Losing A Won Game

     In 1951-52 Arthur Bisguier (1929-2017) was a draftee serving in the Army and eventually found himself stationed in Germersheim in what was then West Germany. After WWII it was an Army storage site for equipment and stored, received and issued equipment and supplies. It could store 25,000 vehicles such as trucks, jeeps, ambulances, armored cars, tractors and trailers. Bisguier called it a "hell hole." 

     While there he got permission to represent the US in the 1952 Helsinki Olympiad and, also, play in a small international tournament in Vienna in which he rolled over the competition. 

 

     The Rabar vs. Paoli contest was an amusing one. We've all lost games in which we were winning and that's what happened to Rabar. In a winning position he decided to win a R and missed a rather obvious mate in two.

     Yugoslav IM Braslav Rabar (September 27, 1919 - December 6, 1973, 54 years old). He was born in Zagreb and was awarded the IM title in 1950. He was Yugoslav Champion in 1951 and 1953 (jointly). He is probably best remembered, if he is remembered at all, for designing the opening classification system that was used in the Chess Informant. 

     Italian Enrico Paoli (January 13, 1908 - December 15, 2005, 97 years old) was born in Trieste. He was awarded the IM title in 1951, he was Italian Champion in 1951, 1957 and 1968. He was awarded the Honorary GM title in 1996. Paoli was also famous for his endgame and study compositions. 

ChessBase

Braslav Rabar–Enrico Paoli0–1Vienna1953Stockfish 15

King's Indian 1.d4 f6 2.c4 g6 3.c3 g7 4.e4 0-0 5.e2 d6 6.f3 bd7 7.0-0 c5 8.b1 b6 9.h1N 9.d5 a6 10.d2 c7 11.b3 fe8 12.b2 e6 13.f4 White enjoys a space advantage. Nebel,R-Bosau,J Recklinghausen 2003 9.e1 b7 Better is 9...cxd4 10.d5 b5 11.cxb5 a6 12.a4 axb5 13.xb5 White is better. Valles,M (2340)-Ermeni,A (2301) Switzerland SUI 2015 9...b7 Considering white's next move 9...e6 might have been better. 10.d5 White is better thanks to black's cramped position and his lack of counterplay on the Q-side. e8 11.g5 h6 12.f4 e5 13.d2 h7 14.g1 c8 Black's play is too passive. Countering in the center with ...e6 was called for. 15.g3 f6 After this black's position is bordering on lost. 15...g5 was his best option even though it does not prevent 16.f4 16.f4 gxf4 when, at least, the N on e5 is is better placed and black can then counter in the center with . ..e6 17.xf4 16.f4 f7 17.d3 c7 18.ge2 d7 19.c2 h8 20.h4 g4 21.f5 g5 22.hxg5 hxg5 23.e5 dxe5 24.xe5 this wins a P. f7 24...fxe5 25.f6+ h6 26.fxg7 etc. 25.h2 h8 26.g1 g8 27.e4 a6 28.a3 Preventing ...Nb4 b8 29.f2 xe2 30.xe2 d7 31.e4 White is threatening 21.d6, or so he thinks! That said, 31.Be4 is hardly a bad move. de5 Setting a clever, but flawed trap into which Rabar falls! 32.d6 xd6 33.xa8 Rabar has failed to see the mate in two! 33.g3 keeps the advantage. d8 33...f3+ 34.xf3 simply wins a piece. 34.fd1 with a considerable advantage. 33...f3+ 34.gxf3 Rabar resigned before Paoli could play 34...Qxh2# 0–1

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