Sydney T. Sharp

    It’s unlikely that the name Sydney T. Sharp (1885-1953, 68 years old) will be familiar to anyone, but he was long recognized as one of the country’s best players and his record in Pennsylvania was unequaled. 

    He won the state championship 10 times (1908, 1913, 1915, 1916, 1921, 1924, 1925, 1930, 1932 and 1937). Thee merit of that achievement is enhanced by the fact that in those days it was a knockout affair in which the loss of a point-and-a-half meant elimination. 

    A steady player with a thorough knowledge of opening theory, his style was positional and he was content with minute advantages. But, when the time came he could engage in tactics with the best. 

    Sharp learned the game at the age of 15 from his father. In 1900, chess in Philadelphia was flourishing and the Franklin Chess Club was the gathering place for all the notable enthusiasts who met almost daily. Sharp entered this scene in 1900 and some of his progress was attributed to playing against the club’s best players.

    Sharp played a lot of visiting luminaries in simultaneous play and he scored victories against Lasker, Capablanca and Marshall. 

    In the following game a rising young star named Isaac Kashdan fell to Sharp in the 1926 Manhattan vs Philadelphia team match. 

[Event "Manhattan CC - Franklin CC"] [Site "New York, NY USA"] [Date "1926.02.22"] [Round "?"] [White "Isaac Kashdan"] [Black "Sydney T. Sharp"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C43"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "62"] [EventDate "1926.??.??"] {C43: Petroff Defense} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 {Black avoids several white openings and counterattacks the centrer. This defense has has a drawish reputation, but there are a few sharp lines.} 3. d4 {The Classical Variation is .Nxe5 while the text is the Steinitz Variation although it was known long before him. Statistically there's not much difference between the two.} Nxe4 {Black can capture either Pawn. 3...d6 transposes into the Philidor Defense.} 4. dxe5 d5 5. exd6 {Very benign and typical of Kashdan's circumspect style.} Bxd6 6. Bc4 O-O 7. O-O Nc6 {[%mdl 32] In this position it appears that nothing is happening and white's next move occupying the open file and chasing the N away looks plausible, but it's a slight mistake that allows black to get slightly the better of it. White should play 8.Nbd2} 8. Re1 Bg4 {This is annoying to white; the threat is ... Ne5. It's somewhat surorising, but this position is very tricky for white.} 9. h3 {[%mdl 8192] A tactical blooper!} (9. Nbd2 {Watch this...} Nxd2 10. Bxd2 Bxf3 11. Qxf3 Qh4 12. Bb3 Qxh2+ 13. Kf1 Qh1+ {0-1 Gibbs,J-Cunningham,T Lincoln 1969}) (9. Be3 {is white's best defense, but black stands well after} Qf6 10. Bd5 Rae8 11. Bxe4 (11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. Qd4 Qg6 13. Nbd2 f5 {with a good game.}) 11... Rxe4 12. Nbd2 Re7 13. c3 Qg6 {Black stands well.}) 9... Nxf2 {[%mdl 512] An unexpected gut punch.} (9... Bxf3 {This is probablt what Kashdan expected with equality resulting after} 10. Qxf3 Nf6) 10. Qe2 (10. Kxf2 {is met by} Bxf3 11. Qxf3 Qh4+ 12. Kf1 Qxc4+ 13. Qe2 Qh4 {with a winning position.}) 10... Nxh3+ {[%mdl 512]} 11. gxh3 {Sharp conducts the remainder of the game with great precision.} Nd4 {[%mdl 512] What a great move!} 12. hxg4 {This is the best he has, but he is still lost no matter what he plays.} (12. Qe4 Nxf3+ 13. Kg2 Nxe1+ 14. Qxe1 Bxh3+ 15. Kxh3 Qd7+ 16. Kg2 Qg4+ 17. Kf1 Qh3+ 18. Kg1 Bh2+ 19. Kf2 Bg3+) 12... Nxe2+ 13. Rxe2 {White has three pieces for the Q (not counting black;s two extra Ps), but his K is exposed and three of his pieces are undeveloped. Black is winning.} Qd7 14. Rg2 Bc5+ 15. Kh2 Qd1 {White is bound hand and foot.} 16. Nbd2 Rad8 17. Bd3 Rfe8 18. Ne4 Qxf3 19. Nxc5 Re1 {The threat is ...Rd4} 20. Nb3 c5 21. Bg5 Rxa1 22. Nxa1 Re8 23. Nb3 {Kashdan has finally managed to get all his pieces into play, but Dharp now demonstrates that he has everything under control.} Qd5 {Threatening ...c4} 24. Bf5 g6 { The B has to retreat and we're back to black playing ...c4, right?} 25. Bh6 { No! White sets an trap...obvious, but it's still a trap.} Re1 (25... gxf5 26. gxf5+ Qxg2+ {The snag in white's trick.} (26... Kh8 27. Bg7+ Kg8 28. Bh6+ Kh8 29. Bg7+ Kg8 30. Bh6+ {Draw by 3-fold repitition.}) 27. Kxg2 Re2+ 28. Kf3 Rxc2 29. a3 Rxb2 {and black has an easy win.}) 26. c4 Qd8 27. Kg3 {Prevents ...Qh4+. } (27. Bc2 Qh4#) 27... gxf5 28. gxf5 {Kashdan has one more trick up his sleeve. } Kh8 {Prudent!} (28... f6 {And the tables are turned.} 29. Kf2+ Kf7 30. Rg7+ Ke8 31. Rg8+ Ke7 32. Rxd8 Kxd8 33. Kxe1 {White wins.}) 29. Rd2 {Prevents ... Qd3+.} Qf6 30. Bf4 h5 31. Rd5 Qg7+ {Forcing mate so white resigneed.} (31... Qg7+ 32. Kf2 Qg1+ 33. Kf3 Qg4+ 34. Kf2 Re2+ 35. Kf1 Qg2#) 0-1