Spielmann Pounds Chekhover

    Moscow 1935 was the second international chess tournament held in Moscow, taking place from February 5 to March 15, 1935. Salo Flohr and future world champion Mikhail Botvinnik tied for first, followed by former world champions Emanuel Lasker and Jose Raúl Capablanca. 

    The tournament was organized along the lines of Moscow 1925, with twelve Soviet players and eight foregin players. Of the twelve Soviets, four (Grigory Levenfish, Peter Romanovsky, Ilya Rabinovich and Fedir Bohatyrchuk) had played at the 1925 event. 

    Salo Flohr (then of Czechoslovakia) was internationally renowned and considered a world championship contender. And, Mikhail Botvinnik was known as a rising star. Two years earlier he had drawn a match with Flohr. Emanuel Lasker and JoseCapablanca were former world champions. 

    There was a controversy when Flohr (a Czech but later to become a Russian) was tied with Botvinnik going into the final round. This was considered unacceptable to Nikolai Krylenko, head of the Russian chess machine. 

 

 

    It was suggested to Botvinnik that Ilya Rabinovich would throw his last round to Botvinnik. Supposedly Botvinnik replied that if he realized that was happening, he would blunder away a piece and "resign on the spot". As it turned out, Botvinnik, fearing that Rabinovich would somehow manage to lose anyway and thereby force Botvinnik to carry out his threat, offered a premature draw which was readily accepted. Flohr did the same in his game against Vladimir Alatortsev and the result was Botvinnik and Flohr shared first place. 

    Although it is unlikely this tournament would make the list of one of the most important tournaments ever played, it was significant in that it 1935 heralded the arrival of the Soviet School of Chess in general, and Mikhail Botvinnik in particular.

    In today’s game check out Spielmann’s sudden attack in his game against Vitaly Chekhover )1908-1965, 56 years old) who was born in St. Petersburg. He was awarded the IM title at its inception in 1950. He was won the Uzbekistan championship in 1944. He also did some important theoretical work on endings.

ChessBase

Rudolf Spielmann–Vitaly Chekhover1–0A50Moscow28.02.1935Stockfish 17

A50: Queen's Indian 1.d4 f6 2.c4 b6 The Indian defenses were just coming into vogue and the best strategies were not yet known. The Q-Indian works best against 2.Nf3 3.c3 b7 Preventing 4.e4 4.c2 Renewing the threat. d5 5.cxd5 xd5 6.e4 xc3 7.bxc3 e5 8.f3 exd4 9.b5+ c6 10.c4 b5 White does not get enough compensation to justify sacrificing his B on f7. 11.e2 11.d3 dxc3 12.0-0 a5 13.e5 a4 14.xc3 d7 15.b1 e7 16.g5 a3 17.b3 c5 18.e6 f6 19.exf7+ Kezin,R (2510)-Bezzubenkov,S (2301) Sochi RUS 2022. White is winning. 11...dxc3 12.xc3 d7 The purpose of this move is to play ...Nc5 and ...Ne6 which defends the g-Pawn and so frees the B 13.0-0 e7N Black’s situation is unpleasant. This move is played with the aim of preventing the 14 Bb2 14.b2 As it turns out black's last move does not prevent this. c5 14...xe4 is strongly mey by 15.d3 b4 16.fe1+ d8 17.c2 and black is in serious trouble because his K is stuck in the center. 15.c2 Stronger was 15.Rad1 e6 15...xe4 Capturing the e-Pawn is still a poor idea. 16.e5 f6 17.fe1 0-0-0 18.xc6 xc6 19.xc6+ b8 20.f3 with a mating attack. 15...xe4 is actually black's best option. 16.d3 xd3 17.fe1 xe1+ 18.xe1+ xe1 19.e4+ e7 20.xe1 and black has compensation for the Q. 16.a4 Stronger was 16.Ne5, but the text induces a blunder. a6 Black could have equalized with 16... Qc5 17.axb5 axb5 18.xa8+ xa8 19.d1 As quickly becomes apparent black's Q-side Ps are no com[ensation for his undeveloped K-side and K in the center. b7 20.e5 e7 21.h5 f8 22.b3 g6 23.g4 c8 24.xf7 A forceful finish. xf7 25.f3+ e8 25...g8 26.h3 wins 26.h3 f4 27.d7+ Black resigned. 27.d7+ xd7 28.xd7+ f7 29.c7 e6 30.e5 d8 31.xd8 xd8 White is winning. 1–0

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Alexander Flamberg

    The Polish master Alexander Flamberg (1880-1926) was a highly gifted player with original ideas. Chronic ill health prevented him from ever asserting his full potential. Chessmetrics estimates his highest ever rating to have been 2578 in July, 1914, placing him at #25 in the world. 

    He was born in 1880 in Warsaw (then in the Russian Empire) and spent his early years in England where he learned to play chess. After return to Warsaw, he became one of the strongest Polish players. 

    Flamberg played his first strong tournament in Łodz (a Quadrangular) in 1906 and finished 3rd, behind Akiba Rubinstein and Mikhail Chigorin and aheas of Georg Salve. In 1910, he won the Warsaw championship ahead of Rubinstein, but lost a match to him (+0 –4 =1). In 1913, he drew a match with Duras (+1 –1 =0) and won a match against Bogoljubow (+4 –0 =1), both in Warsaw. 

    The following game was one of his notable games because it was significant in the history of theory...his countryman David Prepiorka commented, "When one examines the opening moves and the subsequent course of the game, it is almost incredible that it was played in 1914...the double fianchetto of the Bishops, the operations on both wings, and later on the maneuver with the black Knights and the posting of the Queen on the long diagonal, all these ideas are, as we know, considered the very latest achievements of the Hypermoderns." 

    The Hypermodern Period was in vogue during the period of 1919-1928, bit it did exist in its early development in 1914, but its development was delayed because of WW I. His opponent in this game was Stepan Levitsky (1876-1924), a Russian master. 

ChessBase

Alexander Flamberg–Stepan Levitsky1–0A47All-Russian Masters. St. Petersburg16.01.1914Stockfish 17

E17: Queen's Indian Defense 1.d4 f6 2.f3 b6 A solid defense in which black tries to control the light squares in the center with pieces is in the Hypermodern style. 3.g3 A popular reply that contests the long diagonal. b7 The idea of playing ...Ba6 became popular in the 1970s and another idea is ...Bb4+ aining to exchange the less useful dark-squared B ha also been tried. 4.g2 e6 5.0-0 e7 6.b3 0-0 7.b2 d6 8.c4 bd7 9.bd2 c5 At the time the originality of these opening moves was revolutionary. 10.e1 Flamberg's idea is that the the whole game is based on the control of e4 and so he wants to eliminate light squared Bs in the belief that his K will be safe abd that he will win the battle for e4. The move is not at all bad, but nowadays white usually plays 10.e3 with a solid position. It seems Flamberg's idea has more potential. c7 Hardly bad, but simpler would have been 10... Bxg2 10...xg2 11.xg2 cxd4 12.xd4 c8 13.e4 c7 with a completely equal position. 11.c1 White has several reasinable moves here (for example, 11.e4), but the idea of the text is that it discourages black from central P exchanges as long as his Q is on the c-file. xg2 12.xg2 The position is completely equal. Black could now safely play 12...cxd4, but plays ot safe instead and removes his Q from any potential danger. b7 13.e3 Again, this position is so even that black has a number of reasonable moves. cxd4 14.xd4 c5 Black's plan of retaining control of K5 is logical, but unfortunate in its conse- quences. He misses the last opportunity to play ... P- Q4. 15.c2 ce4 16.xe4 xe4 17.b2 Hypermodern stuff...the posting of the Q on the long diagonal to supports the B. e5 This leaves him with a backward d-Pawn on the semi-open file and a bad B, but it's a profoundly well played move that closes the diagonal. 18.c3 Very nice. He is hoping Levitsky will tale the B leaving white with a good N against black's bad B. g5 18...Nxc3 would be positional suicide. 19.f4 exf4 20.gxf4 Black's last maneuver has enabled him to render white's e-Pawn backward and, at the same time, rein-forced his control of e3 because white can no longer play f3. For his part, white has pressure on black's d-Pawn and a a beautiful square for the N on d5. The f-file also has some potential for him. All on all, the position ids equal/ f6 21.xf6 xf6 22.cd1 e4 23.f3 Both players have been pursue their respective goals. h5 One annotator who evidently based his comments on the game's outcome called this move a desperate bid for counterplay. That's hardly the case, but the move is a bad seed and white now gets just a wee bot of an advantage. 23...Rfe8 would have kept the engine evaluation at 0.00. 23...Nh5 offers white a P capture which he wisely avoids taking. 24.d5 24.xd6 would not be wise because after xf4 25.d2 ae8 26.f2 g5 black has plenty of play. 24...ae8 25.f2 A real Master move! White protects his e-Pawn and at the same time makes room for the R on the g-file. He also threatnes Re3. f5 26.g1 f6 The threat was Rg5, but a better way to prevent it was with 26...h6. After the text white gains a small advantage. 27.b1 c8 One annotator opined that the exchange of Qs would yield white a favor-able ending and obviously Levitsky agreed, but they were both wrong! Exchanging Qs was exactly the right course to heep the chances equal. Now white treally does have the advantage, but that's not to say black is lost. 28.d3 Threatening to win the Knight by Rh3, but it allows black the equalizinf advance of his f-Pawn. White should have prevnted black's next move by advancing his own f-Pawn. f5 29.c3 h8 Black is starting to collapse. His intention probably was to play ...Rg8, but he is in for a surprise. Correct was 29...Qd8 29...d8 remains equal. 30.g5 f6 31.xf6+ 31.xf5 e4+ 31...xf6 32.fg3 g6 33.h4 d5 34.cxd5 e4 with equak chances. 30.h3 White now has a virile attack. f6 After this black is lost. 30...e6 is a better chance. 31.f3 f6 32.c7 e4+ 33.g2 d7 White is clearly better, but black could fight on. 31.xg7 A magnificent conclusion. xg7 32.g3+ h6 33.xf6 e6 34.g5 Black cannot parry the mating threats. c5+ 35.f1 It's mate, so black resigned. 1–0

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Georg Kieninger, Eiserner Schorsch

    In 1949 the most famous person in the country was probably Bob Hope, the English-born American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer whose career spanned nearly 80 years in vaudeville, radio, television and USO (a charitable organization in serving the active duty military) tours. Next to him was probably the comedian Milton Berle whose childish slapstick “comedy” was not so funny.

    The notable book that year was 1984 by George Orwell and a pound of bacon was 49 cents ($6.49 today). Life expectancy in the US was 65.2 for men and 70.7 for women. 

    Over in Germany in 1949, the occupying powers in both East and West Germany replaced their military governors with civilian leaders and the occupations ended officially in the mid-1950s. 

    Germany was divided into East and West and each side had its own distinct pop culture. In East Germany the government tried to limit the influence of Western entertainment on young people and the State Commission for the Arts tried to protect German cultural values from what was considered American decadence. In West Germany life was influenced by American culture, German design traditions and the political climate of the Cold War. 

    From June 19th to July 2nd there was an international tournament held in Oldenburg, a city in what was then West Germany, that was played at the at Astoria-Haus Renaissance Hotel. 

    Some of the players ultimately made their way to other countries. Sarapu ended up in New Zealand, while Zemgalis, Rossolimo and Tautviasis eventually found their way to the United States. 

    Zemgalis was awarded the Honorary GM title in 2003. He lived in Seattle, Washington. Tautviasis ended up in Chicago were he was a prominent force in mid-West chess. Rossolimo was a New York Cuty cab driver and owned a chess studio in Greenwich Village.

    Oldenburg was the best result ever for Elmars Zemgalis. Today's game is a snappy win by Georg Kieninger (June 5,1902 - January 25, 1975). He was born in Munich and passed away in – \Dusseldorf. He was awarded the IM title in 1950. 

 

    The cigar smoker, Kieninger was nicknamed "Eiserner Schorsch" (Iron Georgie) because of his fighting style. He won the German Championship in 1937, 1940 and 1947. The Kieninger Trap in the Budapest Gambit is embedded in the game score. Herbert Heinicke (1905-1988) was a German master and he was awarded the IM title in 1953. He was active mostly during the 1930s and for a while after WW II.

 

ChessBase

Georg Kieninger–Herbert Heinicke1–0B91OldenburgOldenburg GER29.06.1949Stockfish 15

] B80: Sicilian 1.e4 1.d4 f6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 g4 4.f4 c6 5.f3 b4+ 6.bd2 e7 7.a3 gxe5 8.axb4 d3# The Kieninget Trap. 1...c5 2.f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.xd4 f6 5.c3 a6 6.g3 e6 7.g2 c7 8.0-0 d7 9.e1 c6 10.ce2 This move leaves theory. Normal is 10.Nxc6, but 10.Nb3 and 10.Be3 and 10.Bg5 have also been played. e7 11.c3 0-0 12.h3 ab8 13.e3 a5 14.b3 b5 15.c1 fd8 16.g4 e8 This move, clearing the way to play ...d5, requires excessive maneuvering and allows white to seize the initiative. 16...h6 was called for. 17.f4 d5 is equal. 17.g5 d7 18.g3 b6 19.g4 c6 19...d5 is out of the question because of 20.h5 d7 21.exd5 exd5 22.f4 d6 23.xd6 xd6 24.f5 b6 25.fxg7 and white is winning. 20.f4 d5 This was bad last move and it's bad this move. His nest try was 20...e5 though even then white has a promising attack. 21.h5 h8 22.h4 d7 23.xc6 xc6 24.xg7 Eiserner Schorsch finds the most elegant way of finishing the game. xg7 25.h6+ Even better than the menacing 25.Bd4 because it confines the K to the corner. Kieninger finishes the game with perfection. g8 26.d4 f6 27.gxf6 d6 28.g5+ f8 29.e5 a3 30.b1 f7 31.f5 d7 32.b4 The threat is Bc5+ c4 33.c5+ e8 34.f3 h6 35.xh6 Threatening mate with Qh8+. g8+ 36.h2 Black resigned 1–0

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Historic Fischer Game

    In 1956, Bobby Fischer was beginning to make a name for himself and his name was popping up with increasing frequency in Chess Life magazine. The following game appeared in John W. Collins’ column in the August 5, 1956 issue of Chess Life, Members Games; it was just the bare score without notes and it was the first game of Fischer's that was ever published in Chess Life. It was played in the 1956 U/S/ Open that was held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. As short games often do, it has some interesting points. 

    Fischer’s opponent was Dr. Peter Lapiken (1907-1983), a National Master. He was born in Riga, Latvia. His family settled in Harbin, Manchuria circa 1916 and in the 1930s he was the chess champion of Manchuria. He immigrated to the United States in 1939, settling in California and later in Montana. You can read his complete biography in the Northwest Chess magazine HERE. 

 

 

ChessBase

Robert Fischer–Dr. Peter Lapiken1–0A04US Open, Oklahoma City19.07.1956Stockfosh 17

A07: Reti Opening 1.f3 f6 2.g3 d5 3.g2 f5 4.0-0 e6 5.d3 c6 6.bd2 a6 This odd looking move was introduced by Smyslov in a game against Cvetkov in 1954. Black usually make room for his B with 6...h6 6...a5 7.e1 h6 8.e4 h7 9.e2 e7 10.e5 fd7 is equal. Petersen,T (2324)-Savchenko,B (2615) Helsingor DEN 2011 7.a3 c5 All this does is lose time, 7...Be7 was better. 8.c4 The key move of Reti..it puts pressure on bBlack's center. b5 This is a bad positional mistake that leaves c6 is undefended and weakens the long diagonal. Also, it allows white to exchange the B on f5 rather than g6 which results in black’s d-Pawn being a weak. 8...a5 9.b3 e7 10.b2 h6 is about equal. Zaitsev,I-Korelov,A Yerevan 1962 9.d4 This excellent move gains time by attacking the weakened c-Pawn and at the same time opens up the diagonal for his light squared B. d7 10.xf5 exf5 As a result of this exchange black;s position is further weakened. 11.b3 In annotating this game Fred Reinfeld stated that with this move white threatens 12.Bg5, with the further threat of inflicting a tripled and isolated f-Pawns on black. At the same time he undermining the support of black's d-Pawn and still further thought the removal of black's protective N. However, after 11.Nb3 much (but mot all) of white's advantage has disappeared. Both Stockfish and Dragon by Komodo agree that 11.b4 is much stronger.Reinfeld and Fischer can be forgiven for not seeing the merits of 11.b4 because the point is well hidden. 11.b4 e6 12.cxb5 cxb5 And here is a move that humans might not condiser because it looks impossible. 13.e4 This destroys black's center. e7 13...dxe4 14.dxe4 fxe4 15.xe4 xe4 16.xe4 xd1 17.xd1 c8 18.b2 This position may look equal, but engines declare that white has a decisive advantage. Here is the continuation... e7 19.f5 d8 20.xd8+ xd8 21.xe6 fxe6 22.xg7 White is winning. 14.exf5 d8 15.b2 0-0 16.f3 a5 17.xf6 xf6 18.xd5 xd5 19.xd5 White is winning. As mentioned, all this is too much for humans to take in and so let's not be too critical of Fischer and Reinfeld! 11...h6 A useless move that give Fischer another free move. 11...bxc4 12.dxc4 ce4 13.f3 c5 14.d4 dxc4 and at least black is still in the game. 12.e3 e6 13.d4 g6 13...f4 offers stouter resistance. 14.gxf4 d6 15.cxd5 cxd5 16.h3 0-0 White ois better, but black is still in the game. 14.b3 Reinfeld called this very strong claiming black must give his b-Pawn's additional protection and Fischer gets the opportunity for a neat combination. It's a good move, but there was a better one. 14.cxb5 cxb5 15.c1 g7 16.xe6 fxe6 17.f4 0-0 18.d2 With the much more active position. About the only play black has is a feeble attenpt at generating some k-side play with 18. ..g5 14...b8 This sensible looking move loses! 14...bxc4 is a better defense. 15.dxc4 c5 Demonstrating that 14.Qb3 was not a really great move after all. 16.c2 ce4 White is better, but black is far from lost. 15.xc6 Here is the flaw in black's last move. As Reinfeld eloquently pit it, "What makes this sacrifice particularly delectable is that it validates the basic theme: pressure on the long diagonal." xc6 16.cxd5 c5 A good practical choice in a lost position! Engines don't cotton to it, but from a practicl point of view it merits a couple of exclamation marks. 17.c3 Lapiken was hoping Fischer would capture the Q. 17.dxc6 xb3 18.ad1 c8 19.xa7 d6 Black has a N vs, 2Ps and so stands just a bit better, but probably cannot win. Five Shootout games were drawn. 17...d6 18.xc5 xc5 19.xf6 Black resigned. An amusing finish. If black moves his attacked R he loses the other one. 19.xf6 g8 20.e5+ d7 21.xb8 1–0

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A Clever, but Necessary, Queen Sacrifice by Dunlop

    The following game is thoroughly enjoyable. The winner was John Boyd Dunlop (October 30, 1884 – October 29,1973) who won the New Zealand Championship six times between 1921 and 1940, and was the first player to win the title in three consecutive years. He died in Auckland at the age of 88. 

    Born in Dundee, Scotland, his father was a Presbyterian minister and when he was appointed to the chair of theology at Theological Hall, Dunedin, in 1887, the family moved to New Zealand. 

    Dunlop undertook dental studies in London and while there he learned to play chess, before returning to New Zealand in 1906,[5] and going into practice as a dentist in Dunedin. He moved to Nelson in mid-1911, where he went into practice with another dentist. 

    Dunlop joined the Otago Chess Club in Dunedin in about 1908 and won the Otago junior championship in 1909. He won the senior provincial championship in 1910 and finished fourth at the 1911 New Zealand championship. Dunlop joined the Oamaru Chess Club in 1912 and was Oamaru club champion from 1913 to 1917. Dunlop entered the 1914 national championship, but withdrew before the start of the tournament because of a family illness. In 1955, he was awarded the title of New Zealand Master by the New Zealand Chess Association. 

    Of his play it was written, "He looks very deeply into the complicated positions arising from time to time, and rarely fails to take an immediate advantage of the slightest slip by an opponent. His moves are well timed, and frequently an admirable combination of attack and defence. His play is at all times attractive, and he is in every way a worthy champion."

 

ChessBase

John Dunlop–A Beck1–0C36New Zealan Chp 1910/11, TimaruTimaru NZL1911Stockfish 17

C36: King's Gambit Accepted 1.e4 e5 2.f4 A promising start! exf4 3.f3 d5 The Modern Defense (the classical move is 3...g5). Black concentrates on gaining piece play and fighting for the initiative rather than keeping the extra Pawn. 4.exd5 xd5 Black may play either this or 4...Nf6 which seems [referable. The text is the Scandinavian Variation which loses time with the Q. 5.c3 d8 Here in addition to the text black has tried retreatng the Q to h5, e6 and a5 6.d4 d6 7.c4 g4 8.0-0 f6 Slightly better was 8...Nc6. In that case white would reply with either 9.h3 or 9.Nb4 with a good game in either case 9.e1+ 9.e1+ was a good alternative. e7 9...e7 10.xf4 is also good for white. 10.xe7+ xe7 11.b5 and white is better. 9...f8 9...e7 falls into a trap. 10.xf7+ xf7 11.e5+ followed by Nxg4 and white has an excellent position. 10.d3 g6 Black is oblivious to any danger and plays a move that white immediately shows to be tactically faulty. 10...c6 Also safe was 10...Bxf3 11.g5 h5 12.b5 Correct was the equalizing 12.Nge4. Now black gained the advantage. a6 13.xd6 xd6 14.c3 h6 15.e4 xe4 16.xe4 g5 Mensing,F (2127)-Allen,D (1979) Turin 2006. Black has the advantage. 11.g5 Beginning a relentless attack. d5 12.xf7 xf7 13.xd5+ g7 14.xb7 h4 Was black deceived in thinking that his "attack" looks extremely menacing! 15.xf4 Very good! 15.xa8 runs in to the rejoinder xe1+ 16.f1 xf1+ 17.xf1 g5 White is clearly better, but the move 15.Bxf4 is nuch stronger. 15...xf4 16.g3 h3 17.xa8 c6 18.gxf4 f3 19.e2 e8 Black has cleverly managed to reach a position where if white tried to save his R black will be able to equalize! 20.xf3 Did this, the only winning move, come as a shock to Beck? 20.f2 g4+ 21.f1 h3+ draws 20.d2 g4+ 21.f1 h3+ draws 20...xf3 21.xe8 Black now gets a bunch of checks, but white's K manages to escape. g4+ 22.f2 xf4+ 23.e2 xh2+ He has to keep checking. 23...xd4 24.f1 c4+ 25.e1 d7 26.e7+ h6 27.ff7 h4+ 28.d2 d4+ 29.c1 and white is winning. 24.d3 h3+ 25.c4 d7 26.xb8 e6+ 27.d5 cxd5+ 28.xd5 The checks are over. d6 29.g8+ And now it is white's turn to start checking. f6 Suicide, but he was in a mating net anyway. 29...h6 30.h1+ g5 31.e4+ f4 32.xd6 g5 33.e4+ f4 34.f8+ e5 35.hf1 h5 36.e8# 29...f6 30.e4+ e5 31.xd6 xd6 32.e8 c7 33.c5 h5 34.ae1 h4 35.1e7# 30.e4+ Black resigned 1–0

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The Old Becomes New

    The 1969 Soviet Championship was the 37th. It was held in Moscow from September 7 to October 12, 1969. The tournament was won by Tigran Petrosian who defeats Lev Polugaevsky in a playoff match by a score of +2 -0 =3. There were 23 players and ex-World Champion Tal scored 10.5-11.5 and finished in 14-15th place. 

    The following superlative win by Polugayevsky helped change thinking about the center. Long ago players tried to establish a strong Pawn center. Openings such as the Evans Gambit are a case in point; white hopes to get Pawns on e4 and d4.

    Eventually it was learned that a full Pawn center did not always insure success. In fact, the Pawn center could be subject to pressure by piece or a Pawn counterattacks. That was seen, for example, in the development of the Indian defenses. 

    When Boris Spasky becane World Champion (1969-72) he stated that his greatest ambition in chess was to "think classically." In other words, maybe the old idea of a classic Pawn center wasn’t a bad idea after all. That brings us to the present game in which Polugayevsky successfully demonstrated the use of the classical Pawn center. 

    Lev Polugaevsky (1934-1995) warded the GM title in 1962 and was a frequent contender for the World Championship and he was one of the strongest players in the world from the early 1960s until the late 1980s. He was also a distinguished author and opening authority. He died of a brain tumor on August 30, 1995.

 

ChessBase

Lev Polugayevsky–Mikhail Tal1–0D41USSR Championship, Moscow1969Stockfish 17

D41: Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense 1.c4 f6 2.c3 e6 The most popular move here is 2...e5, but David Bronstein clled it a weak move because it creates an outpost or d5 for white's N. There were some recent games at the time, such as the Larsen-Spassky match and several games by Botvinnik that seemd to support that belief. 3.f3 d5 4.d4 This is about the only decent option white has and from here there are many plausible options for both players, but statistically white seems to perform quite well. c5 5.cxd5 xd5 This is the Semi·Tarrasch; the Tarrasch proper is 5...exd4 which allows white the pin witn 6.Bg5 6.e4 At the time this game was played this was a revival of this old move. For many years it had been held to be too simplifying amd so white played 6.e3 hoping for a more long lasting initiative with an isolated d-Pawn, but with freer play for his pieces. These days both moves are popular. xc3 7.bxc3 cxd4 In this position white has enjoyed considerable success, so it is logical for black to reduce the number of pieces and, hopefilly, the possiblility of having to face a dangerous K-side attack. 8.cxd4 b4+ 9.d2 xd2+ Black succeeds in simplification, but at the same time gets a position in which he will have an inferior ending. 10.xd2 0-0 11.c4 There are many moves available to white here, but this is the most active position for the B because it creates the threat of d5 at the appropriate moment. c6 12.0-0 b6 This position was known from as far back as the 1937 Alekhine-Euwe Wotld Championship re-match...the game ended in a draw. It was also reached in Reshevsky-Fine at Hastings 1937/38 which was drawn in 21 moves. 13.ad1 In the aforementioned examples white elected to place his Q on f4. Here white puts both Rs behind the center Ps according to the idea Botvinnik had put forth back 1937 and then directs his attention to the K-side. However, Boris Spassky was actually the first to adopt Botvinnik's suggestion in his 1969 World Championship match against Petrosian. b7 14.fe1 a5 Equally good was 14...Rc8, but black wants to drive the B from its strong position. 15.d3 Even so, here the B is aiming at the K-side. Gligoric observed that Polugaevsky and Spassky were good friends and they worked together. As a result Polugayevsky was very well prepared in this variation. Oddly, so was Tal! He had prepared this variation as white for his game against Korchnoi, so it's incredulous that he entered it as black! c8 This is a critical position. The position is dead equal, but Petrosian instinctively felt black's N is dangerously out of play. T 16.d5 exd5 Black accepts the offer P, but it will not turn out well. 16...c5 leaves him with an isolated e-Pawn, but also equal chances after 17.dxe6 fxe6 18.c1 xc1 19.xc1 h6 There does not seem to be anu way white can take advantage of black's N or isolated P. 17.e5 The point, The opened diagonal is an aggressive feature of white's position, His B is pointed at black's K-side and black in unable to get any pieces to the K's defense. Additionally, white's e-Pawn hinders black. c4 18.f4 b2 A serious, if not decisive, mistake, but his position is very difficult. 18...e7 is a better defense. 19.d4 g6 Prevents Nf5 20.e2 c5 21.de1 c8 22.g3 e6 Black has blockaded the e-Pawn, but after 23.f5 followed by f5 white has a strong attack. 19.xh7+ Of course. This move was probably considered in Polugayevsky's home preparation. xh7 There was no choice. 19...h8 20.g5 c4 21.e4 and there is no way to meet a check on the h-file. 20.g5+ g6 Tal vainly places his hope on this reply. It’s a good move though because white has only one move that continues the attack. Of course, Polugayevsky finds it. 21.h4 The only move to win. 21.e4 does win! dxe4 22.xd8 cxd8 with sufficient compensation for the Q and so it's anybody's game. 21.e4 xd1 22.g4+ h7 23.f6+ gxf6 24.h5+ is a draw 21...c4 21...e7 Believe it or not, this move was to be played a couple of times in years to come.. 22.e6 22.d2 is much less effective. c4 23.g3 h6 24.xb2 f6 25.f3 e4 26.be2 h7 27.exf6 gxf6 28.xe4 dxe4 29.f4 White eventually managed to win. Dreev,A (2698) -Jussupow,A (2583) Mainz 2003 22...f5 23.h5+ xh5 24.f7 xf7 25.exf7 xf7 26.g4+ and wins easily. Ozen,B (2328)-Kukov,V (2351) Manisa TUR 2019 22.h5+ This is not nearly as good as it looks and no annotators picked up on it! It allows black right back in the game. 22.g3 Threatening a devastating discovered checkm so... h6 23.e6 f6 24.exf7 xd1 25.e6 wins 22...h6 After this white has no more than a small advantage. 22...xh5 This, too, was to be played many years later 23.g4+ h6 24.h2+ 1-0 (24) Avrukh,B (2525)-Donk,M (2345) Antwerp BEL 1998 23.xf7+ h7 24.f5+ g8 25.e6 A nice finishing touch that threatens to win with h6, but black can defend himself. f6 Excellent! Past annotators based there comments on the outcome, but today engines don’t have that problem. 26.xf6 gxf6 27.d2 c6 28.xb2 e8 28...c8 puts up a tougher resistance. 29.h6+ h8 30.e7 e8 31.d2 h7 32.f7 g8 Offering white to take the draw by repeating moves. 33.d8 c7 The e-Pawn falls and the chances are equal. 29.h6+ h7 30.f5+- exe6 31.xe6 xe6 Black has established material equality, but it is of no use as he cannot prevent the decisive penetration to the 7th rank by white's R. 32.c2! Rc7+ is the strong threat. c6 33.e2 c8 34.e7+ h8 The final error. 34...g8 puts up a bit of a fight. 35.h4 f5 36.xa7 d4 37.f1 f4 38.g6 c1+ 39.e2 g4+ 40.f3 xh5 41.xf4 with a win ending. 35.h4 f5 36.g6+ g8 37.xa7 Black resigned. 1–0

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Fine, the First U.S. Lightening Champion

    The first U.S. Lightening Championship (10 seconds per move) took place in New York in 1942. Reuben Fine had long been conceded one of the top, if not THE top, lightning chess players in the country and this even official gave him the title. After a long, hard fought encounter with Samuel Reshevsky he emerged first from an original field of 48 at the Hotel Capitol in Manhattan. 

    Reuber Fine (1914-1993, 78 years old) grew up in New York City and first learned to play chess at the age of eight. After winning several strong American tournaments in his youth, Fine then entered international competition where he also achieved great success. 

    In 1942, Fine won the newly created title of U. S. Lightning Chess Champion when he defeated National Champion Samuel Reshevsky in the semi-final round.

    Staged by the U. S. Chess Federation and directed by L. Walter Stephens, all games were played in a single day at the rate of ten seconds per move. Over 100 spectators watched the 48 entries play in qualifying sections. There were two sessions of 3 and a half hours each. 

 

 

    Playing against the country's leading masters, the Canadian Champion (Yanofsky) and a strong field of experts, Fine qualified with a score of 10-1 in the preliminaries, then piled up ten straight wins in the Championship Finals. In the last round, with the honors already decided after his defeat of Reshevsky, Fine let down his guard and lost to Seidman in the following game. 

    Herbert Seidman (1920-1995, 74 years old) was a U.S. Senior Master who was born in New York City. At his peak, he was ranked among the top ten players in the country and played in eight U.S. Championships from 1940 to 1968. 

ChessBase

Herbert Seidman–Reuben Fine1–0C131st US Lightening Champ, New York1942Stockfish 17

C10: French Defense 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.c3 f6 4.g5 dxe4 5.xe4 e7 6.d3 Sideman Seidman, as Chess Review once called him, chooses a se;dom played variation that has not fared well in practice. Normal is 6.Bxf6 b6 6...0-0 is OK, but it resulted in the following amusing miniature... 7.c3 xe4 8.xe7 Now 8...Qxe7 is equal, but black tried to get fancy with... xf2 wich is refuted by... 9.xh7+ h8 10.h5 d5 11.f5+ 1-0 Ruzicka,T (1783) -Wagner,A Tabor 2008 7.f3 b7 8.e2 bd7 9.0-0 0-0 10.fe1 h6 11.h4 d5 12.g3 All pretty routin so far. The reason for Fine's next move is rather obscure. 12...Nb4 seems logical. h8 13.a3 Preventing ...Nb4. Black's Q-side fianchetto has resulted in a rather passive position and it's hard to suggest an active plan. f5? Very risky. It would have been much safer to have tried to initiate exchanges with 13...N5f6 14.c3 In his turn Seidman misses his chance to seize the initiative with the active `4.c4 instead of this meek retreat. 14.c4 Now the safe way would be to play 14... N5f6 when white has a significant advantage, so black's best plan might be to stir things up and play... b4 15.axb4 fxe4 16.xe4 xe4 17.xe4 xb4 18.e3 Hoping to play the R over to the K-side. e8 19.g4 White has a cosiderable advantage. 14...f4 15.xe6 7f6 This loses. The position is fascinating! 15...fxg3 would have resulted in equal chances after 16.hxg3 xc3 17.bxc3 d6 White is a piece down, but after 18.g6 f6 19.e6 The threat is mate on h7 after Rxf6; black has to play... g8 and white has equality, but not more. For example... 20.xf6 xf6 21.h7+ f7 22.e1 b5 To stop Bc4+ 23.h4 g5 24.g6+ f6 White has to find the one move that does not leave him with a lost ga,e and that is 25.f5 Threatening Qxg7# g8 26.e5 Again, the only move. xe5 27.dxe5+ e6 28.f4 d8 29.xg7+ xg7 30.xg7 Now it's black's turn to find the only move that doesn't lose! d5 31.e6 c5 32.e7 d5 33.d4+ xd4+ 34.cxd4+ xd4 The point of the K maneuver! 35.e8 xe8 36.xe8 and a draw would be a reasonable outcome. Of course, all this is impossible to see at 10 seconds a move. 16.h4 c8 17.e2 g5 18.xd5 xd5 18...gxh4 19.xe7 e8 20.e5 d6 21.xh4 xe5 22.dxe5 h5 23.xc8 axc8 24.g6 with a decisive advantage. 19.e4 f7 20.c4 gxh4 21.cxd5 b8 22.g6 f8 23.e5 Black resigned. A crushing defeat of a player who in 1942 was still considered one of the best players in the world. 23.e5 g7 24.xh6+ g8 25.g6 Ends the game; black has to shed heavy plastic. 1–0

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Herman Hahlbohm Wins the 1942 Chicago Champion

    The big news in Chicago in 1942 was the first self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction, which ushering in the Atomic Age, took place at the University of Chicago. 

    Also, that year Salvatore "Sam" Giancana (1908-1975, 67 years old) became a high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit, an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Chicago which originated in the city's South Side in 1910. 

    It’s reputed and was at least partially corroborated by government hearings that during President Kennedy’s administration, the CIA recruited Giancana and other mobsters to assassinate Fidel Castro. Giancana reportedly said that CIA and the Cosa Nostra were "different sides of the same coin" 

    Even though police were guarding his house in Oak Park, a Chicago suburb, on the night of June 19, 1975, shortly before he was scheduled to appear before the aforementioned government committee (the Church Committee) which was investigating CIA and Cosa Nostra collusion, a gunman entered his home through the basement and shot Giancana in the head and neck seven times with a .22 caliber pistol. Who did it? 

    In 1942, a less well known event was taking place in Chicago, the city chess championship which started in June and was played over several months. It was won by Herman Hahlbohm (July 10, 1886 – January 13, 1963, 76 years old). He was one of Chicago's most prominent players in the early 1900s. 

    He secured the title in the following last round game in which he scored a victory over Einar Michelson while defending titleholder Samuel Factor was held to a draw in an 82-move battle with Lewis J. Isaacs in what was the only drawn game of the championship finals. 

    Einar Michelsen (1885-1962, 67 years old), was born in Odense, Denmark. In 1903, he helped found the Danish chess magazine Skakbladet. Michelsen emigrated to the United States in 1905, living mainly in Chicago but also in Kansas City and New York. 

 

ChessBase

Einar Michaelson–Herman Hahlbohm0–1B15Chicago Championship1942Stockfish 17

B15: Caro-Kann 1.e4 c6 Black prepares 2...d5 but unlike the French yjr C-K does not hinder the development of the light-squared B. 2.d4 2.c4 is my personal favorite. d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.d4 White usually enfs up with an isolated d-Pawn which is a position I always enjoyed playing. 2...d5 3.c3 dxe4 4.c4 The Hennig Gambit; it's risky, f6 5.g5 5.f3 is the usual continuation. exf3 6.xf3 With the exception of material lovers most players would prefer white because of his lead in development. Enginrd like blavk by something less than a P. 5...g4 6.f3 exf3 7.xf3 xf3 8.xf3 Surrendering the d-Pawn, but 8.cxf3 is too ugly to consider. xd4 9.b3 White's opening play has been a bust and there is no reaon why black, short of a huge blunder should not anticipate winning. bd7 10.d1 e5+ 11.e3 e6 12.0-0 c5 13.fe1 0-0-0 14.h1 It was probably his intention to plat Nf4 h5 Of course black is more that willing to trade Qs and head foe an ending. but it was a bad decision! 14...xe3 15.xe3 c7 Black is two Ps up with an insuperable position. 15.f4 Of course white avoids the exchange, but it is also a bad decision. 15.xh5 xh5 16.xd7 A little tactical shot that both players missed. White gets the advantage in all variations. xd7 16...xe3 17.xd8+ xd8 18.xe3 White is better. 16...xd7 17.xc5 White is better. 17.xc5 White is better. 15...xe3 16.xe3 c5 17.f1 Threatens to win with Re5. xb3 18.cxb3 d7 19.e5 g4 20.e3 d4 Black has not only a material advantage, but dominates the d-file. White is helpless. 21.xd4 xd4 22.g5 d7 22...d8 and black stays on top by bringing the K over to defend the f-Pawn 23.xg7 e7 24.h3 d2 25.a4 hd8 26.g3 g8 23.xg7 This attack on the f-Pawn gives white new hope. f6 24.e2 This move allowing the R to reach the second rabk is wrong. 24... Rd1 was correct. d2 25.f4 e5 Excelletn! This P has a bright furure. 25,,, Rxb2 is not quite as good if for no other reason than it is less active. 26.h5 e8 This is too passive because now with 27.Kg1 bringing the K closer to the potentially dangerous e-Pawn, white would have very nearly equalized. 26... e4 or even 26...Rxb2 were much better. 27.h3 Pointless. 27.g1 and it's a new game. f5 28.xh7 28.xf5 e4 29.f1 e3 30.f4 e2 31.e1 f6 32.f2 e4+ 33.f3 d1 34.xe2 f1+ 35.g4 h5+ 36.xh5 f6+ 37.xf6 xe2 Technically black is winning, but by prolonging the game white obtains practical chances. 28...f8 29.f2 with about equal chances. 27...e4 Black is back on the winning track. Less strong is taking the b-Pawn as there is no good reason to allow himself to be sidetracked by a P or two. Less strong is 27...xb2 28.xf6 f8 29.xd7 28.xf6 xf6 29.xf6 e3 White resigned. 0–1

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A Clash Between Titans

    It took me a few years to get used to using a chess program to play over games because it was too much like chess had become a video game which were something I never liked to play. Eventually I got used to using software though. Still, today I occasionally get out the old set and play through games from a book.

    One of my favorite books is an old, old copy of Al Horowitz’ Golden Treasury of Chess which first came out in 1943. I got my copy around 1958. It has over 300 games (in Descriptive Notation, of course) divided into Favorite Games, The Pre-Morphy Period, The Morphy Period, The Age of Steinitz, Modern Chess, Moderns, Hypermoderns an Eclectics and The Period of Russian Hegemony. 

    There is a brief introduction to each game, zero to very short notes and an occasional diagram. They are just games to play over for enjoyment and I suspect that quite a few don’t appear in any database. 

    There is a controversy over the book about who was the true author. Chess historian Edward Winter wrote that the collection was originally published by Francis J. Wellmuth in 1943 and it was revised and printed many times by Horowitz.  The 2009 edition was further revised and printed by Sam Sloan. 

 The size of the book and the games appearing in it have changed over the years. 

    Recently I’ve been going through the Favorites section. Horowitz (or whoever) wrote in the introduction to the Favorites section, “In the course of the decades which I have devoted to the preparation of this volume, I have had occasion to examine thousands upon thousands of scores. Those that have pleased me most are included in (this book). But even among these favorites, there are some which I have enjoyed so much that I have set them aside in order to attract the reader's attention to these games.” 

    Let’s take a look at one of them. The game was played between Pillsbiry and Lasker in the St, Petersburg event mentioned in the previous post. At the end, Lasker sacrifices a Rook, then a Pawn and then forces mate with his Queen and Bishop. In the book the game shows Pillsbury getting mated on move 32, but I suspect that the database score where he resigned on move 30 is correct. 

    The game’s introduction eloquently reads, “There are many attractive settings for a brilliant game; but what is more impressive than an immortal game between two Titans? The man who was able to beat the great Pillsbury in this wonderful game was truly worthy of his title. It is no exaggeration to say that Lasker's combination is one of the greatest feats of the human imagination.” Horowitz did exaggerate a bit, but, it’s still a great game. 

 

ChessBase

Harry N. Pillsbury–Emanuel Lasker0–1D50St. Petersburg 1895/96St. Petersburg RUE04.01.1896Stockfish 17

D50: Queen's Gambit Declined 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.c3 f6 4.f3 c5 5.g5 cxd4 6.xd4 c6 7.h4 e7 8.0-0-0 A risky decision that will require careful play. 8.cxd5 xd5 9.xe7 xe7 10.xe7+ xe7 11.c1 xc3 12.xc3 With complete ewuality. Seidemann,U (2075)-Wolf,S (2075) Germany 1998 8...a5 9.e3 9.cxd5 exchanging some material is safer. xd5 10.xd5 exd5 11.xe7 xe7 12.b1 with equality. 9...d7 10.b1 h6 11.cxd5 exd5 12.d4 0-0 13.xf6 xf6 14.h5 xd4 15.exd4 e6 The calm before the storm. 16.f4 ac8 Black's position look innocent enough, but Pillsbury suspects there is danger lurking. Unfortunately, his defense is not quite up to par. ...Rxc3 is in the air. 17.f5 Active defense. 17.c1 would lose to xd4 18.d3 xc3 19.bxc3 xc3 20.xc3 xc3 21.d1 c8 Black is winning. For example... 22.b3 f6 23.g3 c3 24.d1 xd3 25.xd3 f5 17...xc3 A move worthy of a World Champion! 18.fxe6 18.bxc3 c8 19.d3 b6+ 20.c2 d7 21.e2 a4+ The K is caught in a crossfire. 22.d2 g5+ 23.e1 b1+ 18...a3 Nice move! Pillsbury now selects the least satisfactory defense. Either way though black's position has excellent prospects. 19.exf7+ 19.bxa3+- b6+ 20.b5 xb5+ 21.a1 fxe6 ...and white has the possibilty of surviving. 22.h3 19...xf7 Black now has what amounts tp a decisive advantage. 20.bxa3 b6+ 21.b5 21.c2 is no better. c7+ 22.d2 xd4+ 23.e1 c3+ 24.f2 d4+ 21...xb5+ 22.a1 c7 Bringing the R into play looks devastating, but it is flawed in that white now equalizes... a fact that annotators in pre-engine days missed. 22...c4 23.g4 Black could maintain a huge advantage with ...Re7-e2, but there is a fancier way. e5 24.e6 xd4+ 25.xd4 xd4+ 26.b1 d3+ 27.a1 d2 28.c8+ h7 29.c1 xg2 with the clearly better position. 23.d2 c4 23...c2 would also result in equality after 24.b1 24.xc2 xd4+ 25.c3 xc3# 24...c4 25.xc2 xd4+ 26.cb2 xb2+ 27.xb2 and it's doubtful that black can make any progress. 24.hd1 A perfectly logical move defending the d-Pawn, but it gives black a decisive advantage. 24.e1 A sruprising hidden resource! f8 24...xd4+ is met by 25.xd4 xd4 26.e8+ and it is white who wins. h7 27.f5+ g6 28.f7# 25.ed1 c5 26.f3 g8 27.b1 xd4 28.d3 with equal chances! 24...c3 Another innacurate move by Lasker. 24...c6 Threatens ...Bxd4+ and white cannot capture the B. 25.b1 25.h3 xd4+ 26.xd4 xd4 27.f3 xd1+ 28.xd1 f6+ 29.b1 g6+ with a won ending. 25...g5 26.e2 26.e2 c1+ mates 26...xd2 27.xd2 g6+ 28.b2 b6+ 29.a1 c7 picks up the h-Pawn and leaves black wityh a won ending. 25.f5 c4 26.b2 A tactical mistake that loses the game. 26.b1 b5+ 26...xa3 is met by 27.c1 b5+ 28.b2 d3+ 29.xd3 xd3 30.xb7 and white is superior. 27.b2 c6 with the better chances. 28.b3 26...xa3 White has no satisfactory answer to the threat is mate with ...Rxa2+ 27.e6+ 27.xa3 gets mated. c3+ 28.a4 b5+! 29.xb5 c4+ 30.a5 d8# 27...h7 28.xa3 28.f5+ g8 29.b1 xd4 30.c2 b4+ 31.c1 c3 28...c3+ 29.a4 b5+ 30.xb5 c4+! White resigned. 30...c4+ 31.a5 d8+ 32.b6 axb6# 0–1

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Brooklyn Chess Club Championship 1895

    The year 1895 saw Jell-O invented and mintonette was invented in Holyoke, Massachusetts; we know it today volleyball. The first automobile race took place in France. The winner covered 732 miles in 48 hours and 47 minutes. 

    A big, juicy story that year was Irish poet, playwright and novelist Oscar Wilde's series of legal proceedings that ended in a trial that found him guilty of gross indecency. The judge described the sentence, the maximum allowed, as "totally inadequate" and claimed the case was the worst he had ever tried. 

    A couple of friends had advised Wilde to head for Dover and get a boat to France, but his mother advised him to stay and fight which he did. He pleaded not guilty, but on May 25,1895, he and Alfred Taylor were convicted of gross indecency and sentenced to two years' hard labor. 

    Although it is widely believed that the charges were related to Wilde's consensual activities, it has been suggested that he took advantage of teenagers and paid for sex with youths under the age of 18. Wilde was released from prison on May 19, 1897 and immediately left for for Dieppe, France and never returned to the United Kingdom/ 

    In early September of 1895, Pillsbury won at Hastings ahead of Chigorin and Lasker. In December he was in St. Petersburg, Russia for a Quadrangular tournament that was won by Lasker ahead of Steinitz, Pillsbury and Chigorin. While there Pillsbury contracts syphilis which later killed him. 

    Without treatment, syphilis can damage the heart, brain or other organs. Early syphilis can be cured, sometimes with a single shot of penicillin, but that didn;t come on the market until 1928. 

    Without treatment it gets nasty. After the latent stage, up to 30% to 40% of people with syphilis who don't get treatment have complications known as tertiary syphilis that may include damage to the brain, nerves, eyes, heart, blood vessels, liver, bones and joints. 

    Sores and rashes on the skin, discolored skin and eyes, fever, anemia, swollen spleen and liver, sneezing or stuffed, drippy nose, deafness, teeth problems and saddle nose, a condition in which the bridge of the nose collapses are symptoms.

    Earlier in 1895, Lasker, then World Champion, moved back to London and then later he moved to Manchester. Jackson W, Showalter won the 5th US championship in a match against Simon Lipschultz. The Swiss pairing system was invented by J. Muller and was first used in Zurich. 

    Players lost in 1895 were a leading English player of the 1870s, William Norwood Potte. Martin From, an analyst and inventor of From’s Gambit (1.f4 e5), died in Copenhagen. Georges Emile Barbier a French problem composer who had also won the Scottish championship in 1886. 

    The following game was played in the 1895 Brooklyn Chess Club Championship. Yoe will note that a Morphy was playing; it was John Morphy (18601912, 52 years old), who was originally from Dublin, Ireland.

 

     The winner was Salomon Rocamora (1855-1924, 69 years old) who was born in Hamburg, Germany and died in New York. He was a sugar trader. His opponent was David Finlay who was born in 1845 in Sligo, Ireland. The 1915 Census stated that he was a bookkeeper who had been living in the US for the past 51 years, so arrived in the US in about 1864. Rocamora broke through Finlay's French Defense in pretty style when the game appeared to be entirely blocked. 

ChessBase

Salomon Rocamora–David Finlay1–0C14Brooklyn CC Championship 1895/967Brooklyn, NY USA (Brooklyn CC)17.12.1895Stockfish 17

C14: French: Classical System 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.c3 f6 The Classical Variation is characterized by the development of the N on f6 where it puts pressure on the e-Pawn and forces white to do something about it. 4.g5 This is the usual move which defends the e-Pawn by pinning the N, Black has several reasonable replies. e7 This natural move breals the pin and renwws the threat to the e-Pawn. 5.e5 fd7 6.xe7 xe7 White's main options are mow 7.h4 or 7.Qd2 7.b5 This rare sideline threatening 8.Nxc7+ has surpsisingly good results. b6 This is the only reasonable move, but the N is not especially well place here. On the other hand neither is white's N. Probably white best continuation is to prevent >>>Qb4+ with 8/a3 then return the N to c3 8.c3 a6 9.a3 This can be considered the normal line after 7.Nb5, but white has accomplished nothing because his N on a3 if put of play. 0-0 9...8d7 10.f4 c5 11.f3 cxd4 12.cxd4 b4+ 13.d2 xd2+ 14.xd2 equals. Smieszniak, B-Zielinski,W (1901) Leba 2008 10.f4 Black has a number of reasonable moves here, but the most active is 10...f6 f5 11.f3 c5 12.c2 d7 13.g5 The position is equal, but practically white is probably a little better because he has some chance of a K-side attack while black's Q-side counterplay is hampered by the N on b6. His nxt move can;t be recommended. While technically not a mistake, it ever so slightly weakens his K-side. Some action on the Q-side would be more reasonable. Say, either 13... cxd4 or 13...Nc6 h6 14.f3 c4 Closing the Q-side is exactly what he should avoid. 14...cxd4 was a good option. 15.d2 e8 Making room for the N on c6 so he can advance the b-Pawn 16.e3 6d7 17.e2 b5 Finally he has something going on the Q-side, but white is going to launch an attack on the K-side that while it may not be theoretically the best idea, practically it's promising! 18.g4 g6 Opening up line on the K-side would be a bit risky. 19.g5 h5 It appears that black jas succeeded in blocking up lines on the K-side, but it;s not so!. 20.h4 20.d1 was more exact as black cannot defend the h-Pawn. c6 20...f7 21.h4 c6 22.xg6 xg6 23.xh5 and white has a decisive advantage. 21.h4 f7 22.xh5 20...e8 Very weak. 20...e8 puts up a manly defense. 21.f3 b6 21...c6 22.xd5 exd5 23.xd5+ wins 22.h3 g6 23.g4 The point of his last move. Black cannot afford to open the h-file and with the K-side now effectively blacked white has only a tiny advantage. 21.f3 Threatening Nxd5. Now it's clear why black's 20..Qe8 was so bad. He can't b;ockade the K-sode with ...g6 and his B amnd Q on b6 are vulnerable. c6 It's too late to be thinking about play on the Q-side. Shoring up b6 with 21...Kh7 is a pretty feeble try, but it's the best he has. Also, it gets the K off the line of a B check on d5, a threat that black seems to have forgotten about. 22.xd5 c8 23.e3 b6 24.e2 e7 25.g2 d8 26.0-0 bd5 27.xd5 xd5 28.g3 h7 29.a3 f7 30.f2 h8 31.e2 he8 32.g2 h8 32...e7 33.xg6 xg6 34.xh5+ xh5 34...h7 35.g6+ g8 36.f3 White will invade on the h0file. 35.g6 An odd place for the K...of course white is better! h4 36.f3+ g4 37.xg4 fxg4 38.g3 White is winning. 33.xh5 Rocamora now finishes the game in a neat fashion. xh5 This leads to a quicj demise, but the game was lost in any case. 33...e7 34.xg6 xg6 35.h4 g8 36.f3 e8 37.xg6 xg6 38.h2 White has a decisive advantage. 34.g6+ xg6 35.xg6 Threatening to mate with Qh4+. g8 36.xh8 xh8 37.h4+ Black resigned. 1–0

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Robert Wormald

    Robert Wormald (1834-1876, 42 years old) is probably best remembered as the inventor of the Wormald Attack (5,Qe2), an aggressive line in the Ruy Lopez. He was born in Yorkshire, England and was educated at Oxford University and from there moved to London where be became active in chess and writing about it. He died at his home, apparently from bronchitis and congestion of the lungs. 

    At the time of his passing he was the chess editor of the Illustrated London News, a position he assumed upon the death of Howard Staunton. 

    Wormald began his chess career as a member of the Oxford University Club and was a reasonably good amateur player, but nothing very special. After moving to London he took part in the Congress of 1862 (he did not play in the international tournament). After that he did not play any serious chess, but was well known in chess circles as a strong player and especially for his books on the openings which were published both in his own name and in conjunction with that of the late Howard Staunton. Wormald was also a brilliant and original problem composer. 

    In 1853, he played a match with Robert B. Brien from whom he received odds of pawn and two moves. The final score was 3.5-3.5. In 1858 he played a match with J. Campbell in London, winning +7 -4 =11. 

    The following game was played in a match (results unknown) against Francis Burden (born in 1829 or 1830 – 1882), a civil engineer. Besides chess, he was also skilled at whist and billiards. It has been suggested that he may have inspired Henry Bird to play the Bird Defense in the Ruy Lopez (3...Nd4). 

    Burden was born in Belfast and lived in London for many years where he met and trained Cecil Valentine De Vere. He visited Venezuela in his capacity as a businessman around 1870, after which he developed a fever and was forced to retire from chess. He died on on January 13, 1882, at the age of 52, on the same day that his close friend Samuel Boden died. At the time of his death, he had been retired from chess for twelve or thirteen years.

 

 

Walter Spens

    For poetry lovers… 

 

    He courteous moved alike to each and all 

    He never sought with scathing words to sting 

    Demeanor just the same to great and small 

    The dignity that's said to hedge a king 

    Was nature's gift to him, and to his pail 

    That attribute of our dead friend will cling 

    How truly these words apply to himself, 

    and with what melancholy pathos they are now invested. 

 

     Walter Spens (February 1, 1842 - July 13, 1900, 58 years old) wrote those lines in 1891, on the death of the great Scottish player Captain George Mackenzie. 

    Spens, the 1894 Scottish Champion, was born in Glasgow and passed away in Edinburgh. In 1870, a Glasgow Sheriff who was a strong player and an important figure in Glasgow chess circles, appointed Spens as a Sheriff-Substitute. Spens was known there as the "boy-sheriff" because he was only 28 years old. He wrote a number of important legal works, some of which showed his interest in social conditions, the poor, and the interests of workers. 

    In Scotland a sheriff is a judge who presides over cases in the sheriff court. Sheriffs handle a variety of cases, including debts, contract disputes, bankruptcy and family matte 

    In 1882, Spens became chess editor of the Glasgow Weekly Herald and in his column many of his chess problems were published. In1884, he was mainly instrumental in forming the Scottish Chess Association. He was always a liberal supporter of the game, and in this respect when he passed away editorials claimed that chess in Scotland had lost its life and soul. 

    It was said Spens loved the game for the pleasure that came as a reward for playing it, but he regarded it as an amusement and a recreation from more serious pursuits. A good attitude, I think. 

    Although considered a strong player, in gua obituary the British Chess Magazine noted that “he hardly did himself justice as a tournament player (even though) he won several important national prizes.” Chess metrics estimates his highest ever rating to have been 2375 in 1867. While that rating os rather modest it paced him in the world’s top 25 and in a group of better known players of the day such as Eugene Rousseau and James Mortimer. 

    His style of play was positional, but he was always on the alert for brilliant tactics and pretty endin. However,he was not adverse to taking risks and sometimes losy games a more careful player woulf have won. 

    The following game was played in a match against a player about whom I could not locate any information. The game, which won Spens a Brilliancy Prize, does not appear in any databases of his games, but it was published in the September 1900 issue of the British Chess Magazine. While hardly brilliant, we get to see the tactical side of Spens’ play and the game is entertaining. 

ChessBase

H.J. Thomas–Walter Spens0–1B00Match, Dundee, Scotland1900Stockfish 17

B00: Double Fianchetto Defense 1.e4 b6 2.d4 g6 Hypermodern play long before Nimzovich. 3.c4 3.h4 Interesting! h5 4.d3 g7 5.c3 b7 6.g5 d6 7.d2 d7 8.f4 is about equal. Bacrot,E (2659)-Sherman,R (2126) chess. com INT 2023 3...g7 4.c3 e5 Premature. Probably his best was 4...Bb7 4...b7 5.e3 d6 6.e2 d7 7.f3 c6 White is better. Chan,M (2294)-Wong Meng Leong (2219) Singapore 1999 5.d5 White's [lan is tp keep the position closed and engineer an attack against black's K. but opening up the position was a better idea. 5.dxe5 xe5 6.c2 Black is going to have to waste a tempo returning his B to g7. g7 7.e3 b7 8.0-0-0 with the more active position. 5...d6 6.d3 e7 7.g4 Very bold! d7 8.b4 More to the point would have been 8.h4 0-0 Mills correctly thought this was risky and suggested ...a6 and ...b5 followed by ...Nc5 9.h4 f6 9...f5 This crazy move is something only an engine would suggest! 10.gxf5 a5 11.fxg6 axb4 12.gxh7+ h8 13.b5 c5 14.g5 d7 15.h5 c6 16.dxc6 xc6 17.e2 xe4 And Stockfish informs us that black is clearly better. I will have to take the engine's word for it. 10.f3 h5 11.g5 c6 12.e2 White could have tried 12.dxc6 and then opening up the g-file with 13/gxh6 a5 13.b5± cxd5 14.exd5 With this move white inadvertently exposes his own K. 14.xd5 exd5 15.cxd5 and white has only a slight advantage. 14...e4 Very nice! Thus gives black active play on the dark squares and the e-file. 15.xe4 xe4 16.xe7 c3+ 16...xe7 was a bit more advantageous/ 17.c1 e8 18.xe4 and now... f5 19.gxf5 gxf5 20.d3 20.d3 d8 20...fxe4 21.fxe4 xe4+ 22.xe4 xe4+ 23.f2 g4 with a easy win. 17.d1 xe7 17...xa1 might be tempting, but white equalizes with 18.xe4 c7 19.xf8 xf8 18.b1 f2+ 19.xf2 hxg4 20.c2 20.fxg4 xg4+ 21.c2 b4 20...f6 21.g3 e5 22.g2 a1 Intending ...Qc3+ 23.d2 g3 As strong as this might look it is actually a mistake that allows white to equalize. Even so, had black played the correct 23///Re8 the complications would have been enormous and beyond calculating over the board. 23...e8 maintains a solid advantage. 24.e2 24.fxg4 but not this/ xg4 25.e2 xe2 26.xe2 f5+ 27.d3 c8 Black is winning. 28.xa1 xc4+ 29.b3 d4 24...f5 25.xa1 ac8 26.xf5 xc4+ 27.d3 xe2 28.xe2 xf5 White's extra R is meaningless! 29.e3 c2+ 30.e1 gxf3 31.xf3 b2 32.d1 e5+ 33.d2 f4 34.e3 e4 35.f3 xd5+ 36.c2 xa2+ 37.d3 d5+ 38.c2 c4+ 39.c3 e4+ 40.b2 xc3 41.xc3 b4+ 42.c2 a4 The ending is won for black/ 24.e2 White may have equalized, but his position is difficult to play. e5 Black's position is not so easy to play either. In fact, the B should have stopped on d4 because with his next move white actually has a bit of an advantage. 25.f4 g2 This is an outright error. 25...d4 keeps fighting. 26.xg3 g4 27.h5 After this it's clear that white's sudden counterattack gives him the initiative. ae8 28.hxg6 e3 29.h2 c8 30.h7+ f8 31.h6+ g7 32.xg7+ xg7 33.bg1 f5 34.d2 f3 A very complicated situation that is in black's favor. 26.h2 d4 27.xg2 c5 28.h5 f5 29.g5 29.xf5 was considerably better. xf5+ 30.d3 xd3+ 31.xd3 g7 A very complicated ending. White scored 5-0 in long, tedious Shootouts/ 29...b4 It would have been better to trade Bs and then play ...Re8 30.d1 fc8 31.b3 This results in the advantage changing hands agaun...for the last time. 31.xf5= and White has nothing to worry. xc4+ 32.d3 xf4 33.xf4 xg5 34.g4 xf5+ 35.xf5 gxf5 36.g1+ h8 37.g5 31...e8 32.xf5 White has totally collapsed. 32.g3 was the crucial defense. xe2 33.xe2 xb1 34.xb1 xf4 35.f3 Here black has only one move that wins! d2 36.c2 36.d1 a4# 36...a4+ 37.b2 a3+ 38.b1 b4+ 39.a1 e8 40.hxg6 f5 41.xf5 xe2 42.xe2 c3+ 43.b1 c1# 32...xe2 33.d3 a4+ 34.xb4 b2+ 35.a3 xb1 36.c2 d4! White resigned. Ot's mate in 4. This game earned Spens a Brilliancy Prize. While the game may not have been [erfect there are a lot of hidden points that make it interesting. 0–1

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David Polland

    David Polland of Brooklyn, New York appeared on the first USCF rating list on November 20, 1950 with a rating of 2521 making him one of the top dozen players in the country. While the ratings on that first list are not exactly comparable to the ratings of today it put him on a par with players like Dake, Denker, Kashdan, Horowitz and Reinfeld. 

    Polland’s name appears frequently in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle chess columns of the 1930s as having been particularly successful in speed tournaments in New York City. His major success was probably his first place in the US Open in Chicago in 1937.     

    Beyond that little is known. Two birth dates are given. Wikipedia says he was born in 1915 while on chessgamesdotcom his birthday is listed as being June 24, 1908. I believe the 1908 date is likely correct because there was an article in the January 25, 1926 issue of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle stating he was attending City College of New York, so the 1908 birth date would have made him 18 years old at the time. He was also a member of the I.L. Rice Progressive Chess Club of Manhattan. 

    An interesting post appeared in the Actuarial Outpost forums in 2008 by someone who told of playing an "elderly gentleman" (whom the poster said was, by 2008, long deceased) back in the 1960s who was taking on all comers in the park outside his parents apartment building. 

    The poster stated that over the next two years he played about 20 games against the old gentleman and only beat him once. The man was David Polland. The poster went on to say that Polland demonstrated a King-Bishop-Knight mate blindfolded without knowledge of opponents exact King move (just whether it was a check or not). Also, according to the poster, Polland was once the 3rd ranked checker player in the world, but I was unable to verify this. 

    Polland's favorite opening was the English and as mentioned, he shined in rapid play; in one first place finish in a Marshall Chess Club rapid tournament he even defeated Reshevsky, himself a powerful blitz player. On another occasion he held Reshevsky to a draw in a simultaneous. 

 

 

    In following game from the 1940 US Championship Pollard's handling of the opening was weird, but it worked and he was awarded a brilliancy prize for his efforts. Hanauer found his pieces on the Q-side undeveloped and when his pieces in the center were driven off it allowed Polland to begin a sacrificial K-side attack. The attack should not have been decisive, but it was when Hanauer accepted the piece. 

ChessBase

Milton Hanauer–David Polland0–1C78US Championship, New YorkNew York, NY USA06.05.1940Stockfish 17

C78: Ruy Lopez: Archangelsk 1.e4 e5 2.f3 c6 3.b5 a6 4.a4 f6 5.0-0 b5 The Archangel Defense. It was invented by Soviet theoreticians in the city of Arkhangelsk and often leads to sharp positions in which black wagers that the fianchettoed Bs influence on the center and K-side will offset his delay in castling. 6.b3 d6 Black has several options here. In order of popularity they are: 6...Be7, 6...Bc5 and 6...Bb7. Polland’s move is rare, but by no means inferior. 6...b7 This move Is quite interesting. Black defines the position of this B early in order to exert pressure against the opponent's center, in particular the e4 square. White must decide whether he protects the P with 7.d3 or goes for the unfathomable complications after 7.c3 Nxe4. 7.c3 xe4 8.d4 exd4 9.e1 d5 10.g5 with equal chances. 7.g5 White’s other options are to attempt to build an ideal P-center with c3 and d4 or to defend the e-Pawn with Re1. The defense chosen by Polland is tactically justified by the ability to meet this move with 7... d5 and white will be unable to demonstrate any advantage. d5 7...g4 Thus move is disaterous to black. 8.xf7+ e7 9.f3 d7 10.b3 with a huge advantage. 8.exd5 d4 9.e1 c5 9...d6 10.d3 g4 11.f3 h5 12.c4 0-0 13.e3 d7 14.e4 White is slightly better. Shankovsky,A (2327)-Durnev,V (2077) Lvov UKR 2010 10.xe5+ f8 Even though he cannot castle and his R is hemmed in black's position is preferable because of the activity of his pieces. 11.h3 White wants to guard g4, but this move allows his opponent to gain a significant advantage. 11.c3 is probably his best chance. After xb3 12.xb3 xf2+ 13.h1 13.xf2 g4+ with a decisive advabtage. 13...g4 both sides have their chances in the complications. 11...d7 12.e4 12.xf7 turns out to be no better. f6 13.e3 xf7 14.c3 xb3 15.f3 f6 16.axb3 xd5 Black is nuch better. Deshmukh,A (2335)-Peng Xiaomin (2624) Calcutta 2000 12...xb3 Polland has made a serious miscalculation. He is attacki g two Rs, but white gets away unscathed. 12...xe5 wins! 13.d3 e7 14.e3 xb3 15.axb3 f5 Black is a R up. 13.axb3 xe5 14.xc5 his is the move Polland missed; white has suffucuent compensation for the R. xd5 White must now prevent ...Bxh3. 15.d4 xh3 Best, but only for the purpose of keeping the chances equal! 16.gxh3 Hanauer falls head first into a lost position. 16.f3 leaves black without any way of gaining an advantage, f5 17.c3 c6 18.b4 g6 16...f3+ 17.f1 xd4 Threatening ...Qh1# 18.f3 xc5 19.e3 f5 19...d8 would have decided the game at once. For example... 20.xa6 xc2 21.xc2 xc2 and white is lost. 20.xd4 xh3+ 21.g1 21.f2 loses h2+ 22.f1 22.e3 e8+ 23.d3 d8 24.e3 h6+ 25.e2 d6 26.c3 c5 22...h1+ 23.g1 h5 21...g3+ 22.f1 h3+ 23.g1 h5 24.e3 A gross blunder which his opponent fails to take advantage of. 24.f1 The Q comes to the K's defense and makes it much more difficult for black to make progress. g3+ 25.g2 e1+ 26.f1 e8 27.c3 g3+ 28.g2 e1+ 29.xe1 xe1+ 30.f1 xf1+ 31.xf1 and even though black is better the win is not a sure thing. 24...g8 25.d2 e8 26.f4 e6 Adding the R to the attack looks good, but as often happens, when we have an idea in mind we fail to notice anything else. In this case Hanauer’s last move gave black the chance to win a piece. 26...h4 Attacking the B. 27.h2 h6 Finally getting the R into play 28.f1 g6+ 29.h1 h3 Threatening ...Rg2 30.g3 xg3 31.f1 xf3 27.e4 Suddenly white has gotten sufficient defensive resources and black;s advantage has all but disappeared g6+ 28.f2! g2+ 29.e3 e6 Threatening ... f5, but white's K is safe enough. 30.d8+ well, it would have been had white played 20.Qh1! which appears to be a rather odd place for the Q, so it's easy to see how Hanauer missed it! 30.h1 xc2 31.d1 Black has to guard his h-Pawn. g6 31...xb2 32.d8+ h7 33.xh5+ h6 34.g5# 32.d5 f5 33.h4 f7 uddenly it's black who is fending off threats. 33...fxe4 34.d8+ f7 35.d7+ and white wins. 34.e5 Black only has one move that avoids loss... fxe4 35.d7+ xd7 35...f8 36.d8+ mates 36.f6+ e8 37.xh8+ e7 38.f6+ draws 30...h7 31.xc7 f5 White doesn;t get any more chances as Polland finishes him off in an efficient fashion. 32.h1 e8 33.xh5+ g6 34.h2 xh2 35.xh2 fxe4 Black now has a prosaic win. 36.g3+ h5 37.xg7 exf3+ 38.f4 e3+ Black mates in 4 39.g3 f2+ 40.g2 f3+! 41.xf3 f1+ 42.g3 e3# An imaginative game by Polland. 0–1

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