Kenneth Smith’s Incredibly Bad Luck

 

     The 1970 National Open in Sparks, Nevada was exceptionally strong and the outcome was in doubt until the last round was finished. When the dust settled Larry Evans and Arthur Bisguier both had 7-1 scored and shared top homors. 

     Evans played his usual steady, unspectacular chess and going into the last round had won six and drawn one, In the last round his opponent was National Master Bruch Pandolfini. Bisguier was playing National Master Walter Cunningham. Bisguier took a quick draw and after an exciting game, Evans and Pandolfini finally agreed to a draw. 

     Bisguier played his usual exciting and dangerous chess and had some incredible luck in the 7th round when he played Kenneth Smith. At move 13 Bisguier carelessly castled, normally a good thing, but at that moment it gave Smith the opportunity to win a piece for nothing. Even though he lost a piece Bisguier didn’t resign. He fought back, recklessly throwing everything he had at Smith even though it exposed his own King. Just when it looked like Smith had a mate the incredible happened...Smith managed to lose! Take a look...

ChessBase

Kenneth Smith–Arthur Bisguier0–1A00National Open, Reno, Nevada1970Stockfish 16

Scotch Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.f3 c6 3.d4 exd4 4.c3 Smith was true to his convictions that you should play gambits and it took considerable fortitude to play this against Bisguier, himself a fearless attacking player. dxc3 5.xc3 5.c4 Even though this results in sharp play with equal chances,it's a bit much even for Smith! cxb2 6.xb2 b4+ 7.c3 f6 8.0-0 d6 9.d5 equals 5...d6 6.c4 e6 A prudent move; it blunts white's B and exchanges lessen white's attacking possibilities. 6...f6 is the other way. 7.b3 d7 8.g5 e5 9.b5 c6 10.f4 cxb5 with equal chances. 7.xe6 fxe6 8.b3 d7 9.xb7 This regains the P but puts the Q out of play. Also possible was the more conservative 9.O-O b8 10.a6 e7 11.0-0 White's position is not without promise. f6 Against e5 12.d1 ge7 13.e2 White needs to defnd the b-Pawn so he can develop his B on c1. 0-0 This careless move looks logical, but it's not; white has a decisive advantage. 13...xc3 14.bxc3 0-0 15.a3 e5 16.c4+ h8 17.ab1 b6 is equal. Noetzel,F (2090)-Oberhofer, A (2308) Berlin GER 2011 13...g6 14.e3 xc3 15.bxc3 0-0 Draw agreed. Papaioannou,I (2470)-Nikolaidis,I (2565) Athens 1997 14.e5 ...winning a piece! xe5 15.xe5 c8 15...xe5 16.xe5 White has won a piece. 16.g4 xc3 17.bxc3 Kenneth Smith was a strong mater and there is no way he can lose this game even to a GM! d5 18.d3 The R is added to the attack. h5 Bisguier was not one to sit idly by and do nothing so he attacks even if it exposes his K. 18...e7 19.c4 e5 19.h6+ Destroying the King's house. gxh6 19...h8 is just as bad. 20.xh5 f6 21.h4 20.xh5 Threatening mate with Rg3+. f6 21.g3+ 21.xh6 packs an even harder punch. e8 22.g3+ h7 23.g7+ h8 24.g5 Of course white is winning. 21...h7 22.xh6 Threatening mate with Bd2+ e8 23.g7+ h8 24.h4 This si a major slip. White's still better, but the sure win is gone. 24.g5 This is the winner...the intention is to play Rh7+! and mate with Qg7 f8 25.e1 e7 26.g8+ wins outright. 24...g6 25.xg6 xg6 There's no good discovered check, but white is P up so he still has the advantage, but there is still a lot of work to be done. 26.e1 b1 Just like that...white has to think about the safety of his own King! Even so he still has what should be a decisive advantage. 27.c1+ g7 28.c4 While not bad, this move leaves white's K compromised. Therefore it would have been prudent to create an escape square with 28.h3 f6 29.h3 29.h6+ might have been worth a try. Black can't trade Qs. f7 29...xh6 30.xh6+ xh6 31.xb1 White is winning. 30.xg6+ xg6 31.d2 b2 32.a5 c2 33.xc7 d5 34.f4 xc4 White still has his work cut out for him in order to score the point. 29...f7 30.f4 At this point it's a whole new game because black has equalized and now it's a strong Master against a GM...the odds favor the GM! 30.g4 This would have kept his hopes alive. e5 31.g2 a1 32.g3 xa2 33.b3 c2 34.f3 with the slightly better prospects. 30...c2 31.g4 And now g5 would win. e5 32.e3 xc4= 33.g5 g8 34.f4 exf4 34...xf4 35.f1 35.f1 This is a gross blunder that loses immediately.. 35.e8+ would draw. g7 36.d7+ h8 37.g6 c5+ 38.h1 h5 39.g1 xc1 40.xc1 f3+ and black should take the draw. 35...xf1+ White resigned. Stockfish informs that there is a mate in 21! 35...xf1+ 36.xf1 fxe3 37.e2 xc1 38.xe3 c3+ 39.d2 a3 40.c2 xa2+ 41.b3 h2 42.c4 e7 43.b3 xh3+ 44.b4 g6 45.c4 xg5 46.b4 h4+ 47.c3 c5 48.d3 a5 49.e2 a4 50.d2 b4 51.e2 a3 52.f3 a2 53.e2 a1 54.f3 b3+ 55.g2 a2+ 56.h1 b1# 0–1

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Reshevsky Nips Seidman

     With the exception of Bobby Fischer, the 1968 U.S. Championship was composed of the twelve highest rated players in this country. 

     In such a short tournament a loss must certainly be avoided and wins against the players at the bottom are a must if one is to succeed in winning the tournament. Larry Evans and Robert Byrne pulled it off, Reshevsjy didn’t. 

     The crucial game for both Evans and Byrne was their game against William Lombardy; Evans won, Byrne drew. 

     Reshevsky fell short in two games that were crucial: he drew with his old rival from 1941 when they played a match for the US Championship, Al Horowitz. Both Evans and Byrne beat Horowitz. Reshevsy’s cause suffered a serious blow when he lost to Pal Benko while both of his rivals drew with Benko.

 

     As for Reshevsky;s opponent in the following game, Herbert Seidman, a veteran of many events, he hadn’t been playing a lot of chess since the 1962 US Championship (also won by Evans) where he finished tied for places 3-6 (out of 12) with a +5 -3 -3 score. As a result he was out of form due to lack of practice. 

     Even so, he scored an impressive victory against William Lombardy. When Reshevsky faced Seidman in the 8th round he was conscious of the fact that it was a must win game. At the same time he was fully aware that Seidman was a dangerous opponent especially if he got the kind of position he liked...sharp tactical ones! 

     Seidman was well prepared in the opening, rapidly playing his first 13 moves. An optimistic Reshevsky believed it was he who had a slight advantage in the middlegame, but in reality the position was equal. 

     Seidman defended stubbornly and was holding his own. Just when it looked like Reshevsky wasn’t making any real progress he was suddenly struck by an idea in the ending...he sacrificed a piece for a gob of passed Ps. Stopping them was theoretically possible, but in practical play the task proved too difficult and Seidman got nipped.

ChessBase

Samuel Reshevsky–Herbert Seidman1–0D92US Championship, New York825.07.1968Stockfish 16

D92: Gruenfeld Defense 1.d4 f6 2.c4 g6 3.c3 d5 4.f3 g7 This somewhat unusual move was a favorite of Reshevsky. More often seen are 6.Qb3 and, less often, 6.cxd5 and 6.e3 5.f4 0-0 6.c1 The generally held belief that Reshevsky never studied openings is a myth. He did. Pal Benko was once hired by Reshevsly as a second and one of the things they worked on was openings. Benko explained his exasperation when they studied opening in the morning and after a break for lunch Reshevsky had forgotten everything!. At least in this game Reshevsky was aware that this setup was popularized by the gifted Hungarian GM Lajos Portisch, who had scored numerous victories with it. At best, however, white has no more than his usual opening edge. c5 7.dxc5 e6 8.e3 a5 9.d4 c6 10.xe6 Reshevsky felt (probably correctly) that this was the only way to procure a semblance of an opening advantage. However, as will be seen, the doubling of blacl's Ps does not yield any particular advantage. 10.b3 was an interesting alternative. xc5 11.xe6 It turns out that wgite has to play this move anyway. 11.xb7 is a mistake because after xd4 12.exd4 xd4 13.g3 e4 black has a clear advantage. 11...fxe6 12.xb7 This is white's best move, but it will require precise play to keep the position equal. a6 Safest, but it's probably not the move Seidman would have played. 12...e4 13.xe4 dxe4 14.b5 An unusual position in that blacks' tripled Ps perform an important function in that they control the center squares and as a result, the position is about equal. 13.a4 a5+ 14.c3 fc8 15.cxd5 xd5 16.c4 Black is slightly better. 10...fxe6 11.a4 According to Reshevsky other moves were inadequate. gain, he was probably correct because 11.Qb3 leads to complications that offer black good prospects. xc5 12.b5 xb5= 13.cxb5 b8 Uo to here Seidman had been playing his mvoes quckly. Here he wants to reposition his N to b6 via d7. Another equally acceptable move was 13...Na5 13...a5 14.e2 ac8 15.0-0 c4 16.a4 d7 17.xc4 xc4 18.xc4 dxc4 19.c1 and the game Roiz,M (2595)-Zakhartsov,V (2453) Dresden 2015 lead to a draw, 14.d3 Reshevsky thought this was superior to 14.Be2, but there doesn't seem to be much difference. 14.e2 bd7 15.0-0 ac8 16.fd1 e5 17.g5 e6 18.xf6 xf6 19.a4 Theoretically the position ids equal, but in Miralles,G (2445)-Kouatly,B (2485) Montpellier 1991 black managed to squeeze out a win, so perhaps Reshevsky's assessment was correct after all. 14...bd7 15.e2 AN instructive move. In view of the ensuing endgame Reshevsky keeps his K in the center. e5 A well played advance. Seidman prefers to take aggressive action rather than to play defensively and make a waiting mov. Also, the move crosses Reshevsky's intended plan of playing 16.Bb1 followed by Rc2 and doubling Rs on the c-file. 16.g3 e4 17.b1 Not 17.Bc2 blocking the R. ac8 18.a4 18.a4 was discarded by Reshevsky because black could easily defend the d-Pawn by ...e6 and then try to occupy the strategic square d3. This seems a rather an abstract concept, but it's an interesting insight into Reshevsky's thinking. e6 19.d6 fe8 20.f3 and there is no way for black to occupy d3 and the chances are equal. 18...g4 19.hd1 e6 20.xc8 xc8 21.f3 21.xe4 was not to Reshevsky's liking. c4 21...dxe4 22.xd7 highly favors white. 22.c3 b4 23.xd5 xb2+ 24.d2 xd2+ 25.xd2 exd5 26.xd5+ f8 27.xb7 with an unclear position. Five Shootouts from this position were drawn, but playing the enbding OTB would be just too difficult. 21...exf3+ 22.gxf3 Now retreating the N to f6 hindering white's next move would have been the safest course. ge5 23.e4 Now the purpose of white's 20th move becomes apparent. By forcing the following exchange of Ps white is able to activate his R and the B on g3. Black is not at any disadvantage here, but white has the initiative and so black's defense must be precise. dxe4 24.xe4 b6 25.d6 The R is activated and the B's diagonal has been opened. 25.f4 It was annoying to Reshevsky that this move was insufficient to gain any advantage. f6 26.h1 c2+ 27.d2 xd2+ 28.xd2 ed7 with equal chances. 25...f8 Reshevsky was totally mistaken when he called this move the best; he was hoping for the natural 25...Kf7 because he though he would hve gotten slightly the better of it. The text move is not the best, in fact, it's a mistake that allows white to get an active position. 25...f7 This keeps the position equal. 26.f4 This is the correct move, but it does not, as Reshevsky thought, confer any special advantage on white. c4 27.c3 c5 28.fxe5 xe4 29.d7+ f8 30.xa7 xg3+ 31.hxg3 b4 and the position is comletely equal. 26.b3 g5 Suddenly black's position has become critical, but it is far from obvious. A casual glnce would suggest that he has nothing to worry about. That said, Seidman's aggressive defense is his best course of action. 27.xb6 A bolt from the blue! After this (sound) sacrifice, black's game is, for all practical purposes, untenable. White has only procured two P for the piece, but the passed Ps along with the help of the Rs and two Bs are mot likely to be stopped. axb6 28.xb6 h5 29.a6 More precise was 29.Rb7 threatening Rxg7+ and Bxe5+ h4= 30.f2 eg6 After Reshevsky's small slip on move 29 Seidman conducts a manly defense. 31.a8 31.c6 Reshevsky thought this was much stronger, but it's not because black has good defensive possibilities after, for example... d8 32.b6 e5 33.b7 f4+ An amazing position. White has only one move that does not lose. 34.e1 34.f1 d1+ 35.e1 d7 White's pinned B will cost him te game. 36.c8+ f7 37.f2 b8 38.a4 h3 39.a5 a7+ 40.f1 g2 41.e2 xe1+ 42.d3 g4 43.d2 43.fxg4 f4+ 44.d2 xe4 43...g3 44.hxg3 h2 45.h8 h1 46.xh1 xh1 34...g2+ and black draws. 31...xa8 Technically this is OK, but practically 31. ..Nf4 would have made it more difficult for white to win. 31...f4+ 32.d2 c3+ 33.c2 xa8 34.xa8 a5 and with correct play black should be able to stop the Ps. 32.xa8 e5 33.g1 f4+ 34.f1 A very fine move! In the auto-annotation Stocfish attached a ! to this move. The reason is that white needs to keep his K near the K-side and not go wandering off the the Q-side to try and support the Ps. 34.e3 h3 35.e4 d7 36.c6 xg1 37.xd7 xh2 38.xe6+ I spent a consideable amount of time trying to win this position for white, but it can't be done! In fact,in Shootouts white scored +0 -3 =2, so had white not played 34.Kf1 ge likely would have lost. I suspect $eshevsky instinctively knew this! 34...d7 35.a4 c7 Obviously played in order to stop the advance of the Ps, but this turns out to be a serious mistake after which saving the game will prove nearly impossible. 35...c3 36.c6 e5 37.e4 f7 38.b6 d5 39.xd5 exd5 40.b7 c6 The Ps are stymied and bringing up the K doesn't help. 41.e2 h3 The K can go no further. 42.e3 42.d3 e5 wins 42...f6 43.f4 g4 44.b6 f5 45.d3 b4 46.c7 g3 and wins 36.c6 b8 37.e4 A very fine move because now white is ready to advance his Ps and black is compelled to parry this threat. d5 Black seems to have solved the problem of stopping the onrushing Ps. This might have been true had his B been behind the Ps (35...Bc3) and not in front of them (35...Bc7). 37...a5 is the only move that gives him a fighting chance. 38.c5 d7 39.e7 d5 40.xd5 This is the correct move. 40.xg5 h3 is unclear and a very difficult position to play. 40...exd5 41.b4 c7 42.h3 f7 43.xg5 Five Shootouts from this position all ended in white wins. 38.xd5 exd5 39.b4 The winning move. Give it two exclamation marks! 39.b6 Looks good, but it;s a loser...or rather a drawer! d6 40.h3 f7 41.e3 f6 42.a5 b4 The Ps are stopped and black draws. 43.f4 43.e2 White cannot bring up the K. xa5 44.d3 c6 45.c5 b4 46.xb4 xb4+ 47.d4 e6 48.c5 d3+ 49.c6 e5+ 50.c7 d7 51.b4 d4 wins 43...xa5 44.fxg5+ f5 There is no chance of white winning. 39...f7? Black's K is just a bit too far from the Q-side to be of any help. 40.a5 d7 41.b6 d8 41...xb6 fails. 42.xb6 xh2 43.a6 b8 44.c7 xc7 45.a7 h3 46.a8 42.b7 b8 43.a7 c7 44.b5 d7 45.a6 xh2 46.b8 Black resigned. An extremely well played game by Reshevsky especially given that Seidman's play, with the exception of his slip at move 37, was also quite precise.. 46.b8 xb8 47.xb8 xb8 48.b6 wraps it up. 1–0

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Lady Brutally Beaten By Reuben Fine

     In 1941 the war was raging in Europe and later in the year, on December 7th, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. 

     A lot of players were lost that year: Polish maters, Isaak Appel, Jakub Kolski, Leo Kremer, Ignatz von Popiel and Izaak Towbin died. Polish/French master Joseph Cukierman committed suicide. Latvian master Fricis Apsenieks died of tuberculosis in Riga. Charles Jaffe died in New York. Former Estonian Champion Ilmar Raud died in Buenos. 

     Alexander Ilyin-Genevsky died during the siege of Leningrad by the Germans. Former Cuban Champion Juan Corzo y Principe died in Havana. Czech master Karel Treybal was executed in Prague when he was charged with illegal possession of a firearm. British chess functionary Frederick Hamilton-Russell died in England.

     Viktor Korchnoi's father was killed in battle east of Leningrad. The strong mster Vsevolod Rauzer also died in Leningrad as did mathematician and master Boris Koyalovich. 

     Emanuel Lasker (1868-1941) died of a kidney uremic poisoning. Uremia is a buildup of toxins in the blood that occurs when the kidneys stop filtering toxins out through the urine. Uremia is often a sign of end-stage kidney disease. Treatments today include medication, dialysis and kidney transplants. 

     It was during March of 1941, that six anti-Semitic articles written by Alekhine were published in which he claimed that Jews played cowardly and for money whereas Aryans played aggressively and bravely. 

     In US chess news, in 1941, Louis Persinger (1887-1966), a pianist, professor of violin and strong amateur player won the first USCF Open postal championship. Mona Karff defeated Adele Rivero to win the US Women's Championship. Samuel Reshevsky defeated I.A. Horowitz to retain his US Championship. 

     In July, 1941, Reuben Fine successfully defended his championship title in the Annual Open Tournament of the United States Chess Federation, held St. Louis, Missouri.

     The tournament was again a one man show as Fine stood head and shoulders above the competitors as he barely exerted himself as hr costed to first. In the finals Fine quickly dispatched Adams and Steiner, his main rivals, then coasted home while yielding two draws, but they had effect on the final outcome. 

     The runner up, Herman Steiner, did well. He played his usual tricky, trappy chess and took some unnecessary chances against weaker opponents. 

     Weaver Adams, at the time advocating the Bishop’s Opening as the way to play and win, did better than might have been expected based one his recent performances. Adams played three games with the Bishop’s Opening and won all three! As black, he used his favorite Albin Counter Gambit with success against Marchand. 

     In the following game from the preliminaries, Fine administers a brutal defeat to the unknown lady player Dorothy Williams. The only information on her that I could locate was that she played in the 1960 US Open which was also held in St. Louis. There she scored 4-8 and tied for places 152-159 out of 176 players. Her USCF rating was 1800 (Class A). She was listed as being from Webster Groves, Missouri which is a suburb of St. Louis. 

 

ChessBase

Reuben Fine–Dorothy Williams1–0D50US Open (Prelim) St. Louis1St. Louis, MO USA17.07.1941Massie,Jasmes

D07: Queen's Gambit: Chigorin Defense 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.c3 f6 4.g5 c6 Normally one expects to see 4...Ne7 or 4...Nbd7 here. Instead, black transposes into an old favorite of mine, the chancy, unorthodox Chigorinf Defense which is better than it reputation. 5.f3 h5 Clearly this is pointless. Back has tried 5...h6 and 5...Be7 here, but the thematic move is 5.. .dxc4 5...dxc4 6.e4 Or the equally good 6.e3 b4 7.xc4 White is slightly better. 6.e3 e7 7.d3 d7 Black has developed her pieces solidly, but they have no scope and her K-side has been weakened by ...h5, none of which bi=odes well, especially against one of the world's best players! 7...b4± is the best move available. Then after... 8.e2 c5 black at least has some play, but that P on h5 and the weakened K-side are a concern. 8.xf6 White is clearly better. xf6 9.cxd5 b4 10.dxe6 xd3+ 11.xd3 xe6 12.0-0 To the eye of an amateur it looks like Fine's exchanges have left black with two Bs vs. two Ns and a halfway decent position because it looks like white has no way of whipping up a serious attack. However, that's wrong! Black's K-side is seriously weakened and white's P-center will soon mobilize with devastating consequences. Stockfish 16 thinks white is better by 1.5 Ps. Komodo is a bit more conservative putting white's advantage at just over a P. In either case, it's more than enough for Fine (or any GM, for that matter) to beat an amateur. Also, we can expect black (or any amateur, for that matter) to make tactical mistakes. c6 This guards against Qb5 12...0-0 13.e4 g6 14.e5 g7 15.e3 e7 16.g5 c4 17.fe1 Danger is looming on the horizon for black owing to the weakened K-side. 13.e4 The expansion begins. h4 Kudos to black for trying to attack! Unfortunately, there just isn't anything there owing to white's mobile P-center. 14.d5 The slaughter begins. xc3 14...cxd5 15.exd5 xc3 16.xc3 xd5 17.fd1 h5 18.xg7 with a clear advantage. 15.xc3 cxd5 16.xg7 f8 17.ad1 h3 As good as anything. 18.exd5 Black's K is in a hopeless situation. hxg2 There was nothing better. There's a mate in 19! 19.fe1 e7 20.dxe6 f6 20...fxe6 Holds out for a while. 21.g6+ f7 22.xe6 f8 23.e5 xe6 24.xe6 e7 25.g6+ mates in 4 g7 26.xe7 f8 27.d7 g7 28.g6+ h8 29.h6# 21.g6+ Black resigned. She never had a chances against Fine's precise play. 1–0

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Pierce Gambit Fails, f-Pawn Delivers Mate

     Englishman William T. Pierce (March 30, 1839 – May, 1922, 83 years old) was the younger brother of James Pierce, the weekly chess column editor of the Brighton Guardian and English Mechanic. The Pierce Gambit in the Vienna Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3 g5 5.d4) is named for him. 

     The following game was played at the Manhattan Chess Club way back in 1897 between Louis Schmidt and E.A. Orchard and it features a failed Pierce Gambit and a masterful attack by black that ends with an unusual mate delivered by his f-Pawn.

     When I first played through it, things looked pretty straightforward. White played the discredited Pierce Gambit, got nothing for it and black annihilated him. As ypou will see, things weren’t quite so simple. 

ChessBase

Louis Schmidt–E.A. Orchard0–1C25Manhattan Chess Club1897Stockfish 16

Vienna Game: Pierce Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.c3 The original idea was to play a delayed King's Gambit, but in modern play white often plays more quietly. At on time Weaver W. Adams claimed that the Vienna led to a forced win, but it actually leads to no more than equality. c6 3.f4 exf4 4.f3 Steinitz once declared that in all gambits (with the exception of his own, i.e. 4.d4) that 4. Nc3 is decidedly in favor of black. 4.d4 The Steinitz Gambit was a favorite of Wilhelm Steinitz. Black is allowed to misplace white's K with 4... Qh4+ 5.Ke2 with the hope of proving that white's P-center and the exposed position of black's Q are more significant factors. Unlike Steinitz, few modern players are willing to expose their K in this fashion. h4+ 5.e2 b6 6.b5 with an interesting position where black can try a number of moves, but 6. ..Ba6 or even 6...Kd8 are the most promising. 4...g5 5.d4 At the time this game was played the English player William Pierce had published analysis on this move demonstrating that white has good attacking chances and so it came to be known as the Pierce Gambit. While practically speaking that may be the case, engine chalk it up as just losing a P. g4 The unambitious 5...d6 only results in equality and so justifies white's play. 6.c4 The logical followup. 6.e5 is not quite as good because after h4+ 7.e2 d6 8.xc6 g3 black has a strong attack. White is forced to move his K again to avoid ...Bg5+ and so blocks his other B. 9.d2 bxc6 White's prospects are looking quite grim. 6...gxf3 7.0-0 After this white is practically lost.7.Qxf3 was a little better. 7.xf3 h4+ 8.g3 xd4 9.f2 f6 10.xf4 White's position has little promise. b4 7...d5 At the time this is considered black's best move, but is actually allows white to equalize. 7...g7 This leaves white virtually helpless. 8.xf3 xd4+ 9.h1 e5 10.xf4 f6 11.d5 xf4 12.xf4 xc4 13.xc7+ d8 14.xa8 e5 Black has a decisive advantage and in Tomazini,Z (2038)-Crepan,M (2317) Porec 2008 he went on to win. 7...xd4 8.xd4 A blunder that loses immediately. Best was 8.Bxf4, but black would still be better. g5 The threats are ...Qxg2# and ...Bc5 so in the game H.G. Voigt-Charles Devide, Philadelphia, 1897 white resigned. His best line would have been 9.f2 c5 10.xf4 xg2+ 11.xg2 xd4+ 12.f2 but it's quite hopeless. 8.exd5 Thanks to black's slip white has now equalized. g4 9.e1+ 9.d2 is only equal, but it worked out well for white in this game... a5 10.b5+ c6 11.xf4 d7 Correct was 11...cxb5 with equal chances. 12.e5+ e7 A huge mistake! 12...Be7 would have at least kept him in the game. 13.e4 After this there is no way for black to sacve the game. 0-0-0 14.f4 Black resigned. David,A (2380)-Pinter, J (2580) France 1993 9...ce7 10.gxf3 This lets his opponent regain the advantage. 10.b5+ d7 11.xf3 xb5 12.xb5 a6 13.xc7+ xc7 14.xf4 AT this point black's advantage is minimal. 10...d7 10...h3 is a bit more precise. 11.xf4 f6 12.b5+ d7 11.xf4 h6 The position noiw enters a phase of huge complications! 12.g3 More precise would have been 12.Be5 first because it would have forced black to play 12...f6 depriving his pieces of f6. f6 Also good would have been 12...Kf8 so as to play ...Nf5 13.d6 Aggressive play, but countering with 13.Qe2 would have been more efficient. 13.e2 g8 14.e5 g6 15.d3 f8 16.xg6 xg6 17.xc7 xc7 18.xc7 In this unbalanced materiual situation (R+3Ps vs B+N) theoretically black is better, but practical play is a different matter. 13...cxd6 14.xd6 g8+ It's difficult to pass up this juicy check,m but it does no more than equalize! 14...e6 This wimpy looking retreat maintains a clear advantage because it leaves white with no followup. 15.c5 Best. 0-0 15...xc4 16.xe7 xe7 A sad necessity! 16...d7 17.xf6+ f8 18.xh8 and white wins. 17.xe7+ xe7 Theoretically this position favors white, but practically it's unclear. 15.f2 Of course white does not to place his K in the corner on h1, but that is precisely where it belongs in order to be safe! 15.h1 and White stays safe. h3 16.xe7 16.xe7+ xe7 17.b5+ d7 There is a cunning trap here! 18.g3 18.xe7 g2+ 19.g1 e3# 18...f8 Black has a decisive advantage...he's a R up. 16...g2+ 17.g1 h3+ 18.h1 g2+ 19.g1 h3+ 20.h1 g2+ Draw by 3–fold repetition. 15...h3 There are complications galore! 16.g3 16.xe7+ xe7 17.b5+ 17.xe7 g2+ 18.e1 g1+ 19.f2 g2+ 20.e1 g1+ 21.f2 xd1 22.xd1 xe7 Black has a decisive advantage. 17...d7 18.xe7 g2+ 19.e1 g1+ 20.f2 xd1 21.xd1 xe7 22.e1+ d6 23.e4+ c7 16.xe7 leads to mate. g2+ 17.f1 d2+ 18.g1 xd4+ 19.e3 xe3+ 20.h1 g2# 16.b5+ This is his best practical chance. f8 17.xe7+ xe7 18.xe7 g2+ 19.e1 g1+ 20.f2 xd1 21.xf7+ xf7 22.c4+ f8 23.xd1 Black is better, but the game is far from over. 16...c8 17.d3 a6 This prevents Nb5, but it's an unnecessary precaution that does no harm to black's position. 18.ad1 f8 19.b3 f4 A master stroke as will be seen. 20.xf4 Very risky, but black already has gained a winning position. 20.g1 turns out to be equally hopeless. f5 21.e2 fd5 22.xd5 xd5 23.xd5 xg3+ 24.hxg3 xc2 25.d2 xd2 26.xd2 xd5 20...g2+ The K has nowhere to hide. 21.e3 21.f1 g4+ 22.e2 xf4 21...xc3 Black wants d4 for his N. 22.bxc3 This allowd a forced mate, but taking with the Q would only delay the end. 22.xc3 fd5+ 23.xd5 xd5+ 22...fd5+ Black mates in 23.xd5 xd5+ 24.e4 f5+ 24...e8+ is a move quicker. 25.e5 f5+ 26.xd5 c6# 25.xf5 f6+ 26.e4 e6+ 27.e5 f5# n amazing game. 0–1

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Fischer Mops Up at the 1963 Western Open

     The 1963 Western Open Championship held in Bay City, Michigan was US Champion Bobby Fischer’s first weekend Swiss since 1957. It was no surprise when he scored 7.5-0.5 in the two rounds per day event. 

     Robert Byrne of Indianapolis, Indiana (then an IM). the winner of previous year's event. and Dr. Stephen Popel of Fargo, North Dakota, shared second and third with scores of 7.0-1.0. 

     Playing with great speed, Fischer had no trouble and some of his games were finished while those of the lesser lights were still in the opening. 

     Fischer yielded a draw to USCF Master Dr. Paul Poschel of Ann Arbor, Michigan in the fourth round and defeated James Fuller, Allen Reinhard, Norbert Leopoldi, Ronald Finegold, Donald Byrne and Arthur Bisguier. Going into the last round Fischer and Hans Berliner were tied for first and Fischer also defeated Berliner. 

     During the entire event Fischer was in a gregarious mood and signed autographs, played five-minute games and offered advice to players conducting post-mortems. At the awards banquet he even expressed approval of the playing conditions. 

     The top women’s prize went to Adele Goddard. Top Junior was won by Thomas Alice. 

     Fischer wrote that he had some second thoughts about the two rounds per day schedule, but knew he wouldn't mind it because, “A tournament is not a test of strength, only a match demonstrates this, but its more like a horse race where the order of finish is not always according to form.” 

     He also admitted that he was expecting to crush his opponents in twenty moveers, but it didn't happen. His opponents were strong enough that he considered 5 or 6 of his games to be superior to any of the games that were played in recently completed super-GM Piatigorsky Cup in Los Angeles (Keres, Petrosian, Najdorf, Olafsson, Reshevsky, Gligoric, Benko and Panno)!! 

 

     In the following game, Fischer defeats Chicago Expert Allen Reinhard in a game in which Fischer’s better theoretical opening knowledge determined the outcome. Reinhard finished in 58th place with +4 -3 =1. I remember meeting Reinhard once in the late 1960s. I had lost a game to a well-known Expert and was sitting at the table playing through it when Reinhart, who I noticed had been watching the game, came over and very graciously point out where I had blown a promising position! 

ChessBase

Allen Reinhard–Robert Fischer0–1A07Western Open, Bay City, MI2Bay City, MI USA04.07.1963Stockfish 16

King's Indian Attack 1.f3 f6 2.g3 g6 3.g2 g7 4.0-0 0-0 5.d3 d6 Here Fischer made the outlandish claim that black is better. His reasoning was that whatever white does, black will vary and get an asymmetrical position. This will result in black having the superior position due to his better P-structure. To prove his point he quoted a similar game he had played against Filip the previous year, but I suspect Fischer got the better position more because he was by far the stronger player rather than owing to any theoretical superiority. 6.e4 c5 7.c3 Highly unusual, but by no means bad. 7.Nbd2 is more usual. c6 8.h3 b8 9.e3 9.d4 Fischer pointed out that playing this with the idea of gaining a tempo by attacking black's a-Pawn is unsatisfactory because after cxd4 10.xd4 xe4 10...xd4 Not this expected move which resukts in equality after 11.xd4 b6 12.a4 11.xc6 xc3 12.xd8 xd1 13.xf7 xb2 14.xb2 xb2 15.g5 Black is better. 9...b5 10.e5 Fischer wrote that 9 out of 10 GMs (including such luminaries as Petrosian, Botvinnik, but it loses by force. He was apparently making a dig at the Russians and his claim that the move loses by force seems a bit over the top. It is. however, not the best move, but black can claim to be only slightly better. Curiously, he did not suggest a better move. 10.a3 leads to a very slight advantage for black according to Stockfish and Komodo a5 11.d2 e5 12.a4 b4 13.b5 e8 14.c3 c7 15.xc7 xc7 16.ac1 10...dxe5 With a weak and doubled e-Panes and a weakened Q-side, it may appear that the position favors white, but black is actually slightly better, not winning as Fischer claimed. The position is very similar to the Mednis-Fischer game in the 1958-59 U.S. Championship. Fischer won that game, foo, but, again, it probably had more to do with the strength of the players than the positiom. 11.xc5 b4 In a very insightful comment Fischer explained his plan: force white's N off of c3 thereby allowing himself to gain control control of d5 for his own N after which white's B on c5 will be left stranded. 12.e4 Less effective is 12.Na4 as played in the Mednis game. xe4 13.dxe4 a5 14.e3 14.d5 loses outright... b5 15.xb4 15.xc6 xc5 16.a8 e6 17.b7 c7 and the Q is trapped. 15...b6 16.d2 xb4 Black is winning. 14...a6 15.e1 fd8 16.c1 It's natural to move the Q away from the R, but after this black's is ti\otally in charge. 16.d2 It's unnatural to walk into a pin, but this move, not mentioned by Fischer, keeps the chances equal. It's not surprising that this move went unnoticed because the complications are enormous! c7 17.a3 d6 18.axb4 xb4 19.c4 xc4 Black is forced to relese the pin and play... 20.c1 c6 21.xc4 xc4 22.xc4 xc4 23.a4 with full equality. 16...d4 17.h2 Here was white's last chance to stay in the game. After this the game is over. 17.xd4 Fischer's suggestion, but is is less good than Stockfish's. exd4 18.d2 With the intention of playing 19.a3. Fischer's suggested 18...Qb6 would win, but 18... d3 is even stronger. b6 18...d3 19.a3 dxc2 20.e5 a4 21.axb4 xa1 22.xa1 xd2 is winning for black, but this line is more complicated, so Fischer's 18...Qb6 is a much more practical solution. 19.e5 19.a3 b3 Black has a decisive advantage. 19...bc8 20.d1 d3 21.c3 bxc3 22.bxc3 c5 Black is better. 17...dc8 Some databases have black playing 17... Rbc8, but that is incorrect. Fischer actually played 17...Rdc8. In any case, there is no way white can defend his c-Pawn he has to eliminate the N which not only undoubles black's e-Pawns. 18.xd4 After this black unleashes a ferocious attack. 18.xd4 While insufficient, this was considerably better. exd4 19.d2 c5 20.e5 b7 21.e2 xf3 22.xf3 e6 23.ac1 b5 The e-Pawn is doomed and black is clearly better. 18...exd4 19.g5 d3 20.a3 xc2 21.axb4 Black has a number of ways to win. b6 21...xc1 would also win. 22.bxa5 xe1 23.xe1 xb2 21...xb4 22.f4 h6 23.xe7 xb2 24.a3 e5 25.d6 xf4 26.gxf4 xa1 22.e3 d4 23.f3 xf2 24.g4 d2 White resigned 24...d2 25.ed1 e2 26.d7 e3 27.xe3 xe3 is hopeless for white. 28.xd2 xg2+ 29.xg2 f3+ 30.g1 xg3+ 31.h1 f3+ 32.g2 xg2# 0–1

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Laszlo Szabo, a Dedicated Communist

  

     Laszlo Szabo (March 19, 1917 – August 8, 1998) was a Hungarian Grandmaster who is not well known by players of today, but he was one of Hungary’s top players and in the post-WW2 era he was also one of the best players in the world. The Chess metrics site estimates his highest rating to have been 2726 in 1946 and in 1946 and 1947 he was ranked #6 in the world. 

     Szabo was primarily noted for his aggressive style of and startled everyone when he won the 1935 Hungarian Championship at the age of 18, which at that time was considered a remarkable feat; he would go one to win it a total of 9 times. Szabo also finished first at the 1938/39 Hastings tournament. 

     In his non-chess life he was a banker and during World War II at the outbreak of war captured by Russian troops who held him as a Prisoner of War. 

     After the war, he returned to chess and played in many major international events. In 1948 at the Saltsjobaden Interzonal he finished 2nd behind Bronstein and after scoring strong finishes in several major tournaments he was awarded a place in the Amsterdam Candidates tournament in 1956. His finish there was a tie for third with Bronstein, Geller, Petrosian and Spassky behind Smyslov and Keres. Pretty good company! 

     In the 1960s and 1970s, he continued to excel in international competition, scoring a number of firsts. In the early to mid-1960’s he was finally overtaken by Lajos Portisch as Hungary’s best player and it’s a pity his games are not better known. 

     Pal Benko, in his autobiography, makes mention of Szabo in an unflattering manner. He wrote, “Though Laszlo was good player, not many people liked him. He was a tough communist at that time, a real party guy, and he took full advantage of it. He once told me (when I was 24 years old) that if I didn't behave and do what he told me to do, he would make sure I was drafted into the army a second time! Can you belive that guy? I had already done my army nightmare stint when I was sixteen, so I certainly had no desire to be introduced to that kind of thing again!” 

     In 1952, Benko attempt to defect from Hungary resulted in him getting arrested. He explained... “Back in Hungary, I was accused of being an American spy. An almost non-stop, three-week interrogation began that was designed to break me down mentally... I was dragged out of my cell and taken to a concentration camp — once they got the information they wanted (which in my case was nothing), they would just lock you up and forget about you completely...

     Benko continued, "The one person who did know that I was locked away was Grandmaster Szabo. He was the political editor of the top Hungarian chess magazine. The first page had nothing about chess on it at all, just political ravings about the wonders of communism. This mean-spirited person had no interest in helping me out; in fact, he was happy about my being arrested! ...one moment a national chess hero, the next a broken creature relegated to an existence of perpetual night ... I had been living like a diseased troll for a year and a half when a miracle occurred: Stalin died.”

 

     Enjoy the following game from the 1950 Hungarian Championship. Szabo scored +12 -1 =6 to take first a point and a half ahead of Gideon Barcza. Pal Benko finished 3rd. Szabo’s opponent was Karoly Honfi (October 25, 1930 - August 14, 1996). An IM, Honfi was born in Budapest and was posthumously awarded the title of Honorary Grandmaster. 

 

ChessBase

Laszlo Szabo–Karoly Honfi1–0D02Hunfarian Championship, Budapest810.1950Stockfish 16

Semi-Slav 1.f3 d5 2.d4 e6 3.c4 c6 4.e3 f6 The Semi-Slav may readily be reached by a number of different move orders. Black's P-formation is a mixture of the Orthodox Queen's Gambit Declined, ...e6, and the Slav Defense, . ..c6 5.d3 bd7 Black's main alternative is 5...dxc4 6.0-0 d6 7.c3 0-0 8.e4 dxc4 9.xc4 e5 10.g5 e7 11.e1 b6 The main line is 11...Rd8 12.b3 12.xe5 This does not offer white any advantage. xe5 13.dxe5 xe5 14.xf6 xf6 with complete equality. 12.e2 e8 Instead of this black should ply 12...exd4 13.dxe5 xe5 14.c1 h6 15.h4 g5 16.xe5 xe5 17.g3 e7 18.e5 and white scores a quick knockout in Graf,A (2585)-Handoko,E (2495) Singapore 1995 12...g4 13.h3 13.dxe5 xe5 14.h3 xf3 15.xf3 did not offer much to white in Martinovic,S (2537)-Mrdja,M (2394) Velika Gorica 2014 13...xf3 14.xf3 exd4 Up until thispoint the play has been pretty routine and has withstood the test of time, but this move allows white to gain the advantage. 14...bd7 15.d5 h6 16.dxc6 bxc6 17.e3 c5 This is better than 17...Bc5 that was played in Pinter,J (2590)-Schwalfenberg,J (2370) GER 1998 18.c4 ab8 19.b3 h8 with about equal chances although in Smagin,S (2505)-Flear,G (2495) Zenica 1987, white manages a quick win so black must play accurately. 14...h6 This black's best move then after 15.h4 a5 white can play either 16.Rad1 or 16.d5. In either case he has the initiative. 15.e5 Honfi likely expect the mild retreat 15.Be2, but this sharp thrust gains the advantage. xe5 16.e4 Putting pressure on the pinned N. d8 This does nothing to help black's predicament. 16...h6 loses without a fight after 17.xf6 xf6 18.xf6+ xf6 19.xf6 gxf6 20.e7 16...fe8 This is the best black has, but after 17.xf6+ gxf6 18.h6 h8 19.ad1 his position is not so great. 17.f5 Obviously the B cannot withdraw, so it must be defended, but there is no good way to do it. bd7 17...c7 18.xf6+ gxf6 19.xf6 wins the Q or mates 17...e8 18.f4 even better that taking on f6. d7 19.xd7 bxd7 20.fxe5 xe5 21.xf6 xf6 22.d6 White has won a piece. 18.f4 Has Szabo blundered away his Q? g6 The Q is trapped. 19.xe5 xe5 20.xf6+ h8 21.fxe5 White not only has enough material for the Q, but he also has a winning attack. c7 22.e4 h5 22...ae8 23.xe8 xe8 24.f1 g7 25.f6+ g8 26.e6 fxe6 27.xe6 xe6 28.xe6+ f8 29.d8+ 23.ae1 g7 24.e6 White is clearly winning. Weaker is 24.xd4 b6 25.e3 a5± 24...fxe6 25.xe6 Threatening mate with Re7+. f7 26.e8+ Black resigned. Stockfish assess Szabo's play as "flawless." 1–0

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An Overlooked and Unappreciated Champion

     Very few, if any, players know that shortly after Morphy retired another player was standing by to replace him, a player who was also known for his brilliant and aggressive play. 

     In Paris, in 1859, he beat Daniel Harrwitz, the resident master of the Cafe de la Regence, by a score of 2-0. A short time later he was in England where he absolutely crushed Thomas Barnes, 12-1. 

     He only played in tournaments infrequently, but in the international tournament held at Cambridge, England in 1860 he finished first. 

     The Cambridge tournament was an eight-player, three-round knockout event. He swept away the opposition which included the former US Champion Charles Stanley in the finals, 3-0. 

     The following year he lost a match to Adolf Anderssen, who was generally considered to be Morphy’s successor, by the closest of margins, 4-5. Also, in 1861, he drew a match with Louis Paulsen. And, he won the great Paris tournament of 1867, defeating Wilhelm Steinitz in the process. He also defeated Bernhard Horwitz, 3-1 and drew John Owen, 4-4. 

     In1861, he played a rematch against Anderssen, but this time Anderssen won 5-4. In the Bristol Congress of 1861, Paulsen eliminated him in the first round by a 2-1 score. 

     In 1863, a retired Paul Morphy returned to Europe to ten to a family matter and a challenge to a match was issuedm but Morphy turned it down. 

     The following year, 1864, Samuel Rosenthal got crushed in a match by a score of 7-1. The virtually unknown Philip Hirschfeld fared better; he drew a match 4-4.

     In 1867, Paris held a strong tournament as host of the World Fair. It was a 13 player, double round event. Our subject won it, scoring +18 -2 =2. 

     That was the end of Ignatz Kolisch’s playing career as he retired from active competition and went into banking. By 1880 he had become a millionaire. 

     Even though no longer competing, he became a chess patron and organized and funded some famous tournaments such as the 1867 and 1870 Baden-Baden tournaments and the Vienna events of 1873 and 1882. 

     Baron Ignatz von Kolisch (April 6, 1837 - April 30, 1889) was born into a Jewish family in Pressburg (known today as Bratislava). In his early years he moved to Vienna, and later had souhourns in Italy, Paris and London. In 1881 he received the title of Baron from Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. He died of kidney failure in 1889. 

     Chessmetrics estimates Kolisch’s highest rating to have been 2755 on the August 1867 rating list, placing him at #1 in world. 

     With so many brilliant games to choose from it was hard to make a selection, but the following game with its dashing attack is typical of Kolisch’s play. 

 

ChessBase

Ignatz von Kolisch–Louis Paulsen1–0C50Match, London2London ENG02.10.1861Stockfish 16

C51: Evans Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.f3 c6 3.c4 c5 4.0-0 4.b4 xb4 5.c3 e7 This is Lasker's Defense...one of the safest ways to meet the Evans. 4...f6 5.b4 The first analysis of the Evans Gambit was published in 1832 and it became very popular. It fell our of favor after Emanuel Lasker discovered a defense to it. xb4 6.c3 e7 As per Lasker. 7.d4 exd4 Best. Less satisfactory are 7...Nxe4 and 7...d6 8.cxd4 8.e5 was worth considering. e4 8...dxc3 would lose. 9.exf6 xf6 10.e1+ e7 11.g5 xg5 12.xg5 0-0 13.h5 h6 14.xf7 xf7 15.xf7+ h8 16.xe7 1-0 Moeller,J (1809) -Stulken,D (1266) Frankfurt 2008 9.cxd4 d5 10.exd6 xd6 11.b3 f5 12.c3 0-0 13.e3 h8 14.c1 a5 15.d5 Black is better, but thye players agreed to a draw in Lupi,P (2067)-Plazaola,S Buenos Aires 2002 8...xe4 9.d5 a5 10.d3 c5 11.a3 xd3 12.xd3 In reality white has no compensation for his two Ps minus. 0-0 Not bad, but it would have been better to have first prevented white's next move with 12...d6 13.d6 cxd6 This is the best way to capture. 13...xd6 14.xd6 cxd6 Here white should develop his N on b1, but he must not play... 15.xd6 b6 16.c3 b7 17.ad1 xf3 18.gxf3 b7 19.xd7 xd7 20.xd7 c5 and black is clearly better. 14.c3 b6 15.d5 Kolisch correctly keeps as many pieces on the board as possible because exchanges favor black. See the note to move 13. b7 The idea is to reposition the N to the K-side, but 15...Nc6 would have been better. 16.b2 Logical since the B aims at black;s K, but there was a better move. 16.ae1 f6 17.e4 White well centralized pieces and black's lack of maneuvering space confers a nice advantage on white. 16...c5 17.e3 e6 Mission accomplished. Black now has adequate defensive resources plus 3 Ps. Even so, his position remains cramped while white's pieces have plenty of activity and so the chances must be considered about equal. 18.d4 f6 Again, this is not really an error, but it allows white to increase the activity of his pieces even more. A better move would have been 18...Bg5 This nice tactical shot very nearly equalizes for whiet. 19.c6 dxc6 20.xf6+ gxf6 Black does not realize the danger he is in and this move fatally weakening his K-side and loses almost at once. Black is a N + 3Ps up, but that is a meaningless factor! 20...h8 keeps a slim advantage. 21.e4 White must press on with his attack or he will certainly face defeat. g5 22.xc6 a6 23.fd1 c8 holds on. 23...gxf6 24.xd6 is at least equal. 21.h6 White is now in complete control of the game. d5 Hoping to play 22...d4 shutting out white's B. 22.xf6 The game is over! d6 23.f4 The idea is to make a R lift abd quickly finish off his opponent. If he plays 23...Qc5+ Stockfish informs us there is a mate in 10. e8 This allows a mate in 8, but saving the game was hardly possible. 24.f3 Black surrendered 24.f3 c5+ 25.h1 c2 26.f5 Black can only delay mate for a couple of moves. xg2+ 27.xg2 f4+ 28.xf4 e2+ 29.h1 e1+ 30.xe1 and mate next move. 1–0

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A Brilliancy By S.S. Cohen

     In 1937, television publicly debuted in America at the New York World’s Fair and it was also the year that the photocopier was invented. 

     In other firsts the cartoon character Daffy Duck was introduced and the world’s first shopping cart was used at Humpty Dumpty supermarket in Oklahoma City. 

     The most famous person in the country was probably Shirley Temple (1928-2014), an actress, singer, dancer and later in life, a diplomat. She was Hollywood's number-one box-office draw as a child actress from 1934 to 1938. Later, she was named United States Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia.

     The year ended with the 1937-38 Manhattan Chess Club Championship. It did not require a great prophet to foretell the victory of one of America's premier players, Isaac Kashdan who retained the title he had won the year before. 

     The three candidates for the honor, Robert Willman, S. S. Cohen and Dr. Jose[h Platz, entered the last round tied, but Willman won, Cohen drew and Platz lost thereby avoiding any ties. 

 

 

     The following game was played in the championship and Cohen's tactical victory over Platz earned him the brilliancy prize. S. S. Cohen was a strong New York player in the 1930s and 1940s. He was managing editor of Chess Review magazine. 

     Dr. Joseph Platz (1905-1981), a medical doctor, was born in Germany and by the age of sixteen he was considered one of the strongest players in Cologne. After Hitler took power in 1933, Platz emigrated to the United States, where he studied under Emanuel Lasker and remained active in local tournaments in New York and Connecticut for many years. He wrote the book that was published in 1979 titled Chess Memoirs: The Chess Career of a Physician and Lasker Pupil.

 

ChessBase

S.S. Cohen–Dr. Joseph Platz1–0C08Manhattan CC Champ, New Yorl1937Stockfish 16

French Defense, Tarrasch Variation 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.d2 Cutting edge stuff at the time as it was a great favorite of the Soviet masters. It differs from 3.Nc3 in that it does not block white's c-Pawn from advancing, which means he can play c3 at some point to support his d4-Pawn. The move also avoids the Winawer Variation (3...Bb4). On the other hand, white's N is on a less active square and on d2 it obstructs his dark-square B and so he will have to spend an extra tempo moving the N before developing the B. c5 4.exd5 exd5 4...xd5 Black has three ways of recapturing. 4...Qxd5 is an important alternative, the idea of which is to trade his c- and d-Pawns leaving him with an extra center P. In return white gains time for development by harassing the Q. 5.gf3 cxd4 6.c4 d6 7.0-0 Theoretically the position is equal, but practically the statistics greatly favor white. 4...cxd4 is unacceptable because after 5.b5+ d7 6.dxe6 white lready has a considerable advantage. 5.dxc5 xc5 6.b3 b6 7.f3 f6 8.b5+ d7 Somewhat better is 8...Nc6 9.xd7+ bxd7 9...xd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.bd4 c6 12.c3 fe8 is equal. Berke,A (2097)-Golubenko,V (2270) Zagreb 2014 10.0-0 0-0 11.f4 e8 12.d2 12.d3 e4 13.g3 e7 14.ad1 Ostrauskas,A-Sokolsky,A Minsk 1957. The players quickly agreed to a draw. 12.a4 a6 13.a5 a7 14.d2 c8 15.g3 is equal. Zapata,K (2197)-Pacheco,M (2362) Lima 2007 12...c5 13.xc5 xc5 14.ad1 b6 The open lines for black's pieces are ample compensation for any weakness of his isolated d-Pawn. 15.c3 e4 16.c2 ad8 17.d4 a6 18.b3 d7 19.fe1 f6 20.e3 ed8 The doubled Rs on the d-file are not accomplishing anything and this dawdling is almost imperceptibly turning the position to white's advantage. 20...h6 21.f3 c6 22.xc5 xc5 23.e3 ee7 24.de1 is perfectly even. 21.e2 h6 22.f3 g5 23.de1 Excellent strategy! The open e-file will prove a much greater asset tham any pressure he can put on black's d-Pawn. That said, the position is still equal, but it is black who is on the defensive and so it is he who much watch his step. g6 The threat is ...Bxd4 and ...Nxf3+ 24.f1 h5 Although the text move can hardly be called faulty, it might have proven worthwhile to eliminate white's well placed N with 24...Bxd4 25.xg5 xg5 26.b5 Repositioning the Q with a gain of time. b6 Again, taking the N was a viable alternative. 27.d3 g6 28.g3 h5 Black is playing for an unjustified K-side attack... unjustified because white controls the only open file (the e-file). Nevertheless, the position is still equal, but very shortly black's plan results in a costly error/ 28...f6 makes is almost impossible for white to make any real progress. For example... 29.e3 h7 30.g2 xd4 31.xd4 xd4 32.cxd4 with a drawn position. 29.e5 f6 30.g2 c7 The benign moves 30...Kg7 or 30...Rc8 would have kept the balance. While hardly a mistake, it indicates that black is barking up the wrong tree in planning a K-side attack. 31.5e2 The move he is going to hit black with in a few moves (Re6) was playable immediately. 31.e6 fxe6 32.xe6 f7 33.xg6+ h8 34.e6 Now in order to stay in the game black would have to find the clever rejoinder d4 35.g5 35.xd8 xd8 36.g5 Best d6 37.b5 dxc3 38.xh5+ g8 39.g5+ with a draw. 35...f8 36.f4 with unclear complications. In Shootouts white scored +1 -0 =4 31...h4 32.f4 This move blocks black's B and show the uselessness of his K-side operation. White has the initiative, but still can't claim a significant advantage. a6 This pointless move costs black time he cannot afford. The safety first move of 32...Kg7 offers him chances at defense. 33.f3 33.f5 This shot is very powerful. For example.. . f8 34.f1 g5 Making sure the f-fule stays closed, but... 35.gxh4 g4 36.h3 and black's K is going to be badly exposed. 33...g7 It's now too late for this to be effective and white now gets a winning attack. 33...b6 and black has nothing to worry about. 34.e6 34.g4 as in the game is met by xd4 35.cxd4 c7 and black has fully equalized. 34...e8 34...fxe6 35.xe6 f7 36.xb6 with a decisive advantage. 35.g5 xe2+ 36.xe2 g7 37.e8 d8 and white cannot make any headway. 34.g4 Black is now lost. hxg3 35.hxg3 d6 Played hoping to play ...Re7 challenging white's control of the e-file, but white has a surprise in store. Note that black's Q does not have any moves...an indicator that there may be a tactical shot. 36.e6 A brilliant end to the game. fxe6 37.xe6 f7 38.f5 Black really has no good defense to the threat of Rxg6+ and his R's and B are now nothing more than idle bystanders. f8 39.fxg6 g7 With this move black's flag fell and so he oversteppet the time limit. After the game Cohen demonstrated the win. 39...g7 40.f5 h8 41.xd6 e5 42.g7+ xg7 43.xd8+ f7 44.d7+ f8 45.xg7+ xg7 46.xg7 mates in 6 a5 47.g4 a4 48.g5 a3 49.g6 axb2 50.h5 b1 51.g7+ e8 52.f6# 1–0

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Smyslov Becomes A Master

     Vasily Smyslov (March 24, 1921 – March 27, 2010, 89 years old), has always been an unappreciated World Champion, perhaps because he was only World Champion for two years, but he had it all: an opening theoretician, master strategist, sharp tactician and endgame virtuoso. What more could you ask for?

     Chessmetrics estimates his highest ever rating to have been 2800 in 1956 and to have been #1 between January 1952 and September 1958. Very impressive!

     Smyslov was born in Moscow. A talented opera singer, he narrowly missed joining the Bolshoi Opera. 

     He was awarded the Soviet Grandmaster title in 1941. The 1953 Candidates Tournament, held at Zurich, was a marathon 15 player double round robin that was won by Smyslov. In 1954, his world title match against Botvinnik ended in a 12-123 tie. 

     At the 1956 Amsterdam Candidates Tournament, a ten player double round robin, Smyslov again emerged victorious. In 1957, he crushed Botvinnik in their world title match, winning by a four point margin. Botvinnik regained the title, winning by 2 points in their 1958 return match. 

     The following game is indicative of the skill Smyslov possessed when he won the finals of a Class A Championship Tournament in Moscow in 1938 and thereby was awarded the Soviet Master title. 

     His opponent was Vladimir Zak (February 11, 1913 - November 25, 1994), a Soviet player, writer and well known trainer in the chess section of the Pioneers Palace in Leningrad. His students included Boris Spassky Viktor Korchnoi and, among many others, GM Yermolinsky. In his book The Road to Chess Improvement, Yermolinsky did not have a very high opinion of Zak’s antiquated training method and credited his students' success to their talent, not to Zak’s methods.

 

ChessBase

Vasily Smyslov–Vladimir Zak1–0A00Class A Championship, Moscow1938Stockfish 16

Pirc Defense 1.d4 c5 2.d5 f6 3.g3 What to call this opening? With 1... c5 starts oyut as a Benoni, but when white refrains from playing c4 it's classified by Fitz auto-analysis as the Pirc. d6 4.g2 g6 At the time the popular line was 4...e5. Instead, black reverts to the old idea of fianchettoing the B. Soviet Master Yudovich questioned this strategy because it allows white to obtain a mobile P-center. It must be remembered that at the time this game was played all this hypermodern stuff was not well established in theory. 5.c3 g7 6.e4 0-0 7.ge2 a6 8.0-0 b8 9.a4 c7 10.h3 b6 11.e3 11.g4 a6 12.b1 b5 13.axb5 axb5 14.b4 is equal. Najer,E (2663) -Kokarev,D (2635) Sochi RUS 2015 11...a6 11...e6 12.dxe6 xe6 13.f4 fe8 14.d2 d7 White has the more active position. Hort,V (2545)-Polgar,Z (2430) Dortmund 1985 12.b1 With this move Smyslov, himself, prepares Q-side play. b5 13.axb5 xb5 13...axb5 is less precise because after 14.b4 White has the initiative. cxb4 15.d4 d7 15...bxc3 16.c6 favors white. 16.a2 a6 17.xb4 xb4 18.xb4 with the more active position. 14.d2 d7 15.h6 While this exchanges dark squared Bs it actually doesn't accomplish anything because white has no realistic prospects of taking advantage of it. The alternative, 15.Nxb5, also does not gain anything special and so the chances must be considered equal. xc3 15...xh6 was just a bit more precise. After 16.xh6 d4 17.xd4 cxd4 18.e2 b5 Black has active play and the chances are equal. 16.xc3 c7 17.xg7 xg7 18.fe1 b5 This rates a big question mark. Zak does not appreciate the brewing trouble on the K-side and tries to attack on the Q-side. Instead, he had to first try to neutralize white's advance in the center. 18...h5 19.f4 a5 20.e5 h7 21.b3 f5 White;s advantage is nominal. 19.f4 There was no reason not to take the R! 19.xb5 axb5 20.f4 h5 21.e5 g8 22.a1 White has complete control of the game. 19...b6 He should simply have moved the R. 19...b4 20.e5 e8 White is better, but far from winning! 20.e5 Of course, the was nothing wrong with 20,Nxb5 e8 21.exd6 An interesting idea. Snyslov trades his strong P-chain for the seemingly valueless e-file, but he knows what he is doing! Of course, taking the R is still quite playable. exd6 22.e7 As it turns out this move works out well, but it should not have! Once again capturing the R would have left white with a significant advantage. f6 22...d8 Saves the day. Now white is pretty much forced to take the R, but the result is only equality. 23.xb5 xe7 24.c3+ f6 25.xf6+ xf6 The only move that equalizes! 25...xf6 26.xd6 with a won ending. 26.c3 The position id completely equal. 23.g4 White now has a very strong attack, but, yet again, taking the R was much stronger. d8 24.be1 I hate to repeat myself, but he must take the R if he wants a winning advantage. 24.xb5 xe7 25.e1 d8 26.xd6 White id clearly much better. 24...e8 This vindicates white's strategy. The white R on e7 prevents the entyr of the white N via Ne2 or Ne4 into the game and so black should not have made this exchange. 24...xb2 equalizes. 25.f5 e8 26.g5 White's attack turns out to have more bark than bite. xe7 27.gxf6+ xf6 28.xe7 xe7 28...xf5 is also playable. 29.e1 g7 30.e4 xe4 31.xe4 This is also an unbalanced position where the chances are equal. 29.f6+ e8 30.e3+ e6 In this unbalanced position the chances are equal. 25.xe8 xe8 26.f5 This move is satisfactory, but guess what move is even better? 26.Nxb5 of course. d7 26...xb2 is no better. 27.g5 d7 28.e4 e5 29.c3 b8 30.xd6 xd6 31.f6+ g8 32.xe5 xe5 33.xe5 h6 34.h4 This ending is won for white thanks to his more active pieces. Just one example... hxg5 35.hxg5 b1+ 36.f2 d7 37.e4 b8 38.e7 The R on the 7th and advanced passed P assures the win... d8 39.f3 a5 40.f4 a4 41.d6 a3 42.d5 e8 43.e5 f8 44.a7 and the Q-side Ps will fall. 27.g5 h5 28.f6+ g8 29.e7 xb2 30.e4 a4 31.e2 b5 31...xc2 32.xa6 e8 33.xd6 wins for if xd6 34.xd6 a4 35.c7 c1+ 36.h2 Black must lose material. e1 37.c8+ e8 38.xe8 32.e3 xc2 33.f1 Brilliant! The object of this move is to remove black's B from the diagonal from where it controls e8. Prevents Re2. a5 33...xf1 34.xf1 h6 35.f2 b6 36.e8+ h7 37.h8+ xh8 38.e8+ h7 39.xf7+ h8 40.f8+ h7 41.xh6+ g8 42.xg6+ eventually wins. f8 43.h6+ g8 44.f7+ xf7 45.xh5+ e7 46.h7+ d8 47.xc2 34.f2 Threatening mate with Re8+! g7 This N offer contains a nasty trap, but it was not the best defense! Against Re8+ 35.g4 35.fxg7 This allows black to equalize! a1 36.d3 d4 37.xd4 cxd4 38.e4 38.f4 This actually loses! c1 39.g2 xf1 40.e4 d3 41.e8+ 41.d4 d2 42.xd2 xf4 41...xg7 42.xd3 xd3 38...xg7 39.e1 c3 40.xd4 xf1 41.xf1 xh3 with a likely draw. 35...d2 36.h6+ Black resigned 36.h6+ h8 37.xf7+ g8 38.h6+ f8 39.fxg7# 1–0

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The du Chattel System

     There doesn’t seem to be too much information available on the Dutch Master Philippe du Chattel (born August 29, 1945) who played in the finals of the 1975 Dutch championship. He seems to have given up chess for a career in the computer business. His last FIDE rating was 2260. 

     I recently ran across a e-book (in Italian) that was published in 2019 titled Du Chattel Defence: A Universal System. The “system” is a Pirc/Modern Defense with an early ...Nh6 by black. 

     One fan of the defense claims it’s a good defense for amateurs because it avoids known theory. With moves like ...Nh6, ...f5 and ...Nf7 black is clearly weakening his K-side, but at the amateur level such considerations are often unimportant and just about any opening is playable. 

 

 

     Here is a sample of the defense that was played in the 1975 Dutch Championship. After the closing banquet GM Jan Timman was arrested by the Dutch military police for ignoring a summons to report for military service. He reportedly spent a week and a half in jail before being released and apparently spent no time in the military. 

 

ChessBase

Franciscus W M Borm–Philip Du Chattel0–1B07Dutch ChampionshipLeeuwarden NED14.04.1975Stockfish 16

Modern Defense, du Chattel System 1.e4 g6 2.d4 c6 3.c3 d6 4.e3 4.f4 h6 5.f3 f5 6.e5 f7 is another example of how the system can be played although here it should be cler that white has the more active position. 4...h6 du Chattel's signature move. 5.f3 5.h3 f6 6.d2 f7 7.f4 g7 8.f3 0-0 9.g4 e6 10.f5 White has a promising position. Georghiou,P (2218)-Van de Berkmortel,T (2262) Sutton 1999 5.d2 g4 6.g5 g7 7.h3 f6 is a more normal looking position where white is ahead in development. 5...f5 This move is what can be called Part 2 of the du Chattel System 6.d2 f7 Another signature move of the system. 6...e5 is an interesting alternative. 7.xh6 This hasty grab gives black a slight advantage after h4+ 8.g3 xh6 7.a4 Just about nay reasonable move is playable here: 7:O-O. 7.h4, 7. Bc4, 7.exf5 etc. The fact that white has so many possible good replies is an indication that black's position is less than ideal. That may be the case in GM play, but below that level, especially ay the below Master level the system is obviously playable. g7 8.c4 White is better. e6 9.ge2 Starting an immediate attack with 9.h4 was another option. 9.h4 0-0 10.h5 g5 11.exf5 d5 11...exf5 givesw hite a decisive positional advantage. 12.xf7+ xf7 13.xg5 f6 14.xf6 xf6 15.0-0-0 12.fxe6 xe6 13.h6 f6 14.b3 White has a very promising position. 9...0-0 10.0-0 It was still possible to play 10.h4, but after the text white is still better. d5 11.b3 g5 Beginning a risky and dangerous attack which white should be able to withstand, but he must play aggressively. Instead, he takes a passive posture and the tables are turned. 12.h1 12.f4 Is the way to go. Black's best line is then g4 13.e5 and with the position closed on the K-side white must undertake positional maneuvering on the Q-side in order to try an utilize his space advantage. 12...f4 13.g1 h8 Repositioning the N to a more useful square. 14.ae1 g6 15.c1 d7 16.d3 f6 17.c5 White's slow maneuvering has resulted in the dissipation of almost all of his advantage. 17.e5 keeps a slight plus after h5 18.e2 and black is hel up on the K-side. White will continur with c3 and Bc2 and commence Q-side operations. 17...h5 18.f2 b6 19.d3 h8 White should now play 20.a5. Instead, he makes a tactical mistake. 20.e5 a6 ...which black fails to take advantage of. 20...xe5 21.dxe5 a6 22.g1 g4 23.fxg4 g3+ with a very strong attack after 24.Bxg3, but not... 24.hxg3 g5 25.gf1 25.gxf4 h6+ 26.h4 xh4# 25...xg4 26.d1 26.gxf4 xf4 27.g1 xf1 winning. 26...f3 27.exd5 fxg2+ 28.xg2 f4+ 29.g1 h3 30.f3 xf1+ 31.xf1 h3+ 32.h2 xf3 33.e1 33.xh3 xf1+ 34.h2 xf2+ 33...xf2+ 34.xh3 exd5 with a won ending. 21.g1 Another tactical mistake. 21.xc6 and White has nothing to worry. d7 22.exd5 xf1 23.dxe6 xg2+ 24.xg2 xc6 25.d5 Black has a R vs white's P's on d5 which pretty much balances out and black's pieces should be able to hold the Ps at bay. 21...xe5 22.dxe5 d4 Again, black fails to take advantage of his opportunity. 22...g4 is crushing... 23.fxg4 g3+ 24.xg3 24.hxg3 g5 25.gf1 xf1 26.xf1 h6+ 27.g1 fxg3 28.xh6 gxf2+ 29.xf2 xh6 with a won ending. 24...fxg3 25.h3 f2 26.e2 h4 27.xf2 gxf2 28.f1 xf1 23.xd4 We are back to equal chances. g3+ This is far less effective than in previous variations. The best black had was maintaining equality by exchanging Qsd. 24.hxg3 Strongly threatening Qxd8. e8 Obviously threatening 25...Qh5+ which white prevents. 25.g4 White now stands better. d8 26.b4 26.d5 A clever tactical shot that keeps the advantage. exd5 27.exd5 cxd5 28.h2 White is a P up. This clever move is made to neutralize any black threats on the h-file. e6 29.h1 c4 30.g1 and white is better. 26...c5 26...h5 packed more punch... 27.h2 xe5 28.h1 hxg4 29.g1+ g7 with a promising position. 27.a3 Missing another tactical shot! 27.xc5 bxc5 28.xc5 g6 29.gf1 xf1 30.xf1 This unbalanced position offers chances to both sides. 27...h5 Now black has the upper hand and goes for the kill. 28.d1 A reasonable looking move, but it's a fatal error. pffers white a fighting chance. 28.b5 xe5 29.d1 g6 30.xd8 xd8 31.c3 hxg4 32.d1 Black's advantager should prove decisive. 28...hxg4 29.fxg4 g6 30.ge1 xe5 Black mates. 31.xd8 h6+ 32.g1 xd8 33.e2 xe2 33...d2 is less effective... 34.xe6 xe6 35.h3+ g7 36.c3 xc2 but here, too, black is still winning. 34.xe2 f3 White resigned. Black missed a mate, but it doesn't matter because white is lost in any case. 34...d1+ 35.e1 f3 36.gxf3 h3 37.xc5 h2+ 38.h1 bxc5 39.xd1 g3+ 40.g1 h2+ 41.f1 xf2# 0–1

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Walker Walks All Over Fox

 

     Though never one of the country’s greatest chess centers, the Washington D.C. area has nevertheless been home to many notable chess events and players dating back to 1850, when Charles Stanley and John Turner met in a match to unofficially decide who was the best player in the country. 

     Charles Stanley (1819-1901, 82 years old) was born in Middlesex, England. In 1841, he played Howard Staunton, receiving odds of Pawn and two moves. Of the known games Stanley scored +3 -2 =1. 

     Stanley emigrated to New York in 1842 and eventually worked at the British Consulate. He was regarded as the best player in New York from 1842 to 1857, defeating several of the country’s top players in matches. I the 1850 match in Washington, DC. he defeated John Turner of Louisville, Kentucky by a score of 11-5. In 1860 he returned to England. By 1868, he was back in the US and being an alcoholic he spent his last 20 years institutionalized on Ward's Island and in the Bronx. 

     Prominent Washington, DC area players include Theophilus Thompson (1855-1940?), the first African-American tournament player and a noted chess problemist who spent his life near the greater Washington area in Frederick, Maryland. 

    Another Washington player, Oscar Shapiro (1909-2002, 92 years old), was the oldest American to earn the Master for the first time at the age of 74. He was the 1939 champion of Massachusetts the Washington, DC Champion in 1946, 1948 and 1994. 

     Veteran Washington D.C. player Frank B. Walker (1857-1935) tipped his King to the Grim Reaper on Saturday evening, November 30. 1935. 

     Born in New York in 1857 he moved with his parents to Cleveland, Ohio, at an early age. In Cleveland he learned the the trade of printing. 

     It was in Cleveland that he won his early chess spurs when at the age of 14 he defeated Scottish-born U.S. Champion George H. Mackenzie in a simultaneous exhibition. About ten years later, in about1882, he moved to Washington, D. C., entering the employ of the U. S. Government and soon established himself as one of the city’s premier players. 

     Walker won the District of Columbia Championship from 1896 to 1900 and repeated a quarter of a century later for a similar stretch of years from 1927 to 1931. He was prominent in the affairs of the Capital City Chess Club of which he was President in 1921 and 1922, edited the column “In Chess Circles” for the Washington Star. He invariably played on the top boards in team matches against Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and other cities.     

     Active to the last, he competed in the International Cable Matches in 1928 and 1930 and had just finished competing in the 1935 Capital City C. C. Championship. 

     The post of July 12eth featured a stunning win by Albert Fox...today’s game feature a stunning defeat at the hands of Walker. 

ChessBase

Frank Walker–Albert W. Fox1–0B35Casual gameWashington, D.C. USA1901Stockfish 16

B35: Sicilian: Accelerated Dragon 1.e4 c5 2.f3 c6 3.d4 cxd4 4.xd4 g6 The Accelerated Dragon features an early ...g6. There is an important difference between this and the Dragon proper in that in the accelerated version black avoids playing ...d7–d6 so that, if possible, ...d7–d5 can be played later in one move. The Acclerated version is also avoids the Yugoslav Attack, but white can, if he wishes, play the Maroczy Bind (5.c4). Although it's not the case in this game, the Accelerated Dragon generally features a more positional type of game than in many other lines of the Sicilian. 5.e3 g7 6.c4 f6 7.c3 d6 8.0-0 0-0 9.f4 d7 10.h3 c8 11.b3 a5 12.f3 e8 Unusual, but not bad. Black has also tried 12...Qh5, 12... Rfd8, 12...e6 and 12...Nxd4 13.ad1 a6 Intending a P-storm, but 14.Nd5 poses more problems for black. 13...c7 did not work out so well for black in Sosiuk,E-Chtcherbine,A (2198) Villa Ballester 2004 14.xc6 bxc6 15.f5 with a strong attack. 14.g4 14.d5 The threat is 15.Nxc6 and 16.Nxe7+ forking tje K and R. d8 15.f5 and white is better/ 14...e6 A safer course would have been a double exchange on d4 starting with 14...Bxd4 thereby reducing the nymber of white attacking units. 15.g3 The immediate 15.f5 was stronger. h8 A pointless and time wasting move after which black gets into trouble. 15...xd4 and Black has nothing to worry. 16.xd4 xd4+ 17.xd4 and black is equal after either 17...Qc5 or 17...Bc6 16.f3 A very fine move! The N will eventually find a much better use than occupying d4. d8 16...xc3 woud be unwise. 17.bxc3 xc3 18.f2 g7 19.h4 f6 If 19..f5 20. Ng5 20.e5 d5 21.c4 d4 Black does not want to open up the position. 22.c1 g8 23.a3 f7 24.exf6 xf6 25.g5 with a strong attack. 17.f5 gxf5 Opening up the position is the wrong approach. 17...Ne5 was his best option. 18.exf5 a5 The desire to eliminate white's well placed B is understandable, but after this move white gets a crushing attack. Even after the slightly better 18...Ne5 white would still have a winnign attack. 19.fxe6 Destroying blavk's K-side. fxe6 20.g5 The gama is all but over and Walker finishes it up with precision. e7 21.xf8+ xf8 22.f1 f6 23.h4 h6 White now has a flashy finish. 24.f7+ Pretty! xf7 25.xf6 h7 26.xe6 xe6 27.xe6 c4 28.xh6 e5 Hoping for ...Nf3+ 29.f6+ g8 30.d5 xh6 One last hope... that white trades Qs 31.e7+ Far and away the best move. 31.xh6 xh6 32.xe5 32.xh6 xc2 and black has equalized. 32...xc2 32...dxe5 33.e7+ is winning for white 33.e8+ f8 34.f4 xb2 35.g5 f7 36.c8 xa2 37.c7+ e7 38.g6+ f6 39.g7 xg7 40.xe7+ h6 41.xb7 g5 42.g2 f5 43.h4 Stockfish says white has a decisive advantage, but could Walker play like Stockfish in this position? 31...h7 32.xh6+ xh6 33.xc8 Black resigned. Walker inflicted a crushing defeat on his opponent. 1–0

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