Yankton International Tournament 1946

     Yankton, South Dakota is a city with a population of about 14,000 that is located on the Missouri River in SE South Dakota. 

     Yankton facts: It's named after the Yankton tribe of Western Dakota people and it was the first capital of Dakota Territory. The Human Services Center was established as a psychiatric hospital there in 1882. Yankton is commonly referred to as the River City due to its proximity to the Missouri River It earned the nickname Mother City of the Dakotas due to the early important role it played in the creation and development of the Dakota Territory. And, its cement was used in the construction of the Panama Canal, so at one time it was also known as Cement City. 

     Another Yankton fact: there was a small "international" tournament held there in 1946. It came about when the newly organized South Dakota State Chess Association was inaugurated and held some small tournaments from September 15th to the 22nd at the Hotel Charles Gurney. Also included was a day long tour of the Black Hills. 

     The hotel was the site of some drama including the trial of Jack McCall, who achieved infamy when he murdered Wild Bill Hickok in Deadwood in 1876. Read more HERE 

     By the way, on the afternoon of August 2, 1876, in the Number Ten Saloon of Deadwood, Dakota Territory, Wild Bill Hickok was shot in the back and killed while playing cards. Jack McCall was charged with the murder and found innocent at first. In 1877, however, he was re-arrested, re-tried found guilty and hung. There are a number of unanswered questions and mysterious circumstances surrounding Hickok's murder. I found THIS book quite interesting.

     The State Championship was run on the Swiss system and went to M.F. Anderson of Rapid City on tiebreaks over Dr. H.H. Savage of Yankton when they both scored 6.0. 

     Mrs. Nancy Gurney won the women's championship with a perfect score 3.0 score ahead of Mrs.Savage, Mrs. Powers and Mrs. Margolis whose husbands were playing in the state championship. 

     There was also an open tournament that ended in a 3-way tie between L. Gladstone (Boulder City, Colorado), William Streeter (Cleveland, Ohio) and J. Spence (Omaha, Nebraska). 

     The main attraction was the "international" tournament which consisted of a few Latin American players and some promising masters and near-masters. Unfortunately three top US invitees didn't play: Fred Reinfeld, Olaf Ulvestad and a promising young player by the name of Sol Rubinow. 

     In the following game Berliner knocked Colon, the Puerto Rican champion, out of first place.

Hans Berliner - Miguel Colon

Result: 1-0

Site: Int'l Tmt Yankton, South Dakota

Date: 1946

Sicilian Dragon

[...] 1.e4 c5 2.♘f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.♘xd4 ♘f6 5.♘c3 g6 6.♗e3 ♗g7 7.h3 This old move was a favorite of Weaver Adams. 7...♗d7

7...♘c6 8.♕d2 O-O 9.O-O-O ♘xd4 10.♗xd4 ♗e6 was the "book" line of the day having been played in Adams-Reshevsky at the Hollywood Pan-Am in 1945. In that game black weathered a violent attack and eventually won.

7...O-O 8.♗c4 a6 9.a4 ♘c6 10.♘b3 ♘a5 11.♘xa5 ♕xa5 12.O-O with equaliry. Ghaem Maghami,E (2591) -Mirzoev,A (2553)/Tehran IRI 2014

8.♕d2

8.♗c4 a6 9.♗b3 ♘c6 10.O-O b5 11.a3 with equal chances. Nestorovic,L (2234)-Antonic,D (1978)/Belgrade 2008

8...♗c6 Better was either 8...Nc6 or 8...O-O 9.f3 ♘bd7 10.♗h6 Black has wasted a considerable amount of time in the opening and as a result Berliner seizes the initiative with this move which weakens black's K-side. 10...O-O Natural, but black needs to be hyper-aggressive here.

10...♗xh6 11.♕xh6 ♕a5 12.O-O-O ♘b6 Preventing Bc4. White is better, but black at least has some counterplay.

11.O-O-O ♘h5 This move only loses more time and thereby strengthens white's attack, bt black's chances have been compromised by his passive play.

11...♗xh6 12.♕xh6 ♖c8 13.h4 e5 14.♘db5 ♗xb5 15.♘xb5 d5 is better, but not by much.

11...♕a5 Is probably black's best. 12.h4 ♗xh6 13.♕xh6 ♕e5 14.g4 with a strong attack.

12.g4 ♘g3 13.♖h2 ♘xf1 14.♖xf1 ♘c5 15.h4 ♕b6 This leads to a quick end.

15...e5 is his last chance at getting some kind of play. 16.♗xg7 ♔xg7 17.♘db5 ♕d7 18.♘xd6 ♖fd8 19.♖d1 but here, too, white is better, but is it enough to win? Apparently because white scored +4 -0 =1 in Shootouts from this position.

16.♗xg7 ♔xg7 17.h5 ♘a4 This "attack" is too little too late, buyt there is nothing better. 18.♘xa4 ♗xa4 19.hxg6 fxg6 20.♘e6

20.♘f5 Is also crushing. 20...♖xf5 21.exf5 ♖h8 22.♖e1 e5 23.fxe6 and wins.

20...♔g8 (20...♔f7 is no better. 21.♘xf8 ♖xf8 22.♖xh7) 21.♕h6

21.♖xh7 was quicker. 21...♖f7 (21...♔xh7 22.♕h6 ♔xh6 23.♖h1#) 22.♖h6 ♖g7 23.♖fh1 and eventually black will get mated.

21...♖f7 22.♖fh1 Black can only delay, but not avoid, mate. 22...♖c8 23.♕xg6 After this nice move forcing mate in two, black resigned.. A nice crush by Berliner. (23.♕xg6 ♔h8 24.♖xh7 ♖xh7 25.♕xh7#)

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