Reshevsky Gets Mopped Up by Following Theory

     First of all, condolences to British readers on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. This amazing lady was the last surviving head of state to have served in the war and during her reign she she saw 15 Prime Ministers, including the legendary Winston Churchill, and Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s first female Prime Minister. Her reign stretched over the terms of 13 American presidents and she met all of them except Lyndon Johnson. Princess During the War

     In recent years it's been COVID-19, but in 1976, the Legionnaires disease outbreak that occurred in late July in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania created a massive scare. It happened after the American Legion held its annual convention with more than 2,000 Legionnaires, mostly men, attending. 

     Three days after the convention ended a 61-year-old retired Air Force captain died at his home of an apparent heart attack after he returned from the convention complaining of feeling tired. 

     A total of only 182 cases and 29 deaths created a panic because no tests could determine the cause and as the news broke, Americans were already primed for the threat of an epidemic. At the time President Gerald Ford's administration was making plans to vaccinate every American against swine flu after repeated warnings from government officials that a devastating epidemic could strike without warning. 

     Some scientists were calling for a prohibition against laboratory efforts to genetically engineer microbes for fear they might create a monster germ. Health officials thought the country might be facing an unprecedented condition for which there was no effective treatment. In Pennsylvania, seizing control of all hospitals and imposing quarantines was even contemplated. 

     In the end, it took six months to determine that the illness had been caused by a bacteria that usually succumbs to the prescription of antibiotics. The bacteria, which was apparently spread from the hotel’s air-conditioning system, is a cause of pneumonia and other illnesses worldwide. 

     Earlier that year, in Skopje, Yugoslavia, a tournament was held with two American representatives playing. James Tarjan has earned his Grandmaster while a 64-year old Samuel Reshevsky found the going tough and only managed +2 -6 =7 to tie for 13th place. 

     Aside from his draws with Karpov and Timman the tournament was a disaster as can be seen from the following game. His opponent, Rafael Vaganian (born October 15, 1951) is an Armenian GM who was Soviet champion in 1989. Vaganian was awarded his GM title in 1971, at the age of 19. The following year he finished fourth at the World Junior Championship, won by the Swiss player Werner Hug. 

     In this game Reshevsky, who was not known for his knowledge of openings, was actually following opening theory even when his King traipsed from e1 to g3, but Vaganian refuted the whole line when by move 16 he had sacrificed two pieces and all that was left to do was mop up his illustrious opponent. 

[Event "Skopje"] [Site "?"] [Date "1976.03.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Samuel Reshevsky"] [Black "Rafael Vaganian"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C05"] [Annotator "Stockfish 15"] [PlyCount "56"] [EventDate "1976.??.??"] {French Defense, Tarrasch Variation} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 {This move became popular during the 1970s and early 1980s thanks to Anatoly Karpov. It is not as aggressive as3.Nc3 but it is safe. It protects e4, but does not block the c-Pawn so white can play c3 to support the P on d4. It also avoids the Winawer (3...Bb4). The disadvantage is the 3.Nd2 develops the N to a less active square hems in the B. Therefore, white will have to spend an extra tempo moving the N from d2.} Nf6 {Far more popular is 3...c5} 4. e5 Nfd7 { White's main alternatives are 5.Bd3 and 5.c3. The text is an aggressive plan. White supports the e-Pawn and intends to develop his pieces behind an imposing center and hoping to develop a robust K-side attack. As always, there is a trade off...black gets energetic play against the P on d4 and, as will be seen, white's K is often forced to take a stroll.} 5. f4 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ndf3 Qa5 { The chic move at the time; these days it has been abandoned in favor of the more thematic 7...Qb6 putting pressur eon the d-Pawn.} 8. Kf2 {At the time there was a lot of analysis spent on this position, but Reshevsky's move emerged as the main line.} (8. Be3 {This put black's last move out of business. } cxd4 9. Nxd4 Nxd4 10. Bxd4 {with a nice game.}) 8... Be7 9. Bd3 Qb6 10. Ne2 f6 11. exf6 Bxf6 {Thematic...attacking the d-Pawn.} 12. Kg3 {Bold, or some may say rash. The idea is to get the K off the same diagonal as black's Q and so prevent black from freeing himself with ...e5, a move that Stockfish now shows to be a bad idea.} (12. Be3 {equalizes after} cxd4 13. cxd4 Be7 14. Re1 Qxb2 15. a3 O-O 16. Kg1) (12. Rf1 {Suggested at the time.} cxd4 13. cxd4 e5 { This simply stinks. Black should castle and white's advantage is minimal.} 14. Nc3 Nxd4 (14... e4 15. Nxd5) 15. Nxd5) 12... cxd4 13. cxd4 O-O 14. Re1 { Safer was 14.h2 making a hidey hole for the K.} e5 {This is the critical position. Reshevsky replies with the most natural move, but it loses! Correct was 15.Nc3 after which the position is equal.} 15. fxe5 {[%mdl 8192] The fireworks commence here.} (15. Nc3 {At the board it would be difficult to calculate the consequences of this move!} exf4+ 16. Bxf4 g5 17. Bd6 Nxd4 18. Bxf8 Nxf8 19. Rc1 {with equal chance.}) 15... Ndxe5 (15... Nxd4 {This would be the wrong N.} 16. Nexd4 Nxe5 17. Nxe5 Bxe5+ 18. Rxe5 {Black has just lost two pieces.}) 16. dxe5 {More than likely Reshevsky expected the routine 16...Bxe5+ after which he gets a decent game.} Bh4+ {[%mdl 512] A crushing surprise.} ( 16... Bxe5+ 17. Nf4 Bc7 18. a3 {and black has only a P for a N whicj is not enough compensation.}) 17. Kxh4 {There's no other choice. Now, how is black to continue...there's only one way.} (17. Nxh4 Qf2#) 17... Rxf3 {[%mdl 512] Another sacrifice.} (17... Qf2+ {This may have been what Reshevsky was expecting, bit it loses.} 18. Ng3 {and black has no followup to compensate for his material deficit.} Qxg2 19. Bxh7+ Kxh7 20. Ng5+ Kg8 21. Re2 Rf2 22. Rxf2 Qxf2 23. Qxd5+ {White is winning.}) 18. Rf1 {This prevents Qf2+, but black has other threats.} (18. gxf3 Qf2+ 19. Kg5 h6+ 20. Kh5 (20. Kg6 Nxe5+ 21. Kh5 Qxh2# ) 20... Qxh2+ 21. Kg6 Nxe5#) 18... Qb4+ {Reshevsky could have resigned here, but nobody wants to be victim of a miniature.} 19. Bf4 (19. Nf4 {meets a pretty refutation} Qe7+ 20. Kh5 Qxe5+ 21. Kh4 Qf6+ 22. Kh5 Qh6#) 19... Qe7+ 20. Bg5 (20. Kh5 Qe6 {mates in 4.} 21. Bxh7+ Kxh7 22. Qc2+ g6+ 23. Qxg6+ Qxg6+ 24. Kh4 Qg4#) 20... Qe6 {Mate threats force white to surrender material.} 21. Bf5 { Prevents Qg4+.} Rxf5 22. Nf4 Qxe5 23. Qg4 Rf7 24. Qh5 Ne7 (24... h6 {is not quite as strong.} 25. Qxf7+ Kxf7 26. Nd3+ Qf5 27. Bd2 g5+ 28. Kg3 Kg6 29. Rxf5 Bxf5 {with the advantage.}) 25. g4 {Preventing Nf5+. All white can do is react to immediate threats.} Ng6+ 26. Kg3 Bd7 27. Rae1 Qd6 28. Bh6 Raf8 {Reshevsky resigned.} (28... Raf8 29. Qxd5 Qxd5 30. Nxd5 Rxf1 31. Rxf1 Rxf1 32. Bg5 { and white is down a whole R.}) 0-1