Seidman Knocks Out Reshevsky

    In the 1959-60 U.S. Championship it was 16-year-old Bobby Fischer again and he was clearly a world championship contender even though he had finished fifth in the Candidates Tournament in Yugoslavia earlier in 1959. 

    It was equally clear that while he was still one of the best players in the country, Samuel Reshevsky’s star was fading. In the following game veteran Senior Master Herbert Seidman administers a solid beating to the veteran Grand master. 

     The game does not appear in the Chessgames.com database of Seidman’s games. Reshevsky plays the opening in a credible fashion, but n move 16 he makes a small inaccuracy that leaves him in a difficult position. Then on move 19 he makes a big mistake and Seidman finishes him off with two knockout blows. Reshevsky played on for a handful of moves just to stretch out the game and avoid the embarrassment of being victim of a miniature. 

 

 

[Event "1959/60 US Championship, New York"] [Site "?"] [Date "1959.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Herbert Seidman"] [Black "Samuel Reshevsky"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B93"] [Annotator "Stockfiah 17"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "1959.??.??"] {B93: Sicilian Najdorf: 6 f4} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 {As usual Sideman Seidman avoids main line theory, but this move is by no means bad.} e5 {This move is considered to be the most aggressive.} 7. Nf3 Nbd7 {Today this is by far the most popular reply, but at the time black usually played 7...Qc7} 8. Bc4 {[%emt 0:00:09] The main alternative is 8.a4 hindering ...b5. The advantage of the text is that ot develops the B to its most active square.} Be7 {Reshevsky prefers to complete his development before playing ...b5} 9. O-O O-O 10. fxe5 dxe5 11. Kh1 {Getting the K off the diagonal is simply a safety precaution.} Qc7 12. Qe2 b5 {[%mdl 32]} 13. Bb3 b4 14. Nd5 Nxd5 15. Bxd5 Rb8 16. Bg5 {[%mdl 2048] This position is completely equal and black should now play either 16...Bxg5 or 16...Nf6, both of which are equally good.} Nb6 {A small error that eventually lands him in trouble. Reshevsky, no doubt, was playing for a win against his lesser opponent, but he has underestimated white's attacking possibilities.} 17. Bb3 {White thr eatens to win with 18.Nxe5} Ra8 (17... a5 {This may have been what Reshevsky originally intended, but then realized it fails badly after} 18. Nxe5 Bxg5 ( 18... Qxe5 19. Bf4) 19. Nxf7 Bf6 20. Ng5+ Kh8 21. e5 {There is no forced win, but white ios clearly better after, say, 21...Ba6. He must not play...} Bxe5 ( 21... Qxe5 22. Qxe5) 22. Rxf8#) 18. Qf2 {Thius time the threat is Bxe7} Bd6 { It is amazingly diffi c ult to parry threat} (18... a5 {A pass to show the threat.} 19. Bxe7 Qxe7 20. Qxb6 {winning a piece.}) 19. Qh4 {White has another winning threat which Reshevsky misses.} Be6 {[%mdl 8192] This loses.} (19... Nc4 {Blocking the Bs diagonal was the only defense he had, but white has the upper hand after} 20. Bh6 {Another offer which cannot be accepted. His best defense is the miserable 20...f6. After} gxh6 21. Qxh6 {Black still has to play } f6 {which is met by} 22. Nh4 Bg4 23. Rxf6 Rxf6 24. Qxf6 Rf8 25. Qg5+ Qg7 26. Bxc4+ Kh8 27. Qxg7+ Kxg7 28. Bxa6 {with a won ending.}) 20. Bf6 {This blow has a beautiful point behind it. The threat is Qg5} gxf6 (20... Nd7 21. Ng5 h6 22. Nxe6 fxe6 23. Bxe6+ Kh7 24. Bf5+ Kg8 25. Bxg7 Kxg7 26. Qg4+ Kh8 27. Qg6 Nf6 28. Qxh6+ Nh7 (28... Kg8 29. Be6+) 29. Bxh7 Qxh7 30. Qxd6 {and wins}) 21. Ng5 { [%mdl 512] Another sacrifice! It;s the only move that wins though.} fxg5 22. Qxg5+ Kh8 23. Qf6+ Kg8 24. Rf3 Rfe8 25. Qh6 {Threatening mate with Rg3+.} Bg4 26. Rg3 Qd7 27. Rf1 Bf8 {Reshevsky has baited a trap!} 28. Qg5+ ({allows black some hope after} 28. Qxb6 Kh8 29. Qf6+ Bg7 30. Qg5 f6 31. Qxg4 Qxg4 32. Rxg4 Rad8 {with a faint hope of salvaging the game.}) 28... Kh8 29. Rxg4 Qxg4 30. Qxg4 {What follows is only Reshevsky blitzing out moves to prolong the game. Or, perhaps Seidman was feeling some time pressure.} Bh6 31. Bxf7 Rf8 32. Qe6 Bg7 33. Qxb6 Rac8 34. Bc4 $1 {[%mdl 512]} Rfd8 35. Bd5 {My database shows Seidman's move as 35.Bd3 with the rest of the moves being identical. I have given the move as 35.Bd5 because that is the one that appeared in print.} h6 36. h3 {Rf7 is the strong threat.} Re8 37. Qg6 {White threatens Rf7 and mate.} Red8 38. Rf7 {[%csl Gf7][%cal Rg6g7]} Rg8 39. Rf5 (39. Be6 $142 Rcd8 40. Bf5 Rd1+ 41. Kh2 Rh1+ 42. Kxh1 Rf8 43. Qxg7#) 39... Rgf8 40. Rh5 Rf1+ 41. Kh2 { Black resigned.} (41. Kh2 Rf6 42. Rxh6+ Bxh6 43. Qxf6+ Kh7 44. Qf5+ Kg7 45. Qd7+ Kh8 46. Qxc8+ Kg7 47. Qg8+ Kf6 48. Qf7+ Kg5 49. Qf5+ Kh4 50. Qg4#) 1-0