It wasn't until the next day, a Sunday, that the surrender of Japan became official when the Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay and the Second World War ended after six years and one day.
Then on Monday, General Tomoyuki Yamashita formally surrendered the remaining Japanese troops in the Philippines to General Jonathan Wainwright, the same commander who was compelled to surrender to Yamashita at Corregidor in 1942.
Finally, on Tuesday, September 4th, Emperor Hirohito personally opened a new session of the Japanese Diet with an appeal to his people to "win the confidence of the world" and "establish firmly a peaceful state."
Also, on that date the match with the Soviet Union came to an end. The US got pummeled 15.5-4.5.
Reserve players for the USSR: Alexander Konstaninopolsky, Vitaly Chekhover, Iosif Rudakovsky and Peter Romanovsky
The US went into the match with the expectation that it would be a tightly contested battle, but one which they would eventually win. It was generally accepted that, at the very least, Fine and Reshevsky would come through with plus scores. The idea that the Soviets would literally crush the US team was one that few people entertained.
It soon became apparent that the Americans were outplayed in the openings and in an interview conducted many years later, Bronstein asked, "Do you know how come that we won?" He then answered his own question, explaining, "We studied the openings. And we didn’t give them the chance to get out of the opening. We beat them on their half of the board. They didn’t get off the ground. The entire opening theory is about not letting Black get off the ground. In contrast, for Black it is all about how to take off the ground."
That was evident in the following game. Bronstein vs. Santasiere. There was no rating list in those days, but on Chessmetrics retroactive rating list of October 1945, Bronstein is rated 2669 ranking him 13th in the world. Santasiere was rated 2448 placing him at number 98 in the world.
In the following game, after playing a less than optimal opening, Sanatsiere found himself at a positional advantage from which he never recovered in spite of his stout resistance against his redoubtable opponent. One has to admire his gameness against one of the world's best players. At the same time one has to admire Bronstein's technique.
David Bronstein - Anthony Santasiere
Result: 1-0
Site: USSR-USA Radio Match
Date: 1945
Gruenfeld Defense
[...] 1.d4 ♘f6 2.c4 g6 3.♘c3 d5 4.♘f3 ♗g7 5.e3 Instead of playing one of the forcing lines against the Gruenfeld, Bronstein chooses a rather quiet continuation in which he aims to enter a struggle for possession of the central files. 5...O-O 6.♕b3 e6 Rather than 6...dxc5, Santasiere leaves the c-Pawn in place with the intention of playing ...c7-c5. 7.♗e2 b6 8.O-O ♗b7 These double fianchetto. formations are sound, but as I.A. Horowitz observed they are "delicate" and he added that the exchange of either of his Bs is disadvantageous for black. If memory serves, Alex Yermolinsky also wrote that he was skeptical of the double fianchetto. 9.♖d1 ♘bd7 10.♗d2 c5 11.♖ac1 Now black is faced with the task of how to develop his heavy pieces. To that end Bronstein recommended 11...Qe7 followed by ...Rac8 and ...Rfd8. The problem with the move played is that it deprives the a8R of mobility.
39...♔f6 40.♖a7 g5 Santasiere is still fighting back. He is trying to deflect Bronstein's attention to the K-side Ps in order to free his pieces. 41.♗c2 h5 42.♖a6+ In the endgame it is always useful to drive the K from the center. 42...♔e7
11.♗e1 dxc4 12.♕xc4 ♕e7 13.♖ac1 ♘d5 14.dxc5 ♘xc5 15.b4 ♘xc3 16.♗xc3 Eliskases, E-Mikenas,V/Rosario 1939 is even and the game was eventually drawn.
11.cxd5 ♘xd5 12.dxc5 ♘xc5 13.♕a3 ♕b8 14.♘xd5 ♗xd5 15.♗c3 ♘e4 16.♗xg7 ♔xg7 17.♖ac1 ♖c8 1/2-1/2 Flohr,S-Botvinnik,M/Leningrad 1933/HCL (22)
11...♕b8 Black's plan Is to to prevent Ne5 and at the same time protect the B and regroup his forces after ...a6, he will play ...Qa7, ...Rac5 and ...the ...Qa8. This setup will having his Q and B putting pressure on the center. This grand plan doesn't look like it will accomplish much, so a better idea was the straightforward 11.Qe7 then placing his Rs on the c- and d-files. 12.cxd5 Bronstein plays to open files and diagonals for his pieces. 12...♘xd5 Hardly attractive is 12...exd5, blocking the B. Besides it would result in hanging Ps.
12...exd5 13.dxc5 bxc5 The weakness of hanging Ps is compensated for in their control of important squares. However, judgment and technique of the highest order are essential in their handling.
13.♕a4 In annotating this game Bronstein made the instructive observation that this move generates tactical threats against black's weakened white squares on the Q-side and coupled with his lagging development and congestion on the Q-side, he has no good solution. 13...♖d8 14.♘xd5 ♗xd5 The alternative 14...exd5 still results in hanging Ps which obviously Santasiere has no desire to have. 15.b4 Forcing open the file.. 15...cxd4 Bad would have been 15...c4?
15...c4 Trying to keep the file closed does not work, but the move was worth considering. 16.b5 (16.♗xc4 is a gaffe. 16...♗xc4 17.♖xc4 b5) 16...♕b7 17.♘e1 a6 18.♗xc4 ♗xc4 19.♕xc4 axb5 20.♕xb5 ♖xa2 21.♘d3 ♖da8
16.♘xd4 Due to the inevitable exchange of the light-squared B white has achieved a slight advantage. In spite of that, taking advantage of it will involve significant difficulty because black is not without defensive resources.. Creating a plan that will secure the advantage will require all of Bronstein's ingenuity. 16...a6 This moves gets a ! from Bronstein. 16...Bxd4 would have been dangerous for black because the strong position of the B on d5 would not have compensated him for serious weakening of his Ks position as white would have the maneuver Bd2-g5-h4-g3. Horowitz also observed that black could not afford to part with his valuable B on g7. I find it interesting that Santasiere, Horowitz and Bronstein all agree that parting with the B on g7 would be bad for black and yet Komodo evaluates this capture at 0.00. 17.♘c6 Nice! Now one of the Bs must go and black's Q-side is breached. 17...♗xc6 18.♕xc6 b5 Horowitz claimed this move was ill timed and a decisive blunder because now white has a direct target in the Q-side Ps and it would have been better to play 18...Ne5 Q with a view to liquidating, achieving Bs of opposite colors and aiming for the draw.Bronstein agreed that 18...Ne5 was better, but the move played is hardly a decisive blunder as Horowitz claimed. In fact, white advantage is still very real, but modest.
18...♘e5 19.♕c2 ♖c8 20.♕b3 ♖xc1 21.♖xc1 and it's hard to see this position being anything other than drawn.
19.a4 It is necessary to immediately begin an attack and not give black time to consolidate this Q-side with with ...Nb6. 19...bxa4 Black's a-Pawn becomes the target and white's initiative becomes threatening, due to the fact that black falls under the crossfire of white's two Bs.
19...♘e5 Black could equalize with this move. 20.♕c2 ♘c4 And if now 21.Bxc4, then 21...Rc8! 22.Qe4 bxc4 23.Rxc4 Rxc4 24. Qxc4 Qd6! followed by ...Rd8. White falls into a pin, and must part with dreams of winning. 21.♗xc4 ♖c8 Now white's in a pin. 22.♕e4 bxc4 23.♖xc4 ♖xc4 24.♕xc4 ♕d6 and it's doubtful white could win even with the extra P.
20.♕xa4 Black has a weak P at a6. In addition, the poor positions of the Q at b8 and the R at a8 make themselves felt. 20...♘b6 21.♕a5 The threat is simply Bxa6. No matter what black white always has a way to strengthen his position. 21...♗e5 Temporary tactical measures defer the immediate loss of the Pawn.
21...♖d5 22.♕a2 Black must do something about Bf3. 22...♖d6 23.♗e1 ♘d5 24.♗f3 ♕d8 25.e4 ♘f4 26.e5 ♖xd1 27.♖xd1 ♘d5 28.♗xd5 exd5 29.♖xd5 with the advantage.
22.g3 ♗c7 This B move doesn't help him any and on his nest move Santasiere returns it to e5 where it belongs. But if 22...Nd5 23.Bf3 black still has a difficult position with no clearly good line of defense. 23.♕g5 ♗e5 An interesting situation has developed as a result of black's last move. White's Q is now on g5 which permits white to begin a tactical attack on both flanks.Bronstein has also set a hidden trap for his opponent. 24.♗f3 White's Bs modestly developed at e2 and d2 begin to generate threats. 24...♖a7 This attempt to get the R into play turns out poorly. In fact, although white has enjoyed a positional superiority up until now black's position quickly deteriorates after this move.
24...♘d5 was better as it would have allowed black decent defensive chances after 25.♗e1 ♗f6 26.♕g4 h5 27.♕c4 ♖c8 28.♕xc8+ ♕xc8 29.♖xc8+ ♖xc8
25.♗c3 A great positional stroke which demolishes black's P-structure and leaves him easy prey in the endgame. How so? It exploits the weakening of the 8th rank and now white wins a P. 25...♖xd1+ Also possible is 25...f6.
25...f6 Now after 26.♗xe5 fxg5 (26...♖xd1+ 27.♗xd1 ♕xe5 28.♕xe5 fxe5 29.♗g4 is also to white's advantage.) 27.♗xb8 ♖xb8 28.♗g4 ♔f7 29.♖c6 white has the advantage.
26.♖xd1 f6 27.♗xe5 ♕xe5
27...fxg5 28.♗xb8 ♖e7 leaves white with a won ending after 29.♖a1
28.♕xe5 fxe5 29.♖d6 ♘d5 30.♖xe6 Bronstein has underestimated black's defensive resources or else he would have played 30.Bxd5 (30.♗xd5 exd5 31.♖xd5 ♖e7 and white has a routine win in the R ending.) 30...♘xb4 31.♖xe5 White has won a P, but black's passed P must be stopped. 31...a5 32.♗d1 ♔g7 33.♗a4 ♘d3 34.♖d5 When making his 30th move, White had reckoned on 34.Rb5, after which black's passed P is neutralized and white wins easily by advancing the Ps and his K. Now, however, he noticed that on 34.Rb5 there follows 34...Rf7! 35. f4 Re7, and White hardly has chances of winning. 34...♘b2 35.♖d4 Should black take the B? There has been a lot of analysis on this position, but in the long run it seems that 35...Nxa4 is not the best move. 35...♖c7 On general principles 35... Kf6 seems preferable.
35...♘xa4 36.♖xa4 From this position using Stockfish in a Shootout white scored 5-0. Here is the continuation at 17 plies. 36...♔f7 37.♔f1 ♔e7 38.♔e2 ♔d6 39.♔d3 ♔c5 40.♔c2 ♔b5 41.♖d4 ♖c7+ 42.♔b2 ♔c5 43.♖e4 ♔b5 44.f4 ♖d7 45.♔c3 ♖c7+ 46.♔b3 ♖c1 47.♖e5+ ♔b6 48.♖e7 ♖e1 49.♔c4 ♖c1+ 50.♔b3 ♖e1 51.g4 ♔b5 52.♖e5+ ♔c6 53.f5 gxf5 54.gxf5 ♔d6 55.♖e6+ ♔d5 56.e4+ ♔c5 57.f6 ♖f1 58.e5 ♔b5 59.♖e7 a4+ 60.♔c3 ♔c5 61.♔b2 ♔b5 62.f7 ♖f2+ 63.♔b1 ♖f1+ 64.♔c2 and wins
36.♔f1 White's K gets a head start. 36...♖c1+ 37.♔e2 ♖a1 The R is poorly placed here. 37...Kf6 is still plausible. 38.♗b3 a4 39.♖d7+ This is the winning maneuver.
39.♗d5 makes things hard on himself . 39...♖c1 40.e4 a3 41.e5 ♖c2+ 42.♔e3 ♔f8 43.♖f4+ ♔e8 44.♖f6 ♘d1+ 45.♔d3 ♖c5
45...♖xf2 46.♖a6 ♖xh2 47.♖a8+ ♔d7 48.♖a7+ ♔e8 49.e6 ♘b2+ 50.♔d4 ♖c2 51.♔e5 a2 52.♖xa2 ♘d3+ 53.♔f6 ♖xa2 54.♗c6+ ♔d8 55.e7+ ♔c7 56.e8=♕ wins
46.♔d4 ♖a5 with careful play white should win. 42...♔e5 is met by 43.♗b3 ♖c1 44.♗xa4 h4 45.♗b3 hxg3 46.hxg3 ♖c3 47.♖e6+ ♔f5 48.♖b6 with a won ending.
43.h3
43.f4 allows black to equalize! 43...♖h1 44.♔f3 ♖xh2 45.♗xa4 gxf4 46.gxf4 ♖h3+ 47.♔f2 ♘d3+ 48.♔e2 ♘c5 49.♖a8 ♘xa4 50.♖xa4 Black has good drawing chances.
43...g4 Santasiere is trying to gain counterplay by fixing the P on f2 which he subsequently manages to win. (43...♖a2 44.♗b1 ♖a1 45.♗g6 h4 46.gxh4 gxh4 47.f4 was hardly any better.) 44.hxg4 hxg4 45.♔d2 ♘c4+ 46.♔c3 ♘d6 47.♖xa4 ♖xa4 48.♗xa4 Sanatsiere keeps fighting...he wins a P, but the ending is still lost. 48...♘e4+ 49.♔d4 ♘xf2 50.♔e5 Black cannot save the g4-pawn and the B and two Ps win easily against the N. 50...♔f7 51.♗c2 ♔g7 52.♔f5 Best.
52.♔f4 ♔f6 53.e4 ♔e6 54.♗b3+ ♔e7 55.♔f5 ♘d3 This is also a win, but black has freed his N and so can make it a bit more complicated for white.
52...♔h6 53.e4 ♔g7 54.♔e5 ♔g6 Losing immediately. However, on 54...Nh3 there would have followed 55.Bd1. (54...♘h3 55.♗d1 ♘f2 56.♗e2 ♔g6 57.♔f4 winning the g-Pawn) 55.♔d6 ♔g7 56.e5 ♘h1
56...♔h6 57.e6 ♔g5 58.e7 ♘h1 59.e8=♕ ♘xg3 60.♕e1 ♔h4 61.♔e5 ♔h3 62.♗g6 ♔g2 63.♔f4 ♘h5+ 64.♗xh5 ♔h2 65.♗xg4 ♔g2 66.♗f3+ ♔h3 67.♕h1#
57.e6 Santasiere resigned.. .
57.e6 ♘xg3 58.e7 ♔f7 59.♗b3+ ♔f6 60.e8=♕ ♔g5 61.♕e3+ ♔h4 62.♕f2 ♔h3 63.♗d5 ♘f5+ 64.♔e5 ♘e3 65.♕xe3+ g3 66.♔f4 ♔h4 67.♕xg3+ ♔h5 68.♕g5#
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