Stalemate, Elating or Frustrating

     Back in the 19th century before the stalemate rule was standardized as a draw, the results of a game ending in a stalemate varied depending on the locality. 

     After the rules were standardized in the endgame stalemate is a resource that can enable the player with the inferior position to draw. In more complicated positions it usually takes the form of a swindle that succeeds only if the superior side is inattentive. 

     I can only remember two of my Internet blitz games ending in stalemate. In both cases it was because of time pressure blunders, one by me and one by my opponent. If you have a won position and let an opponent off the hook by playing a move that stalemates him it's probably one of the most frustrating things in chess...even worse than losing, I think! On the other hand, if you are losing and a stalemate occurs there is a feeling of elation at having escaped in such a clever fashion. 

     Today's game features a stalemate that was played in a disremembered tournament of yesteryear, the 1949 Omaha, Nebraska city championship. The players were Howard Ohman and Jack Spence. 

     Howard Ohman (July 17, 1899 - February 25, 1968, 68 years old) was Nebraska's leading player for several decades and won the State Championship some 25 times. Besides being a player and chess columnist, Ohman was a lawyer and clergyman. 

     He was born at Omaha and his parents were both natives of Sweden. After graduating from college he spent seven years practicing law with a couple of local law firms, the Union Pacific Railroad and in private practice. He also served as pastor's assistant at the First Central Congregational Church in Omaha and was associated with the Chelby Colorado Camps for Boys and Girls during the summer months. 

     Besides chess, Ohman was interested in astronomy and even gave lectures on the subject. He was a joiner, belonging to the Y. M. C. A., the Red Cross and the Chamber of Commerce. He served as president of the Omaha Chess Club and was a member of the University Club. He also played tennis and handball. 

     Jack Spence (born September 20, 1926 - November 12, 1978, 52 years old) was twice Nebraska champion (1952 and 1959) and was a chess author and organizer. 

 

Jack Spence

   In the 1940s and 1950s Spence was heavily involved in organization, including the 1959 US Open in Omaha. He stopped organizing and didn't play in a lot of Omaha events because of a long standing disagreement with Ohman over how the Omaha club was to run. After Ohman passed away Spence resumed his role as an organizer. 

     Spence was by far best known for was his publishing work. He edited the Nebraska Chess Bulletin from 1947-1959, but more importantly, in the 1950s he put out a series of mimeographed tournament bulletins of major US events. They were virtually the only source for the games played in those events. 

     As a player, Spence was an attacker that loved gambits, especially the Vienna Gambit variation that was popularized by Weaver Adams. (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Qh5). 

     Here's the fight between these two rivals that ended in stalemate. It must have been very frustrating for Spence!

[Event "Omaha City Championship"] [Site "?"] [Date "1949.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Howard Ohman"] [Black "Jack Spence"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "D00"] [Annotator "Stockfish 15"] [PlyCount "110"] [EventDate "1949.??.??"] {Catalan} 1. d4 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 g6 { At the time this game was played this move was quite unusual.} 4. Nd2 Bg7 5. c4 c6 6. e3 (6. Ngf3 O-O 7. O-O Nbd7 8. b3 e6 9. Bb2 b6 10. Qc2 Bb7 11. e4 dxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 13. Qxe4 {is equal. Poliak,E-Konstantinopolsky,A Dnipropetrovsk 1939}) 6... Qa5 7. cxd5 cxd5 8. Ngf3 Nc6 9. O-O Bg4 10. Nb3 Qd8 11. Nc5 b6 12. Qa4 Rc8 (12... bxc5 {[%eval -25,0] 12...Rc8} 13. Qxc6+ {One amateur annotator of the day commented that 13.Ne5 "would be terrific." In fact, it loses!} (13. Ne5 Bd7 14. Nxd7 Qxd7 15. dxc5 {and a white piece has come up missing!}) 13... Nd7 14. Qxd5 {White is better.}) 13. Nd3 (13. Ne5 {is still out of the question.} bxc5 14. Nxg4 Nxg4 15. dxc5) 13... O-O 14. Re1 {Not bad by any means, but 14... Qd7 was better.} Ne4 15. Nd2 (15. h3 {would have kept black's advantage at a minimum.} Bxf3 16. Bxf3 h5 17. Rd1 Qd7 18. Bg2 {Black has the initiative on the K-side.}) 15... Bd7 16. Qb3 (16. Nxe4 {would be a bad mistake.} dxe4 17. Nb4 (17. Bxe4 Nxd4) 17... Nxd4) 16... Nxd2 17. Bxd2 e6 18. Rac1 f5 {Instead of this black should have doubled Rs on the c-file with ... Rc7, ...Qb8 and ...Rfc8} 19. Qa3 {Even better was doubling Rs on the c-file beginning with 19.Rc2} Rf7 {In this blocked position both players now begin maneuvering without either side makes much progress.} 20. b4 Bf8 21. Qb3 Bd6 22. f4 Be8 23. b5 Nb8 24. Ne5 Rfc7 25. Rxc7 Rxc7 26. Rc1 Rxc1+ 27. Bxc1 Qc7 28. Bd2 Nd7 29. Kf2 Nf6 30. h3 Ne4+ 31. Bxe4 fxe4 32. Ng4 Kg7 33. Ke2 g5 {Black now begins activity in earnest on the K-side, but white's defensive resources are sufficient that he can maintain equality.} 34. Nf2 {This allows black to gain the edge; the N needs to stay where it is so it can hop onto e5 if required.} gxf4 35. gxf4 {This is an error because it allows black to operate on the g-file with his Q while white's remains out of play on the Q-side. Capturing with the e-Pawn was correct; black's passed e-Pawn is easily blockaded.} Bh5+ {Nire precise was 35...Qf7 bringing the Q into play.} (35... Qf7 36. Kf1 Qh5 37. a4 Qf3 38. Qc2 Bh5 {with the advantage. In Shootouts black scored 5-0.}) 36. Ng4 {Once again back has missed his best opportunity and white can easily defend himself.} Kg6 37. Kf2 Qg7 38. Qc3 {White is prepaing to place his Q entirely out of play...a regretful decision.} (38. Bb4 {remains equal.} Bxg4 39. hxg4 Bxb4 40. Qxb4) 38... Kf5 39. Qc6 {After this the game is lost. He would have some chances of saving the game after 39.Nh2} Be7 {Well played! It brings the B into action.} (39... Bxg4 {draws.} 40. hxg4+ Kxg4 41. Qxd6 Kh3 42. Qxe6+ Kh2 43. Bc1 h5 44. Qe5 Qg2+ 45. Ke1 Kg1 46. Qxh5 Qf1+ 47. Kd2 Qd3+) 40. Ke1 Bxg4 41. hxg4+ Qxg4 42. Bc3 Bh4+ (42... Qf3 {was even stronger.} 43. Kd2 Qf2+ 44. Kd1 Qxe3 {etc.}) 43. Kd2 {With white's Q and B as bystanders black has a free hand to maneuver ob the K-side.} Qg2+ 44. Kc1 Qg1+ 45. Kb2 Qxe3 46. Qc7 Qe2+ 47. Ka3 Qxb5 48. Qxh7+ Kg4 49. Qg6+ Kxf4 (49... Kf3 { is not as good.} 50. Qh5+ Kg3 51. Be1+ Kg2 52. Bxh4 {However, even here black should win after} Qd3+ 53. Kb2 Qxd4+ 54. Kc2 Qd3+ 55. Kb2 Qd2+ 56. Kb1 Qxf4) 50. Qh6+ {Black is clearly winning.} Bg5 {But not after this! It looks logical though. It's possible that the time control ended at move 50 and black was short of time, so this move was rushed. Who knows?} (50... Kg4 51. Qxe6+ Kf3 52. Qh3+ Bg3 {Black's K is safe and the win is faitly routine.}) 51. Bd2+ { After this blacks win has evaporated.} e3 {Black may have very well expected this was the saving move or else it played it very hastily.} 52. Bxe3+ { Black probably overlooked this.} Kxe3 53. Qxg5+ {Now there is no way for black to escape the draw even though he his two Ps up. No matter how the K twists and turns it cannot avoid white's checks.} Kxd4 (53... Ke4 54. Qg2+ Kf5 55. Qf2+ Kg6 56. Qg3+ Kf7 57. Qf4+ Ke7 58. Qg5+ Kd7 59. Qd8+ {An interesting position. Black must allow the stalemate with 59...Kxd8 or lose!} Kc6 60. Qe8+ {winning the Q}) 54. Qe3+ Kc4 {[%csl Gc4][%cal Rb5b4]} 55. Qc3+ Kxc3 {White is stalemated.} 1/2-1/2