The Amazing Donald MacMurray

    Donald MacMurray was born on November 14, 1914. His father was an alcoholic who drowned after falling off a pier. His mother was a cleaning lady who lived in the slums of Hell’s Kitchen in New York City. Despite the odds of such a background MacMurray possessed the highest IQ ever recorded up to the early 1930s, earned a BA degree from the University of Chicago in eight and a half months, and a law degree from Columbia University in one year. He was also a strong chess master.

    “Meckele” as he was generally known in New York chess circles was also an expert in languages and learned to speak Yiddish so he could frequent the Yiddish Theater. In 1935 to 1936 MacMurray completed his degrees and returned to New York and was married to his childhood girlfriend. 

    During the mid-1930s he played in several Manhattan chess club championships, always scoring well. Among his victims were Isaac Kashdan and Arnold Denker. Before leaving for Chicago to participate in the 1932 Western Chess Association tournament Denker and MacMurray played a short warm-up match that was drawn. Other well-known master who went down in defeat against MacMurray were Weaver Adams and I.A. Horowitz. 

    In the US Open Championship of 1937 he shared third place with George Treysman and then in 1938 he scored a remarkable 10.5 out of 11 in the Consolation Master’s section of the US Open after having narrowly missed qualifying for the finals. 

    In late summer in 1938, MacMurray was playing in the New York State Championship in Cazenovia when he began experiencing a worsening of nausea and stomach pains that were especially noticeable when he was laughing. At one point MacMurray was having dinner with Arnold Denker and the pain was so bad he had to leave the table and at Denker’s request. Another tournament participant, long time master Dr. Joseph Platz, examined MacMurray and discovered a cancer in his stomach that was the size of q grapefruit. Just three months later on December 2, 1938, MacMurray died at age 24. 

    In this game MacMurray easily defeats veteran master Harold Morton of Providence, Rhode Island. Morton was born on January 19, 1906 and won the championship of New England many times. He won the Massachusetts Championship in 1933, 1934, and 1935 and played in the 1936 US Championship. On February 17, 1940, he was killed in a car accident in Iowa when he hit a truck. His passenger, I.A. Horowitz, survived. The two were giving simultaneous exhibitions throughout the country. 

 

[Event "Chicago"] [Site ""] [Date "1937.09.04"] [Round ""] [White "Donald MacMurray"] [Black "Harold Morton"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C49"] [Annotator "Stockfish 18"] [PlyCount "35"] [EventDate "1937.??.??"] {C49: Four Knights Game} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 {The Rubinstein Variation 4...Nd4 is an attempt to unbalance the position, but it also fizzles out to boring equality.} 5. O-O O-O 6. Bxc6 bxc6 7. Nxe5 Re8 8. d4 Bxc3 9. bxc3 Nxe4 10. Re1 Nd6 {This looks rather awkward, but it is best and there is no way for whi.e to take advantage of it} (10... d5 {is more common.} 11. f3 Nxc3 12. Qd2 Nb5 13. Nxc6 Rxe1+ 14. Qxe1 Qd7 {looks drawish.}) 11. Qg4 Qf6 12. Ba3 {[%mdl 2048]} Rd8 {The idea is apparently to guard the d-Pawn so the B can be developed. It does not speak well for black’s position to have to waste time using his R to guard the P.} (12... Re6 13. c4 Ba6 {and black has full equality.}) 13. Re3 {This R-lift is a handy idea worth remembering.} Nf5 {Walking into a pin can’t be good, but black wants to free his game with ...d5.} 14. Rf3 d5 {This defends the c-Pawn and exposes white's Q to a discovered attack, but now white gets a strong attack Black's best chance was to sactifice a P in order to dislodge white's N.} (14... d6 15. Nxc6 Re8 16. d5 Bd7 {and black has finally gotten developed and his position is organically sound/}) 15. Qh5 {Excellent, Black is threatened with 16.g4 and is at a loss for a decent move.} g6 {This results in a fatal weakening of the K's position ans MacMurry forcfully demonstrates.} (15... Qe6 {removes the Q fron danger and after} 16. g4 Nd6 17. Re3 Re8 18. Rae1 Qf6 19. Nxc6 Rxe3 20. Rxe3 Be6 { White is clearly better, but black ha avoided immediate disaster.}) 16. Ng4 Qh8 {It’s hard to believe this loses immediately! Other moves would not have saved the game though.} (16... Qe6 17. Qg5 Re8 18. Nf6+ {wins}) (16... gxh5 17. Nxf6+ Kg7 18. Nxh5+ Kh8 19. Re1 {White is winning.}) ({This is black's best try.} 16... Kh8 17. Nxf6 gxh5 18. Re1 h4 19. Re5 {Material is equal, but black's position is lost. He will sacrifice a R for two pieces leaving him with great piece activity while black's position remains very passive.}) 17. Qg5 Be6 18. Rxf5 {[%mdl 512] Black resigned. Why?!} (18. Rxf5 Bxf5 19. Nh6+ Kg7 20. Be7 {Technically this is not as strong as the immediate 20.Nf5+, but it is the most practical. The threat is Bf6+} (20. Nxf5+ Kg8 21. Ne7+ Kg7 22. Qe5+ f6 (22... Kh6 23. Bc1+ g5 24. Qxg5#) 23. Qxc7 {and all that remains is for white to bring his R into play with Re12 and black is helpless.}) 20... Rd6 21. Nxf5+ Kg8 22. Bxd6 cxd6 23. Re1 {White is a piece up.}) 1-0

The 1941 Reshevsky – Horowitz Match

 

    In 1941, US Champion Samuel Reshevsky defeated I.A. Horowitz in a match for the US Championship by a score of +3 -0 =13. 

    In February 1940, Horowitz had been on an exhibition tour along with a close friend, a Master named Harold Morton, when one night they were traveling by car when they were involved in an accident in which Morton was killed and Horowitz seriously injured. It took a few months, but he fully recovered. 

    In 1940, the next US Championship was two years in the future, so Horowitz decided to challenge Reshevsky to a mtch for the title, Reshevsky was the favorite, but Horowitz had beaten him in the 1936 Championship in what was one of the few games Reshevsky had lost to an American in five years. Also, a healthy prize fund sweetened the pot AND there was a rumor going around that a Reshevsky-Alekhine match might be possible, so Horowitz would be a good warm up. 

    The Reshevsky-Horowitz match was to be a grueling 16 games played in seven venues over the course of three weeks. The schedule was so tight that Reshevsky said it became a matter of endurance rather than chess. This game, the 6th, played on May 13th, 1941 in Philadelphia, was probably the most exciting of the match. 

 

[Event "uS Champ Match, Philadelphia"] [Site "Philadelphia, PA USA"] [Date "1941.05.13"] [Round "6"] [White "I. A. Horowitz"] [Black "Samuel Reshevsky"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C99"] [Annotator "Stockfish/Reuben Fine"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "1941.??.??"] {C99: Ruy Lopez: Chigorin Defense} 1. e4 {Except for the 14th game, Horowitz played this every time and succeeded in getting a good game out of the opening. } e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 {Black has two main systems here: this and the Open Defense (5...Nxe4).} 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 Na5 9. Bc2 c5 10. d4 Qc7 11. h3 O-O 12. Nbd2 cxd4 {So far the players have been following what was considered the main line, but now instead of the then popular 12...Nf6, Reshevdsky plays what ha become the main line today.} 13. cxd4 Nc6 14. d5 Nb4 15. Bb1 a5 16. a3 Na6 17. b3 Nc5 18. Nf1 Bd7 19. Ra2 { This rather odd looking move has a point - it gets the R into play.} Rac8 { Threatening 20...Ncxe4} 20. Ng3 (20. Kh1 {A pass to show the thrat.} Ncxe4 21. Bxe4 Nxe4 22. Rxe4 Qxc1 {winning a piece.}) 20... Rfd8 {Just as a reminder of the tremendous amount of theory there is on the Ruy Lopez, this has all been played before! Reuben Fine was of the opinion that this move is proof of the inferiority of black's game and commented that the R serves no useful purpose on d8 and black is just marking time because he is unable to undertake anything constructive. Fine is correct concerning 20...Rfd8, but in a game he may not have been familiar with (thankfully we have huge databases today) Kashdan had found the more active 20...Qa7 in a game played in New York in 1930.} (20... Qb7 {is an alternative.} 21. Kh2 Ne8 22. Ng1 Bh4 23. Nf5 Bxf5 24. exf5 Nc7 {with equal chances. Steiner,Lajos-Kashdan,Isaac New York 1930}) 21. Bg5 h6 22. Be3 Qb7 23. Rc2 {The point of his 19th move shows up.} Qb8 {He cannot acceot the offered e-Pawn.} (23... Nfxe4 24. Nxe4 Nxe4 25. Rxc8 { Unmasking the B.} Rxc8 26. Bxe4 {White has won a piece.}) 24. Rc1 Bf8 25. Re2 a4 {This and his next move lead to the loss of a P. There is no reason for this sacrifice, so Reshevsky probably played it because he did not want to be reduced to complete passivity. The sound option was 25...Rc7 and doubling Rs on the c-file which would have left white with only a minimal advantage.} 26. b4 Nb3 {Fine gave this moive a ? and suggested 26...Na6 which he thought was good for a draw. Actually, 26...Na6 is slightly inferior to the text which, at least, gives black some play.} 27. Rxc8 Rxc8 28. Ba2 Rc3 29. Rb2 {The N is stuck here and a P will soon be lost.} Qa8 {The point of this wily move will be seen if white plays the immediate 30.Bxb3} 30. Qb1 {Fine gave this move a ? and claimed it would have been better to have won the P at once, but there is little difference in the move played and winning the P immediately.} (30. Bxb3 axb3 31. Rxb3 Qa4 {White is on the defensive and has to find the right moves or see his slight edhe disappear.} 32. Nd2 h5 33. Qb1 Rxb3 34. Qxb3 Qxb3 35. Nxb3 h4 36. Ne2 Nxe4) 30... Qc8 31. Bxb3 axb3 32. Rxb3 Rc2 {Fine notes that now white must constantly be on guard against a possible sacrifice on h3. It's not clear what he had in mind because I tried out several "neutral" moves and the sacrifice never even came close to working. In fact, the Q has to stay on the c-file else the R on c2 is hanging. I think Fine (and othe contemporary annotators) completely misjudged the position based on the fact that it was the invincible Reshevsky who was playing black because engines give Horowitz at least a one P advantage here!} 33. Qd1 g6 34. Qd3 Nh7 35. Bd2 {Horowitz wants to get rid of that annoying R by playing Rc3.} Rc4 36. Rc3 f5 {Black's only chance lies in a counterattack.} 37. Nh4 {This small slip allows black to equalize. Ir was necessary to simplify.} (37. exf5 Rxc3 38. Bxc3 Qc4 39. Qxc4 bxc4 40. fxg6 {with the advantage.}) 37... f4 (37... fxe4 38. Rxc4 bxc4 39. Qxe4 {+is winning for white.}) 38. Ne2 Be7 39. Nf3 Nf6 {Storm clouds appear to be gathering towards white's K.} 40. Rxc4 bxc4 41. Qc2 {Draw Agreed. Reuben Fine wondered about this. He stated that first he was amazed to find "such a complicated position called a draw." He then went on to explain that his subsequent analysis confirmed his first impression that black had enough for his P and white cannot win. He was absolutely correct as engine evaluation is 0.00!} (41. Qc3 Nxe4 42. Qc1 Qa6 43. Be1 Bf5 44. Nd2 Nxd2 45. Bxd2 Qa4 46. Nc3 Qb3 47. Kh2 h5 48. Be1 Bd3 49. b5 Bd8 50. a4 Kf7 51. Qa1 Ba5 52. Ne2 Bxe1 53. Qxe1 Bxe2 54. Qxe2 Qxa4 55. b6 Qb5 56. Qc2 Qxb6 57. Qxc4 Qc5 58. Qa2 Qc7 59. f3 g5 60. Qa8 g4 61. hxg4 hxg4 62. fxg4 Qd7 {This drawn position was reached by Stockfish after about 15 minutes of analysis.}) 1/2-1/2

Who was F. R. Chevalier?

    He was a Harvard, class of 1929, graduate who won the precedent, setting Harvard, Yale, Princeton and West Point College Chess League’s first organized individual championship tournament in the history of college chess in the United States. The game were played in the Manhattan Chess Club on April 8, 9 and 10, 1929. 

    Chevalier of Harvard demonstrated a clear superiority over all of his rivals by defeating them in five consecutive rounds and emerging with a perfect 5-0 score., thereby earning him the earned the distinction of being the first American college champion. His efforts earned him a silver cup donated by W. M. Vance of Princeton and a gold medal, the gift of L. Walter Stephens, also of a Princeton graduate and director of the tournament. 

    Competition for second place was exceedingly close and in the end resulted in a triple tie between Sherman and Vance of Yale and Kimm of West Point. Both of the Princeton players were off form and fifth and sixth places were their portion.

 

    But, who was F. R. Chevalier? What happened to him and where are his games? Who knows?! In fact, the same could be said of all the participants who seemed to have disappeared from the chess world. 

    In 1925, Chevalier drew a game in a simultaneous exhibition in Boston by the then rising Mexican star Carlos Torre. The only other mention I discovered on Chevalier was that he played for Boston in a 1934 team match they lost to Philadelphia. Chevalier’s name was mentioned with Boston stalwarts John F. Barry, Harold Morton and Weaver Adams. 

    The only game I could find from this historic event is the one below which also happens to be the only game of Chevalier that I could find and it was full of complications and a lucky escape for him! The only thing known about T.H. Vance is that at the time he played second board on Yale’s chess team behind another unknown, J.M. Miller, Jr. who had been expected to play in this event, but was unable to make it.

[Event "Intercollegiat Champ, New York"] [Site "?"] [Date "1929.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "T.H. Vance"] [Black "F.R. Chevalier"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D66"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "74"] [EventDate "1929.??.??"] {D66: Queen's Gambit Declined: Classical: Main Line} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. e3 Be7 7. Rc1 O-O 8. Bd3 a6 9. O-O dxc4 10. Bxc4 b5 11. Bd3 Bb7 12. Bb1 c5 13. dxc5 Nxc5 {Both players are well booked, but white's next move is not the expected 14.Qc2 aiming at h7.} 14. Qe2 (14. Qc2 Nce4 15. Rfd1 Qb6 {White keeps things equal with 16.Bxe4. Instead he makes a losing blunder.} 16. Rd7 Nxd7 17. Bxe7 Rfc8 18. Rd1 Ndf6 19. Rd4 g6 20. Qd3 Nxc3 21. bxc3 Nd5 22. Ba3 Rxc3 {White resigned. Kovalenko,V (2198)-Rjanzin,M (1877) Saratov 2008}) (14. Qxd8 {doesn't offer much.} Rfxd8 15. Rfd1 h6 16. Bf4 Rxd1+ 17. Rxd1 Rd8 18. Rxd8+ Bxd8 {Boring. Burgess,E-Sandagsuren,G Dos Hermanas 2004}) 14... Rc8 (14... b4 {was a good possibility.} 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Nb5 Qe7 (16... axb5 17. Rxc5 {is equal.}) 17. Nbd4 Rac8) 15. Rfd1 Qb6 16. b4 ( 16. e4 {Things quickly fizzle out after this.} h6 17. Be3 Ng4 18. Bd4 b4 19. Na4 Qa5 20. Nxc5 Bxc5 21. Rxc5 Rxc5 22. Bxc5 Qxc5) 16... Na4 17. Nxa4 bxa4 18. e4 {Probably played to} Rfd8 {Black has a wide choice of moves here, but 18... h6 to be followed by ...Qxb4 looks to be the best.} 19. e5 {Strongly threatening Rxc8.} Rxd1+ 20. Rxd1 Nd5 {White must now prevent ...Nc3.} 21. Bxe7 Nxe7 (21... Nc3 22. Qd3 Nxb1 (22... Nxd1 23. Qxh7#) 23. Bc5 Qc7 24. Rxb1 { and white has won a piece.}) 22. Ng5 {White's attack on the K-side doesn't amount to anything if black defends stoutly...which he doesn't.} h6 23. Ne4 ( 23. Bh7+ {would lose!} Kf8 24. Ne4 Qc6 25. Qe3 Qc2 26. Rf1 Bxe4 27. Bxe4 Qxa2 { with an excellent ending.}) 23... Qc6 {The hidden mate threat on g2 is easily defended against. Removing the annoying N with 23...Bxe4 was correct.} 24. Qg4 {Nd6 is the strong threat.} Nf5 25. Nf6+ {This fails to accomplish anything.} ( 25. h4 {Black has to defend carefully, but he can keep things pretty much equal as follows...} Qc7 26. Nc5 Bc6 27. Bxf5 exf5 28. Qxf5 Re8 29. Rd6 Bb5 30. Ne4 Bc4) 25... Kh8 26. Nh5 g6 {Safer was 26...Rg8} 27. Nf4 Kg7 {Only an engine would choose the slightly better 27...g5} 28. h4 {[%mdl 32]} Qb6 {[%mdl 8192] This should lose!} (28... Kh8 {holds without much trouble.} 29. h5 (29. Bxf5 gxf5 30. Qh5 Kg7 {White cannot break through.}) 29... g5 30. Nd5 Qb5 31. Nf6 Qxe5 32. Nd7 Qf4 {A complicated position with equal chances.}) 29. h5 g5 { Now ...Ne3 is a threat.} 30. Bxf5 (30. a3 {A pass to demonstrate the consequences of allowing ...Ne3} Ne3 31. fxe3 Qxe3+ 32. Kh2 Qxe5 33. g3 Qe3 34. Ng2 Qf2 35. Qd4+ Qxd4 36. Rxd4 Rc1 {White is in trouble.} 37. Bg6 Bc6 38. Bd3 Rd1) 30... exf5 31. Qxf5 {The threat is to play the killer Rd7} gxf4 32. Rd6 { Prevents Qc6.} (32. Rd7 {is now weaker, but still winning...} Bd5 33. Rxd5 Qe6 34. Qxe6 fxe6 35. Ra5 Rc1+ 36. Kh2 Re1 37. f3 Re2 38. a3 Re3 39. Rxa6 Rxa3 40. Rxe6 Rb3 41. Rg6+ Kf7 42. Rb6 a3 43. Rxh6 Rxb4 44. Ra6 Rb3 {White wins the ending.}) 32... Qb5 {White is winning, but his next move throws it away and allows black to equalize.} 33. Qf6+ (33. Qxf4 Re8 (33... Rh8 34. Qf6+ Kg8 35. Rd8+ {mates}) 34. Qxh6+ Kg8 35. Qg5+ Kf8 36. h6 Qxe5 37. Qxe5 Rxe5 38. Rd8+ Ke7 39. h7 Re1+ 40. Kh2 Kxd8 41. h8=Q+ {wins for white.}) 33... Kg8 34. e6 { [%mdl 8192] This looks crushing, but it has a tactical flaw.} (34. Qxf4 { This is still the correct move, but unlike in the previous note black is able to wiggle out.} Re8 {The difference here is that his K is on g8 and not g7 so white cannot gain time with a check on h6.} 35. Qg3+ (35. Qxh6 Rxe5 36. Rd8+ Re8 37. Rxe8+ Qxe8 {Theoretically this position favors black, but in practice who knows?}) 35... Kf8 36. f4 Re6 37. Rd8+ Re8 {and a draw would be a reasonable outcome.}) (34. f3 {blocking the Bs diagonal would also have resulted in a likely draw.} Re8 35. e6 {The only move as is black's next.} (35. Qxf4 {Unlike in previous variations this loses.} Qxe5 36. Qxe5 (36. Qxh6 Qe1+ 37. Kh2 Qh4+ 38. Kg1 Re1#) 36... Rxe5 37. Rxh6 Rb5 38. a3 Kg7 39. Rd6 Rxh5 { is winning for black.}) 35... Rxe6 36. Rxe6 fxe6 37. Qxe6+ Kg7 38. Qg6+ { and white can draw.}) 34... Rc1+ 35. Kh2 Rh1+ {Here is the difference between this and the previous variations. Black's P is still on f4 cutting off the K's escape and, also, the B is attacking the vulnerable g2 square.} 36. Kxh1 Qf1+ 37. Kh2 Qxg2# {A lucky escape for Chevalier!} 0-1

Ventnor City 1940

    In 1940, in the United States the military draft went into effect. The first Social Security checks were mailed on January 30th. The Pennsylvania Turnpike, the first multi-lane in the country opened. The first McDonald's hamburger stand opened in Pasadena, California. 

CBS demonstrated color television in New York City and WNBT, the first regularly operating television station, debuts in the city with an testimated 10,000 viewers. Superman, the radio show debuted as did he first Bugs Bunny cartoon. In the world of science freeze drying was adapted for food preservation. Plasma was discovered to be a substitute for whole blood in transfusions. 

    On February 17, 1940, New England champion Harold Morton died in a car accident in Iowa and his passenger, I.A. Hprpwirz, was seriously injured. On April 9, 1940, the strong amateur player John F. Barry (1873-1940) died in West Roxbury, Massachusetts at the age of 66. 

    Adele Rivero won the US women's championship. Arnold Denker won the Manhattan Chess Club championship for the second year in a row. Samuel Reshevsky won his third US Championship. Reuben Fine took won the US Open in Dallas. 

    In the resort town of Ventnor City, New Jersey the second Ventnor tournament was held in early July. The players were especially pleased because the bonus money for non-prize- winners had been increased. 

    Shortly before the tournament was slated to start, it suffered two minor setbacks when Jacob Levin and Fred Reinfeld, who had originally accepted invitations, became unavailable at the last moment for business reasons. Fortunately two other players, the strong Jeremiah Donovan and the not so strong L. Walter Stephens, were available. Jeremiah Donovan’s performance was a pleasant surprise as he reinforced the good impression he had previously made in the Marshall CC Championship. 

    An innovation of the tournament was the exclusive use, for the first time in tournament history, of all-electric clocks which were designed and made by one of the tournament officials, Gerald Phillips. The clocks worked very well, but they never caught on.

 

    The finish was exciting because both Sidney Bernstein and Milton Hanauer had to win their last round games in order to to tie for first. 

 

[Event "Ventnor City"] [Site "?"] [Date "1940.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Anthony Santasiere"] [Black "Milton Hanauer"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A29"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "72"] [EventDate "1940.??.??"] {A29: English Opening: Four Knights Variation} 1. c4 {Although Santasiere was critical of players who played, dull, boring chess, he, himself, was guilty of playing a plodding style. In a dispute they had, Larry Evans asked where werre the games that qualified Santasiere as the spokesman fore Ropmaticisim?} e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. d3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. g3 Be7 7. Bg2 Be6 8. O-O O-O 9. a3 f6 {The openig is similar to a Dragon Sicilian Reversed.} 10. Qc2 (10. e4 Nb6 11. Be3 Nd4 12. Bxd4 exd4 13. Ne2 c5 14. Nf4 {with a slight advantage for white. Agrest,E (2605)-Chuchelov,V (2608) Mainz 2003}) 10... Qd7 11. Ne4 { White wants ti invade on c5.} b6 {A bold decision...it opens up the diagonal and weakens the c-Pawn, but at the same time black himself figths for play on the c-file.} 12. b4 {Hanauer did not like this move because it neglects development and it's not so important that it cannot be delayed. He favored 12. Bd23 followed by Rc1. Giving the move a ? was a bit harsh though.} (12. e3 { ios the modern GM's move.} a5 13. b3 Rad8 14. Bb2 Na7 15. d4 {as in Filippov,A (2598)-Grishchenko,S (2464) Dagomys RUS 2010 where wgite's strong initiative lead to a win.}) 12... a5 (12... Nd4 {was a better way to take advantage of white's last move.} 13. Nxd4 exd4 14. Bb2 f5 15. Nd2 c5 {with an aggressive position.}) 13. b5 Nd4 14. Nxd4 exd4 15. a4 (15. Bb2 {keeps the balance.} Qxb5 16. Bxd4 c5 17. Nc3 Qd7 18. Nxd5 Bxd5 19. Bxd5+ Qxd5 20. Be3) 15... Rac8 { [%mdl 32] Putting into action the plan mentioned in the note to move 11.} 16. Nd2 c6 17. bxc6 Rxc6 18. Qb2 {Moving the Q away from the R makes sense, but after this white lands in serious difficulties.} (18. Nc4 Rfc8 19. Bd2 { Black stands well, but there is no clear way for him to make progress.}) 18... Nc3 {Not bad, but both players have overlooked the tactical shot 16...Bb4!} ( 18... Bb4 {There is no way to meet ...Bc3} 19. Nb1 (19. Ra2 Nc3 20. Ra1 (20. Bxc6 Nxe2+ 21. Kh1 Qxc6+ 22. f3 Bh3 23. Re1 Bxd2 {mates in 5} 24. Rf1 Bxf1 25. Qb3+ Kh8 26. Qd5 Qxd5 27. h3 Qxf3+ 28. Kh2 Qg2#) 20... Nxe2+) (19. Nf3 Bc3 20. Qb1 Bxa1 21. Qxa1 Nc3 {with a decisive advantage.}) 19... Rfc8 20. Ra2 Rc5 21. Bd2 Bc3 22. Nxc3 dxc3 23. Bxc3 Nxc3 {and wins}) 19. Re1 (19. Bxc6 Nxe2+ 20. Kh1 Qxc6+ 21. f3 Nc3 {Materially black only has a B+P agaonst a R, but his active play assures him of an advantage. Shootouts from this posion resulted in white scoring +0 -3 =2}) 19... Bb4 {This is less effective than it would have been last move.} 20. e3 {[%mdl 8192] this allows black to gain a decisive advantage. } (20. Bxc6 {Oddly enough, after black's last move this is now white's correct reply because after} Qxc6 21. Nf3 Bh3 22. e4 dxe3 23. Rxe3 Nd5 24. Re4 { Black should probably take the draw by repeating moves.}) 20... dxe3 21. fxe3 ( 21. Rxe3 Rd6 22. Qc2 Rc8 23. Nc4 Nxa4 {is winning for black.}) 21... Rd6 { Black is not interested in winning a mere P with 21...Nxa4} 22. d4 Rc8 23. Rf1 Ne2+ {Black is clearly winning.} 24. Kf2 Bc3 25. Qb1 Nxc1 (25... Bxa1 {is also good.} 26. Qxa1 Nc3) 26. Rxc1 Bxd2 27. Rxc8+ Qxc8 {Being a piece up the win is only a matter of technique for black.} 28. Qd3 Bb4 29. d5 Bf5 30. e4 Qc5+ 31. Qe3 Qc2+ 32. Qe2 Bc5+ 33. Kf1 Qc3 34. Rd1 Bd7 35. Rd3 Qa1+ 36. Rd1 Qxa4 { White resigned.} 0-1

Harold Morton

     Harold Morton (January 10, 1906 - February 17, 1940, 34 years old) was a strong from Providence, Rhode Island. 

     Even though he was a strong payer, Morton had dismal performances in the two US Championships in which he participated. In the first modern 1936 championship which marked Frank Marshall’s retirement Morton finished last with a +1 -10 =4 score. His result in the 1938 championship was a bit better; he scored +3 -9 =4 and finished next to last. 

     I. A. Horowitz and Morton frequently traveled together giving tandem simultaneous exhibitions in which they would alternate making moves. On February 17, 1940 while enroute to Minneapolis, Minnesota after touring in the south and west, they were involved in a car accident on highway 30 about seven miles west of Carroll, Iowa when the car apparently skidded on a curve and collided with a van driven by Frank S. Robbins of Denver, Colorado. 

 

 

     Robbins was uninjured. Morton, who was driving, was thrown from the car and killed outright. He had the dubious distinction of being the county’s first traffic fatality of the year. 

     Horowitz was taken to St. Anthony's Hospital in Carroll where he was able to give his name. He had, among other injuries, a skull fracture and he was initially not expected to recover.. He was hospitalized for some time and during his stay in the hospital his brother, Irving, went to Iowa to be with him. The US Championship was held in April in 1940, but Horowitz still had not recovered sufficiently to play in it. 

     Morton’s opponent in the following game was Augustus N, Towsen (1905-1991, 85 years old). He was champion of Central Pennsylvania in 1930. He was a medical technician in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. During the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), almost forty thousand men and women from fifty-two countries, including 2,800 Americans, volunteered to travel to Spain and join the International Brigades to help fight fascism. The US volunteers served in various units and came to be known collectively as the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. 

     Towsen was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and attended Albright College and possibly Millerville University in the summer of 1927. He received passport on May 17, 1937 which listed his address as 264 North Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. On May 19, 1937 he sailed aboard the Normandie and arrived in Spain on May 29, 1937 and began serving with Medical Services. He returned to the US on August 14, 1938. 

     After WWII he served as an urban renewal activist. Urban renewal was a nationwide program in which the Federal government cities in the 1950s and '60s. The federal government gave cities billions of dollars to tear down blighted areas and replace them with affordable housing. At least, that's what was supposed to happen. Towsen died in Spalding, Georgia. 

 

[Event "ACF Congress. Prelim A, Milwaukee"] [Site "Milwaukee, WI USA"] [Date "1935.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Augustus Towsen"] [Black "Harold Morton"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D95"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "50"] [EventDate "1935.??.??"] {Gruenfeld Defense} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Qb3 c6 7. Bd3 b6 {Both 7...e6 and 7...dxc4 can be considered the main lines.} 8. cxd5 (8. O-O Be6 9. Bd2 h6 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. Rfc1 {White stands well. Cvek,R (2517) -Walek,M (2350) Czechia 2010}) 8... cxd5 9. Bd2 Bb7 10. Rc1 Ne4 11. Rc2 { Castling was to be preferred. Oddly enough white never doubles Rs on the c-file. And, eventually this R on c2 will be a problem for white.} e6 (11... e5 {Grabs the initiative. After} 12. Nxe5 Bxe5 {This is perfectly safe because white's K-side attacking prospects are zero.} 13. Bxe4 (13. dxe5 Nc5 {Black wins heavy plastic.}) 13... dxe4 14. dxe5 Nd7 15. O-O Nxe5 {Black can claim a slight advantage.}) 12. Ke2 {[%mdl 8192] This strange move leaves his K vulnerable even though it is not yet apparent exactly how.} (12. O-O Nc6 13. Rfc1 {with a perfectly even position.}) 12... Nc6 13. a3 e5 {[%mdl 32]} 14. Nxe4 dxe4 15. Bxe4 Na5 16. Qd3 Bxe4 17. Qxe4 f5 18. Qh4 e4 19. Ng5 {This loses the N!} (19. Qxd8 {is the only way for white to try and stay in the game.} exf3+ 20. Kxf3 Raxd8 21. Bxa5 bxa5 22. Rhc1 f4 {Black is clearly better.}) 19... h6 20. f4 hxg5 21. fxg5 Rc8 22. Bc3 (22. Rhc1 {would have hels out longer, but he would still be lost.} Rxc2 23. Rxc2 Qd7 24. Bxa5 bxa5 25. Qf4 Rc8 26. Rxc8+ Qxc8 27. Kd2 Qa6 28. Qb8+ Bf8 29. Qb3+ Kg7 30. d5 a4 31. Qc3+ Kh7 32. Qd4 Bg7 33. Qc5 Qd3+) 22... Qd5 {Notice how vulnerable the R on c2 is.} 23. Qf2 (23. Qf4 {prevents black's next move, but after} Qa2 24. Rd2 (24. Rhc1 Nb3 25. Rd1 Rxc3 {wins easily.}) 24... Nb3 25. Rhd1 Nxd2 {with an easy win.}) 23... f4 24. exf4 Bxd4 (24... Nb3 {was also good...} 25. Rd1 e3 26. Qf3 Qf5) 25. Qg3 (25. Qxd4 Qxd4 26. Bxd4 Rxc2+ {That vulnerable R again.}) 25... Qb5+ {[%emt 0: 00:33] White resigned.} (25... Qb5+ 26. Kd2 Bxc3+ 27. bxc3 Nb3+ 28. Ke1 Nc5 29. Qe3 (29. Rd2 e3 30. Rd1 Nd3+) 29... Nd3+ 30. Kd2 Rxf4 {and black's pieces are swarming all over white.}) 0-1

A Young John W. Collins

  

     The 39th ACF Congress, also known as the North American Championship, was held at the Hotel Touraine in Boston, Massachusetts, July 11-23, 1938. 

     A total of 42 players participated with the group being and divided in six seven-player preliminary sections from which the top two finishers qualified for the Championship final, 3rd-4th for the Consolation Masters and 5th-7th for the Class A Final. 

     Although it lacked the imposing entry list of the National Championship this event drew players from a wider geographical distribution plus it had some new talent and demonstrated that locations like New England also had some chess talent.

     In the preliminary phase, two rounds were played most days in the afternoon and evening with adjournments played off in the afternoon before round 5. 

      The qualifiers in order of finish in the finals were Isaac Kashdan and I.A. Horowitz (tied), Boris Blumin and David Polland (tied), nthony Santasiere, Harold Morton, George Shainswit, John W. Collins and Charles Jaffe (tied), Jack Moskowitz, Paul Rosenzweig , Burton Dahlstrom. 

     Today’s game is one by w player described at the time as a promising young player, Jack Collins, although at the age of 25 he could hardly be called a “young player.” 

     John W. Collins (September 23, 1912 – December 2, 2001) was born in Newburgh, New York. His father was a flutist and piccolo player who was frequently in John Philip Sousa's orchestra. Collins was confined to a wheelchair due to a birth injury. 

     Collins eventually formed the Hawthorne chess club in his home which served as an early hangout for Bobby Fischer, the Byrne brothers, Raymond Weinstein and William Lombard, among other young players who came later. Collins did not mentor Fischer and his contemporaries as it is sometimes reported; at the time Fischer and the others were much stronger than Collins.

 

[Event "North American Championship, Boston"] [Site "Boston, MA USA"] [Date "1938.07.12"] [Round "?"] [White "Stanley Epstein"] [Black "John W Collins"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A18"] [Annotator "Stockfish 15.1"] [PlyCount "74"] [EventDate "1938.??.??"] {English} 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. exd5 exd5 5. d4 Be7 6. Bg5 c6 7. Nf3 O-O 8. Bd3 (8. Be2 dxc4 9. O-O Be6 10. Ne5 Nbd7 11. Nxc4 Nb6 12. Ne5 {Harff,M (2299)-Hecht,C (2118) Schwaebisch Gmuend GER 2015}) 8... Nbd7 9. O-O Re8 10. Rc1 dxc4 11. Bxc4 Nb6 12. Be2 Be6 13. Qc2 Nbd5 14. Nxd5 Nxd5 15. Bxe7 Qxe7 16. a3 Rad8 (16... Bg4 {would leave black better after} 17. Bd1 (17. Rfe1 Bxf3 18. gxf3 (18. Bxf3 Qxe1+ 19. Rxe1 Rxe1#)) 17... Nf4 18. Ne5 Bxd1 19. Rcxd1 f6 20. Nc4 Qe2) 17. Bd3 h6 18. Rfe1 Qf6 19. Re5 Nf4 20. Bf5 {A slip that should have profited black.} (20. Rce1 Nxd3 21. Qxd3 {is completely equal.}) 20... Bd5 ( 20... Bxf5 $17 {was correct. The after} 21. Rxf5 Qd6 22. Re5 Rxe5 23. dxe5 Qd3 {and black stands quite well.}) 21. Rce1 Rxe5 22. dxe5 Qe7 23. Be4 Bxe4 { [%mdl 128] White needs to defend precisely.} 24. Rxe4 Ne6 25. g3 c5 26. Kg2 b5 27. a4 {In retrospect this move leads to the opening of the a-file and ultimately white's undoing. Thta said, if it wasn't the opening of the a-file that cost white the game he most likely would have lost in the ending.} a6 28. axb5 axb5 29. Kf1 Qb7 30. b3 Qd5 {Collins has slowly improved his position to the point that he has a theoretically winning position.} 31. Ke2 Ra8 {The beginning of a plan of invading along the a-file and ultimately the first rank. } 32. Re3 Ra1 {Strongly threatening ...Qa8.} 33. Qd3 (33. Rc3 {offered a better defense...black must be precise.} Qa8 34. Qd3 Rh1 35. Rc2 Qa1 36. Rd2 { Taking the P is immediately fatal.} (36. Qxb5 Qf1+ {wins the Q}) 36... c4 37. bxc4 bxc4 38. Qd7 Qb1 39. Qc8+ Kh7 40. Qc6 Rc1 41. Qd5 c3 (41... g6 42. Rd1 c3 43. Ne1 Rxd1 44. Qxd1 Qe4+ 45. Kf1 Nd4 46. Kg1 c2 47. Nxc2 Ne2+ 48. Kf1 Nc3 49. f3 (49. Qc1 Qh1#) 49... Qc4+ 50. Ke1 Nxd1) 42. Qd3+ {draws}) 33... Qa8 34. Qxb5 Qa2+ 35. Kd3 Qb1+ {White now overlooks a mate in 1, but even after 36.Kc3 or 36.Kc4 to slip out of the mating net his position would be lost.} 36. Ke2 Qf1+ 37. Kd2 Qxb5 {White resigned. Black had a mate in 3, but there was no practical reason to look for a mate when the Q was there for the taking and white's position is totally hopeless! A strong showing by Collins.} (37... Ra2+ 38. Kc3 Qc1+ 39. Kd3 Qc2#) 0-1

Who Was Albert Roddy, Jr.?

  

     The year was 1940. WWII had started in September of 1939, but the US didn't enter it until December of 1941. In England they had been enduring the German Blitzkreig which had started on September 7, 1940 and lasted until May 21, 1941

     On the US chess scene Adele Rivero won the women's championship, Samuel Reshevsky the men's and Reuben Fine the US Open. Al Horowitz was seriously injured and New England champion Harold Morton died in Iowa after a car wreck when Morton collided with a truck. The strong Boston amateur John F. Barry died at the age of 66. 

     In Russia Igor Bondarevsky and Andor Lilienthal tied for first in the USSR Championship. 

     The 59-year old Polish champion David Przepiorka was present at a forbidden meeting of the Warsaw Chess Circle when the Germans arrested everyone there. As a result, he was executed by the Nazis in part of what became known as the Palmiry massacre, a series of mass executions carried out near the village of Palmiry in the Kampinos Forest northwest of Warsaw. 

     Alexander Alekhine's whereabouts at the time was not known, but in September the New York Times reported that both Alekhine and Capablanca were in Buenos Aires and Alekhine was hoping they could play a match. 

     Capablanca had said that two other players were worthy of consideration: Paul Keres and Mikhail Botvinnik. Fred Reinfeld wrote that he suspected they were mentioned only because they were not available ...they were in Russia and the war was going on. Reinfeld also mentioned that he was baffled by the snootiness of their ignoring Samuel Reshevsky and Reuben Fine. 

     As mentioned, Reuben Fine won the US Open that was held in Dallas, Texas when he scored 8-0 in the finals ahead of Herman Steiner, Weaver Adams, Erich Marchand, W.N. Kendall, J.C. Thompson, Arpad Elo, Howard Ohman and Harold Burge. 

     In one of the preliminary qualifying sections Fine finished ahead of Thompson, Elo, Albert Roddy, Jr., Joseph Rauch, Edgar Hartsfield, R.S. Underwood and R.D. Allentharp In that section Fine and Thompson scored 6.5-1.5 and Elo scored 6-2.

     Albert Roddy, Jr., who was living in Tulsa, Oklahoma just missed qualifying, but in the process he created a stir with a sensational draw against Fine. 

     Almost nothing is known about Roddy, but I discovered an Albert Roddy (1900-1966) who is listed as registering for the WWI draft in the September 26, 1918 issue of the Ada (Oklahoma) Weekly News. 

     There was also an Albert H. Roddy (1919-1999) who lived in Tulsa for a while and registered for military service in 1942. He died at the age of 79 on February 6, 1999, in Dallas, Texas. This may have been Junior and the Army Second Lieutenant that I discovered who was captured by the Nazis while serving in Germany and was sent to Stalag Luft 3 near Sagan, Germany. He was freed in 1945. 

     I searched the first USCF rating list in 1950 and the list for 1951 and did not find a Roddy listed. Only three of Roddy's games seem to be known and they are from the 1940 US Open. Did he ever play any tournament chess again?! One wonders how good he really was. Here's one of his games from that 1940 US Open. 

[Event "US Open. Prelims, Dallas"] [Site ""] [Date "1940.08.20"] [Round "2"] [White "Arpad Elo"] [Black "Albert Roddy"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B58"] [Annotator "Stockfiah 15.1"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "1940.??.??"] {Sicilian Dragon} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 g6 {In his 1953 autobiography, the Russian master and amateur astronomer Fyodor Dus-Chotimirsky claimed that he coined the name Dragon Variation in 1901, after the fancied resemblance between black's K-side P-structure and the constellation Draco.} 7. O-O Bg7 8. Nb3 O-O 9. f3 Be6 10. Nd5 Rc8 (10... b5 { was played in Euwe,M-Landau,S Netherlands 1939 which continued...} 11. a4 bxa4 12. Rxa4 Bxd5 13. exd5 Qb6+ 14. Kh1 Nb4 {with equal chances.}) 11. c4 {More solid would have been 11.c3} b5 (11... Ne5 {would have challenged white's last move. After} 12. Nd2 {This N wanted to go to d4, but now it's needed to defend the c-Pawn.} (12. Nd4 {works out in black's favor after} Nxc4 13. Nxe6 fxe6 14. Nf4 d5 {and now} 15. Nxe6 {would lose to} Qb6+) 12... h5 {This hinders any white advances on the k-side. here black can claim to have at least equalized.} ) 12. Nxf6+ Bxf6 13. cxb5 Qb6+ 14. Kh1 Nb4 15. Bd2 Nc2 16. Rb1 Ne3 17. Bxe3 Qxe3 {Here white must figure out how to avoid getting his Q-side Ps wrecked by ...Bxb3} 18. Nc1 {But this isn't the way to do it.} (18. Na5 Bxa2 19. Ra1 Be6 20. Nc6 {is completely equal.}) 18... Rc7 19. Re1 Qb6 {Certainly not bad, but he had an even stronger continuation.} (19... Qh6 {This strongly threatens ... Be5} 20. g3 {and black has two promising continuations: 20...Rfc8 and 20...d5}) 20. b3 Rfc8 {[%mdl 3072] Black has good piece activity for the P.} (20... d5 { was also quite good according the engines, but no human could see the long sequence that leads to the advantage. In fact, at the end it's not likely that black, a P up with all Ps on the same side, could win.} 21. exd5 Rd7 22. Bc4 Bxd5 23. Bxd5 e6 24. a4 Rxd5 {Black is actually better here. A sample line...} 25. Qc2 Rfd8 26. b4 Be7 27. Rf1 Rd2 28. Qc4 R2d4 29. Qc6 Qb8 30. Ne2 Rd2 31. Ng3 Rc8 32. Qe4 Ra2 33. Ra1 Rcc2 34. Rxa2 Rxa2 35. Qc6 Qd8 36. Ne4 Rxa4 37. b6 Ra6 38. Qb7 Rxb6 39. Qxa7 Rxb4) 21. Bd3 Qf2 22. Ne2 Qh4 {This prevents Nf4, but 22...Qe3 was a better way to do it.} 23. g3 Qh6 24. Rc1 {[%mdl 8192] This is a tactical blunder!} (24. Nf4 {does not work out too well against} Be5 25. Ne2 d5 26. exd5 Bxd5 {and white's position is unenviable.}) (24. Kg1 {This move would have allowed white to claim he had equalized because black no longer has any forcing continuation.} Bh3 (24... Be5 25. f4 {leads nowhere for black.}) 25. Nf4 Bc3 26. Re2 Bd4+ 27. Kh1 {White's K is quite safe and black can't make any use of the c-file.}) 24... Rxc1 25. Nxc1 Bc3 26. Rf1 Bh3 27. Rf2 {This not only gets out of the line of fire of the B on h3, but it will, white thinks, prevent ...Bb2} (27. f4 {was the best try he had, but after} Bb2 { From the human point of view this is better than winning the exchange at once.} (27... Bxf1 28. Bxf1 {and black has winning chances.}) 28. Ne2 Qh5 {and white has to surrender the exchange anyway.} 29. f5 (29. Rg1 Qf3+ {mate next move.}) (29. Rf2 Rc1) 29... Bxf1 30. Qxf1 Qg4 31. fxg6 hxg6 {Black is clearly better.}) 27... Bb2 {[%mdl 512] There is absolutely no way to meet this.} 28. Ne2 Qe3 29. Ng1 {This allows a nifty finish. Technically 29.Qg1 was no better, but it would have made black work for the point.} (29. Qg1 e5 30. Bc4 Rxc4 31. bxc4 Ba3 32. g4 Bc5 33. Nc1 Qxf2 34. Qxf2 Bxf2 35. Nd3 Bb6 36. a4 Bf1 37. Nb4 Bxc4 38. Nc6 {is Stockfish's line.}) 29... Qxf2 30. Nxh3 {Black still has his work cut out to score the point!} Qd4 31. Qe2 Ba3 32. Bc4 e6 33. Nf4 Kg7 34. Kg2 g5 35. Bxe6 Rc3 (35... fxe6 {Of course this is not playable.} 36. Nxe6+) (35... Rc1 {was a bit better.} 36. Nh5+ Kg6 37. Bg4 Qc3 {and white is in even more serious trouble}) 36. Nh5+ Kg6 37. Bf5+ Kxh5 {[%mdl 32]} 38. f4+ Kh6 39. fxg5+ Kg7 40. Qh5 {Threatening mate with Qh6+, but the fun is over!} Rc2+ 41. Kh3 { A most interesting situation has arisen! Black has only one move that secures the win!} Kf8 {Very nice. White resigned. A fine attacking game by Roddy.} ( 41... Qg1 42. Qh6+ Kg8 43. Bxh7+ {mates in 3}) (41... Qf2 42. Qxh7+ Kf8 43. Qh6+ Ke8 44. Qh8+ Ke7 45. Qf6+ {draws}) (41... Qf2 42. Qh6+ Kg8 43. Bxh7+ Kh8 44. Bg6+ {draws}) (41... Kf8 {The only move to avoid the draw.} 42. Qh6+ { and black can play either 42...Qg7 or 42...Ke8 and white will be helpless.}) 0-1

It's not Horseplay. It's thievery worthy of opprobrium!

     In 1948, Chess Life's editor, Montgomery Major, complained about a growing concern: the tendency of "lazy tournament players who refuse to accept the full responsibilities of their position" and agree to draws in a few moves in positions that may be equal, but still have the possibility of a lot of play. Major stated that any player who offered or accepted such a draw is a cheat and a thief. 

     His reasoning was that by doing so, the drawing players deprived the other contestants, who earn their points "by the sweat of their brow" and do not glean their points by "indolence," of their rights. 

     When Larry Evans and Walter Shipman agreed to a 13 move draw in round 3 of the 1948 US Championship Fred Reinfeld asked, "Is it chessplay or horseplay?" They both scored 11.5-7.5 and finished tied for places 8-10 with Weaver Adams. Reinfeld, himself, wasn't above taking a quick draw on occasion: against Reuben Fine in the 1931 New York State Championship (18 moves) and 20 moves in the 1932 Western Championship, also against Fine. In the 1938 US Championship he took draws in 24 moves against Harold Morton and Anthony Santasiere. 

     Major called it neither; it was thievery because the other 18 players were entitled to expect Evans and Shipman to make an effort to win and there were no words too strong to condemn their lack of effort. 

     Despicable was another word Major used when he cited an example in a tournament in Pittsburgh where two players agreed to a draw after one move thus assuring one of first place and the other of second. 

     In another example, in the 1944 US Championship Denker assured himself of first place by agreeing to a 16 move draw against Benjamin Altman. Second place finisher Reuben Fine (who lost to Denker in their individual game) was disgusted by Denker's action and therefore offered his opponent, George Neidich, a quick draw. I don't want to throw a brick at Fine, but a check of his games in my database turns up some short draws in his games, too.

     Major opined that the players had a right to demand that Denker win his title fair and square by playing out the game. Nor was Altman without fault according to Major because his fellow tournament players had a right to expect him to try and beat Denker even if he didn't think he could. My standards aren't has high as Major's I guess because if Magnus Carlson offers me a draw in a tournament I'm taking it!

     In international chess things weren't any better and even stern TDs were helpless against such "chicanery." It was Major's hope that in the future all chess players would heap "opprobrium upon any future misdemeanors in the line of chess cheating." 

     Not all draws (either long or short) are chicanery worthy of opprobrium though. Take the following game that is known as the Immortal Draw. It was played in Vienna in 1872 between Carl Hamppe (1814-1876), an Austrian master and theoretician. By profession he was a senior government official in Vienna.

     Philipp Meitner (1839-1910) was an Austrian lawyer and master. When he studied at the Vienna Polytecnic William Steinitz was a fellow student. His daughter was Dr. Lise Meitner (1878-1968) who was an Austrian-Swedish physicist who contributed to the discoveries of the element protactinium (a scarce chemical element) and nuclear fission. 

     This game has been subjected to analysis by a number of players, but as far as I know, much of it was in pre-engine days and because of the enormous complications (and long variations!) the analysis is no longer valid. Even using Stockfish 12 and Komodo 10 it's possible I might have missed something so you may want to do your own analysis. If so, happy analyzing! Download

Carl Hamppe - Philipp Meitner

Result: 1/2-1/2

Site: Vienna

Date: 1872

Vienna Game

[...] 1.e4 e5 2.♘c3 It was Hamppe who first popularized this move. The original idea was to play a delayed King's Gambit with f4, but in modern play white often plays more quietly. Weaver W. Adams famously claimed that the Vienna Game led to a forced win for white, but of course he could't prove it because it's not so. 2...♗c5 3.♘a4 This is a premature attempt at gaining the two Bs . (3.♗c4 ♘f6 4.d3 ♘c6 5.♘f3 d6 and only now 6.Na4) 3...♗xf2 This is better than the simple B retreat 3...Be2 which would leave white's N awkwardly placed on a4. Stockfish likes the move while Komodo thinks it results in equality, but no more. 4.♔xf2 ♕h4 5.♔e3

5.g3 ♕xe4 6.♘c3 ♕xh1 7.♘f3 leaves black's Q without any moves, but there is no way to trap it and black will eventually extricate it. 7...♘f6 8.h3 (8.♕e2 d6 9.♘e4 ♘xe4 10.♕xe4 ♘d7 11.♗g2 ♕d1 12.c3 ♘f6 etc.) 8...e4 9.♘d4 ♕h2 10.♗g2 ♘c6 11.♘xc6 dxc6 etc.

(5.♔e2 ♕xe4 wins the N.) 5...♕f4 6.♔d3 d5 Best.

6...♘f6 7.♕f3 ♕h4 8.g3 ♕h6 9.c4 Or else black plays ...d5 9...♘c6 10.♔c3 White's K is quite safe and he is even a little better than equal.

6...♘c6 is also not quite adequate. 7.♘c3 ♘f6 8.♔e2 ♘d4 9.♔e1 ♘xe4 10.♘f3 ♘f6 11.d3 ♕f5 12.♘xd4 exd4 13.♕e2 ♔d8 14.♘e4 and black doesn't have enough compensation for his piece.

7.♔c3 ♕xe4 Black is anxious to get another P, but this allws white to gain the upper hand.

7...d4 keeps this chances even. For example... 8.♔b3 (8.♔d3 f5 9.♔e2 fxe4 10.♔e1 ♘f6 favors black.) 8...♕f6 Oddly, there is no way for black to get at the white K. 9.♘f3 ♗d7 10.a3 ♕e7

10...♗xa4 11.♔xa4 An odd place for the K, but it's safe because black id undeveloped and there is just no way he can take advantage of the Ks position at the moment.

11.c4 b5 12.♘c3 dxc3 13.dxc3 is equal!!

8.♔b3 White had better chances with 8.d4.

8.d4!8...♘f6 9.♘f3 ♕g4 10.b3 The K will find a safe have on b2 and black remains without enough compensation for his piece.

8...♘a6 Wrong square.

8...♘c6 9.c3 d4 10.d3 ♕d5 11.c4 ♕a5 12.♗d2 ♕a6 Unclear. The chances are about even.

9.a3 This is too passive.

9.d4 would have left black hard pressed to demonstrate that he has anything at all. 9...exd4 (9...f6 10.♘c3 ♕xd4 11.♕xd4 exd4 12.♘b5 favors white.) 10.a3 ♗d7 11.♗xa6 ♗xa4 12.♔xa4 bxa6 13.♘f3 d3 14.b4 dxc2 15.♕d4 ♕xd4 16.♘xd4 ♘f6 17.♖a2 and white is winning.

9...♕xa4 In pre-engine days this move was subjected to extensive analysis with the conclusion that it practically forces a draw. However, Stockfish immediately sees it as a gross blunder.

9...d4 10.♔a2 ♗d7 11.c4 ♕c6 12.b3 is the best black has, but white still has the advantage.

10.♔xa4 ♘c5 11.♔b4 After this the game is a draw.

11.♔b5 After this white should win. The position is very complicated and so I ran a Shootout using Stockfish 12 at 13-25 plies and white scored +6 -1 =0) 11...b6

11...♘e7 I have not seen Soltis' analysis, but he incorrectly claimed a draw after this move. 12.♔xc5 and there is no draw. 12...a5 13.♗b5 ♔f8 14.♗c6!!14...♘xc6 15.♔xd5 and the K has given black the slip.

12.d4 exd4 13.♕xd4 ♘e7

13...a5 Here white's simplest way is to just return the Q 14.♕xc5 bxc5 15.♔xc5 ♘f6 16.♘f3 and white is winning.

14.♕xc5 ♗d7 15.♔b4 a5 16.♕xa5 ♖xa5 and white has suvived and is left with a won game.

11...a5 12.♔xc5 This keeps the draw in hand.

12.♔c3 allows black to win after 12...d4 13.♔c4 ♗e6 14.♔xc5 ♘f6 15.♗b5 ♔e7 16.♕f3 c6 Now there is only one way for white to avoid the threatened 17...Nd7 mate. 17.♕xf6 gxf6 18.♔b6 cxb5 Stockfish 12: 19.♘e2 ♖a6 20.♔xb7 ♖ha8 21.♘f4 ♗f5 22.♔c7 ♖8a7 23.♔b8 ♔d6 24.♖e1 ♖a8 25.♔b7 ♗c8#

12...♘e7 White is threatened with ...b6+ and ...Bd7 mate 13.♗b5 ♔d8 White is still threatened with mate as in the previous note. 14.♗c6 b6 15.♔b5 ♘xc6 Black has a mate threat

15...♗a6 would lose after 16.♔a4 ♘xc6 17.♔b3 and black is simply a Q down.

16.♔xc6 (16.♔a4 allows a mate in 16...♘d4 17.♕f1 ♗d7 18.♕b5 ♗xb5#) 16...♗b7 17.♔b5 ♗a6 18.♔c6 (18.♔a4 ♗c4 and 19...b5 mate can't be prevented.) 18...♗b7 Forcing the draw.

18...♗b7 19.♔xb7 and white gets mated. 19...♔d7 20.♕g4 ♔d6 and ...Rhb8 mate cannot be stopped.

Powered by Aquarium