Knight Outposts, a Lesson by Smyslov

    Vasily Smyslov *1921-2010, 89 years old) was World Champion for a brief period, 1957-58, but it probably should have been longer. Smyslov (pronounced VAS-ih-lee SMISS-lov) was primarily a positional and strategic, who preferred to accumulate small advantages and he posses excellent endgame technique. Even though he was known for quiet, solid play and precise endgame play he was also capable of brilliant tactical play. 

    Former World Champion (200-2007) Vladinir Kramnik said od Smtslov, “I would recommend a study of Smyslov's games to children who want to know how to play chess because he plays the game how it should be played: his style is the closest to some sort of 'virtual truth' in chess.” 

    Kramnik continued, “He always tried to make the strongest move in each position. He has surpassed many other of the World Champions in the number of strongest moves made.” 

    The following game against Rudakowski is a perfect example of how to take advantage of a Knight outpost and his opponent’s backward Pawn and the struggle of a Knight against a Bishop. When playing over the game watch how effortlessly Smyslov makes things look. 

 It was only when I started analyzing this game that I noticed the similarity between it and the Geller-Najdorf game in the post of August 22. In both games white played f5 forcing ...Bc4 with the exchange of Bs resulting in black having a fatal wakness on the light squares. 

    His opponent was Iosif Rudakovsky (1914-1940), a Ukrainian master of considerable talent who died at the age of 33 from tuberculosis. 

     HathiTrust is a site you should know about. It’s a global partnership of academic and research institutions that digitizes and preserves millions of books, journals, and other print materials. 

    If you know English Descriptive Notation you can view and download a selection of 62 of Smyslov’s games played from 1935 to 1956 that was published by Alexander Liepnieks in 1958 from HathiTrust HERE. 

 

[Event "USSR Championship, Moscow"] [Site ""] [Date "1945.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Vasily Smyslov"] [Black "Iosif Rudakovsky"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B83"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17.1"] [PlyCount "57"] [EventDate "1945.??.??"] {B83: Sicilian Scheveningen Variation} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 (2... d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. O-O Nbd7 9. f4 Qc7 10. f5 { Geller-Najdorf, Zurich 1953. Compare this maneuver to the one in the game} Bc4 11. a4 Rc8 12. Be3 Be7 13. a5 h5 14. Bxc4 Qxc4 {White eventually established a N on d5 and went on to win.}) 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 {In the Scheveningen Variation black's center Pawn setup (Ps on e6 and d6) is onr of the most popular systems. It’s solid and control of the critical squares d5 and e5. It’s also flexible and black has the possibility of a break with either ...e5 or ...d5. White's chances are usually based on an attack on the K-side.} 6. Be2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Be3 Nc6 9. f4 Qc7 {What should white play here? My opening fatabase has 11 replies with 11.Kh1 being the most popular by far, It's also the engine;s top choice.} 10. Qe1 {This unusual move has two purposes: 1) to transfer the Q to g3 from where it will be in a good position for attacking purposes and 2) to vacate d1 for the R on a1.} Nxd4 {Equally popular and just as playable is 10...a6} 11. Bxd4 e5 {This is the point of his previous move. central pawn thrust is the point of the previous exchange. Should white retreat the B straightway ot play fxe5 first? In my database the two moves appear with almost the same frequency and the same results...black scores much better than white! Engines show no preference and evaluates the position as equal. Smyslov believed it is better for white to retreat the B.} 12. Be3 (12. fxe5 dxe5 13. Qg3 Bc5 14. Bxc5 Qxc5+ {Here the dark squared Bs are exchanged which in Snyslov’s opinion diminish white’s attacking chances.}) 12... Be6 {Smyslov was of the opinion that it wa better to develop this B on c6 and so correct was 12...Bd7. The drawback of developing the B in e6 is that it allows white to start a Pawn advance on the K-side with a gain of time.} 13. f5 {The gain of time.} Bc4 {In the Geller-Najdorg game this was compulsory, but here it is not and he should have played 10...Bd7. Let Smyslov explain what is wrong with this move: Black executes a plan which from the positional point of view is incorrect: (The move 10...e5) weakened the centrt point d5, so he should preserve his white-squared Bishop to defend that important square.} 14. Bxc4 Qxc4 15. Bg5 {An instructive example of how to take advantage of the weakness of d5 in such positions. The exchange on f6 is unavoidable whereupon the white N becomes firmly entrenched on d5. This gives white good prospects of a direct attack on black’s K.} Rfe8 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. Nd5 {Is it safe for black to take the c-Pawn?} Bd8 {After this black's game can bve considered strategically lost. As bad as it is, taking the c-Pawn was his best option.} (17... Qxc2 18. Rf2 Qc6 19. Rc1 {See the note to white's 10. Qe1. Black is faced with Nc7 forking the Rs}) 18. c3 {Of course he doesn't want to retreat the N.} b5 19. b3 Qc5+ 20. Kh1 {On the next two moves black might play ...f6, bu by doing so he would condemned himself to passive defense. White would only have to transfer his heavy pieses to the K-side to start a decisive attack.} Rc8 21. Rf3 Kh8 (21... f6 22. Rh3 {Black can do nothing except twiddle his thumbs while white builds up the attack.} a5 23. Qh4 h6 24. Qh5 Kf8 25. Rg3 Qc6 26. Rd1 Qd7 27. Rdd3 b4 28. c4 Rc5 29. Rxg7 Qxg7 30. Rg3 Qh7 31. Rg6 Rxd5 32. cxd5 Re7 33. Rxh6 Qg8 34. Rh8 {etc.}) 22. f6 {Another instructive move by Smyslov. This is a typical thrust. The P cover around black's K is broken up.} gxf6 (22... Bxf6 {Now white's N on d5 sacomplishes the destruction of the position of bl;ack;s K.} 23. Nxf6 gxf6 24. Qh4 Re6 25. Rh3 Kg8 26. Qh6 {Threatening mate with 27.Rg3} f5 27. Qxh7+ Kf8 28. Qxf5 Rc7 29. Rf1 Ke8 30. Rh7 {The triple attack on h7 wraps it up.} Rce7 (30... Ree7 31. Rh8#) 31. Rxf7 Qc7 32. Qxe6 Rxe6 33. Rxc7) 23. Qh4 Rg8 24. Nxf6 Rg7 25. Rg3 Bxf6 26. Qxf6 Rcg8 27. Rd1 d5 28. Rxg7 Rxg7 $146 29. Rxd5 {Black resigned. He cannot prevent the R from going to d8. Not only an instructive game by Smyslov, but his Accuracy Rayimg compared to Stockfish was a nearly perfect : White = 90%/} 1-0

Play the King’s Gambit?!

    Three basic elements are Space, Time and Material. We often see one of these elements being traded for another. For example, one may give up material to gain time or space, or vice versa. In the opening, the idea behind a gambit is to speed up the development of our pieces or improve their co-ordination, or in order to gain space or control the center. 

    The King's Gambit was one of the most popular openings for over 300 years. Nevertheless, theorists have held different views on it. Philidor wrote that the King's Gambit should end in a draw with best play by both sides. He considered that "a gambit equally well attacked and defended is never (decisive). Tarrasch pronounced the opening "a decisive mistake" and wrote that "it is almost madness to play the King's Gambit." 

    The Czech GM and theorist Ludek Pachman wrote, “It may seem incredible after 2...exf4 that white has bothered to sacrifice a Pawn at all, since he has thereby weakened his King's position and in fact black is already threatening ...Qh4+ winning!” And, in 1961, Bobby Fischer wrote a famous article, A Bust to the King's Gambit, in which he stated, "In my opinion the King's Gambit is busted. It loses by force." Today the King's Gambit is rare in GM play although a few have played it on occasion. 

    Today’s featured game is a return to those thrilling days of yesteryear when the King’s Gamit was popular and the world’s elite weren’t afraid to play it. The game was played in the 1903 Vienna tournament which was a double round gambit tournament that was intended to feature gambits and the King’s Gambit was frequently seem in the tournament. 

 

 

    This game is not especially well played, but it’s interesting. Pillsbury was winning, but things got complicated and within the space of a couple of moves he game just collapsed.

 

[Event "Vienna"] [Site ""] [Date "1903.05.18"] [Round "12"] [White "Frank Marshall"] [Black "Harry N. Pillsbury"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C38"] [Annotator "Stocjfish 17.1"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate "1903.05.02"] {C38: King's Gambit Accepted} 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 {We generally think of this as a tactical opening, but Ludek Pachman observed that in reality white is aiming for a positional advantage in the shape of a powerful P-center now that he has moved black's e-Pawn. In addition there is an open f-file waiting for him once he has captured the f-pawn. But, first he must safeguard his King.} 3. Nf3 g5 {This is the classical move which at the time was regarded as simply the best move. Today 3...d5 is preferred, but although sometimes seen, when this game was played it was regarded as somewhat questionable.} (3... d6 { was Bobby Fischer's famous bust that he published in 1961. His analysis ram...} 4. Bc4 h6 5. d4 g5 6. O-O Bg7 7. c3 Nc6 8. Qb3 Qe7 9. h4 Nf6 10. hxg5 hxg5 11. Nxg5 Nxe4 12. Bxf7+ Kd8 13. Nxe4 Qxe4 14. Bxf4 Nxd4 {and according to Fischer black wins. He added, "Of course White can always play differently, in which case he merely loses differently." Actually, in this position black is only bery slightly better and engines punch so many holes in Fischer's analysis that is it worthless.}) 4. Bc4 Bg7 {A safer alternative than 4...g4.} 5. h4 h6 {If black hopes to secure an advantage then this is the correct move.} (5... g4 {Tjis gains black no advantage.} 6. Ng5 Nh6 7. d4 d5 8. Bxd5 c6 9. Bc4 Qxd4 10. Qxd4 Bxd4 {with equality.}) 6. d4 d6 7. Qd3 g4 {During the Vienna tournament Gunsberg played 7...Nc6 which is slightly better.} 8. Ng1 (8. Nfd2 {is a mistake. After} Nf6 9. Nc3 O-O {white has problems developing his pieces.}) 8... Qf6 9. c3 h5 (9... Ne7 10. h5 d5 11. exd5 Bf5 {Black stands well. Cortlever,N-Euwe,M Amsterdam 1939}) 10. Na3 {Slightly better was 10.Ne2} Ne7 11. Ne2 (11. Nb5 {is not dangerous to black.} Na6 12. Ne2 f3 13. gxf3 (13. Bg5 fxg2 14. Rg1 Qf3 {with an excellent position.}) 13... Qxf3 14. Qxf3 gxf3 15. Ng3 Bg4 {Black can be satisfied with his position.}) 11... Ng6 {After this white gets a good game. Black equalizes with 11...f3 (see note above).} 12. g3 fxg3 (12... f3 {is not so strong now.} 13. Bg5) 13. Rf1 {Aggressive play.} (13. Qxg3 {allows easy equality.} Qf3 14. Qxf3 gxf3 15. Ng3 Bg4) 13... Qxh4 { There is little choice.} (13... Qe7 14. Bxf7+ Kd8 15. Bg5 {wins}) 14. Bxf7+ Kd8 15. Bxg6 {This is the wrong capture because now black manage to equalize.} (15. Qxg3 Qxg3+ 16. Nxg3 Ne7 17. Nxh5 {White has an excellent position.}) 15... g2+ 16. Rf2 Rf8 {Black would have been better off completing his development with . ..Be6 and ...Nc6]} (16... Qh1+ {only looks good. After} 17. Ng1 Be6 18. Bg5+ Kc8 19. O-O-O {Black's Q is precariously placed.}) 17. Be3 Bh6 {An excellent tactical trick by Pillsbury which you would expect that Marshall, himself a great tactician, would avoic.} 18. Bxh6 {[%mdl 8192]} (18. Bf5 {plugging up the f-file keeps the advantage.} Bxf5 19. Bxh6 Re8 (19... Rf7 20. exf5 { leaves white with a won game. Black's bunch of advanced Ps can be dealt with and are not worth the two pieces he is down.}) 20. Be3 (20. exf5 g1=Q+) 20... Bxe4 21. Qb5 {A double edge position. In Shootouts white scored +1 -0 =4}) 18... g1=Q+ {[%mdl 512] After this black can count on winning!} 19. Nxg1 Qxf2+ 20. Kd1 Qxg1+ 21. Kc2 Rf2+ (21... Qxa1 {is much less exact.} 22. Bxf8 Qg1 23. Bh6 {Black is up the exchange and has two connected passed Ps that are well advanced, but he must be caresul becayse his K is precariously exposed.}) 22. Bd2 Qxa1 23. Qe3 {Down two Rs for B is hopeless...almost!} Rxd2+ {Throwing away his advantage. Pillsbury apparently misjudged the potency of white's threat against his K.} (23... Qf1 24. Qg5+ Rf6 25. Bxh5 Nc6 {Black is up the exchange plus a R and there is no way for white to at the K/} 26. Qg8+ Rf8 27. Bg5+ Ne7 28. Bxe7+ Kxe7 29. Qg7+ Kd8 30. Qg5+ Qf6) 24. Qxd2 Bd7 {An odd situation. Black has an extra R, but he is undeveloped and his Q is out of play at the moment. Marshall misses his chance to equalized immediately, but fortunately got him Pillsbury goes satray in the complications.} {Kxc8} 25. Qg5+ {[%mdl 8192]} (25. Qh6 {Threatening mate withe Qf8 equalized.} c5 26. Qf8+ Kc7 27. Nc4 {At long last the N is in play.} b6 28. Bf5 Qf1 29. Qxd6+ Kc8 30. Bxd7+ Nxd7 31. Qc6+ Kd8 32. Qxa8+ Ke7 33. Qd5 {Surprisingly, black cannot make use of his passed Ps/ A sample on is:} cxd4 34. cxd4 g3 35. Ne5 Nxe5 36. Qxe5+ Kd7 37. Qd5+ Kc7 38. Qe5+ {is a draw.}) 25... Kc8 26. Bf5 b6 {Seeking shelter for his K.} (26... Bxf5 27. Qg8+ Kd7 28. Qf7+ Kc6 29. Qd5+ Kd7 30. Qf7+ {draws} ) 27. Qg8+ (27. Bxd7+ Nxd7 {White is just doqn a R with no threat agains t black's K.}) 27... Kb7 28. Bxd7 Nxd7 29. Qd5+ c6 30. Qxd6 {The only way for black to win is to give up the N. Instead, he tries to save it and gets himslrf into a pin finds himself facing a threat from the advance of white's d-Pawn!} Rd8 (30... Rc8 {is winning after} 31. Qxd7+ Rc7 32. Qe6 Qf1) 31. d5 Rf8 {[%mdl 8192] Pillsbury has completely collapsed!} (31... Ka6 {is equal after} 32. dxc6 Qf1 33. b4 Qf2+ {repeats moves after 34.Kc1 or 34.Kb1, but not. ..} 34. Kb3 Nc5+) 32. dxc6+ Ka8 33. cxd7 Rf2+ 34. Kb3 Qxb2+ 35. Ka4 {Black resigned, All he can do is delay mate.} (35. Ka4 b5+ 36. Nxb5 Qxa2+ 37. Na3 Qg8 38. d8=Q+) 1-0

Role Reversal

    The game in the previous post was one in which Miguel Najdorf won using his then new variation and Fred Reinfeld was highly critical of white’s 10.f5 saying that the Pawns on light squares meant that white’s Bishop was bad as a result. Also, the move releases pressure on the center and so left open the possibility of a Pawn break with ...d5 by black. 

     Is the move really that bad? Just to be fair I wanted to look at a game that white won and found several in my database. I wanted the players to be GMs and found a couple games in which former World Champion Anatoly Karpov played 10.f5 and won. I also found the following game in which Najdoff was playing black again. 

    A casual look at some of the games seem to show some commonality. Unless black played badly, white’s wins were lengthy and they were not obtained by direct K-side attacks. Bronstein’s notes to this instructive game explain the real purpose of 10.f5

 

 

[Event "Candidates Tournament, Zurich"] [Site ""] [Date "1953.09.22"] [Round "13"] [White "Efim Geller"] [Black "Miguel Najdorf"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B92"] [Annotator "Bronstein/Stockfish"] [PlyCount "113"] [EventDate "1953.08.30"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "30"] [EventCountry "SUI"] [SourceTitle "Candidates"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceVersion "2"] [SourceQuality "1"] {B92: Sicilian Najdorf} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. O-O Nbd7 9. f4 Qc7 10. f5 {Once again, engines find no fault with this move which was so harshly criticized by Reinfeld. One claim that he made was that this move leaves white with a bad B, but that argument is wrong for reasons explained by Bromdtein in the note to the next move.} Bc4 11. a4 {Bronstein gives this a "!" His explanation: Against this system, a frequently used one by Najdorf, Geller has prepared a plan to occupy the light squares in the center and on the (K-side). By (playing 10.f5) he has driven the B to c4, where it will shortly be traded off. Now he plays 11 a4 in order to restrict black's Q-side play.It should be added that 10.f5 forces the trafe of white's bad B for black's good B.} (11. Bd3 {Thus was played in the game featured in the previous post.} b5 12. Be3 Be7 13. Qe2 Rc8 14. Rac1 O-O 15. Nd2 d5 16. Bxc4 dxc4 17. a3 {Black is slightly bette. Antoniq Ric-Najdorf, Radio Match Spain vs. Argentina, 1948}) 11... Rc8 {11...d5 was worth considering.} 12. Be3 (12. Bxc4 Qb6+ 13. Kh1 Rxc4 14. Qe2) (12. a5 Be7 13. Bxc4 Qxc4 14. Ra4 {was soo drawn. Schmid,L-Evans,L Varna 1962}) 12... Be7 13. a5 h5 {Thus is not easpecially good, but as Bronstein observed, Najdorf wass one who was satisfied to play passively; he wanyed counterplay. So, seeing that his Q-se pieces have been hemmed in, he undertakes a K-side diversion against the possibility of white playing g4 and g5. Bronstein also noted that later Nafdorf castles into the wekened K-side, but managed to survive thanks to his tactical skill.} (13... d5 {For whatever reason this counter in the center was not mentioned by any annotators.} 14. Bxc4 d4 15. Bd3 dxc3 16. bxc3 Qxc3 { with complete equality.}) 14. Bxc4 $16 Qxc4 15. Ra4 Qc7 16. h3 h4 17. Rf2 { Najdorf's next move gets the OK from Stockfish.} b5 {Brinstein wrote: Najdorf confidently sacrifices P for a little initiative. His position after the 18th move would indeed have been promising, had Geller taken the a-Pawn; but Geller finds a steadier solution to the problem, as we shall see. Denying himself the material, he acquires a great positional advantage instead by a series of fine moves. And although Najdorf gave his 17.. b5 an exclamation mark, it is possible that 17..Qc6 was better.} (17... Qc6 {attacks the e-Pawn, but it is definitely not better than Nardorf's move!} 18. Nd2 Qc7 19. Qf3 b5 20. axb6 Nxb6 21. Rxa6 {White is better.}) 18. axb6 Nxb6 19. Bxb6 {Bronstein: This exchange is aimed at sub jugating the light squares, especially d5, since white removes one of the pieces which could defend that square. The next links of his plan will be to bring the R from f2 to a1, assail the a- Pawn with his heavy pieces, tie down black's Rs and Q to its defense, and finally to bring his N on b3 to e3, and then to d5. The first part of this plan takes until move 24, the second part from move 25 to move 27, and the third part is concluded with White's 31st move.} Qxb6 20. Qe2 Ra8 21. Kh2 O-O 22. Rf1 { [%mdl 2048]} Ra7 23. Rfa1 Rfa8 24. R1a2 {Geller is playing an orthodox game to a fault. Here, he protects the b-Pawn, in order to free his N on b3, although he could also have played 24.Qd3, followed by 25.Nd2, when the b-Pawn could not have been taken, in view of 26.Rbl. Now white enters the second part of his plan.} (24. Qd3 {does not work out s Bronstein suggested...} Rc7 25. Rxa6 Rxa6 26. Rxa6 Qf2 27. Ra8+ Kh7 28. Qf3 {is only equal afyer black exchanges Qs. } Qxc2 {This loses.} 29. Nd5 Rc8 30. Rxc8 Qxc8 31. Nxe7) 24... Bd8 {The fact that the equalizing advance ...d5 escpaed everynody's attention is because the followup is something that is beyond what a human can see,} (24... d5 25. exd5 e4 26. Nxe4 Rd8 27. Rxa6 Qb8+ 28. Kh1 Rxa6 29. Rxa6 Rxd5 {White is two connected passed Ps up, but both Stockfish and Dragon by Komodo evaluate the position at 0.00.}) 25. Na5 Rc8 26. Nc4 Qc6 27. Ne3 a5 28. Rc4 Qa6 29. b3 Bb6 $2 30. Rxc8+ Qxc8 31. Ned5 Nxd5 32. Nxd5 {The highlight of white's strategy: Geller now has what amounts to a won position.} Qc5 33. Ra1 {One must always br alert. ...Qg1# was threatened.} Qf2 34. Qxf2 {Keeping the Qs on might have been quicker, but Geller wanted to avoio complications and preferred to win the came in positional style.} Bxf2 {[%mdl 4096]} 35. Rf1 Bd4 36. c3 Bc5 37. g4 hxg3+ 38. Kxg3 Rb7 39. Rb1 f6 {Bronstein pointed out that this is a classic endgame, with in-structional value. The Ps are on squares of their own B's color, the N occupies a powerful position in the center and the light squares are accessible to the K. There remains only to create an outside passed P..} 40. Kf3 Kf7 41. Ke2 Rb8 42. b4 g6 43. Kd3 {Bronstein commented that Geller carries his avoidance of tatical play play to extremes and reommended 43.fxg3+ pointing out that it would win in a few moves.} (43. fxg6+ Kxg6 44. bxc5 Rxb1 45. c6 Rb8 (45... Rb5 46. Ne7+ Kf7 47. c7) 46. c7 Rc8 47. Ne7+) 43... gxf5 44. exf5 axb4 45. cxb4 Bd4 46. Rc1 Kg7 47. Rc7+ Kh6 48. Ke4 Kg5 49. Rh7 Bf2 50. Rg7+ Kh4 51. Kf3 Be1 52. Kg2 {Intending Rg4+ and mate.} Rf8 53. b5 Ba5 54. b6 Bxb6 55. Nxb6 Rb8 56. Rg4+ Kh5 57. Nd5 {Black resigned, An instructive game.} ( 57. Nd5 Rf8 58. Kg3 Kh6 59. Rg6+ Kh7 60. Nxf6+ Rxf6 61. Rxf6) 1-0

A Complicated Game

 

    I came across this game in Fref Reinfeld’s potboiler Attack and Counterattack in Chess. The book’s 12 chapters cover subjects such as seizing the initiative, utilizing superior development, exploiting weaknesses, etc. He gives some general advice on each subject and then examples from a games. I find it annoying that he did not give any information on who the players were, the event or date the game was played. 

    As you might expect from a hastily written potboiler (a book, painting, or recording produced merely to make the writer or artist a living by catering to popular taste) and written pre-engine, it’s riddled with analytical errors and in some cases errors in judgment as any patzer with an engine can attest. 

    Reinfeld used this game as an example of how white can fritter away his slight advantage of the first move by play the opening so poorly that his theoretical advantage disappeared. That was the reason I wanted to take a look at the game and a search of my database quickly discovered the players, event and date. 

    Stockfis quickly rendered most of Reinfeld’s notes meaningless and revealed that the moves of both players were not as simple and clear cut as Reinfeld presented them. In fact, I spent two days looking at the game with Stockfish and to be honest still am not sure my analysis is perfect! 

    The game is notable because it is one of the earliest games featuring the Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian. Consequently, unlike today when the Najdorf Variation has been extensively analyzed, in those days there was very little theory on it. 

    As might be expected, neither side’s play was perfect. Rico’s play, while not bad, was passive and the result was that Najdorf did eventually seize the initiative. Once he did so white’s defense became difficult and he eventually collapsed. Still, his opening play was not as atrocious as Reinfeld said it was. The game is actually pretty complex and I recommend playing over it with a real set to get the feel of it. Or, better yet, download the game HERE and play through it with your chess program and engine! 

 

[Event "Radio Match"] [Site ""] [Date "1948.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Antonio Rico (Spain)"] [Black "Miguel Najdorf (Argentins)"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B92"] [Annotator "Stocjfish 17.1"] [PlyCount "70"] [EventDate "1948.??.??"] [EventType "team-tourn"] [EventRounds "1"] [EventCountry "ARG"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceQuality "1"] {B92: Sicilian Najdorf: Be2} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 {This game is one of the earliest games featuring the Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian. For that reason it's not fair to be be too critical of either side's play because the best lines had not yet been worked out.} 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. O-O Nbd7 {Today the preferred move is 8... Be7} 9. f4 {Although today white usually plays 9.Be3 the text actually yields better results.} Qc7 10. f5 {Rico's play is quite modern! Fred Reinfeld considered this move an error because it allows black to seize the initiative. Reinfeld claimed that the white Ps on the white squares reduced the scope of his white squared B. Additionally, the disadvantage of 10.f5 is that it releases pressure on the center thereby enabling black to eventually react with ...d5. Modern practice and engines favor the move. Stocjfish evaluates the position at 0.00, but in practice white actually scores quite well! Rico's problem is that his subsequent play was too passive and it allowed Najdorf to slowly gain a small edge which manages to turn to his advantage} Bc4 11. Bd3 {Probably played with the idea of pla.ing Qe2, but white is pretty much taking a passive stance. Two better options were 11.a4 restraing black on the Q-side or simply exchanging Bs with 11.Bxc4} (11. Be3 b5 12. a3 Be7 13. Nd2 Bxe2 14. Qxe2 Nb6 15. Rad1 { is equal. Imeeva,A (2067) -Saranya,J (2094) Kocaeli TUR 2013}) (11. Bxc4 { is white's most active line.} Qxc4 12. Qf3 b5 13. a3 Be7 14. Be3 {followed by Ras1 and g4 with active play.}) 11... b5 12. Be3 {Better was 12.a3 as a precaution against the advance of black's b-Pawn.} Be7 {Najdorf's play is rather conservative. Both 12...d5 and 12...b4 were worth considering as they are more active.} 13. Qe2 (13. g4 {is met by} b4 14. Bxc4 bxc3 15. Bd3 cxb2 { Black is better.}) 13... Rc8 14. Rac1 {There is a point to this illogical looking move, but it's only apparent later in a note!} O-O (14... b4 {was better. After} 15. Nb1 O-O {white's Ns are not particularly useful.}) 15. Nd2 d5 {White's colorless opening has resulted in black's gaining the initiative with this move, Reinfeld rightly points out that Najdorf has permitted white to get rid of his useless B on d3 and at the same time eliminate black's pressure on the half-open c-file, but the result is that black opens up the d-file which is in his favor.} 16. Bxc4 (16. exd5 {would assure white of some play and even justify his seemingly illogical 14th move!} Bxd5 17. Nxd5 Nxd5 18. Ne4 Bc5 19. Bxc5 Nxc5 20. f6 Nxd3 21. cxd3 {challenges black on the c-file, but after21...Qb6 black would stand well.} Qxc1 {is seems unlikely this move would be preferred by a human!} 22. fxg7 (22. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 23. Kf2 Rfc8 24. Kg3 R8c2 {with a decisive advantage.} 25. Qh5 Rxg2+ 26. Kf3 gxf6) 22... Rfd8 23. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 24. Kf2 f5 25. Nc3 Nf4 26. Qf3 Nxd3+ {Black's advantage should prove decisive.}) 16... dxc4 17. a3 b4 18. axb4 Bxb4 19. g4 {Black is in no real danger from this attacking gesture, but it gives hite enough play to stay equal.} Bxc3 20. bxc3 Qc6 21. Qg2 Nc5 22. Bxc5 Qxc5+ 23. Kh1 Rfd8 {This is an extrenely difficult position. The engine puts black's advantage at only half a Pawn, In Shootouts after 24.g5 white scored +0 -4 =5, so that is clearly his best try.} 24. Qe2 {After this passive move white's position quickly deteriorates.} (24. g5 {This is the logical continuation, Even though white does not have enough pieces to conduct a seriously dangerous attack on black's K this is his best option.} Nh5 25. Nf3 g6 26. fxg6 hxg6 27. Ra1 Rd6 {Black is in no danger on the K-side. However, in this position with all the heavy pieces on the chances of a successful defense on white;s part are increased.}) 24... h6 {An unnecessary precautionary move, but practucally speaking it's quite reasonable.} (24... Nxg4 {is technically better, but things get complicated!} 25. Qxg4 Rxd2 26. Rg1 Qf8 27. Ra1 Rc6 28. Qg3 (28. Rg2 Rxg2 29. Kxg2 Rd6 {Black has a dominating position.}) 28... f6 29. Qe3 Rd7 (29... Rxc2 30. Qa7 {draws}) 30. h3 {Black is better, but white can put up a manly defende. }) 25. Ra1 Qd6 26. Rfd1 {Black's next move is a clever one.} Qc6 {Black threatens to sac thge exchange a capture the e-Pawn.} 27. Kg2 {This avoids the trap, but doesn;t help his defense.} (27. Ra2 {A pass to show the threat.} Rxd2 28. Rxd2 (28. Qxd2 Nxe4 29. Qd5 Nf2+ {wins}) 28... Nxe4 29. Kg1 (29. Rxa6 Nf2+ 30. Kg1 Nh3+ 31. Kf1 Qh1#) 29... Nxd2 30. Qxd2 Qb6+ 31. Kg2 Rd8 {with a won ending.}) (27. Re1 {defending the e-Pawn was correct. After} Rd6 28. Nf3 Re8 29. h3 {Black will find it difficult to make progress.}) 27... Rd6 (27... Rxd2 {no longer works.} 28. Rxd2 Nxe4 29. Rxa6 {Unlike in the previos note this works because there is no ,,,Nf2+ leading to mate.} Qxa6 30. Qxe4 {is equal.}) 28. h3 Rcd8 29. Kf3 Qd7 30. Ke3 {It looks like white has defended everything, so how does black add the last bit of pressure that topples his opponent?} Ne8 {Black's pin on the d-file leaves white helpless while the N makes a lengthy trip to b4.} 31. Ra5 Nc7 32. Rxe5 {Winning this P has no effect on the game!} Nb5 33. Rd5 (33. Qxc4 {runs into} Rc8 34. Rc5 Qa7 {another devastating pin.} 35. Nb3 Rxd1 {and wins.}) 33... Rxd5 34. exd5 {If only white now had time for Ne4....but he doesn;t.} Nxc3 35. Qf3 Nxd1+ {White resigned. White has no compensation for the loss of the Exchange. Having seized the initiative at an early stage, Najdorf, aided by his opponent;s somewhat passive play, made admirable use of it..} 0-1

Dangers of a Premature Attack

    On February 19, 1951, Jean Lee who was, among other things, a prostitute, went down in Australian history. She was born Marjorie Jean Maude Wright on December 10, 1919. In 1949, together with her lover and their accomplice they tortured and murdered a bookmaker from the Melbourne suburb of Carlton. The victim was bound to a chair and tortured in an attempt to get him to reveal where his money was hid. He was then strangled to death. All three were caught and convicted and on February 19, 1951 at the age of 31, Lee earned the distinction of being the last woman to be executed by hanging in Australia. 

    In other news, the High Court of Australia rules that a bill to ban the Communist Party of Australia, was unconstitutional. Draft notices were issued under the 1941 National Service Act that required 18-year-old males to undergo compulsory military training. Karlis Ozols won the Victoria Championship held in Melbourne by a point and a half ahead of the runner ip. It would have been more except for a single loss he suffered against an also ran. 

    The winner of the following game from that tournament was Stefan Lazare (1909-1991, 82 years old) who was born in Poland. He moved to France in 1927 where he studied mathematics at the university in  Besancon which is located in eastern France. He won he 1934 Paris City reserve championship. He was born Lazar Suchowolski, but changed his name to Stefan Lazare when he arrived in Melbourne in June 1939. 

    The loser was Charles Gilbert Marriott Watson (1878-1961) who started playing chess at the age of 10. He later joined the Melbourne Chess Club, and won the club championship eight times between 1898 and 1936. He was Australian champion in 1922 and 1931. 

 

 

    Watson competed in the 1922 London international tournament, where almost all of the world top players were participating. He tied for places 14-15 (out of 16) wuth a 4.5-10.5 score. He did defeat Tartakower though.

    In this game Watson’s downhill slide started with a rash advance on the K-side that was premature. His King was stick in the center and it was all over in a handful of moves. 

 It’s hard to say exactly how good some of the Australian and New Zealand players of that day were because they were so fatr from the world’s major chess centers, but Chess metrics estimates Watson’s rating to have been at its peak in the 1920s when it was in the mid-2400s. In these days of rating inflation that doesn’t seem so high, but in those days he was in the world’s top 50 or so players. 

    If a player of Watson’s ability can make such an error as launching an attack without sufficient preparation then all of us should to take heed.

 

[Event "Victoria Chp, Melbourne"] [Site "?"] [Date "1951.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Stefan Lazare"] [Black "Charles Watson"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B72"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17.1"] [PlyCount "43"] [EventDate "1951.??.??"] {B72: Sicilian Dragon} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8. f4 h5 {The standard move here is 8...O-O. The move ...h5 is a valid only in special cases, for example where while plays the Yugoslav Attack.(f3 followed by the advance of the g- and h-Pawns). Here it is premature.} 9. h3 Bd7 (9... h4 {This continuation of the "attack" is unsatisfactory because after} 10. O-O Bd7 (10... Nh5 11. Bxh5 Rxh5 {is no better. Black has weakened his K-side and his R is misplaced.}) 11. f5 { Wecking black's K-side and leaving his K with no safe haven. White is better.}) 10. Qd2 Rc8 11. Nb3 Be6 12. O-O Qd7 13. Rf2 {It's not clear is this was intended as a safety precaution against a possible sacrifice on h3 or played in preparation of doubling Rs on the f-file. It;s a moot point thougjh because things aren't going to get that far.} (13. Rad1 {Let's see if a sacrifice on f3 would present white with any dangers.} Bxh3 14. gxh3 Qxh3 15. Rf3 Qg4+ 16. Kh1 h4 17. Rg1 Qd7 {There us no attack and black's two Ps are not enough compensation for the B.}) 13... h4 {Black's safest course would have been to castle and then play the standard strategy of seeking Q-side counterplay with . ..Rc8, ...a6 and ...g5. This demonstration on the K-side is a gesture that quickly lands him in difficulties from which there is no escape.} 14. Nd4 Nh5 { Black is practically lost after this. Eliminating white's weel placed N with 14...Nxd4 was his best chance to try holding on.} 15. f5 {This powerful move shreds black's position.} gxf5 16. exf5 Nxd4 {Black has some hope here...the position is quite complicated and maybe white will play the wrong recapture.} 17. Bxd4 {...but he doesn't.} (17. fxe6 {lets black off the hook. After} Nxe2+ 18. Qxe2 Qxe6 19. Qb5+ Qd7 20. Qd3 Bxc3 21. bxc3 {the chances would be equal.}) 17... Bc4 (17... Bxf5 {was no better, but practically speaking it offered better chances. White has a bewildering number of possibilities and most all of then are good.} 18. Raf1 {is simpler and so may be better.} (18. Bxh5 { This is technically best, but it must be followed up accurately.} Bxd4 { Here again white must choose the right move or black escapes.} 19. Bxf7+ (19. Qxd4 {allows black to equalize after} Rxh5 20. Nd5 Qb5 21. Raf1 Be6) 19... Kxf7 20. Qxd4 e6 21. Ne4 d5 22. Raf1 {White will continue with Nc5 with what should be a winning position.}) 18... e6 19. Bxg7 Nxg7 20. Bb5 Rc6 21. Qd4 Kf8 22. Bxc6 bxc6 23. Ne4 {White is winning. A practical continuation might be} d5 24. Qc5+ Qe7 25. Nd6 {and black has no reasonable move.}) 18. Bxg7 Nxg7 19. Qd4 Rg8 20. Bxc4 {Black could safely resign here.} Rxc4 21. Qxc4 Nxf5 22. Qb5 {[%mdl 32768] Simple. After the Qs conme off white is a R up. A very well played game by Lazare.} 1-0

Morphy Gets Leeched - Still Wins

    There’s no question that Paul Morphy (1837-1884) was a great tactical player, but he also played in a way that put an end to the devil-may-care style of play where the object was to play with reckless abandon and make sacrifices with the aim of producing a brilliant game, or at least one that looked brilliant on the surface. Of course, in those pre-Morphy days there was little organized chess so tournament standing and cash prizes were not a factor. 

    Morphy’s play was generally sound and his tactics were based on logic and not rashly played. It was also characterized by factors like rapid development and control of the center. Morphy was so successful that the players that came after him began to reflect his influence and the Age of Steinitz was ushered in. Although he also produced some brilliant games, Wilhelm Steinitz (1826-1900) was a strong advocate of positional play.

    While on a trip to Paris Morphy suffered from a bout of intestinal influenza, also known as stomach flu or viral gastroenteritis, which is still a common illness. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain, and while usually mild, it can lead to dehydration, especially in children and the elderly. 

    Treatment consists of drink plenty of fluids, especially electrolyte drinks. Also recommended is getting plenty of rest and a bland diet such as crackers, toast, broth, or gelatin. Over-the-counter medications can help with nausea and diarrhea. Of course, in severe cases a doctor should be seen. 

    In Morphy’s day the medical wisdom was that he be treated with leeches which resulted in his losing a significant amount of blood. As a result, he was too weak to stand up unaided. Known as leeching or leech therapy, it was popular due to the belief that it could restore balance to the body's humors, the four primary bodily fluids that were believed to determine a person's temperament. Those fluids were blood, phlegm (associated with a calm, sluggish, or apathetic temperament), yellow bile (associated with an easily angered, irritable, and ambitious temperament and black bile (associated with a sad, introverted temperament). 

     Leeches were applied directly over the area believed to be affected or to a vein. A leech can take out up to half an ounce of blood during feeding which can last between 30 and 90 minutes. The leech's saliva, which contain anticoagulants, can cause the bite to continue bleeding for 10 hours. 

     In spite of his condition, Morphy insisted on going ahead with a match against Adolf Anderssen, Europe's leading player. Despite his illness Morphy won easily. Anderssen claimed to be out of practice, but also admitted that Morphy was the stronger player. In the following short, sharp game Anderssen got crushed as a result of his lack of development. 

 

Morphy        0 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 0 1  7 

Anderssen   1 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 0  2 

 

[Event "Match, Paris"] [Site ""] [Date "1858.12.27"] [Round "9"] [White "Paul Morphy"] [Black "Adolf Anderssen"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B44"] [Annotator "Stockfisj 17.1"] [PlyCount "33"] [EventDate "1858.12.20"] [Source "(London) Field, "] {B32: Sicilian: Lowenthal and Kalashnikov Variations} 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nb5 {Rather unusual at this point (white usually plays 5. Nc3), but it's not bad. The threat of Nd6+ is not especially dangerous to black.} d6 (5... Nf6 {ignores the threat and attacks the e-Pawn.} 6. N1c3 (6. Nd6+ Bxd6 7. Qxd6 Nxe4 {simply wins a P.}) 6... Bb4 {White should now play 7. a3 Bxc3 8.Nxc3 with equal chances.} (6... d6 7. Bf4 e5 {id equal.}) 7. Nd6+ Ke7 {This surprising move equalizes. White can play either 8.Bf4 or 8.Nxf6 with equal chance.} (7... Bxd6 8. Qxd6 Qe7 9. Bf4 {favors white})) 6. Bf4 {This compels the advance of the e-Pawn and white hopes to take advantage of the backward d-Pawn, but black will have suffucuent compensation for it.} e5 7. Be3 f5 {This is a mistake that contains the seeds of defeat.} (7... a6 8. N5c3 Nf6 9. Bc4 b5 {Black has equal chances in the form of Q-side play.}) (7... Nf6 { This also a good alternative.} 8. Bg5 Be6 {equals}) 8. N1c3 {Black has no effective way of preventing Nd5.} f4 {There was nothing better.} (8... a6 9. Nd5 axb5 10. Bb6 Qh4 11. Nc7+ Ke7 12. Nxa8 Qxe4+ 13. Qe2 {White is much better/ Degraeve,J (2525)-Rodrigues,A (2310) Ubeda 1998}) 9. Nd5 fxe3 (9... a6 { is much worse.} 10. Nbc7+ Kf7 11. Bb6 Qh4 {White is a full R up.} 12. Nxa8) 10. Nbc7+ Kf7 {As miserable as black;s position is, he is not totally lost.} 11. Qf3+ {A mistake that lets black off the hook!} (11. Nxa8 {was simple and good.} exf2+ 12. Kxf2 Qh4+ 13. g3 Qxe4 14. Bg2 Qd4+ 15. Ke1 {Best...white wants to use the f-file for an attack.} Qxd1+ (15... Qxb2 16. Rb1 Qxa2 17. Rf1+ Nf6 18. Ra1 Qb2 19. Qh5+ {with a winning attack.}) 16. Rxd1 Nf6 17. Rf1 {with a R vs, B+P white is better.}) 11... Nf6 12. Bc4 {I';s interesting that one early annotator, basing his opinion on the game's result commented that white's attack is now irresistable. It's true that his position looks overwhelming, but black has a move that results in equality and he found it.} Nd4 {After this white has only one reply that avoids loss.} (12... Na5 13. Nxf6+ Nxc4 14. Nfd5+ Kg6 15. Nxa8 exf2+ 16. Qxf2 {and white's position is a winning one.}) 13. Nxf6+ {Once again black has but a single move that avoids defeat.} (13. Qd1 exf2+ 14. Kxf2 b5 15. Nxa8 bxc4 16. Rf1 Bg4 17. Qd2 Qxa8 {black is winning; he has three minor pieces for the R.}) 13... d5 {Active defense!} (13... Kg6 14. Qh5+ Kxf6 15. Ne8+ {and black has to surrender his Q because if} Ke7 16. Qf7#) 14. Bxd5+ Kg6 {[%mdl 8192] This loses.} (14... Ke7 {results in equality after} 15. Qh5 gxf6 16. Nxa8 Nxc2+ {A position with head whirling complications! Five Shootouts were drawn.}) 15. Qh5+ {Now Morphy is back on track and dinished cleanly.} Kxf6 {White still has an opportunity to blunder!} 16. fxe3 {By far the best,} (16. Ne8+ {This hasty move forces black to give up his Q, but after} Qxe8 $1 {[%mdl 512]} 17. Qxe8 Bb4+ 18. c3 Rxe8 $19 19. cxb4 Nc2+ 20. Ke2 Nxa1 21. Rxa1 {Black is up a R.}) (16. Nxa8 {Keeps the advantage, but allows black to play on with} Nxc2+ 17. Ke2 Nxa1 {is met forcefully with} 18. f4 {and black has toi give up material to avoid nate on g5 and if} exf4 19. e5+ Ke7 20. Qf7#) 16... Nxc2+ 17. Ke2 {Black resigned. He has no reasonable continuation.} (17. Ke2 Nxa1 18. Rf1+ Ke7 19. Qxe5+ Kd7 20. Be6+ Kc6 21. Rc1+ Nc2 22. Rxc2+ Bc5 23. Qxc5#) (17. Ke2 Qxc7 18. Raf1+ Ke7 19. Rf7+ {wins}) 1-0

An Unsound Sacrificial Attack Gets Refuted

 

    In 1952 there was an international tournament at the Capablanca Chess Club in Havana for the purpose of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Cuba. 

    Five U.S. players were invited: US Champion Larry Evans, former champions Samuel Reshevsky and Herman Steiner, former U.S Open Champion I.A. Horowitz and Dr. Edward Lasker. 

    At the time technically Rossolimo represented France, but he planned to make his home together with his wife and young son in the United States after the tournament. 

    A Chess Life article observed that his inability to speak English could hinder him for awhile in his search for an occupation outside of chess, but added a man of his talents should have little trouble attaining eventual success. As for his English, when I met him at his chess studio in the mid-1960s, it was excellent. A little-known skill of Rossolimo's was that he was an expert in ju-jitsu,a Japanese martial art focused on close-quarters combat. It utilizes techniques like throws, joint locks and chokes. 

    Originally there were 23 players, but early in the tournament General Manuel Soto Larrea (who played 6 games) and Captain Jose Joaquin Araiza Munoz (who played 5 games) were recalled by the Mexican government. According to one source it was because of a coup d'etat in Cuba when the president, Carlos Socorras, who sponsored the tournament, was disposed by Fulgencio Batista. The tournament took place in February and Batisya seized power on March 10, 1952, but there may have been political rumblings at the time of the tournament. 

    The most shocking evens during the tournament was when the Cuban player Roberto Quesada suffered a heart attack after round 16 (+5 -4 =7) in which he had drawn with Spanish GM Arturo Pomar. Born in 1905, he died at the age of 46 on March 14 and his funeral was attended by the participants and tournament directors. 

    At one point Rossolimo was in first place, but then mysteriously lost three games in a row to spoil his chances for a really high prize. First place was $2,500.00 and as Chess Life observed, “...even with the price of meat these days, you can buy a lot of bacon with $2,500.00.” That’s almost $30,000 today and in 1952 bacon was the equivalent of $6.50 a pound. One thing of which I am sure, Reshevsky did not buy any bacon with his share of the prize money. 

 

    The winner, Edward Lasker (1885-1981, 95 years old) was born in Psmen, German Empire, but now in Poland). Before World War I he moved to London, and after the outbreak of the war he moved to the United States. Quesada’s sacrificial attack was unsound, but it offered good practical chances as evidenced by Lasker’s subsequent play. It was only later that Quesada went astray and lost.

 

[Event "Havana"] [Site ""] [Date "1952.03.06"] [Round "?"] [White "Juan Quesada"] [Black "Edward Lasker"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C55"] [Annotator "Stockfiah 17.1"] [PlyCount "86"] [EventDate "1952.??.??"] {C50: Two Knights Defense} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 {Originally the move 4.Ng5 was harshly criticized by Tarrasch and Soviet theorist Vasily Panov called it primitive. Later, in the 1900s, it was the most popular reply and at the time od this game ir was considered best.} 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 d6 7. Nxd4 O-O 8. Nc3 Ne5 9. Be2 Re8 {All this has been heavily analyzed, but at the time this was a novelty abd it;s probably black's best reply.} 10. b3 d5 { The idea of this move is to simplify the position and obtain easy equality.} 11. f4 {Quesada is having none of that easy equality, and decides on a very aggressive, but dangerous, course.} (11. Nxd5 Nxd5 12. exd5 Qxd5 13. Nf5 Qxd1 14. Nxe7+ Rxe7 15. Rxd1 {would not ne any fun.}) 11... Bb4 {An excellent move that limits white's possibilities of taking any action in the center.} 12. Bb2 Bxc3 {Another good move that removes the e-Pawn's protection.} 13. Bxc3 Nxe4 14. Bb2 Ng6 {Another strong ove attacking the f-Pawn. It's obvious that white; s 11th move was quite a poor one, but rather thatn paying something like 15. Bf3 and trying to hold on as best he can, Quesada comes up with another plan, a bad one, but it eventually works.} 15. Bh5 {In this position black stands better and the text move envisions an unsound idea, but one that results in complications galore so in reality it;s not a bad idea at all.} Nxf4 $19 { Why not take another P? Black's advantage is already decisive so Quesada has nothing to lose by playing his next move.} 16. Bxf7+ {Tal once said there were good sacrifices and his...this is like his.} Kxf7 {Black has a decisive advantage, but he has to prove himself up to the task of winning a won game. Lasker wasn't up to the task and the fact that he won the game is only due to later mistakes by Quesada.} 17. Rf1 {The point. Black is in a dangerous looking pin and white will recover his piece.} Qf6 {A horrible move walking into a pin.} (17... g5 18. g3 Kg8 19. gxf4 c5 20. Nf3 Bh3 21. Re1 {Black is only a P uo, but is attack is very strong and he can look forward to scoring the point.} gxf4) 18. Ne2 Qxb2 (18... Qb6+ {is a bit better.} 19. Bd4 Qd6 20. Nxf4 Kg8 21. Nh5 Re7 22. Qf3 {Black is on the defensive, but he does have an extra P though at this point ot doesn't mean much.}) 19. Qxd5+ {It's possible that Lasjer overloojed this and was expecting 19.Rxf4+. After the exchange of Qs whits has achieved complete equality.} (19. Rxf4+ Kg8 20. Qxd5+ Be6 21. Qd4 (21. Qxe4 Qxa1+) 21... Qxd4+ 22. Nxd4) (19. Nxf4 Nf6 20. Nxd5 Be6 21. Nxc7 Rad8 22. Qc1 Qd4+ 23. Kh1 Re7 24. Nxe6 Rxe6 {Black is a piece up and white only has a P to show for it.}) 19... Kf8 {The difference between this position and that after 19.Rxf4 is that black is still in a pin on his N.} (19... Be6 20. Qxe4 Kg8 21. Nxf4 {with equal chances.}) 20. Nxf4 (20. Rxf4+ Nf6 21. Raf1 Qe5 { Black is a piece up.}) 20... Nf6 21. Qc5+ Kg8 {Black is still a piee up. but white is able to weasel his way out of his difficulties with some ingenious play.} 22. Nd3 {Black's Q is trapped.} b6 {The only move.} 23. Qc4+ Be6 24. Nxb2 Bxc4 {Amazing! White has beaten off the attack, recovered his piece and obtained complete equalty. And, he has sufficient resourses to meet black's R on the 2nd rank.} 25. Nxc4 Re2 {[%mdl 2048]} 26. Rf2 Rae8 27. Rd1 b5 28. Nb2 { This is an error thgat keaves the N badly placed and allows black to maintain a R on the 2nd rank.. He should have exchanged Rs anf then played the N to a3. In that case the position would be equal.} (28. Rxe2 $11 {remains equal.} Rxe2 29. Na3 b4 30. Kf1 Re6 31. Nc4) 28... Ng4 {Well played!} 29. Rxe2 Rxe2 { [%mdl 4096]} 30. h3 Ne3 {There is no need to grab the c-P right away because it's not going anywhere. Compare the activity of white's poorly placed pieces to black's well placed ones.} 31. Rd8+ Kf7 32. Rd7+ Kf6 33. Rxc7 Rxg2+ 34. Kh1 Rxc2 35. Rxc2 Nxc2 {The key to this ending is black's better placed K and N plus the K-side P-majority. Lasker's finishing technique is instructive.} 36. Kg2 Ke5 37. Nd3+ Kd4 38. Nf4 Kc3 39. Ne6 Kb2 40. Nxg7 Kxa2 41. Ne8 Kxb3 42. Nf6 h6 {White resigned.} 43. Ng4 a5 {White resigned} 0-1

Greatest Lasker Game Ever?!

 

    The following game appears in Lasker's Greatest Chess Games (1889-1914) by Fred Reinfeld and Reuben Fine that was published in 1965. These days Lasker is not greatly appreciated by the generall chessplaying public, but Alekhine wrote og him, "Lasker has been my teacher all my life. But for him I would not be what I am. His book on the Petersburg tournament of 1909 has been a sort of catechism for me all my life. I have studied again and again, every one of the ideas with me day and night. The very idea of chess as an art form would be unthinkable without Emanuel Lasker." 

    Lasker also got praise from a more recent player, Mikhail Tal, who wrote, "The greatest of the champions was, of course, Emanuel Lasker. At the chess board he accomplished the impossible......He was an amazing tactician, winning games that were apparently quite hopeless." 

    Another World Champion, Vladimir Kramnik, wrote, "In my view, Lasker was a pioneer of modern chess...Lasker had a lot of games that modern chess players could have (played).” 

    Chess author and historian John Hilbert wrote that Lasker’s win over Napier at Cambridge Springs in 1904 “is still considered one of the finest games played in the early decades of this century…” 

    In their book, Fine and Reinfeld wrote, “Surely it is no exaggeration to say that this game is one of the most beautiful, most profound, most exciting and most difficult in the whole literature of chess!” 

    All that is pretty high praise, but what does Stockfish think? Analyzing at 20 seconds per move using Fritz 19 with Stockfish generated the following chart which indicates that the game was far from brilliant. 

 

    So, maybe it wasn't brilliant, but it is highly entertaining. As a note of curiosity, in this game, like Kotov in the game in the previous post, also plays Nf5 with a strong effect.  The game is filled with complications and it’s not really surprising that such strong players as Reuben Fine, Georg Marco and Fred Reinfeld did not catch all the mistakes. Of course the players themselves, also very strong, didn’t either, so we can’t be too critical. Stockfish, which sees everything, shows the game not to be a perfect positional or tactical masterpiece, but it is a masterpiece when it comes to excitement.

 

[Event "Cambridge Springs"] [Site ""] [Date "1904.04.28"] [Round "?"] [White "Emanuel Lasker"] [Black "William E. Napier"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B25"] [Annotator "Stockfisj 17.1"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate "1904.04.25"] {B72: Sicilian Dragon} 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 g6 {The modern form of the Dragon was developed around 1880 by Louis Paulsen. It was played more frequently by Henry Bird in the 1880s and gained wider acceptance around 1900. In mre modern times it had a surge of popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. While its popularity has declined, it remains solid...and danferous.} 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Be3 d6 7. h3 Nf6 8. g4 {There is nothing subtke about Lasker's last two moves; he is going all out for a K-side attack. Reuben Fine stated that objectively the last two moves bad because they are premature "and can therefore be repulsed." The evidence does not support that opinion because statistically white has a roughly even chance of success and the engine evaluation is dead equal at 0.00.} O-O {Napier plans to meet Lasker's K-side attack by countering in the center/} 9. g5 {Fine did not comment on this move, but it is the one that is premature and in practice black does a little better than white. Usual is 9.Bg2 although equally good is 9.Qd2} Ne8 {This looks a bit artificial, but it's not bad. However, he had better chances playing 9/// Nh5 even thogh 9...Nd7 is the most popular continuation.} 10. h4 Nc7 11. f4 e5 12. Nde2 {There is no time for this passive retreat. White should have continued aggressively.} (12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. fxe5 Bxe5 14. Qf3 Ne6 {but even here black has a perfectly satisfactory game.}) 12... d5 {Many commentators in bygone days have voiced opinins on the next few moves, but Napier;s move is not the best and Lasker's next move equalizes.} (12... f5 {This counter against white's center is not intuitive, but it's the one that keeps a small edge after} 13. h5 fxe4 14. Nxe4 d5 {and white has only one move that keeps his "attack" going...} 15. Nf6+ Bxf6 16. gxf6 Qxf6 17. hxg6 hxg6 18. Qd2 exf4 19. Bxf4 Ne6 20. Bg3 Qxb2) 13. exd5 Nd4 {The old commentators passed pver this move in silence/ The labyrinth of complications are enormous, but black's game now becomes inferior.} (13... exf4 {After this black's pieces spring to life.} 14. Bxf4 Nb4 15. Bg2 Bg4 16. d6 Ne6 17. O-O Rc8 {with the initiative.}) 14. Nxd4 {White has two pieces under attack, the N and the B on e3 so he must lose on of them.} Nxd5 (14... exd4 15. Bxd4 Re8+ 16. Be2 Bg4 17. Bxg7 Bxe2 18. Nxe2 Kxg7 {and white is two Ps up.}) 15. Nf5 {This surprising move gives white the advantage, but one that os not evaluated at more than a Pawn.} Nxc3 {An equally surprising reply.} (15... gxf5 {loses to} 16. Qxd5) 16. Qxd8 Rxd8 17. Ne7+ {Fine and Reinfeld noted that Napier deserves great credit for having calculated that he can still maintain the material balance. That is true, but in this position white stands better.} Kh8 {The best move. Years later the strong Austrian master Georg Marco (1863-1923) pointed out that we can appreciate the depth of Napier's play when we note that white now seems to be without a good move.} (17... Kf8 {runs into} 18. Bc5 {and white has a decisive advantahe. For example...} Ne4 19. Ba3 Be6 20. fxe5 b6 {Hoping to get in ... Nc5 blocking the B, but...} 21. Nc6+ Kg8 22. Bd3 Nc5 23. Nxd8 Rxd8 {White is up the exchange and a P.}) 18. h5 {Fine and Reinfeld give this a ! stating that it give the game a whole new turn because black is now threatened with a crushing attack on his King. To that end white could also have played the equally good 18.f5} (18. Nxc8 {is met by} exf4 19. Bxf4 Raxc8 20. Bd3 Na4 21. O-O Nxb2 {and black is better.}) 18... Re8 19. Bc5 (19. f5 {was stronger.} gxf5 20. Nxc8 Nd5 21. Nd6 Nxe3 22. Nxe8 Rxe8 {White has a small material advantage (R vs,N+P).}) 19... gxh5 {Marco: "Is it not queer that Napier avoids 19...exf4 which would remove the attack on his (g-Pawn), protect the N and increase the scope of his (R on e8) and (B on g7)? Fine and Reinfeld comment that hhis question deserves careful study.KPxP):} (19... exf4 {Marxo was correct as thcs keeps the balance.} 20. Bc4 b6 21. hxg6 fxg6 22. Kf1 Bf5 23. Nxf5 gxf5 24. g6 h6 25. bxc3 bxc5 {and Stockfish evaluates the position as perfectly equal. In Shootouts white scoared +0 -1 =4.}) 20. Bc4 {[%mdl 8192] No comment from Fine and Horowitz or Marco on this move, only Stockfish which gives it a question mark and evaluates the position as clearly beter for black (2.5 Pawns!).} (20. bxc3 {gets a "!" and it's white who has a bit over a one Pawn advantage; he has a N vs. one P so black has some small compensation.} Bf8 21. Bb5 Rxe7 22. Bxe7 Bxe7 23. Rxh5 {White is the exchange up.}) 20... exf4 {Again, the commentators are silent, but this is question mark worthy as white has the advantage.} (20... Ne4 {This move leaves black with a sizeable advantage.} 21. Bxf7 Bg4 22. Bxe8 Rxe8 23. Bb4 a5 24. Ba3 exf4 25. O-O f3 26. Nd5 Bd4+ 27. Kh2 Be5+ 28. Kg1 f2+ 29. Kg2 h4 {and black is winning. For example...} 30. Rh1 h3+ 31. Rxh3 Bxh3+ 32. Kxh3 Rg8 33. Be7 Nxg5+ 34. Bxg5 Rxg5 35. Rf1 Rg3+ 36. Kh4 Rg1 37. Ne3 Bf4 38. Rxf2 Bg3+) 21. Bxf7 Ne4 {This is the final error. White now has a decisive advantage.} (21... Bg4 {White is sbetter after this, but at least black is still in the game.} 22. bxc3 Bxc3+ 23. Kf2 Red8 24. Rab1 Rd2+ 25. Kg1 Rad8 26. Bxh5 Rd1+ 27. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 28. Kg2 Rxh1 29. Bxg4 Rc1 {The position is complicated and white;s advantage leans more towards theoretical than practical.}) 22. Bxe8 Bxb2 {White has a significant maerial advantage which is decisive.} 23. Rb1 Bc3+ 24. Kf1 Bg4 25. Bxh5 Bxh5 26. Rxh5 Ng3+ 27. Kg2 Nxh5 28. Rxb7 a5 29. Rb3 Bg7 30. Rh3 Ng3 31. Kf3 Ra6 32. Kxf4 Ne2+ 33. Kf5 Nc3 34. a3 Na4 35. Be3 {Black resigned.} (35. Be3 h6 36. g6 Rf6+ 37. Kg4 Bf8 38. Rxh6+ Bxh6 39. Bxh6 Rxg6+ 40. Nxg6+) 1-0

A Kotov Brilliancy

Alexander Kotov

    The 1952 chess year started with Svetozar Gligoric winning Hastings 1951/52. Mikhail Botvinnik and Mark Taimanov tied for the USSR championship and Botvinnik won the play-off match. Twenty-year old Larry Evans crushed veteran Herman Steiner 10-4 in a US Championship match. Evans also won the US Open that year. 

     In other chess news, Hungarian master Geza Fuster (1910-1990) defected and sought asylum and eventually immigrated to Canada. Samuel Reshevsky defeated Miguel Najdorf 11-7 in a match that was billed as being for the Championship of the Free World. Svetozar Gligoric took first on tiebreak over Oscar Pomar in the Hollywood International. 

    The USSR team (Keres, Smyslov, Bronstein, Geller, Boleslavsky, and Kotov) won the Helsinki Olympiad. The US team (Reshevskym Evans, R. Byrne, Bisguier. Koltanowski and Berliner) finished fifth. 

    The following players were lost that year: Robert F, Combe (born 1912), former British champion, died in Aberdeen, Scotland. French problem composer Henri Rinck (born1870) died in Barcelona. Talented Czecg IM Jan Foltys died at the age of 43. Efim Bogoljubov died at the age of 63 in Triberg, Germany. British player William Napier (born in 1881) died in Washington DC at the age of 71. British chess author Philip W. Sergeant (born 1872) died in England at the age of 80. 

    In the following game played in the 1952 Stockholm Interzonal. Alexander Kotov’s victory over Gedeon Barcza, an eight time Hungarian champion, is remembered for his attacking play, particularly his Knight sacrifice on f5. His win was the culmination of his strong opening play against Barcza’s less than optimal handling of that phase of the game.

 

    This event was the highlight of Kotov’s career; he finished first with a dominant score of 16.5-3.5. He finished a full three points ahead of Taimanov and Petrosian. In the 1953 Candidates Tournament in Zurich, he was dar less successful posting a 14-14 score and tying with Taimanov for 8th place (out of 15). 

 

[Event "Stockholm Interzonal"] [Site ""] [Date "1952.10.16"] [Round "?"] [White "Alexander Kotov"] [Black "Gedeon Barcza"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E72"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17.1"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "1952.09.15"] {E72: King's Indian Defense} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. g3 { Not often played, but it's a solid and flexible variation.} O-O 6. Bg2 e5 { Black has several good replies, but this is the most popular.} 7. Nge2 exd4 8. Nxd4 Nc6 9. Nc2 {White usually castles here, but the text and 9.Nxc6 are also good alternative.} (9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. O-O Nd7 {gives black good play on the long diagona; and he will play ...Ne5 after which he is prepared to begin operations on the Q-side.}) 9... Be6 {The plan Baecza is following does not offer him very active play. A more active plan is ...Nd7-c5 pressuring the e-Pawn followed by preparing the advance of his Q-side Ps.} 10. b3 Qd7 { Barcza,s rather simplistic plan to to exchange light squared Bs, but it's not a very effective one because his chances are on the Q-side.} 11. O-O Bh3 12. f3 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 a6 {Barczas move intemds to commence play on the Q-side.} (13... Nh5 {This K-side demonstration as played by Yudovich against Botvinnik is solid and ended in a draw.} 14. Bb2 f5 15. exf5 Qxf5 16. Ne3 Qf7 17. Qd5 Rae8 18. Rae1 Nf6 19. Qd2 a6 20. f4 Ne7 21. Rf2 Nf5 22. Rfe2 Nxe3+ 23. Rxe3 Rxe3 24. Rxe3 Re8 {½-½ Botvinnik,M-Yudovich,M Leningrad 1939}) 14. Bb2 Na7 {This prepares the immediate advance ...b5, but it leaves the N artificially placed. There were better alternatives. 14...Rab8 preparing ...b5 and the 14...Nh5 idea is still feasible.} 15. Qd2 $16 b5 16. Ne3 c6 17. Rad1 Rad8 {Black has not played the opening very actively (14...Na7 being the culprit) the result has been a weakening of his position: the N is misplaced and his d-Pawn is weak. Kotov now carries out an instructive maneuver culminating in a briilliant tactic in which his B makes itself felt.} 18. Ne2 {[%mdl 32] A powerful move! The idea is to maneuver the N to f5, but there is also a very strong positional threat, namely Qa5 attacking the a-Pawn and Barcza's next move meets that threat. but not very well!} Qc7 (18... bxc4 {was the best try, but afterter} 19. bxc4 c5 {Prevents a potential c5 by white plus it makes room to get the N back into play.} 20. g4 Nc6 21. h4 {white has a strong attack in progress.}) 19. Bc3 Qe7 {There is no better choice than to return, If 19...Rd7 white has more than one way to skin the cat: 20.Qb2, 20.g4 ar 20.h4, all good moves.} 20. Nd4 {Preparing the crusher. Black is now quite lost.} Ne8 {This seemingly parries the threat of 21.Ndf5} 21. Ndf5 {This brillaint tactic is based on the power of white's B and after the elimination of black's B there is another surprising point which will be seen on move 24.} gxf5 22. Nxf5 Qc7 23. Nxg7 Nxg7 24. Bf6 {This quiet move is the point of Kotov's tactical display...the defense by advancing his f-Pawn is prevented and white threatens Qg5 threatening mate.} Kh8 25. Qg5 Rg8 26. h4 Rde8 {Black's only hope is to eliminate white's B even if it costs the exchange, but even that is grasping at straws.} 27. h5 Re5 (27... Re6 28. h6 Rxf6 29. Qxf6 Nc8 30. c5 Qd7 31. Rh1 Qe7 32. hxg7+ Rxg7 33. Qxe7 Nxe7 34. cxd6 {wins}) 28. Bxe5 dxe5 29. Qf6 Nc8 30. h6 Ne7 31. Rd2 {Black resigned. A great game that was nearly perfectly played by Kotov.} 1-0

Fiddling Around With Maia

    Several days ago I came across an online program names Maia that readers my find worth checking out. It’s an AI chess program that is different. Maia is a neural network engine developed by a research team at Carnegie Mellon University. It learned from millions of human games and so it plays with a more realistic human style. 

    Unlike other self-learning Neural Network engines, Maia does not search for the best move. Instead it, like human players, makes mistakes which makes it feel like you're playing a real person. But, that real person does not mean a Grand master. You can select the level at which it plays from 1100 to 1900 Elo. Supposedly, this also helps when analyzing because it better helps you understand the play of those at that level. Whether that’s a valid claim is, I think, open to question. Who would you most benefit analyzing with, a 1200 or a Master? 

    I think Maia is a great sparring partner because it does seem to play like a human and it's free. Visit the site HERE. 

    Note that this is an online program only and in order to use it you will have to click on “Play” and do a one time download that is 90mb in size. It’s a bit disconcerting that I have been unable to locate where or how this download is stored on my laptop. 

    Here is a 10-minute game I played against it at the 1500 level. The program played a very solid game until move 26 when it blundered and lost its Queen. How close its play was to the 1500 level I can’t say. What I can say is that for practice at the 1100-1900 level Maia does seem like a pretty interesting sparring partner. 

 

[Event "G/10"] [Site "?"] [Date "2025.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Tartajubow"] [Black "Maia 1500"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D00"] [Annotator "Stockfiah 17.1"] [PlyCount "57"] [EventDate "2025.??.??"] {Blackmar Gambit} 1. e4 d5 {A move variously known as the Scandinavian Defense, Center Counter Defense or Center Counter Game.moves:} 2. d4 {Transposing into to the Blackmar Gambit in which white intends to play f3 and get rapid development and active piece play. It;s aggressive, but its soundness is open to debate. Most experts consider it unsound and probably rightly so.} {If black does not want to accept the challenge of proving the gambit unsound he can play 2...e6, 2...c5 or 2...Nc6} dxe4 {If black does not want to risk facing the Blackmar and accept the challenge of proving the gambit unsound he can play 2...e6, 2...c6 or 2...Nc6} 3. f3 {Or, 3.Nc3 first.} exf3 {Black can play 3...Nf6 if he does not want to accept the challenge of proving the gambit unsound.} 4. Nxf3 {I have seen 4.Qxf3 played, but that seems unreasonable,} Nc6 {The most frequently seen moves are 4...Bg4 and 4...Nf6} (4... Bg4 5. Bc4 e6 6. O-O Nf6 7. Bg5 Be7 {Deiller,P (2091)-Jeannerot,L (1950) Val Thorens 2009. Black is a solid P up.}) (4... Nf6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Nc3 c6 {Ivanov, O-Panamski,S Sofia 2008. Black;s position is a bit passive, so white has compensation for the P.}) 5. d5 {Gaining space and time.} Nb4 6. c4 {The threat is Qa4+ winning the N.} e6 {A good move...it attacks the white center Ps and prevebts Qa4+} 7. a3 {An equally good alternative was 7.Nc6, but I wanted to force the N to a6 where I felt it would be poorly placed and I hoped to be able to play Bxa6 which I felt would leave black with a serious handicap in the form of a wealkened Q-side.} Na6 8. Nc3 (8. dxe6 {is inferior. After} Qxd1+ 9. Kxd1 Bxe6 10. b4 O-O-O+ 11. Kc2 {Black is better.}) 8... exd5 { At least as good was 8...Nf6} 9. cxd5 {I thought I had a pretty good positional advantage here, but Stockfish evaluates it as perfectly equal... black does have an extra P.} Bg4 {[%mdl 8192] This looks reasonable, but it gets a question mark and suddenly the evaluation puts white at a winning 3 Pawn plus advantahge! Either 9...Bd6 or 9...Nf6 keeps things equal. Now it's white to play and win!} 10. Bxa6 {According to plan . I did not even consider other moves. White's advantage is now only minimal.} (10. Bb5+ {Black has two defensive tries.} Bd7 11. Bxd7+ Qxd7 12. Ne5 Qe7 13. O-O Nf6 14. Qa4+ Kd8 15. Bf4 {Black is helpless.}) (10. Bb5+ c6 11. Qe2+ Qe7 (11... Be7 12. dxc6) 12. dxc6 {is winning for white.}) 10... bxa6 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Qxf3 Nf6 13. Bg5 Be7 14. O-O-O O-O 15. Rhe1 h6 16. Bh4 Re8 {This position is dead equal, but the engine suiggested a plan of doubling Rs on the f-file. I was still hoping to take advantage of the weak Q-side Ps.} 17. Qd3 Qd6 {Threatens ...Qf4+.} 18. Rd2 Rab8 19. Rde2 {Overlooking the threat! Correct was 19.Qf3} Qf4+ $17 20. Qd2 Qxh4 21. Rxe7 Rxe7 22. Rxe7 {Fortunately no real damage was done by over; ooking the threat, but now my d-Pawn is a target. I thought the R on the 7th gave me an advantage, bit Stockfish evaluates the position as a P in black's favor.} Qc4 23. Qe2 Qf4+ 24. Kb1 Qf5+ 25. Ka1 Nxd5 {[%mdl 8192] Winning the d-Pawn is a tactical error. Simply 25...Qf4 keeps his small advantage.} (25... Qf4 26. Qd3 Qc1+ 27. Qb1 Qd2 (27... Qxb1+ 28. Kxb1 {would draw.}) 28. Re2 Qd4 { with some pressure.}) 26. g4 {It's important to play this before Re8+} (26. Re8+ Rxe8 27. Qxe8+ Kh7 28. Nxd5 Qxd5 29. g3 Qd1+ 30. Ka2 {Theoretically at least black has a won Q+P ending,}) 26... Nxc3 {This saves the N, but loses a lot more.} (26... Qg5 27. Re8+ Rxe8 28. Qxe8+ Kh7 29. Qe4+ {picjs up the N.}) 27. Re8+ Rxe8 {No surprise here, but 27...Kh7 would have been better!} (27... Kh7 28. gxf5 Nxe2 29. Rxb8 g5 30. fxg6+ fxg6 {Black is still quite lost, but he could have played on especially since this was a 10 minute game.}) 28. Qxe8+ Kh7 29. gxf5 {Here I took the liberty of resigning for my opponent. Accuracy: White = 69%, Black = 64%.} 1-0