In 1975, we saw mood rings. They contained a “stone” that changes colors based on the temperature of the finger and the color was supposed to show your mood.
Then there were pet rocks. They were just rocks packaged in custom cardboard boxes complete with ventilation holes and straw bedding.They didn't do anything.
President Richard Nixon, who claimed he wasn't a crook, resigned over the Watergate Scandal. Then came the mass chaos when Americans evacuate from Saigon under President Gerald Ford, marking the end of the war in Vietnam. After Nixon's Vice President, Spiro Agnew, who was a crook, pleaded guilty to tax evasion, Nixon appointed Speaker of the House Forn to the VP position and when Nixon resigned Ford became President.
The top rated players were 1-Bobby Fischer, 2-Anatoly Karpov, 3-Viktor Korchnoi, 4-Tigran Petrosian, 5-Lev Polugaevsky, 6-Mikhail Tal, 7-Lajos Portisch, 8-Bent Larsen, 9-Boris Spassky and 10-Robert Huebner.
Player lost that year were the legendary Paul Keres, Friedrich Samisch, Lajos Steiner, Nicolas Rossolimo, Karel Opocensky, Hans Johner, Vladimir Vukovic, Georg Kieninger, Abraham Baratz, Norman Whitake and John Morrison.
World Champion Bobby Fischer resigned his title when he and FIDE failed to agree on the terms for the defense of his title and the chess world went on without him. Nona Gaprindashvili successfully defended her Women's World Championship for the fourth time.
Anatoly Karpov won in Milan, his first tournament since becoming world champion. He won again in Ljubljana. Ljubomir Ljubojevic of Yugoslavia, had a big year, winning three important tournaments. Tigran Petrosian made a comeback and dominated the USSR Chess Championship. Yakov Estrin, the Russian over-the-board IM, won the 7th World Correspondence Championship.
There was a big scandal in England when Tony Miles and Stewart Reuben agree a draw at the Luton Congress without playing a single move. Their last round game was recorded as a draw, but the organizer notified both players requesting the return of their prize money.
The following non-Master game was played in a match for the championship of the Naval Station in Key West, Florida. It has some interesting tactics, but what caught my eye was the two exclamation marks white gave his 23rd move, sacrificing his Queen. Engines weren’t so kind...they slapped two question marks on it. Nevertheless, it was an exciting contest.
The opening, Bird’s Opening, is named after 19th century English player Henry Bird, is one in which white's strategic ideas involve control of e5 and it offers good attacking chances at the expense of slightly weakening the K-side.
Although it is rarely played at the top levels, it’s not a bad opening for amateurs because it can lead to a quick and strong attack if black does not respond with precise play.
Kevin Casey1726–Jack Hayden19001–0A03US Naval Station Chp, Key West. Floroda1075Stockfish 17
] A03: Bird's Opening 1.f4 c5 2.b3 White could transpose into the aggressive Sicilian Grand Prix Attack with 2.e4, but most Bird players like to stick to the familiar Bird patterns. d5 3.b2 f6 4.e3 g6 5.f3 g7 6.b5+ bd7 7.0-0 a6 The main option is 7...O-O 8.xd7+ xd7 Black has an edge. 9.d3 0-0 10.e5 A classic square for the N in the Bird, but here it's not sucj a good idea because it allows black to simplify into a position where he is slightly better. 10.e2 c8 11.bd2 offers equal chances. 10...c8 Black wants to keep the two Bs, but here that idea confers no particular advantage plus it loses time. Simply 10...g4 Also playable is the solid 10...Rc8 11.xd7 11.xg4 xb2 wins 11...xe3 12.c1 xb2 13.xb2 xd7 with the better position. 11.d2 g4 12.e2 h6 As soon becomes apparent, black has a faulty play in mind. 12...xe5 13.xe5 xe5 14.fxe5 c7 pretty much eliminates white's attacking chances/ 13.e4= d4 14.h3 f5 Here is black's faulty idea, but it neglects development and opens up his K-side. His best move would have been to stop a square short with the f-Pawn and drive the N away with 14...f6 ir play `4...b5 15.ae1 f7 16.exf5 xf5 17.g4 c8 17...d7 is fatal strategically. 18.xd7 xd7 19.xe7 xe7 20.xe7 18.df3 b5 This blunders away a Pawn and leaves black fighting for his life. Best was 18...Nxe5 when white would only be slightly better. 19.c6 d7 20.xe7+ h8 21.h4 b7 22.f5 This is very inviting, but it allows black to equalize. 22.e6 c7 22...xe6 23.xe6 d8 24.hxg6+ hxg6 25.xg6+ g8 26.xf8 xe6 27.xe6 wins 23.exg6+ hxg6 24.xg6+ g8 25.e7+ h8 26.g6 h6 27.g5 Threatening Ng6+ leaves white with a decisive advantage. 22...e5 At this point white thought his next move was crushing, but, in fact, black has equalized and the only move white has that keeps the chances equal is 23.g5 23.xe5 White incorrectly based this sacrifice on based on the idea that two defenders of bof wack's K are removed and the dark squares weakened, his N on e7 cramps black amd all white's pieces can be quickly brought to the attack on black's cornered K. White thought that even id the Q sacrifice was unsound he hoped for what Tarrasch called "sacrificial shock." It worked for Tal! Black has to find the precise defense which is not always easy. 23.g5 gxf5 24.exf5 ae8 25.h5 f3+ 26.xf3 xe1 27.xe1 xf5 28.xf5 xf5 with equal chances. 23...xe5 24.xe5 g7 This move avoids any sacrificial checks on g6, but it gives white's attack new impetis. 24...ae8 should prove decisive because white has no really good followup. 25.f6 25.fxg6 xf1+ 26.xf1 xe7 27.gxh7 is much less effective because of xe5 28.g6+ xh7 29.f8+ 25...d6 26.hxg6+ hxg6 27.xg6+ h7 28.xf8+ xf8 29.e7+ h8 30.xb7 g3+ 31.h1 xh3+ 32.g1 xg4+ and wins 25.c1 Adding the B to the attack makes all the difference! ae8 26.g5 Even stronger was 26.Rfe1 f7 Much better would have been 27.Rfe1 followed by Re6 increasing the pressure on g6. 27.f6+ h8 28.fe1 Now black could have equalized with either 28... Rfe8 or 28...Rd8. fxe7 Instead, black plays a move that allows white's piece to swam all over his K. 29.xe7 Not 25.fx36 because the P would be held hp and further progress by white would be extremely difficult. xe7 30.xe7 c6 31.f7 The P is now an unstoppable threat. The following checks are harmless. h1+ 32.f2 h2+ 33.e1 g3+ 34.d2 f2+ 35.c1 g7 36.h6+ White finishes up nicely. xh6 37.f5+ Allowing the P to queen. g5 38.f8 Black resigned. Not a perfect game, but an exciting one! 1–0
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