daily exercise routine included calisthenics, pushups and swimming and remained interested in world events. He died shortly before his 89th birthday on February 23, 1954, in London. 

 

    Today’s game was played in the Congress of the German Chess Association pf 1902 that was played in Hanover. The game is typical of both players…a messy tactical affair. After playing an old fashioned gambit which, by the way, Marshall himself used frequently early in his career, Mieses’ attack isn’t quite strong enough to finish Marshall off. But, when, in a winning position, Marshall played 30…Qc5 he overlooked Mieses’ stunning finish. 

 

[Event "13th DSB Kongress (Hanover)"] [Site ""] [Date "1902.07.21"] [Round ""] [White "Jacques Mieses"] [Black "Fank Marshall"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C21"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "1902.07.21"] {C21: Danish Gambit} 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 dxc3 {Black gets slightly better results with 3... d5} 4. Bc4 cxb2 5. Bxb2 d6 {Black has a wide choice of moves here, but this move along with 5...d5 are most often seen.} 6. Qb3 Qd7 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. Nd5 $1 {The position is equal.} Na5 9. Qg3 f6 {While this shields g7 it would have been safer to eliminate the B. However, the ensuing complications probably could not be calculated OTB.} (9... Nxc4 $11 10. Bxg7 Bxg7 11. Qxg7 Qg4 12. Qxh8 Qxg2 13. Nf6+ Kf8 14. Rc1 Be6 15. Qxg8+ Qxg8 16. Nxg8 Kxg8 {with equak chances.}) 10. Be2 {A few years later Mieses found an improvement.} (10. Bb5 c6 11. Bc3 Ne7 12. Bxa5 Nxd5 13. exd5 cxb5 14. Ne2 { White is better and eventually won. Mieses,J-Berger,J Vienna 1908}) 10... c6 11. Nf4 Nh6 12. Qc3 b6 13. Nf3 Be7 14. Nd4 O-O 15. Nde6 Re8 {This looks good, but the position is very complicated. Instead of the text which leaves black with a poor, if not lost, position, he should have guarded g7 with 15...Rf7} ( 15... Rf7 16. Rd1 Bf8 17. f3 Qe7 {with equal chances.}) 16. Bh5 {This is tactically faulty and leaves white with a lost position!} (16. Nxg7 {is a winner.} Kxg7 17. Nh5+ Kf8 18. Nxf6 Bxf6 19. Qxf6+ Qf7 20. Qxh6+ Kg8 21. f3 { and white has won a piece.}) 16... Bf8 17. Bxe8 Qxe8 18. Nxf8 Qxe4+ 19. Ne2 Ba6 {Stepping up the pressure. 19...Kxf8 was playable, bit not as effective.} 20. O-O-O Bxe2 21. Rd4 Qxg2 22. Re1 Rxf8 23. Rxe2 d5 24. Qe3 Nc4 25. Qe6+ Nf7 { Voluntarily accepting a pin on the N causes his advantage to disappear.} (25... Kh8 {leaves white with no effective continuation.} 26. Rd1 Qf3 27. Rde1 c5 { Black;s N+4Ps shpuld prove superior to white's R.}) 26. Rg4 {Black must be careful!} Qf1+ (26... Qxh2 {results in disaster.} 27. Rxg7+ $1 {[%mdl 512]} Kh8 28. Qxf6 Qf4+ 29. Qxf4 Nxb2 30. Qf6 Nd3+ 31. Kd2 h6 32. Rxf7+ Kg8 33. Qg7#) 27. Re1 Qxf2 28. Re2 {After this black is back in charge.} (28. Bxf6 {Of course the B cannot be taken because of the pin on the g-Pawn. It's surprising that two excellent tacticians missed this move.} Qd2+ 29. Kb1 Na3+ 30. Ka1 {and black can draw with 30...Nc2+ or he can try to win with 30...g6}) 28... Qf1+ 29. Re1 Qf2 (29... Qf3 {Now ...h5 is a strong threat.} 30. Bxf6 g6 31. Bb2 Nxb2 32. Kxb2 Kg7 {Black's Ps should prove to be enough compensation for the exchange.}) 30. Re2 (30. Bxf6 {was the only way to keep the balance.} Qd2+ 31. Kb1 Na3+ 32. Ka1 Nc2+ 33. Kb1 Na3+ 34. Ka1 Nc2+ 35. Kb1 Na3+) 30... Qc5 { Threatening a dangerous looking discovered check, but Mieses is alert to the mate in 4 this move permits!} 31. Rxg7+ Kh8 (31... Kxg7 32. Qxf6+ Kg8 33. Qg7#) 32. Rg8+ {Black resigned. It;s mate in 2} 1-0

Classic Capablanca

    Moscow 1935 was conceived by Nikolai Krylenko, the head of Soviet Chess, to test the Soviet players against the Western players. Eight foreign masters, including two former World Champions, were invited. The joint winners were Botvinnik and Flohr, but in what was hailed as a "biological miracle" the 66-year-old Emanuel Lasker was undefeated and finished just half a point behind them. The biological niriacle was because in Germany in 1935 life expectancy for men was around 60.68 years. This was to be his last great tournament performance. In the following game from that event Capablanca executes a brilliant attack on both sides of the board. 

 

[Event "Moscow"] [Site ""] [Date "1935.02.22"] [Round ""] [White "Jose Capablanca"] [Black "Vyacheslav Ragozin"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E24"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "97"] [EventDate "1935.02.15"] {E32: Nimzo-Indian} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 {This is unusual for Capanlanca who usually preferred 4.Qc2.} Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 d6 {Ar this point black has a wide array of choices. Capablanca himself played 5...b6 against Lilienthal at Hastings, 1934 and ended up with an inferior game.} 6. Qc2 { White usually plays 6.f3. but the text is equally good.} O-O 7. e4 e5 8. Bd3 c5 {Black hioes that white will play 9.d5 after which qhite's c-Pawns will be suject to attack.} 9. Ne2 Nc6 10. d5 (10. O-O b6 11. f4 exd4 12. cxd4 cxd4 13. h3 Re8 14. Bb2 {equals. Miljkovic,M (2266)-Mitrovic,D (2371) Nis 2009}) 10... Ne7 {This passive defensive move is often played even today, but a better plan might be eyeung white's weak Ps with 10...Na5 followed by ...b6 and ...Ba6} 11. f3 Nd7 {Black is getting himself into a cramped position and here the idea of playing ...f5 is not going to work.} 12. h4 {This launches a strong K-side attack and so Ragozin devises a startling plan...he is going flee with his K to the Q-side! The problem is that the time consumed with this plan gives white way too much control of the board and he ends up with a commanding position.} Nb6 13. g4 f6 {There is nothing at all wrong with this move in itsself, buy it is black's idea to move his K all the way over to the other side of the boatd that is faulty. He is successful in doing so, but in the process he hets a very passive game and allows Caoablanca to improve his position unhendered. Black's chances lie on the Q-side and by placing his K there any P advance will leave it exposed to attack} 14. Ng3 Kf7 (14... Bd7 { is a better plan. Play might continue...} 15. O-O Rb8 16. h5 Na4 17. f4 b5 { Even here though white's chances must be considered better.}) 15. g5 Ng8 16. f4 Ke8 17. f5 Qe7 18. Qg2 Kd8 19. Nh5 {This N is headed for e6 via g7. On e6 it will be a great hindrance to black.} Kc7 20. gxf6 gxf6 (20... Nxf6 {was somewhat better.} 21. Qxg7 {If black trades Qs the N still reaches e6, so...} Rf7 22. Qh6 Nxh5 23. Qxh5 Nd7 24. Bg5 {White has a dominationg position. He can bring the R on a1 into play with Ra2-g2 etc.}) 21. Ng7 Bd7 22. h5 Rac8 23. h6 Kb8 {Success. The only problem is that strategically his position is lost.} 24. Rg1 Rf7 25. Rb1 Qf8 26. Be2 Ka8 {A good indication that black is bereft of ideas.} 27. Bh5 Re7 28. Qa2 Qd8 {Ragozin hopes that with his K is tucked away pm a8 it will be safe, but white starts an attack on it there, too.} 29. Bd2 Na4 30. Qb3 Nb6 (30... Rb8 31. Ne6 Bxe6 32. dxe6 Nb6 33. Bf7 {with a dominating position.}) 31. a4 {[%mdl 544] Beginning another onslaught on black's K. This innediate threat is to win the N with 32.a5} Rb8 32. a5 Nc8 33. Qa2 Qf8 34. Be3 b6 35. a6 {Black's position is simply horrible. With the exception of his Q none of his pieces can move and all he can do is await white's coup de grâce.} Qd8 36. Kd2 Qf8 37. Rb2 Qd8 38. Qb1 b5 {A desperate attempt to gain breathing room.} 39. cxb5 Nb6 40. Qa2 {Preventing ...Nc4} c4 { Creating another weakness om d6 and Capablanca wastes no time in taking advantage of it. But passive play pm b;ack's part is also doomed to failure.} 41. Qa3 Qc7 42. Kc1 {He has not forgotten about the K-side!} Rf8 43. Rbg2 Qb8 44. Qb4 Rd8 45. Rg3 Rf8 46. Ne6 Bxe6 47. dxe6 Rc7 48. Qxd6 Ne7 49. Rd1 { Black resigned. He could play on, but loss is inevitable, so why waste time simply shifting his pieces around?} 1-0

The All Around Hobby Player

    The past week was spent spectating in person and watching on television college basketball (the Akron Zips and the West Virginia Mountaineers), but now that the Mountaineers’ season is over and the Zips don’t play again until Friday it’s time to resume chess activities. 

    Back in December I reviewed the Fritz 19’s personalities that you can play against. The available opponents are: Beginner, Hobby Player, Club Player, Strong Club Player, Master Candidate and Grandmaster. 

    For another test game today I chose Hobby Player. For each opponent you can choose a style: All Around, Aggressive, Swindler, Positional, Timid and Endgame Specialists. I selected All Around. I am guessing the selection I chose plays at the 1400-1500 level. 

    My recent games against the machine seem to confirm the opinion that I reached back in December...the games could very well have been played by a couple of non-Masters. 

    The All Around Hobby Player caught me off guard with the ancient Philidor Defense and although the opening was not one of the main line variations, they were plausible until black’s 6...d5 which did not work out too well, but it’s pointless 7th move was already a losing one. The bot seems to like the Philidor Defense which is known as a solid but passive choice for Black and is probably as good as anything else in amateur play. 

     Once again I must conclude that the Fritz 19 program is a good choice for anyone who wants to play against a computer opponent, wants to play online at Playchess,com, study all phases of the game, annotate games or publish games. It packs a lot of gear for about $100. 

[Event "Test Game"] [Site "?"] [Date "2025.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Tartajubow"] [Black "All Around Hobby Player"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C41"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "77"] [EventDate "2025.03.17"] {C41: Philidor Defence} 1. e4 d6 2. d4 e5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. dxe5 Nxe4 5. Bc4 c6 6. Nbd2 d5 {Feeble.} (6... Nxd2 7. Bxd2 d5 8. Bd3 Nd7 {White has played 9.b4, 9. e6 and 9.c3, all reasonable moves.}) 7. Nxe4 a5 {Pointless.} (7... dxc4 8. Qe2 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. Rd1 Qc7 11. Qxc4 {White is better developed and has more space, but black's position is tenable.}) 8. Bg5 Qb6 (8... Be7 9. Nd6+ Kf8 10. Bxe7+ Kxe7 11. Bxd5 cxd5 12. Qxd5 {Stockfish gives white a large advantage and Fritz comments the he is clearing winning. In the case of the amateurs involed let's just sat white should win.}) 9. Bxd5 {Because black is going to win back the piece, I decided on this simply because it picks up a P. Stockfiah says this is not bad, but much less strong than castling.} (9. O-O h6 10. Bh4 dxe4 11. e6 {A nice little tactical shot.} Bxe6 12. Ne5 {Even better than the obvious 12.Bxe6} Bxc4 13. Nxc4 Qc7 {Here, too, the engine says white is clear. y winning.} 14. Qg4) 9... cxd5 10. Qxd5 Be6 (10... Qxb2 11. Qd8#) 11. Qd3 Nd7 ( 11... Qxb2 12. Qd8#) 12. O-O {Played without hesitation because it's too dangerous to take the P.} {Actually, the P might as well be captured because 12...h6 13.Be3 isn't a whole lot better.} Qxb2 13. Rfb1 Qa3 {Now what? White has a winning position, but to be honest at this point I was stumped and couldn't think of any clear way to concinut so just made what seemed to be a neutral move.} 14. Qb5 (14. Nd6+ {I considered this, but black can exchange Qs and it didn't seem like a good idea to allow him to do so because his Q is in a bad location on a3} Bxd6 15. exd6 Qxd3 16. cxd3 h6 17. Be7 Rb8 18. Nd4 Ne5 19. Rc1 Nxd3 20. Rc7 {Still, white has a decisive advantage.}) 14... Be7 { I came within a whisker of grabbing the b-Pawn, but at the last second noticed the Q is trapped/} 15. Bc1 (15. Qxb7 {is not a disaster though...} O-O 16. Nd4 Bxg5 17. Nxe6 fxe6 18. Qxd7 Qe7 19. Qxe7 Bxe7 20. Rb7 {and wgite should win the ending.}) 15... Qxf3 ({seems better.} 15... Qb4 16. Rxb4 Bxb4 17. Be3 O-O { White has a Q+P vs. R material advantage.}) 16. gxf3 O-O 17. Qxb7 {Here white has a Q+P vs. B mterial advantage.} Rab8 18. Qa7 Ra8 19. Qe3 Bh3 {Black has some piece activity, but is down too much material to claim any compensation. But...this move was seanky; I didn;t suspect anything. My problem now is to activate my pieces.} 20. Bd2 Ra6 21. Rb7 {Safer was 21.Kh1} h5 {Pointless. It takes black a couple of move to play the R to g6/} 22. Rab1 Rfa8 23. f4 Rg6+ 24. Ng5 (24. Kh1 {This hasty move would not be a tital disaster thanks to white's big material advantahe.} Bg2+ 25. Kg1 Bxe4+ 26. Kf1 Bxc2 27. Rxd7 Bxb1 28. Qb3 Bf5 29. Rxe7 Rf8 30. Bxa5) 24... Bf5 25. Kh1 a4 26. Qf3 (26. e6 { was even stronger.} Bxe6 27. Nxe6 Rxe6 28. Qf3) 26... Bg4 27. Qd5 Rf8 28. e6 ( 28. Rxd7 {was even stronger.} Bxg5 29. fxg5 Bxd7 30. Qxd7 Re6 31. Rb7 {Black is out of useful moves.}) 28... Nf6 29. exf7+ {Here I decided to retun the Q just to simplify matters.} Kh8 30. Rxe7 (30. Qd3 Rh6 31. Rxe7 h4 32. Bc3 Rh5 33. Bxf6 Rxg5 34. fxg5 Bh5 35. Qf5 Bxf7 36. Rxf7 Re8 37. Qg6 Re1+ 38. Rxe1 gxf6 39. Qh7#) 30... Nxd5 31. Re8 (31. Rb8 {mates in 11} Bf3+ 32. Kg1 Rxg5+ 33. fxg5 Rxb8 34. Re8+ Kh7 (34... Rxe8 35. fxe8=Q+ Kh7 36. g6#) 35. Rxb8 Kg6 36. f8=Q Nf6 37. gxf6 Bd5 38. fxg7 Bf7 39. Rb6+ Kf5 40. Qxf7+ Ke4 41. Rb4+ Ke5 42. Bf4#) 31... Rxg5 32. Rxf8+ Kh7 {Why not 33.fxg5 woulf be a good question and I can't answer it!} 33. h4 {Rh8+! would kill now.} Bf3+ 34. Kh2 Rf5 35. Rbb8 Kg6 { Now I realized the P won;t Q and so had to come up woth a different plan.} 36. Rb5 Rxf7 37. f5+ Rxf5 38. Rxf5 Kxf5 39. c4 {And here I did something we are unable to do in games agasinst live opponents...I resigned for black.} 1-0

Still One of the Best in the Country

    In 1969, Robert Fischer had a USCF rating of 2755 which placed him well over 100 points ahead of the 58-year-old Samuel Reshevsky who was followed by Pal Benko, Larry Evans, Lubomir Kavalek, William Lombardy, Robert Byrne, William Addison, Arthur Bisguier and Walter Browne. 

    In the absence of Fischer, Reshevsky’s undefeated victory in the 1969 US Championship, which was also a Zonal, showed that the old veteran was still one of the best players in the country. 

    If it was a Zonal, why wasn’t Fischer playing even though it meant he would not have a shot at the World Championship again until 1975? The short answer is that he was being a snot. 

    In a letter to Ed Edmondson, the Executive Director of the USCF, in which Fischer declined his invitation, he accused Edmondson of lying about the previous championship and, also, he (Fischer) believed the championship had to be 22 rounds just like the Soviet, Hungarian and other East European countries. They took chess seriously over there plus the small number of players in the US Championship made it too risky...one loss could cost you the title or you could miss qualifying. 

    It had been a long dry spell for Reshevsky who had last won the championship in 1946! Second place finisher William Addison and third-place finisher Pal Benko also qualified for the Interzonal. Nevertheless, thanks to Edmondson’s negotiations Benko stepped aside and Fischer was allowed to take his place and the rest was history.

 

    The following game is Reshevsky’s snappy first round win over Dr. Karl Burger. Owing to Addison’s surprising play, Reshevsky didn’t take the lead until round 9 and then held on to it. Going into the last round he was a half point ahead of Addison so to make sure he got a spot in the Zonal, he offered his opponent, Larry Evans a quick draw. Evans declined and ended up losing while Addison defeated William Lombardy to take second. 

     Reshevsky's first round opponent was Karl Burger (1933-2000, 67 years old), a physician and an IM who also had two GM norms (three were required for the title). This was his only US Championship appearance, but at one time he had been Bobby Fischer’s teacher at the Manhattan Chess Club. 

    The game feature an oft-played variation that poses problems for black starting at move 12! Burger lost because he failed to activate his Q-side pieces. In the last 12 moves of the game Burger had to make 6 Queen moves. 

[Event "US Champ/Zonal, New York, 1969"] [Site ""] [Date "1969"] [Round "?"] [White "Samuel Reshevsky"] [Black "Dr. Karl Burger"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E56"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "51"] [EventDate "1969.??.??"] {E56: Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 c5 6. Nf3 d5 7. O-O Nc6 8. a3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Ba5 10. Bd3 {Reshecsjy often played 10.Qd3} Qe7 {Here 10...cxd4 is better} (10... h6 {This is probably black's best move.} 11. Bc2 cxd4 12. exd4 Bc7 13. Qd3 e5 {equals. Almasi,Z (2689) -Quesada Perez,Y (2608) Havana CUB 2013}) 11. Ne4 Nxe4 (11... cxd4 12. exd4 h6 13. Be3 Rd8 14. Nxf6+ Qxf6 {was soon drawn in Balashov,Y (2470)-Uddenfeldt,D (2339) Rhodes GRE 2019}) 12. Bxe4 Bb6 (12... Rd8 13. Qa4 Bb6 14. dxc5 Qxc5 15. b4 Qc4 16. Qc2 Qxc2 17. Bxc2 f6 18. Bb2 e5 19. Bb3+ {½-½ Lukacs,P (2420) -Luczak,A (2440) Lodz 1979}) (12... cxd4 13. exd4 {is OK, but black must keep an eye on the possibility of Bxh7+} Bd7 {White is better after 14.b4 and 15.b5, but the time is not quite ripe for the B sacrifice although it is playable.} 14. Bxh7+ Kxh7 15. Ng5+ {and black has only one equalizing defense which has been pointed out in similar positions by Vladimir Vukovic in his excellent book Art of Attack in Chess.} Kg6 (15... Kg8 16. Qh5 Qxg5 17. Bxg5) 16. Qd3+ f5 17. Qg3 {with roughly equal chances.}) 13. dxc5 Qxc5 {It would have been safer to play 13...Bxc5. Now black's Q is harassed. In either case though white has a strong iitiative.} 14. b4 Qc4 {The text loses time so 14...Qg5 was probably a better choice.} 15. Nd2 Qc3 16. Ra2 {This threatens to win with Bb2.} Rd8 17. Rc2 {[%mdl 2048] White is really pushing.} Qe5 18. Bb2 Qg5 19. Qe2 Ne7 { Closing off the Bs diagpnal with 19...e5 was worth considering.} (19... e5 20. Nf3 Qh5 {and, at least, black has defensive possibilities.}) 20. f4 {At this point white's position can be considered a winning one.} Qh6 21. Nc4 f5 { A desperate attempt to block the B, but now black loses by force. It males little difference because he is lost no matter when he plays.} 22. Nxb6 axb6 23. Rc7 {[%mdl 32]} fxe4 24. Rxe7 Rd7 25. Re8+ Kf7 26. Rh8 {Black resigned. The main threat from this curious move is the infiltration into his position bt white's Rs.} (26. Rh8 Re7 27. Rc1 Qh4 28. Rcxc8 Rxc8 29. Rxc8 Rd7 30. Bd4 { with an easy win.}) 1-0

A Brilliant Giuoco Piano by Rossolimo

    GM Robert Byrne of Indianapolis, Indiana scored 6.5-0.5 on the first Puerto Rico Open held May 28-June 3 in Rio Piedras, acommercial and residential district in San Juan. Bernard Zuckerman finished second with 6-1. Sixteen-year-old Puerto Rican Champion Julio Kaplan and GM Nicholas Rossolimo headed a group with 5.5-1.5. 

    The sensation of the tournament was Nicolas Rossolimo’s brilliant Queen sacrifice in his game against Puerto Rican Master Paul Reissmann which was reminiscent of Marshall famous Queen sacrifice against Levitsky at Breslau, 1912. See the game HERE 

    In addition to being a brilliancy, the game is also an instructive example of opening play. Inexperienced players have all surely read that unnecessary Pawn moves in the opening delay the development of pieces and can have drastic consequences. Even so, they are still prone to waste time with moves like a3 (or ...a6) and h3 (or ...h6) in the belief that they are thereby securing their position against possible attacks by their opponent’s N or B. However, such moves are often mistakes unless there is a specific reason for them. 

    Pawn moves in the opening are a means of developing the pieces, but Pawns also play an important part in controlling the center. Watch how Rossoilimo does it using one of his favorite opening, the Giuoco Piano, one of the oldest recorded openings. Even so, Reissmann has the antidote that keeps the position equal, but he soon plays too passively and Rossolimo’s position just keeps getting stronger until it explodes with a Queen sacrifice. 

    Dating back to the 16th century, the Giuoco Piano was popular through the 19th century, but refinements for black pretty much put the kibosh on it at the top levels except as a surprise weapon. 

[Event "Puerto Rican Open, San Juan, 1967"] [Site ""] [Date "1967"] [Round "?"] [White "Nicolas Rossolimo"] [Black "Paul Reissmann"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C54"] [Annotator "Stockfiah 17"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "1967.??.??"] {C54: Giuoco Piano} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 {It's interesting that in my database white's winning percentage remains about the same with this or the Ruy Lopez (a little over 30%), but black's winning percentage changes significantly. With the Ri Lopez it's 20%. With the Giuoco Piano it jumps to 28%.} Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 {White's last move did not aid his development so black takes the opportunity to get his pieces into play. This move, attacking the e-Pawn, is clearly his best.} 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ {Best. Black dare not play 6...Bb6 because wite would then gain time as well as space in the center with 7.d5} (6... d5 {Falls short after} 7. exd5 Bb4+ 8. Nc3 Nxd5 9. O-O { Black has to capture on c3 and whether he does it with the B or the N white has the better game/}) 7. Bd2 Bxd2+ {Safer than 7...Nxe4 which gets tricky tactically,} (7... Nxe4 8. Bxb4 Nxb4 {Now 9.Qb3 d5 is solid, but white can get fancy with} 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Qb3+ Kf8 11. Qxb4+ Qe7 12. Qxe7+ Kxe7 {and things have fizzled out to equality.}) 8. Nbxd2 {It would appear that white has now achieved the ideal and strong Pawn center he was aiming for, but black's next move is a strong counterattacking move that shatters the illusion that white has a dominating position.} d5 {This is the most precise way to counter in the center. He could also play the tricky 8...Nxe5 though.} 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Qb3 {White has an isolated d-Pawn which could be a disadvantage in the ending, so he must post his pieces as actively as possible and hope to attack.} Nce7 11. O-O c6 {Black is playing to keep control of the vital square d5..} 12. Rfe1 O-O 13. a4 {[%mdl 32] This position has been reached many times and white has tried a variety of moves, but the text dates back to the late 1800s when the imaginative Russian Mikhail Chigorin played it.} b6 {Black usually plays either 13...Qc7 or 13...Qb6, but neither is entirely satisfactory. Opening theoretician Czech GM Ludek Pachman asserted that 13... b6 (a new move at the time) contained the seeds of defeat, but a thourough engine analysis shows an evaluation of 0.00, meanign, not that the position is drawn, but that both side have chances. That said, from the practical point of view white's position looks more promising and it;s certainly easier to play} 14. Ne5 {White's pieces arc extremely active and he is entertaining 15.Nxc6 Nxc6 17.Bxd5} Bb7 {Oddlym it is this, the logical followup to 13...b6,cwhere black's troubles begin.} (14... Be6 15. Ndf3 (15. Ne4 f6 16. Nf3 Bf7 17. Ng3 Qd7 18. Rac1 Rfb8 19. Qd1 a5 {equals. Pereyra,H (2072)-Mazziotti Irigoyen,G (2149) Los Polvorines 2003}) 15... h6 16. Rac1 Rb8 17. Qa3 Re8 {equals. Pereyra,H (2072)-Mazziotti Irigoyen,G (2238) ARG 2003}) 15. a5 {Threatening 16. a6 Bc8 17.Nxc6} Rc8 16. Ne4 {White's pieces are all well positioned. Compare then to black's: His 14th move has left a pathe to f7 for his N and blacl,s K-side is befreft of defenders.} Qc7 {Another small mistake. The R should have moved here in order to make c8 available to the N.} 17. a6 {Forcing the B to the most remote corner where it can be of no use during the looming attack on the K.} Ba8 18. Qh3 {The centralized Ns are a major factor in white's attack on the K. There is a looming threat of 19.Ng5 h6 20.Nxf7} Nf4 ({A pass to illustrate the threat.} 18... Qb8 19. Ng5 h6 20. Nexf7 Rxf7 21. Nxf7 Kxf7 22. Qe6+ Kf8 23. Ra3 {The addition of this R to the attack spells the end.}) 19. Qg4 Ned5 20. Ra3 {The last undeveloped piece joins the action.} Ne6 {This mistake allows white to pull his beautiful finish.} (20... c5 {offers some hope of defending himself.} 21. Rg3 g6 22. Nf6+ Nxf6 23. Qxf4 Nd5 24. Bxd5 Bxd5 25. h4) 21. Bxd5 {The start of the winning attack...it removes a defender of f6.} cxd5 22. Nf6+ Kh8 23. Qg6 {[%mdl 512] White has a number of ways to win, but this move is both brilliant and strong. There is no playable defense..} Qc2 (23... gxf6 24. Qxf6+ Ng7 25. Rg3 Rg8 26. Nxf7+ Qxf7 27. Qxf7 Bc6 28. Qxa7 { wins}) (23... Ng5 24. Qxg5 Qd6 25. Neg4 Rc6 26. Rh3 gxf6 27. Qh6 {mates}) 24. Rh3 {[%mdl 512] There is no way of avoiding mate in 7} (24. Rh3 Ng5 25. Qxg5 gxf6 26. Qxf6+ Kg8 27. Ng4 h5 28. Rxh5 Qh7 29. Rxh7 Kxh7 30. Qh6+ Kg8 31. Nf6#) 1-0

Wanted by the Police

    Today’s game features the ancient Kings Gambit. Most of us regard it as a tactical opening, but it also contains a strategic idea...white offers a Pawn to divert black’s e-Pawn. If black accepts the Pawn then white can play d4 and Bxf4, regaining the Pawn and, at the same time, dominating the center. White also has the possibility of an attack on f7. The downside is that it weakens white's K-side.

    White fails in this game, but what’s more interesting than the game is white’s shenanigans off the board! The winner is the Dutch IM and Correspondence GM Hans Bouwmeester (born 1929) who has also authored a number of chess books.

    White was played by Brian Eley[2] (1946 – 2022) a former British champion. He was wanted by the British police on suspicion of sexual offenses against underage boys, and had been a fugitive from since 1991. Eley was among a group of talented British player who appeared in the 1970s after the dominance of Jonathan Penrose. He ran his own chess business selling books, chess sets, scorebooks, etc. 

    In 1979, James Plaskett, a future GM and British champion, reported to the president of the British Chess Federation about incidents of "misconduct" by Eley. The following year, Eley was fired from hus position as the England Team Manager after an unrelated incident. Howeverm as a BCF registered coach, he continued teaching juniors into the late 1980s. 

    In July 1991, Eley was arrested at home on suspicion of sexually abusing an underage boy he had once coached. He was released on bail which he then jumped and disappeared. He was subsequently charged with more than 30 similar offenses. He remained a fugitive, wanted by the British police and Interpol. 

    Over the years there were numerous unconfirmed sightings of Eley in various places, mostly in Amsterdam. According to reports his time as a fugitive was not good...he ran out of money he made from the sale of his house in England and he had to hustle small bets in cafes and doing computer work for a religious organization. 

    In 1992, he was identified in Amsterdam by English GM Stuart Conquest and a Dutch player who notified the police, but Eley was not apprehended. Supposedly he had friends in the city who believed his story that it was all a result of a disagreement with the BCF. Eley died in Amsterdam in April of 2022 from a respiratory infection.

 

[Event "Match: England vs. Holland"] [Site "Vlissingen NED"] [Date "1972.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Brian Eley"] [Black "Hans Bouwmeester"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C36"] [Annotator "Srockfish 17"] [PlyCount "48"] [EventDate "1972.10.28"] {C36: King's Gambit Accepted} 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 {This most natural continuation preventing ...Qh4+. In case of the immediate thematic 3.d4 after 3...Qh4+ 4.Ke2 white's K is insecure which offer black sufficient compensation for the loss of time with the Q which will hane to be moved again after Nf3. After the alternative 3.Bc4 it's a different story because after 3...Qh4+ 4. Kf1 black's Q is more vulnerable than white's K.} (3. d4 Qh4+ 4. Ke2 d5 5. exd5 Bg4+ 6. Nf3 Qh6 {Black is better; white will have difficulty recovering the P.} ) (3. Bc4 Qh4+ 4. Kf1 {Black has twi possibilities: the solid 4...d6 or the enterprising 4...g4}) 3... d5 {This is the Modern Defense; it's not necessarily the strongest but pt's the must solid continuation. In the old days 3...g5 prevailed because it protects the P and, if need be, after Nf3 the N can be driven away with ...g4 plus black can still play ...Qh4+} (3... g5 4. h4 {This prevents ...Qh4+} (4. Bc4 g4 5. O-O gxf3 6. Qxf3 {is the Muzio Gambit which few players today have the guts to play.}) 4... g4 5. Ne5 (5. Bc4 { Trying to ply the Muzio here is throughly bad.} gxf3 6. Qxf3 Nc6 7. d3 Ne5 { Whie is completely thwarted.}) 5... d6 6. Nxg4 Be7 {Black is ever so slightly better.}) 4. exd5 Nf6 {The idea behind 3...d6, the P on d5 is attacked.} 5. Bb5+ {Not white's only option. He can defend the P with 5.c4, 5.Nc3 or 5.Bc4. Instead, with the text move he hopes to exchange it.} c6 {Black must play energetically or he will drift into a [assive position which is why he avoids 5...Nbd7} 6. dxc6 Nxc6 7. d4 Bd6 {Black's aggressive play has given him just a sliver of an advantage.} (7... Qa5+ 8. Nc3 Bb4 9. a4 O-O 10. O-O {White has full equality/}) 8. Qe2+ {It was better to castle at once.} Be6 {Excellent! Black is going to end up with two isolated Ps, but his active pieces are sufficient compensation.} 9. Ng5 O-O 10. Nxe6 fxe6 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. O-O (12. Qxe6+ {at once is less effectibe because after} Kh8 13. O-O Bc5 14. dxc5 Qd4+ 15. Kh1 Ne4 {followed by ...Rae8 and white is facing a lot of pressure.}) 12... Qc7 13. Qxe6+ {Not really bad, but it's risky.} (13. Nd2 Rae8 14. Nc4 g5 15. Bd2 e5 16. dxe5 Bxe5 17. Nxe5 Qxe5 18. Qxe5 Rxe5 {And Sulskis,S (2559) -Melkumyan,H (2530) Benasque 2009 was eventually drawn.}) 13... Kh8 {Black has given back the P plus sacrificed one himself with the result of getting a lead in development White's only tleveloped piece is his Q which is now badly exposed. Even so, white is hardly lost! In reality, black has no more than a very slight advantage because he has no immediate crushing threats.} 14. Nd2 Rae8 {[%mdl 1024]} 15. Qc4 {The surprising retreat 15.Qh3 was better because it keeps c4 clear for the N.} g5 {Normally such a move is risky, but in this position black's pieces are so active that a P-stom decides matters quickly} ( 15... f3 {This equally good move was played many years later in Reprintsev,A (2310)-Chudinovskih,A (2360) Belgorod 1989 whicj continuted} 16. Nxf3 Ng4 17. h3 Rxf3 18. hxg4 Rxf1+ 19. Qxf1 {Here black missed the win with 19...Qe7 although he did eventually win. Winning was} Bh2+ 20. Kh1 Bg3 {White has no satisfactory was of meeting ...Re1} 21. Bg5 h6 22. Bd2 Qe7 {Intending ...Qh4+} 23. g5 Qe4 {There is no answer to ...Qh4+}) 16. Nf3 Ne4 17. Re1 {This loses quickly. The best, but still inadequate, try was 17.h6} g4 {Decisive.} 18. Ne5 Bxe5 19. Rxe4 Bd6 20. Rxe8 Rxe8 21. Qf1 f3 {After this black coasts to a win.} 22. gxf3 gxf3 23. Qxf3 Qg7+ 24. Qg2 Re1+ {White resigned.} 0-1

How to Study a Chess Book

Verica Nedeljkovic

    Before getting to the subject of today’s post I want to share a helpful site that translates entire web pages. On the site, simply copy the URL of the page you want to translate in the space provided and click on translate and the translated page is opened in a new window. Visit LEXICOL 

    Woman Grand master Verica Nedeljkovic (nee Jovanovic) was born September 16m 1929 and passed away at the age of 94 on December 13, 2023. From the mid-1950s to the late 1960s, she was one of the leading Yugoslav women's players winning the Yugoslav Women's Championship six times (1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1958 and 1965). 

    An excellent student throughout her education, she studied at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Belgrade and graduated with as the first woman in the country to have a naval engineering degree. 

    She first worked for shipping companies and then from 1961 to 1987 she lectured at the University of Belgrade and also taught engineering at other schools. She also independently published an engineering textbook. o-author of several scientific research papers. 

    She learned to play chess at the in elementary school and when she moved to Belgrade in 1948 she joined the local chess club which she belonged to the rest of her life. She received the title of National Master title after winner of the Yugoslav Championship in Skopje in 1950. She earned the WIM title in 1954 and the WGM title in 1977. 

     Her opponent in the following game was Maria Albuleț (1932-2005). Romanian doctor and WGM and winner of the Romanian Women's Championship in 1951, 1955 and 1956. She was also known as Maria Pogorevici and Maria Albuleț-Pogorevici. She was also a correspondence player. She took part in the Women's Correspondence Olympiad (1974-1979) where the Romanian team took 6th place. 

[Event "Team Match-Women, Bucharest"] [Site ""] [Date "1958.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Verica Nedeljkovic (Yugoslavia"] [Black "Maria Pogorevici (Romania)"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "1958.06.15"] [Source "Perpetual Check"] {B36: Sicilian: Maroczy Bind: Gurgenidze System} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. c4 {At once time this was conce considered a refutation of the Accelerated Dragon, but black began losing fear of the Maroczy Bind back in the 1950s when ways were found for him to work himself loose from the Bind. White gets an advantage in space but black's position is fundamentally sound.} Nf6 {Thus move was advocated by GM Roman Dzindzichasvili because it allows black to draw white's Q to d4.} 6. Nc3 Nxd4 7. Qxd4 d6 {This prtevents white from playing e5.} (7... Bg7 {is met by} 8. e5 Ng8 9. Bf4 {and black lacks a really good reply.}) 8. Be2 (8. e5 {White can play this anyway because when black will not be able to castle.} dxe5 {By far the best.} 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8 10. Be2 Be6 11. O-O Rc8 {Black has full equality.}) 8... Bg7 9. Be3 O-O 10. Qd2 { Black usually plays 10...Be6 and ...Rc8 putitng pressutre on the P on c4. Another good option is ...a5 and ...a4 followed by ...Qa5 aimimh fpr Q-side counterplay.} Ng4 11. Bxg4 Bxg4 12. O-O Be6 13. b3 Qa5 14. Bd4 (14. Rac1 Rfc8 15. Nb5 Qxd2 16. Bxd2 a6 17. Nc3 b5 18. Nd5 {Kochiev,I (2053)-Klepikov,N (2063) chess.com INT 2023. The chances are equal.}) 14... Bxd4 15. Qxd4 Qg5 {This is not a good place for the Q as it results in a loss of time. 15...Rac8 was better.} (15... Rfc8 16. Rfe1 Qc5 17. Qxc5 Rxc5 {½-½ Casas,F (2350) -Sanguinetti,R (2530) Santa Fe 1973}) 16. f4 Qc5 17. Qxc5 dxc5 {At first glance this position ,ay look drawish, but it actually favors white as Nedeljkovic quickly demonstrates.} 18. f5 {An excellent nive!} Bc8 {A square too far; the B should have stopped at d7, but even the after 19.Nd5 white has a great position.} (18... gxf5 19. exf5 Bd7 20. Nd5 {There is no good way to meet the attack on the e-Pawn.} Rae8 (20... Rfe8 21. Nc7) (20... e6 21. Nf6+) 21. f6 e6 22. Ne7+ {and black is in a serious bind.}) 19. Rad1 {Not at all bad, but 19.Nd5 was even stronger.} gxf5 20. exf5 e6 {Again, black's position looks like it can be defended, but white's next move seals black's fate.} 21. f6 { An absolutely fantastic move. Black's pieces are all confined helplessly to the 8th rank.} b6 22. Rf3 Bb7 23. Rg3+ Kh8 24. Rd7 Bc6 25. Re7 Be8 26. Ne4 Rg8 27. Ng5 {Moving in for the kill.} Rd8 {Naturally black wants her R on the open file, but the fly in the ointment is that it allows a mate in 7!} (27... h6 { avoids the matem but loses to} 28. Nxf7+ Bxf7 29. Rxf7 Rxg3 30. hxg3 a5 31. Re7 Kg8 32. Rxe6 Rb8 33. Re7 {is obviously hopeless for black.}) {This wins, too.} 28. Nxf7+ (28. Rxe8 {One can harld bla,e white for missing this problem-like move, but it's a real beauty!} Rd1+ 29. Kf2 Rd2+ 30. Ke3 {Black can delay, but not prevent, the mate.} h6 31. Kxd2 b5 32. Nxf7+ Kh7 33. Rgxg8 bxc4 34. Rg7#) 28... Bxf7 29. Rxf7 Rxg3 30. hxg3 Rd2 {The ending is clearly losst after, say 30...a6, but apparently enthused by grabbing the d-file black played this hasty move getting her R to the second rank, but overlooking the obvious.} 31. Rf8# {Perhaps not a flashy game, but still a very impressive win by Medeljkovic.} 1-0

Dr. Srecko Nedeljkovic

    Dr. Streko Nedeljkovic (December 4, 1923 - January 2, 2011) was the outstanding cardiologist of Serbia. He received his medical degree in 1952 from Belgrade, specializing in internal medicine. became the principal investigator of the Serbian component of the Seven Country Study. The study investigated the relationship between die. Nedeljkovic was also well known in Yugoslavia for other studies and he was active in international cardiology as a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, international exchanges with Baylor College of Medicine and Chairman of the Annals of the World Congress of Cardiology. 

    In the chess world he was an International Master. He learned the game at the age of 13 and his first teacher was his older brother. After World War II he moved to Belgrade where he achieving his first chess success in 1946 when he finished second in the championship of the Yugoslav People’s Army. He received the National Master title for his results in the indi finals of the 1949 Yugoslav Championship. His IM title came after he finished second behind Arthur Bisguier in Vienna, 1951. 

    Nedeljkovic was associated with the Yugoslav national team for 30 years as a player, coach and captain. Yugoslav players that he trained won gold medals in the 1950 Dubrovnik Olympisd, the 1966 Havana Olympiad and at the Olympiad in Buenos Aires in 1978. In 1947, he was the founder of the Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) chess club in Belgrade, of which he was a lifelong member. 

    From the mid-1950s to the end of the 1960s his wife, Vera Nedeljkovic (1929-2023) was a top female player who was the Yugoslav women's champion six times as participated in the Women's World Championship Candidates Tournament five times. In 1977 she was awarded the Women's Grandmaster title. 

 

[Event "Yugoslav Semifinal East"] [Site "Belgrade YUG"] [Date "1946.07.28"] [Round "?"] [White "Srecko Nedeljkovic"] [Black "Petar Carev"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D19"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "67"] [EventDate "1946.??.??"] [Source "Perpetual Check"] {D19: Slav Defence} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O O-O 9. Qe2 Bg6 10. Ne5 Nbd7 11. Nd3 Bd6 12. e4 e5 13. dxe5 { This is all book so far and 13.dxe5 is better than 13.d5} (13. d5 Nb6 14. Bb3 cxd5 15. exd5 Nbd7 16. Be3 {Black stands weell and eventually won. Vargas Maliqueo,I (2209)-Alonso,S (2466) Santiago de Chile CHI 2008}) 13... Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Bxe5 15. Bd3 Re8 16. f3 Qa5 17. Qc2 Nh5 18. Ne2 Bc7 19. f4 {Aggressive, but risky. A solid move was 19.Bd2} Nf6 20. Ng3 Ng4 {This attack on f2 and along the diagonal after ...Ba6 does not work out well. 20...Rad8 was a good alternative.} 21. Kh1 {Avoiding a bit of tactics.} (21. Bd2 Qb6+ 22. Kh1 Rad8 { is equal.} (22... Nf2+ {is deceptive.} 23. Rxf2 (23. Kg1 {meets with disaster.} Nh3+ 24. Kh1 Qg1+ 25. Rxg1 Nf2#) 23... Qxf2 24. Rf1 Qb6 25. f5 {with an excellent position.})) 21... Qb6 {There is nothing to be had on this diagonal and the attack on f2 so it was still best to play 21...Rad8.} 22. Qe2 {It's hard to believe that black's position is so bad that white is just a few moves away from winning.} Nf6 23. Be3 Qb4 {The attack black thought he had was an illusion and npw white has a decisive attack.} 24. f5 Bxg3 25. fxg6 Be5 { This meets with a quick end. He could have put up a manly defense with the obvious 25...hxg6 when white stands well, but he does not have a forced win.} 26. gxf7+ Kxf7 {Black has left his K faally exposed and Nedeljkovic begins to deliver sledgehammer blows.} 27. Bc4+ Kf8 28. g4 b5 {He could have held out a bit longer with 28...h6} 29. axb5 cxb5 30. Bd5 h6 31. g5 {Taking the R does not even come under consideration; white is going after the K.} hxg5 32. Qh5 { Threatening nate in f7.} Ke7 {Trying to flee, but there is nowhere to go.} 33. Qf7+ Kd6 34. Ra6# {An impressive final attack by Nedeljkovic!} 1-0

Seidman Knocks Out Reshevsky

    In the 1959-60 U.S. Championship it was 16-year-old Bobby Fischer again and he was clearly a world championship contender even though he had finished fifth in the Candidates Tournament in Yugoslavia earlier in 1959. 

    It was equally clear that while he was still one of the best players in the country, Samuel Reshevsky’s star was fading. In the following game veteran Senior Master Herbert Seidman administers a solid beating to the veteran Grand master. 

     The game does not appear in the Chessgames.com database of Seidman’s games. Reshevsky plays the opening in a credible fashion, but n move 16 he makes a small inaccuracy that leaves him in a difficult position. Then on move 19 he makes a big mistake and Seidman finishes him off with two knockout blows. Reshevsky played on for a handful of moves just to stretch out the game and avoid the embarrassment of being victim of a miniature. 

 

 

[Event "1959/60 US Championship, New York"] [Site "?"] [Date "1959.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Herbert Seidman"] [Black "Samuel Reshevsky"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B93"] [Annotator "Stockfiah 17"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "1959.??.??"] {B93: Sicilian Najdorf: 6 f4} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 {As usual Sideman Seidman avoids main line theory, but this move is by no means bad.} e5 {This move is considered to be the most aggressive.} 7. Nf3 Nbd7 {Today this is by far the most popular reply, but at the time black usually played 7...Qc7} 8. Bc4 {[%emt 0:00:09] The main alternative is 8.a4 hindering ...b5. The advantage of the text is that ot develops the B to its most active square.} Be7 {Reshevsky prefers to complete his development before playing ...b5} 9. O-O O-O 10. fxe5 dxe5 11. Kh1 {Getting the K off the diagonal is simply a safety precaution.} Qc7 12. Qe2 b5 {[%mdl 32]} 13. Bb3 b4 14. Nd5 Nxd5 15. Bxd5 Rb8 16. Bg5 {[%mdl 2048] This position is completely equal and black should now play either 16...Bxg5 or 16...Nf6, both of which are equally good.} Nb6 {A small error that eventually lands him in trouble. Reshevsky, no doubt, was playing for a win against his lesser opponent, but he has underestimated white's attacking possibilities.} 17. Bb3 {White thr eatens to win with 18.Nxe5} Ra8 (17... a5 {This may have been what Reshevsky originally intended, but then realized it fails badly after} 18. Nxe5 Bxg5 ( 18... Qxe5 19. Bf4) 19. Nxf7 Bf6 20. Ng5+ Kh8 21. e5 {There is no forced win, but white ios clearly better after, say, 21...Ba6. He must not play...} Bxe5 ( 21... Qxe5 22. Qxe5) 22. Rxf8#) 18. Qf2 {Thius time the threat is Bxe7} Bd6 { It is amazingly diffi c ult to parry threat} (18... a5 {A pass to show the threat.} 19. Bxe7 Qxe7 20. Qxb6 {winning a piece.}) 19. Qh4 {White has another winning threat which Reshevsky misses.} Be6 {[%mdl 8192] This loses.} (19... Nc4 {Blocking the Bs diagonal was the only defense he had, but white has the upper hand after} 20. Bh6 {Another offer which cannot be accepted. His best defense is the miserable 20...f6. After} gxh6 21. Qxh6 {Black still has to play } f6 {which is met by} 22. Nh4 Bg4 23. Rxf6 Rxf6 24. Qxf6 Rf8 25. Qg5+ Qg7 26. Bxc4+ Kh8 27. Qxg7+ Kxg7 28. Bxa6 {with a won ending.}) 20. Bf6 {This blow has a beautiful point behind it. The threat is Qg5} gxf6 (20... Nd7 21. Ng5 h6 22. Nxe6 fxe6 23. Bxe6+ Kh7 24. Bf5+ Kg8 25. Bxg7 Kxg7 26. Qg4+ Kh8 27. Qg6 Nf6 28. Qxh6+ Nh7 (28... Kg8 29. Be6+) 29. Bxh7 Qxh7 30. Qxd6 {and wins}) 21. Ng5 { [%mdl 512] Another sacrifice! It;s the only move that wins though.} fxg5 22. Qxg5+ Kh8 23. Qf6+ Kg8 24. Rf3 Rfe8 25. Qh6 {Threatening mate with Rg3+.} Bg4 26. Rg3 Qd7 27. Rf1 Bf8 {Reshevsky has baited a trap!} 28. Qg5+ ({allows black some hope after} 28. Qxb6 Kh8 29. Qf6+ Bg7 30. Qg5 f6 31. Qxg4 Qxg4 32. Rxg4 Rad8 {with a faint hope of salvaging the game.}) 28... Kh8 29. Rxg4 Qxg4 30. Qxg4 {What follows is only Reshevsky blitzing out moves to prolong the game. Or, perhaps Seidman was feeling some time pressure.} Bh6 31. Bxf7 Rf8 32. Qe6 Bg7 33. Qxb6 Rac8 34. Bc4 $1 {[%mdl 512]} Rfd8 35. Bd5 {My database shows Seidman's move as 35.Bd3 with the rest of the moves being identical. I have given the move as 35.Bd5 because that is the one that appeared in print.} h6 36. h3 {Rf7 is the strong threat.} Re8 37. Qg6 {White threatens Rf7 and mate.} Red8 38. Rf7 {[%csl Gf7][%cal Rg6g7]} Rg8 39. Rf5 (39. Be6 $142 Rcd8 40. Bf5 Rd1+ 41. Kh2 Rh1+ 42. Kxh1 Rf8 43. Qxg7#) 39... Rgf8 40. Rh5 Rf1+ 41. Kh2 { Black resigned.} (41. Kh2 Rf6 42. Rxh6+ Bxh6 43. Qxf6+ Kh7 44. Qf5+ Kg7 45. Qd7+ Kh8 46. Qxc8+ Kg7 47. Qg8+ Kf6 48. Qf7+ Kg5 49. Qf5+ Kh4 50. Qg4#) 1-0

A 1700 Sacs His Queen

    In 1975, we saw mood rings. They contained a “stone” that changes colors based on the temperature of the finger and the color was supposed to show your mood.

    Then there were pet rocks. They were just rocks packaged in custom cardboard boxes complete with ventilation holes and straw bedding.They didn't do anything.

    President Richard Nixon, who claimed he wasn't a crook, resigned over the Watergate Scandal. Then came the mass chaos when Americans evacuate from Saigon under President Gerald Ford, marking the end of the war in Vietnam. After Nixon's Vice President, Spiro Agnew, who was a crook, pleaded guilty to tax evasion, Nixon appointed Speaker of the House Forn to the VP position and when Nixon resigned Ford became President.

    The top rated players were 1-Bobby Fischer, 2-Anatoly Karpov, 3-Viktor Korchnoi, 4-Tigran Petrosian, 5-Lev Polugaevsky, 6-Mikhail Tal, 7-Lajos Portisch, 8-Bent Larsen, 9-Boris Spassky and 10-Robert Huebner. 

    Player lost that year were the legendary Paul Keres, Friedrich Samisch, Lajos Steiner, Nicolas Rossolimo, Karel Opocensky, Hans Johner, Vladimir Vukovic, Georg Kieninger, Abraham Baratz, Norman Whitake and John Morrison. 

    World Champion Bobby Fischer resigned his title when he and FIDE failed to agree on the terms for the defense of his title and the chess world went on without him. Nona Gaprindashvili successfully defended her Women's World Championship for the fourth time.

    Anatoly Karpov won in Milan, his first tournament since becoming world champion. He won again in Ljubljana. Ljubomir Ljubojevic of Yugoslavia, had a big year, winning three important tournaments. Tigran Petrosian made a comeback and dominated the USSR Chess Championship. Yakov Estrin, the Russian over-the-board IM, won the 7th World Correspondence Championship. There was a big scandal in England when Tony Miles and Stewart Reuben agree a draw at the Luton Congress without playing a single move. Their last round game was recorded as a draw, but the organizer notified both players requesting the return of their prize money. 

     The following non-Master game was played in a match for the championship of the Naval Station in Key West, Florida. It has some interesting tactics, but what caught my eye was the two exclamation marks white gave his 23rd move, sacrificing his Queen. Engines weren’t so kind...they slapped two question marks on it. Nevertheless, it was an exciting contest. 

    The opening, Bird’s Opening, is named after 19th century English player Henry Bird, is one in which white's strategic ideas involve control of e5 and it offers good attacking chances at the expense of slightly weakening the K-side. Although it is rarely played at the top levels, it’s not a bad opening for amateurs because it can lead to a quick and strong attack if black does not respond with precise play. 

[Event "US Naval Station Chp, Key West. Floroda"] [Site "?"] [Date "1075.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Kevin Casey"] [Black "Jack Hayden"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A03"] [WhiteElo "1726"] [BlackElo "1900"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "1075.??.??"] {] A03: Bird's Opening} 1. f4 c5 2. b3 {White could transpose into the aggressive Sicilian Grand Prix Attack with 2.e4, but most Bird players like to stick to the familiar Bird patterns.} d5 3. Bb2 Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Bb5+ Nbd7 7. O-O a6 {The main option is 7...O-O} 8. Bxd7+ Bxd7 {Black has an edge.} 9. d3 O-O 10. Ne5 {A classic square for the N in the Bird, but here it's not sucj a good idea because it allows black to simplify into a position where he is slightly better.} (10. Qe2 Rc8 11. Nbd2 {offers equal chances.}) 10... Bc8 {Black wants to keep the two Bs, but here that idea confers no particular advantage plus it loses time. Simply} (10... Ng4 { Also playable is the solid 10...Rc8} 11. Nxd7 (11. Nxg4 Bxb2 {wins}) 11... Nxe3 12. Qc1 Bxb2 13. Qxb2 Qxd7 {with the better position.}) 11. Nd2 Ng4 12. Qe2 Nh6 {As soon becomes apparent, black has a faulty play in mind.} (12... Nxe5 13. Bxe5 Bxe5 14. fxe5 Qc7 {pretty much eliminates white's attacking chances/}) 13. e4 $11 d4 14. h3 f5 {Here is black's faulty idea, but it neglects development and opens up his K-side. His best move would have been to stop a square short with the f-Pawn and drive the N away with 14...f6 ir play `4...b5} 15. Rae1 Nf7 16. exf5 Bxf5 17. g4 Bc8 (17... Bd7 {is fatal strategically.} 18. Nxd7 Qxd7 19. Qxe7 Qxe7 20. Rxe7) 18. Ndf3 b5 {This blunders away a Pawn and leaves black fighting for his life. Best was 18...Nxe5 when white would only be slightly better.} 19. Nc6 Qd7 20. Nxe7+ Kh8 21. Nh4 Bb7 22. f5 {This is very inviting, but it allows black to equalize.} (22. Qe6 Qc7 (22... Qxe6 23. Rxe6 Nd8 24. Nhxg6+ hxg6 25. Nxg6+ Kg8 26. Nxf8 Nxe6 27. Nxe6 {wins}) 23. Nexg6+ hxg6 24. Nxg6+ Kg8 25. Ne7+ Kh8 26. Qg6 Nh6 27. Qg5 {Threatening Ng6+ leaves white with a decisive advantage.}) 22... Ne5 {At this point white thought his next move was crushing, but, in fact, black has equalized and the only move white has that keeps the chances equal is 23.g5} 23. Qxe5 {White incorrectly based this sacrifice on based on the idea that two defenders of bof wack's K are removed and the dark squares weakened, his N on e7 cramps black amd all white's pieces can be quickly brought to the attack on black's cornered K. White thought that even id the Q sacrifice was unsound he hoped for what Tarrasch called "sacrificial shock." It worked for Tal! Black has to find the precise defense which is not always easy.} (23. g5 gxf5 24. Nexf5 Rae8 25. Qh5 Nf3+ 26. Nxf3 Rxe1 27. Nxe1 Rxf5 28. Rxf5 Qxf5 {with equal chances.}) 23... Bxe5 24. Rxe5 Kg7 {[%mdl 8192] This move avoids any sacrificial checks on g6, but it gives white's attack new impetis.} (24... Rae8 {should prove decisive because white has no really good followup.} 25. f6 (25. fxg6 Rxf1+ 26. Kxf1 Rxe7 27. gxh7 { is much less effective because of} Rxe5 28. Ng6+ Kxh7 29. Nf8+) 25... Qd6 26. Nhxg6+ hxg6 27. Nxg6+ Kh7 28. Nxf8+ Rxf8 29. Re7+ Kh8 30. Rxb7 Qg3+ 31. Kh1 Qxh3+ 32. Kg1 Qxg4+ {and wins}) 25. Bc1 {[%mdl 1024] Adding the B to the attack makes all the difference!} Rae8 26. Bg5 {Even stronger was 26.Rfe1} Rf7 {Much better would have been 27.Rfe1 followed by Re6 increasing the pressure on g6.} 27. f6+ Kh8 28. Rfe1 {Now black could have equalized with either 28... Rfe8 or 28...Rd8.} Rfxe7 {[%mdl 8192] Instead, black plays a move that allows white's piece to swam all over his K.} 29. Rxe7 {Not 25.fx36 because the P would be held hp and further progress by white would be extremely difficult.} Rxe7 30. Rxe7 Qc6 31. f7 {The P is now an unstoppable threat. The following checks are harmless.} Qh1+ 32. Kf2 {[%cal Rf7f8]} Qh2+ 33. Ke1 {[%cal Rf7f8]} Qg3+ 34. Kd2 {[%cal Rf7f8]} Qf2+ 35. Kc1 Kg7 36. Bh6+ {[%mdl 512] White finishes up nicely.} Kxh6 37. Nf5+ {[%mdl 512] Allowing the P to queen.} Kg5 38. f8=Q {Black resigned. Not a perfect game, but an exciting one!} 1-0

Spielmann Pounds Chekhover

    Moscow 1935 was the second international chess tournament held in Moscow, taking place from February 5 to March 15, 1935. Salo Flohr and future world champion Mikhail Botvinnik tied for first, followed by former world champions Emanuel Lasker and Jose Raúl Capablanca. 

    The tournament was organized along the lines of Moscow 1925, with twelve Soviet players and eight foregin players. Of the twelve Soviets, four (Grigory Levenfish, Peter Romanovsky, Ilya Rabinovich and Fedir Bohatyrchuk) had played at the 1925 event. 

    Salo Flohr (then of Czechoslovakia) was internationally renowned and considered a world championship contender. And, Mikhail Botvinnik was known as a rising star. Two years earlier he had drawn a match with Flohr. Emanuel Lasker and JoseCapablanca were former world champions. 

    There was a controversy when Flohr (a Czech but later to become a Russian) was tied with Botvinnik going into the final round. This was considered unacceptable to Nikolai Krylenko, head of the Russian chess machine. 

 

 

    It was suggested to Botvinnik that Ilya Rabinovich would throw his last round to Botvinnik. Supposedly Botvinnik replied that if he realized that was happening, he would blunder away a piece and "resign on the spot". As it turned out, Botvinnik, fearing that Rabinovich would somehow manage to lose anyway and thereby force Botvinnik to carry out his threat, offered a premature draw which was readily accepted. Flohr did the same in his game against Vladimir Alatortsev and the result was Botvinnik and Flohr shared first place. 

    Although it is unlikely this tournament would make the list of one of the most important tournaments ever played, it was significant in that it 1935 heralded the arrival of the Soviet School of Chess in general, and Mikhail Botvinnik in particular.

    In today’s game check out Spielmann’s sudden attack in his game against Vitaly Chekhover )1908-1965, 56 years old) who was born in St. Petersburg. He was awarded the IM title at its inception in 1950. He was won the Uzbekistan championship in 1944. He also did some important theoretical work on endings.

[Event "Moscow"] [Site ""] [Date "1935.02.28"] [Round "?"] [White "Rudolf Spielmann"] [Black "Vitaly Chekhover"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A50"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "53"] [EventDate "1935.02.15"] {A50: Queen's Indian} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 b6 {The Indian defenses were just coming into vogue and the best strategies were not yet known. The Q-Indian works best against 2.Nf3} 3. Nc3 Bb7 {Preventing 4.e4} 4. Qc2 {Renewing the threat.} d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 e5 8. Nf3 exd4 9. Bb5+ c6 10. Bc4 b5 {White does not get enough compensation to justify sacrificing his B on f7.} 11. Be2 (11. Bd3 dxc3 12. O-O Qa5 13. e5 Qa4 14. Qxc3 Nd7 15. Rb1 Be7 16. Bg5 Qa3 17. Rb3 Qc5 18. e6 Nf6 19. exf7+ {Kezin,R (2510)-Bezzubenkov,S (2301) Sochi RUS 2022. White is winning.}) 11... dxc3 12. Qxc3 Nd7 {The purpose of this move is to play ...Nc5 and ...Ne6 which defends the g-Pawn and so frees the B} 13. O-O { [%mdl 1024]} Qe7 $146 {Black’s situation is unpleasant. This move is played with the aim of preventing the 14 Bb2} 14. Bb2 {As it turns out black's last move does not prevent this.} Nc5 (14... Qxe4 {is strongly mey by} 15. Bd3 Qb4 16. Rfe1+ Kd8 17. Qc2 {and black is in serious trouble because his K is stuck in the center.}) 15. Qc2 {Stronger was 15.Rad1} Ne6 (15... Nxe4 {Capturing the e-Pawn is still a poor idea.} 16. Ne5 Nf6 17. Rfe1 O-O-O 18. Nxc6 Bxc6 19. Qxc6+ Kb8 20. Bf3 {with a mating attack.}) (15... Qxe4 {is actually black's best option.} 16. Bd3 Nxd3 17. Rfe1 Qxe1+ 18. Rxe1+ Nxe1 19. Qe4+ Be7 20. Nxe1 {and black has compensation for the Q.}) 16. a4 {Stronger was 16.Ne5, but the text induces a blunder.} a6 {[%mdl 8192] Black could have equalized with 16... Qc5} 17. axb5 axb5 18. Rxa8+ Bxa8 19. Rd1 {As quickly becomes apparent black's Q-side Ps are no com[ensation for his undeveloped K-side and K in the center.} Qb7 20. Ne5 Be7 21. Bh5 Rf8 22. Qb3 g6 23. Bg4 Qc8 24. Nxf7 {[%mdl 512] A forceful finish.} Kxf7 25. Qf3+ Ke8 (25... Kg8 26. Qh3 {wins}) 26. Qh3 Nf4 27. Bd7+ {Black resigned.} (27. Bd7+ Qxd7 28. Qxd7+ Kf7 29. Qc7 Ne6 30. Qe5 Rd8 31. Rxd8 Nxd8 {White is winning.}) 1-0

Alexander Flamberg

    The Polish master Alexander Flamberg (1880-1926) was a highly gifted player with original ideas. Chronic ill health prevented him from ever asserting his full potential. Chessmetrics estimates his highest ever rating to have been 2578 in July, 1914, placing him at #25 in the world. 

    He was born in 1880 in Warsaw (then in the Russian Empire) and spent his early years in England where he learned to play chess. After return to Warsaw, he became one of the strongest Polish players. 

    Flamberg played his first strong tournament in Łodz (a Quadrangular) in 1906 and finished 3rd, behind Akiba Rubinstein and Mikhail Chigorin and aheas of Georg Salve. In 1910, he won the Warsaw championship ahead of Rubinstein, but lost a match to him (+0 –4 =1). In 1913, he drew a match with Duras (+1 –1 =0) and won a match against Bogoljubow (+4 –0 =1), both in Warsaw. 

    The following game was one of his notable games because it was significant in the history of theory...his countryman David Prepiorka commented, "When one examines the opening moves and the subsequent course of the game, it is almost incredible that it was played in 1914...the double fianchetto of the Bishops, the operations on both wings, and later on the maneuver with the black Knights and the posting of the Queen on the long diagonal, all these ideas are, as we know, considered the very latest achievements of the Hypermoderns." 

    The Hypermodern Period was in vogue during the period of 1919-1928, bit it did exist in its early development in 1914, but its development was delayed because of WW I. His opponent in this game was Stepan Levitsky (1876-1924), a Russian master. 

[Event "All-Russian Masters. St. Petersburg"] [Site ""] [Date "1914.01.16"] [Round "?"] [White "Alexander Flamberg"] [Black "Stepan Levitsky"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A47"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate "1914.??.??"] {E17: Queen's Indian Defense} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 b6 {A solid defense in which black tries to control the light squares in the center with pieces is in the Hypermodern style.} 3. g3 {A popular reply that contests the long diagonal.} Bb7 {The idea of playing ...Ba6 became popular in the 1970s and another idea is ...Bb4+ aining to exchange the less useful dark-squared B ha also been tried.} 4. Bg2 e6 5. O-O Be7 6. b3 O-O 7. Bb2 d6 8. c4 Nbd7 9. Nbd2 c5 { At the time the originality of these opening moves was revolutionary.} 10. Ne1 {Flamberg's idea is that the the whole game is based on the control of e4 and so he wants to eliminate light squared Bs in the belief that his K will be safe abd that he will win the battle for e4. The move is not at all bad, but nowadays white usually plays 10.e3 with a solid position. It seems Flamberg's idea has more potential.} Qc7 {Hardly bad, but simpler would have been 10... Bxg2} (10... Bxg2 11. Kxg2 cxd4 12. Bxd4 Rc8 13. e4 Qc7 {with a completely equal position.}) 11. Rc1 {White has several reasinable moves here (for example, 11.e4), but the idea of the text is that it discourages black from central P exchanges as long as his Q is on the c-file.} Bxg2 12. Nxg2 {The position is completely equal. Black could now safely play 12...cxd4, but plays ot safe instead and removes his Q from any potential danger.} Qb7 13. Ne3 { Again, this position is so even that black has a number of reasonable moves.} cxd4 14. Bxd4 Nc5 {Black's plan of retaining control of K5 is logical, but unfortunate in its conse- quences. He misses the last opportunity to play ... P- Q4.} 15. Qc2 Nce4 16. Nxe4 Nxe4 17. Qb2 {Hypermodern stuff...the posting of the Q on the long diagonal to supports the B.} e5 {This leaves him with a backward d-Pawn on the semi-open file and a bad B, but it's a profoundly well played move that closes the diagonal.} 18. Bc3 {Very nice. He is hoping Levitsky will tale the B leaving white with a good N against black's bad B.} Bg5 {18...Nxc3 would be positional suicide.} 19. f4 exf4 20. gxf4 {Black's last maneuver has enabled him to render white's e-Pawn backward and, at the same time, rein-forced his control of e3 because white can no longer play f3. For his part, white has pressure on black's d-Pawn and a a beautiful square for the N on d5. The f-file also has some potential for him. All on all, the position ids equal/} Bf6 21. Bxf6 Nxf6 22. Rcd1 Qe4 23. Rf3 {Both players have been pursue their respective goals.} Nh5 {One annotator who evidently based his comments on the game's outcome called this move a desperate bid for counterplay. That's hardly the case, but the move is a bad seed and white now gets just a wee bot of an advantage. 23...Rfe8 would have kept the engine evaluation at 0.00. 23...Nh5 offers white a P capture which he wisely avoids taking.} 24. Nd5 (24. Rxd6 {would not be wise because after} Nxf4 25. Qd2 Rae8 26. Kf2 g5 {black has plenty of play.}) 24... Rae8 25. Kf2 {A real Master move! White protects his e-Pawn and at the same time makes room for the R on the g-file. He also threatnes Re3.} Qf5 26. Rg1 f6 {The threat was Rg5, but a better way to prevent it was with 26...h6. After the text white gains a small advantage.} 27. Qb1 Qc8 {One annotator opined that the exchange of Qs would yield white a favor-able ending and obviously Levitsky agreed, but they were both wrong! Exchanging Qs was exactly the right course to heep the chances equal. Now white treally does have the advantage, but that's not to say black is lost.} 28. Qd3 {Threatening to win the Knight by Rh3, but it allows black the equalizinf advance of his f-Pawn. White should have prevnted black's next move by advancing his own f-Pawn.} f5 29. Qc3 Kh8 {Black is starting to collapse. His intention probably was to play ...Rg8, but he is in for a surprise. Correct was 29...Qd8} (29... Qd8 {remains equal.} 30. Rg5 Nf6 31. Nxf6+ (31. Rxf5 Ne4+) 31... Rxf6 32. Rfg3 g6 33. h4 d5 34. cxd5 Re4 {with equak chances.}) 30. Rh3 {[%mdl 2048] White now has a virile attack.} Nf6 { [%mdl 8192] After this black is lost.} (30... Qe6 {is a better chance.} 31. Qf3 Nf6 32. Nc7 Ne4+ 33. Kg2 Qd7 {White is clearly better, but black could fight on.}) 31. Rxg7 {[%mdl 512] A magnificent conclusion.} Kxg7 32. Rg3+ Kh6 33. Nxf6 Re6 34. Rg5 {Black cannot parry the mating threats.} Qc5+ 35. Kf1 { It's mate, so black resigned.} 1-0