The legendary Estonian Paul Keres (1916-1975, 59 years old) was one of the strongest players never to win the World Championship. He was universally admired for his clear-cut style of play and chivalrous personality. Born in Narva, Estonia his family moved back to Parnu roght after WW I.
He was very active in correspondence play during his youth and the following brilliancy prize game is an example of his correspondence play in which he defeated a prominent correspondence player of the era.
The game was played in an international correspondence tournament.
Fred Reinfeld claimed that this game is the earliest known game in which Keres carries out an attack in the grand manner that he was known for. Reinfeild added that, "One can only marvel at the poise and sophistication of the youthful victor.” You can view a post card sent by von Feilitzsch HERE.
[Event "Int'l Correspondence Tmt"]
[Site ""]
[Date "1932.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "M. von Feilitzsch"]
[Black "Paul Keres"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C22"]
[Annotator "Stockfish 17"]
[PlyCount "64"]
[EventDate "1932.??.??"]
{C22: Center Game} 1. e4 e5 2. d4 {This antiquated opening was mostly abandoned by 1900 because it gives white no advabtage. In the 1980s strong tactical players like Alexander Shabalov and later Alexei Shirov, Michael Adams, Judit Polgár and Alexander Morozevich revived it, but it never caught on.} exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 {This is the nearly universal reply; white loses a tempo.} 4. Qe3 {This, the Paulsen Attack, is undoubtedly the best place for the Q.} Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd2 O-O 7. O-O-O Re8 8. Bc4 {Usual is 7.Qg3, but the move played is an attempt to obtain a speculative attack at the cost of a Pawn.} d6 {[%mdl 32] Keres suggested 8...Na5 and ...d5} (8... Bxc3 9. Bxc3 Nxe4 10. Qf4 {with equal chances as in Winawer-Steinitz, Nuremberg, 1890., but Keres prefers to take the offensive}) (8... Na5 {was a suggestion of Keresm but after} 9. Be2 d5 {Also suggested by Keres.} 10. Nxd5 Nxd5 11. Qd3 Qf6 12. Qxd5 {the chances are equal.}) 9. f3 {Instead of this defensive move white should probably have developed with 9.Nf3} Na5 (9... Ne5 {wa superior.} 10. Bb3 a5 11. a4 c6 12. Nge2 b5 {and black is developing a dangerous initiative.}) 10. Bd3 (10. Bb3 Nxb3+ 11. axb3 a5 12. Qf2 Bd7 13. Nge2 a4 14. bxa4 Bxa4 15. Nb1 {Black is better. Romero Holmes,A (2490)-Karpov,A (2725) Madrid 1992}) 10... d5 {Freeing himself.} 11. Qg5 h6 (11... d4 {White should now play 12.Nd5 with equal chances and not} 12. Nce2 h6 13. Qg3 Bxd2+ 14. Rxd2 c5 15. c3 Nc6 16. Bb5 Qa5 17. Bxc6 bxc6 {and black has a decisive advantage. Rudd,J (2288)-Rayner,F (2166) Hastings ENG 2013}) 12. Qh4 d4 13. Nce2 {Too passive. 13.Nd5 was better.} Bxd2+ 14. Rxd2 c5 {White is not only sadly lagging in his development, but he is also facing aP- storm against jis K.} 15. c4 {This only makes matters worse as it weakens his dark squares, but ot's hard to suggest anything that could really be considered better.} Be6 16. b3 {It's futile to try and avoid this weakening move.} b5 {The attack begins in earnest. Black is winning.} 17. Nf4 {Making way to develop the other N.} bxc4 18. Nxe6 Rxe6 19. bxc4 Rb8 20. Ne2 Qb6 {Black's P advances gave resulted in the opening of the b-file which he now proceeds to exploit.} 21. Kd1 Qb4 22. Qg3 Nd7 {There is more to this unassuming move than meets the eye. It defends the R and in doing so freeing the Q-and at the same time makes room for his other R along the third rank. But it also prepares some spectacular play/} 23. Rc2 Qa3 24. f4 {There is nothing better, but Keres refutes it in spectacular fashion.} Rg6 25. Qf3 {Watch this...} Rxg2 {[%mdl 512] This R cannot be taken.} 26. e5 {A last hope. This keeps the R under attack and threatens to win black's Q with Bh7+} (26. Qxg2 Qxd3+ 27. Rd2 Rb1+ 28. Nc1 Qa3 29. Rc2 d3 {wins.}) 26... Rb1+ {A nice finale.} 27. Rc1 Nxc4 {[%mdl 512]} 28. Rxb1 Ne3+ 29. Qxe3 dxe3 30. Bc4 Qa4+ 31. Bb3 Qe4 32. Rb2 {Keres is not done with impressive moves!} Rxe2 {White resigned.} (32... Rxe2 33. Kxe2 (33. Rxe2 Qb1#) 33... Qxh1 34. Kxe3 Qc1+) 0-1
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