Dr. Srecko Nedeljkovic

    Dr. Streko Nedeljkovic (December 4, 1923 - January 2, 2011) was the outstanding cardiologist of Serbia. He received his medical degree in 1952 from Belgrade, specializing in internal medicine. became the principal investigator of the Serbian component of the Seven Country Study. The study investigated the relationship between die. Nedeljkovic was also well known in Yugoslavia for other studies and he was active in international cardiology as a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, international exchanges with Baylor College of Medicine and Chairman of the Annals of the World Congress of Cardiology. 

    In the chess world he was an International Master. He learned the game at the age of 13 and his first teacher was his older brother. After World War II he moved to Belgrade where he achieving his first chess success in 1946 when he finished second in the championship of the Yugoslav People’s Army. He received the National Master title for his results in the indi finals of the 1949 Yugoslav Championship. His IM title came after he finished second behind Arthur Bisguier in Vienna, 1951. 

    Nedeljkovic was associated with the Yugoslav national team for 30 years as a player, coach and captain. Yugoslav players that he trained won gold medals in the 1950 Dubrovnik Olympisd, the 1966 Havana Olympiad and at the Olympiad in Buenos Aires in 1978. In 1947, he was the founder of the Crvena Zvezda (Red Star) chess club in Belgrade, of which he was a lifelong member. 

    From the mid-1950s to the end of the 1960s his wife, Vera Nedeljkovic (1929-2023) was a top female player who was the Yugoslav women's champion six times as participated in the Women's World Championship Candidates Tournament five times. In 1977 she was awarded the Women's Grandmaster title. 

 

[Event "Yugoslav Semifinal East"] [Site "Belgrade YUG"] [Date "1946.07.28"] [Round "?"] [White "Srecko Nedeljkovic"] [Black "Petar Carev"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D19"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "67"] [EventDate "1946.??.??"] [Source "Perpetual Check"] {D19: Slav Defence} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O O-O 9. Qe2 Bg6 10. Ne5 Nbd7 11. Nd3 Bd6 12. e4 e5 13. dxe5 { This is all book so far and 13.dxe5 is better than 13.d5} (13. d5 Nb6 14. Bb3 cxd5 15. exd5 Nbd7 16. Be3 {Black stands weell and eventually won. Vargas Maliqueo,I (2209)-Alonso,S (2466) Santiago de Chile CHI 2008}) 13... Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Bxe5 15. Bd3 Re8 16. f3 Qa5 17. Qc2 Nh5 18. Ne2 Bc7 19. f4 {Aggressive, but risky. A solid move was 19.Bd2} Nf6 20. Ng3 Ng4 {This attack on f2 and along the diagonal after ...Ba6 does not work out well. 20...Rad8 was a good alternative.} 21. Kh1 {Avoiding a bit of tactics.} (21. Bd2 Qb6+ 22. Kh1 Rad8 { is equal.} (22... Nf2+ {is deceptive.} 23. Rxf2 (23. Kg1 {meets with disaster.} Nh3+ 24. Kh1 Qg1+ 25. Rxg1 Nf2#) 23... Qxf2 24. Rf1 Qb6 25. f5 {with an excellent position.})) 21... Qb6 {There is nothing to be had on this diagonal and the attack on f2 so it was still best to play 21...Rad8.} 22. Qe2 {It's hard to believe that black's position is so bad that white is just a few moves away from winning.} Nf6 23. Be3 Qb4 {The attack black thought he had was an illusion and npw white has a decisive attack.} 24. f5 Bxg3 25. fxg6 Be5 { This meets with a quick end. He could have put up a manly defense with the obvious 25...hxg6 when white stands well, but he does not have a forced win.} 26. gxf7+ Kxf7 {Black has left his K faally exposed and Nedeljkovic begins to deliver sledgehammer blows.} 27. Bc4+ Kf8 28. g4 b5 {He could have held out a bit longer with 28...h6} 29. axb5 cxb5 30. Bd5 h6 31. g5 {Taking the R does not even come under consideration; white is going after the K.} hxg5 32. Qh5 { Threatening nate in f7.} Ke7 {Trying to flee, but there is nowhere to go.} 33. Qf7+ Kd6 34. Ra6# {An impressive final attack by Nedeljkovic!} 1-0

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

A 1700 Sacs His Queen

    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. 

[Event "US Naval Station Chp, Key West. Floroda"] [Site "?"] [Date "1075.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Kevin Casey"] [Black "Jack Hayden"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A03"] [WhiteElo "1726"] [BlackElo "1900"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "1075.??.??"] {] 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. Bb2 Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Bb5+ Nbd7 7. O-O a6 {The main option is 7...O-O} 8. Bxd7+ Bxd7 {Black has an edge.} 9. d3 O-O 10. Ne5 {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. Qe2 Rc8 11. Nbd2 {offers equal chances.}) 10... Bc8 {Black wants to keep the two Bs, but here that idea confers no particular advantage plus it loses time. Simply} (10... Ng4 { Also playable is the solid 10...Rc8} 11. Nxd7 (11. Nxg4 Bxb2 {wins}) 11... Nxe3 12. Qc1 Bxb2 13. Qxb2 Qxd7 {with the better position.}) 11. Nd2 Ng4 12. Qe2 Nh6 {As soon becomes apparent, black has a faulty play in mind.} (12... Nxe5 13. Bxe5 Bxe5 14. fxe5 Qc7 {pretty much eliminates white's attacking chances/}) 13. e4 $11 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. Rae1 Nf7 16. exf5 Bxf5 17. g4 Bc8 (17... Bd7 {is fatal strategically.} 18. Nxd7 Qxd7 19. Qxe7 Qxe7 20. Rxe7) 18. Ndf3 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. Nc6 Qd7 20. Nxe7+ Kh8 21. Nh4 Bb7 22. f5 {This is very inviting, but it allows black to equalize.} (22. Qe6 Qc7 (22... Qxe6 23. Rxe6 Nd8 24. Nhxg6+ hxg6 25. Nxg6+ Kg8 26. Nxf8 Nxe6 27. Nxe6 {wins}) 23. Nexg6+ hxg6 24. Nxg6+ Kg8 25. Ne7+ Kh8 26. Qg6 Nh6 27. Qg5 {Threatening Ng6+ leaves white with a decisive advantage.}) 22... Ne5 {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. Qxe5 {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. Nexf5 Rae8 25. Qh5 Nf3+ 26. Nxf3 Rxe1 27. Nxe1 Rxf5 28. Rxf5 Qxf5 {with equal chances.}) 23... Bxe5 24. Rxe5 Kg7 {[%mdl 8192] This move avoids any sacrificial checks on g6, but it gives white's attack new impetis.} (24... Rae8 {should prove decisive because white has no really good followup.} 25. f6 (25. fxg6 Rxf1+ 26. Kxf1 Rxe7 27. gxh7 { is much less effective because of} Rxe5 28. Ng6+ Kxh7 29. Nf8+) 25... Qd6 26. Nhxg6+ hxg6 27. Nxg6+ Kh7 28. Nxf8+ Rxf8 29. Re7+ Kh8 30. Rxb7 Qg3+ 31. Kh1 Qxh3+ 32. Kg1 Qxg4+ {and wins}) 25. Bc1 {[%mdl 1024] Adding the B to the attack makes all the difference!} Rae8 26. Bg5 {Even stronger was 26.Rfe1} Rf7 {Much better would have been 27.Rfe1 followed by Re6 increasing the pressure on g6.} 27. f6+ Kh8 28. Rfe1 {Now black could have equalized with either 28... Rfe8 or 28...Rd8.} Rfxe7 {[%mdl 8192] Instead, black plays a move that allows white's piece to swam all over his K.} 29. Rxe7 {Not 25.fx36 because the P would be held hp and further progress by white would be extremely difficult.} Rxe7 30. Rxe7 Qc6 31. f7 {The P is now an unstoppable threat. The following checks are harmless.} Qh1+ 32. Kf2 {[%cal Rf7f8]} Qh2+ 33. Ke1 {[%cal Rf7f8]} Qg3+ 34. Kd2 {[%cal Rf7f8]} Qf2+ 35. Kc1 Kg7 36. Bh6+ {[%mdl 512] White finishes up nicely.} Kxh6 37. Nf5+ {[%mdl 512] Allowing the P to queen.} Kg5 38. f8=Q {Black resigned. Not a perfect game, but an exciting one!} 1-0

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.

[Event "Moscow"] [Site ""] [Date "1935.02.28"] [Round "?"] [White "Rudolf Spielmann"] [Black "Vitaly Chekhover"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A50"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "53"] [EventDate "1935.02.15"] {A50: Queen's Indian} 1. d4 Nf6 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. Nc3 Bb7 {Preventing 4.e4} 4. Qc2 {Renewing the threat.} d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 e5 8. Nf3 exd4 9. Bb5+ c6 10. Bc4 b5 {White does not get enough compensation to justify sacrificing his B on f7.} 11. Be2 (11. Bd3 dxc3 12. O-O Qa5 13. e5 Qa4 14. Qxc3 Nd7 15. Rb1 Be7 16. Bg5 Qa3 17. Rb3 Qc5 18. e6 Nf6 19. exf7+ {Kezin,R (2510)-Bezzubenkov,S (2301) Sochi RUS 2022. White is winning.}) 11... dxc3 12. Qxc3 Nd7 {The purpose of this move is to play ...Nc5 and ...Ne6 which defends the g-Pawn and so frees the B} 13. O-O { [%mdl 1024]} Qe7 $146 {Black’s situation is unpleasant. This move is played with the aim of preventing the 14 Bb2} 14. Bb2 {As it turns out black's last move does not prevent this.} Nc5 (14... Qxe4 {is strongly mey by} 15. Bd3 Qb4 16. Rfe1+ Kd8 17. Qc2 {and black is in serious trouble because his K is stuck in the center.}) 15. Qc2 {Stronger was 15.Rad1} Ne6 (15... Nxe4 {Capturing the e-Pawn is still a poor idea.} 16. Ne5 Nf6 17. Rfe1 O-O-O 18. Nxc6 Bxc6 19. Qxc6+ Kb8 20. Bf3 {with a mating attack.}) (15... Qxe4 {is actually black's best option.} 16. Bd3 Nxd3 17. Rfe1 Qxe1+ 18. Rxe1+ Nxe1 19. Qe4+ Be7 20. Nxe1 {and black has compensation for the Q.}) 16. a4 {Stronger was 16.Ne5, but the text induces a blunder.} a6 {[%mdl 8192] Black could have equalized with 16... Qc5} 17. axb5 axb5 18. Rxa8+ Bxa8 19. Rd1 {As quickly becomes apparent black's Q-side Ps are no com[ensation for his undeveloped K-side and K in the center.} Qb7 20. Ne5 Be7 21. Bh5 Rf8 22. Qb3 g6 23. Bg4 Qc8 24. Nxf7 {[%mdl 512] A forceful finish.} Kxf7 25. Qf3+ Ke8 (25... Kg8 26. Qh3 {wins}) 26. Qh3 Nf4 27. Bd7+ {Black resigned.} (27. Bd7+ Qxd7 28. Qxd7+ Kf7 29. Qc7 Ne6 30. Qe5 Rd8 31. Rxd8 Nxd8 {White is winning.}) 1-0

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. 

[Event "All-Russian Masters. St. Petersburg"] [Site ""] [Date "1914.01.16"] [Round "?"] [White "Alexander Flamberg"] [Black "Stepan Levitsky"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A47"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate "1914.??.??"] {E17: Queen's Indian Defense} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 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.} Bb7 {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. Bg2 e6 5. O-O Be7 6. b3 O-O 7. Bb2 d6 8. c4 Nbd7 9. Nbd2 c5 { At the time the originality of these opening moves was revolutionary.} 10. Ne1 {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.} Qc7 {Hardly bad, but simpler would have been 10... Bxg2} (10... Bxg2 11. Kxg2 cxd4 12. Bxd4 Rc8 13. e4 Qc7 {with a completely equal position.}) 11. Rc1 {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.} Bxg2 12. Nxg2 {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.} Qb7 13. Ne3 { Again, this position is so even that black has a number of reasonable moves.} cxd4 14. Bxd4 Nc5 {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. Qc2 Nce4 16. Nxe4 Nxe4 17. Qb2 {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. Bc3 {Very nice. He is hoping Levitsky will tale the B leaving white with a good N against black's bad B.} Bg5 {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/} Bf6 21. Bxf6 Nxf6 22. Rcd1 Qe4 23. Rf3 {Both players have been pursue their respective goals.} Nh5 {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. Nd5 (24. Rxd6 {would not be wise because after} Nxf4 25. Qd2 Rae8 26. Kf2 g5 {black has plenty of play.}) 24... Rae8 25. Kf2 {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.} Qf5 26. Rg1 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. Qb1 Qc8 {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. Qd3 {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. Qc3 Kh8 {Black is starting to collapse. His intention probably was to play ...Rg8, but he is in for a surprise. Correct was 29...Qd8} (29... Qd8 {remains equal.} 30. Rg5 Nf6 31. Nxf6+ (31. Rxf5 Ne4+) 31... Rxf6 32. Rfg3 g6 33. h4 d5 34. cxd5 Re4 {with equak chances.}) 30. Rh3 {[%mdl 2048] White now has a virile attack.} Nf6 { [%mdl 8192] After this black is lost.} (30... Qe6 {is a better chance.} 31. Qf3 Nf6 32. Nc7 Ne4+ 33. Kg2 Qd7 {White is clearly better, but black could fight on.}) 31. Rxg7 {[%mdl 512] A magnificent conclusion.} Kxg7 32. Rg3+ Kh6 33. Nxf6 Re6 34. Rg5 {Black cannot parry the mating threats.} Qc5+ 35. Kf1 { It's mate, so black resigned.} 1-0

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.

 

[Event "Oldenburg"] [Site "Oldenburg GER"] [Date "1949.06.29"] [Round "?"] [White "Georg Kieninger"] [Black "Herbert Heinicke"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B91"] [Annotator "Stockfish 15"] [PlyCount "71"] [EventDate "1949.06.19"] {] B80: Sicilian } 1. e4 (1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 4. Bf4 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bb4+ 6. Nbd2 Qe7 7. a3 Ngxe5 8. axb4 Nd3# {The Kieninget Trap.}) 1... c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. g3 e6 7. Bg2 Qc7 8. O-O Bd7 9. Re1 Nc6 10. Nce2 {This move leaves theory. Normal is 10.Nxc6, but 10.Nb3 and 10.Be3 and 10.Bg5 have also been played.} Be7 11. c3 O-O 12. h3 Rab8 13. Be3 Na5 14. b3 b5 15. Rc1 Rfd8 16. g4 Be8 {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 Nd7 18. Ng3 Nb6 19. Qg4 Nc6 (19... d5 { is out of the question because of} 20. Nh5 Nd7 21. exd5 exd5 22. Bf4 Bd6 23. Bxd6 Qxd6 24. Nf5 Qb6 25. Nfxg7 {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. Nh5 Kh8 22. Qh4 Bd7 23. Nxc6 Bxc6 24. Nxg7 {[%mdl 512] Eiserner Schorsch finds the most elegant way of finishing the game.} Kxg7 25. Qh6+ {Even better than the menacing 25.Bd4 because it confines the K to the corner. Kieninger finishes the game with perfection.} Kg8 26. Bd4 f6 27. gxf6 Bd6 28. Qg5+ Kf8 29. e5 Ba3 30. Rb1 Qf7 31. f5 Bd7 32. b4 {The threat is Bc5+} Nc4 33. Bc5+ Ke8 34. Bf3 h6 35. Qxh6 {Threatening mate with Qh8+.} Qg8+ 36. Kh2 {Black resigned} 1-0

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. 

 

 

[Event "US Open, Oklahoma City"] [Site ""] [Date "1956.07.19"] [Round "?"] [White "Robert Fischer"] [Black "Dr. Peter Lapiken"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A04"] [Annotator "Stockfosh 17"] [PlyCount "37"] [EventDate "1956.07.16"] {A07: Reti Opening} 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 Bf5 4. O-O e6 5. d3 c6 6. Nbd2 Na6 {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. Qe1 h6 8. e4 Bh7 9. Qe2 Be7 10. e5 Nfd7 {is equal. Petersen,T (2324)-Savchenko,B (2615) Helsingor DEN 2011}) 7. a3 Nc5 {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 Be7 10. Bb2 h6 {is about equal. Zaitsev,I-Korelov,A Yerevan 1962}) 9. Nd4 {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.} Qd7 10. Nxf5 exf5 {As a result of this exchange black;s position is further weakened.} 11. Nb3 {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 Ne6 12. cxb5 cxb5 {And here is a move that humans might not condiser because it looks impossible.} 13. e4 {This destroys black's center.} Be7 (13... dxe4 14. dxe4 fxe4 15. Nxe4 Nxe4 16. Bxe4 Qxd1 17. Rxd1 Rc8 18. Bb2 {This position may look equal, but engines declare that white has a decisive advantage. Here is the continuation...} Be7 19. Bf5 Rd8 20. Rxd8+ Bxd8 21. Bxe6 fxe6 22. Bxg7 { White is winning.}) 14. exf5 Nd8 15. Bb2 O-O 16. Qf3 a5 17. Bxf6 Bxf6 18. Qxd5 Qxd5 19. Bxd5 {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 Nce4 13. f3 Nc5 14. Nd4 dxc4 {and at least black is still in the game.}) 12. Be3 Ne6 13. Nd4 g6 (13... f4 {offers stouter resistance.} 14. gxf4 Bd6 15. cxd5 cxd5 16. Bh3 O-O {White ois better, but black is still in the game.}) 14. Qb3 { 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. Rc1 Bg7 16. Nxe6 fxe6 17. Bf4 O-O 18. Qd2 {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... Rb8 {This sensible looking move loses!} (14... bxc4 {is a better defense.} 15. dxc4 Nc5 {Demonstrating that 14.Qb3 was not a really great move after all.} 16. Qc2 Nce4 {White is better, but black is far from lost.}) 15. Nxc6 {[%mdl 512] 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."} Qxc6 16. cxd5 Nc5 { 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. Qc3 {Lapiken was hoping Fischer would capture the Q.} (17. dxc6 Nxb3 18. Rad1 Rc8 19. Bxa7 Bd6 {Black has a N vs, 2Ps and so stands just a bit better, but probably cannot win. Five Shootout games were drawn.}) 17... Qd6 18. Bxc5 Qxc5 19. Qxf6 {Black resigned. An amusing finish. If black moves his attacked R he loses the other one.} (19. Qxf6 Rg8 20. Qe5+ Kd7 21. Qxb8) 1-0

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."

 

[Event "New Zealan Chp 1910/11, Timaru"] [Site "Timaru NZL"] [Date "1911.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "John Dunlop"] [Black "A Beck"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C36"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "59"] [EventDate "1911.??.??"] {C36: King's Gambit Accepted} 1. e4 e5 2. f4 {A promising start!} exf4 3. Nf3 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 Qxd5 {Black may play either this or 4...Nf6 which seems [referable. The text is the Scandinavian Variation which loses time with the Q. } 5. Nc3 Qd8 {Here in addition to the text black has tried retreatng the Q to h5, e6 and a5} 6. d4 {[%mdl 1024]} Bd6 7. Bc4 Bg4 8. O-O Nf6 {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. Re1+ (9. Qe1+ {was a good alternative.} Qe7 (9... Be7 10. Bxf4 {is also good for white.}) 10. Qxe7+ Bxe7 11. Nb5 {and white is better.}) 9... Kf8 (9... Be7 {falls into a trap.} 10. Bxf7+ Kxf7 11. Ne5+ { followed by Nxg4 and white has an excellent position.}) 10. Qd3 g6 {[%mdl 8192] Black is oblivious to any danger and plays a move that white immediately shows to be tactically faulty.} (10... Nc6 {Also safe was 10...Bxf3} 11. Ng5 Bh5 12. Nb5 {Correct was the equalizing 12.Nge4. Now black gained the advantage.} a6 13. Nxd6 Qxd6 14. c3 h6 15. Ne4 Nxe4 16. Qxe4 g5 {Mensing,F (2127)-Allen,D (1979) Turin 2006. Black has the advantage.}) 11. Ng5 {Beginning a relentless attack.} Nd5 12. Nxf7 Kxf7 13. Bxd5+ Kg7 14. Bxb7 Qh4 {Was black deceived in thinking that his "attack" looks extremely menacing!} 15. Bxf4 {Very good!} ( 15. Bxa8 {runs in to the rejoinder} Qxe1+ 16. Qf1 Qxf1+ 17. Kxf1 g5 {White is clearly better, but the move 15.Bxf4 is nuch stronger.}) 15... Bxf4 16. g3 Qh3 17. Bxa8 c6 18. gxf4 Bf3 19. Re2 Re8 {Black has cleverly managed to reach a position where if white tried to save his R black will be able to equalize!} 20. Qxf3 {Did this, the only winning move, come as a shock to Beck?} (20. Rf2 Qg4+ 21. Kf1 Qh3+ {draws}) (20. Rd2 Qg4+ 21. Kf1 Qh3+ {draws}) 20... Qxf3 21. Rxe8 {Black now gets a bunch of checks, but white's K manages to escape.} Qg4+ 22. Kf2 Qxf4+ 23. Ke2 Qxh2+ {He has to keep checking.} (23... Qxd4 24. Rf1 Qc4+ 25. Ke1 Nd7 26. Re7+ Kh6 27. Rff7 Qh4+ 28. Kd2 Qd4+ 29. Kc1 {and white is winning.}) 24. Kd3 Qh3+ 25. Kc4 Qd7 26. Rxb8 Qe6+ 27. d5 cxd5+ 28. Bxd5 { The checks are over.} Qd6 29. Rg8+ {And now it is white's turn to start checking.} Kf6 {Suicide, but he was in a mating net anyway.} (29... Kh6 30. Rh1+ Kg5 31. Ne4+ Kf4 32. Nxd6 Kg5 33. Ne4+ Kf4 34. Rf8+ Ke5 35. Rhf1 h5 36. Re8#) (29... Kf6 30. Ne4+ Ke5 31. Nxd6 Kxd6 32. Re8 Kc7 33. Kc5 h5 34. Rae1 h4 35. R1e7#) 30. Ne4+ {Black resigned} 1-0

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.

 

[Event "USSR Championship, Moscow"] [Site "?"] [Date "1969.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Lev Polugayevsky"] [Black "Mikhail Tal"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D41"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "73"] [SourceVersionDate "2025.02.19"] {D41: Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense} 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 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. Nf3 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 Nxd5 {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.} Nxc3 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 Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Bxd2+ {Black succeeds in simplification, but at the same time gets a position in which he will have an inferior ending.} 10. Qxd2 O-O 11. Bc4 {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.} Nc6 12. O-O 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. Rad1 {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.} Bb7 14. Rfe1 Na5 {Equally good was 14...Rc8, but black wants to drive the B from its strong position.} 15. Bd3 {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!} Rc8 { 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... Rc5 {leaves him with an isolated e-Pawn, but also equal chances after} 17. dxe6 fxe6 18. Rc1 Rxc1 19. Rxc1 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.} Nc4 18. Qf4 Nb2 {[%mdl 8192] A serious, if not decisive, mistake, but his position is very difficult.} (18... Qe7 {is a better defense.} 19. Nd4 g6 {Prevents Nf5} 20. Re2 Rc5 21. Rde1 Bc8 22. Qg3 Be6 {Black has blockaded the e-Pawn, but after 23.f5 followed by f5 white has a strong attack.}) 19. Bxh7+ {Of course. This move was probably considered in Polugayevsky's home preparation.} Kxh7 {There was no choice.} ( 19... Kh8 20. Ng5 Rc4 21. Be4 {and there is no way to meet a check on the h-file.}) 20. Ng5+ Kg6 {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. Ne4 { does win!} dxe4 22. Rxd8 Rcxd8 {with sufficient compensation for the Q and so it's anybody's game.}) (21. Ne4 Nxd1 22. Qg4+ Kh7 23. Nf6+ gxf6 24. Qh5+ { is a draw}) 21... Rc4 (21... Qe7 {Believe it or not, this move was to be played a couple of times in years to come..} 22. e6 (22. Rd2 {is much less effective.} Rc4 23. Qg3 Kh6 24. Rxb2 f6 25. Nf3 Re4 26. Rbe2 Kh7 27. exf6 gxf6 28. Rxe4 dxe4 29. Qf4 {White eventually managed to win. Dreev,A (2698) -Jussupow,A (2583) Mainz 2003}) 22... f5 23. h5+ Kxh5 24. Nf7 Rxf7 25. exf7 Qxf7 26. g4+ {and wins easily. Ozen,B (2328)-Kukov,V (2351) Manisa TUR 2019}) 22. h5+ {[%mdl 512] 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. Qg3 { Threatening a devastating discovered checkm so...} Kh6 23. e6 Qf6 24. exf7 Nxd1 25. Re6 {wins}) 22... Kh6 {After this white has no more than a small advantage. } (22... Kxh5 {This, too, was to be played many years later} 23. g4+ Kh6 24. Qh2+ {1-0 (24) Avrukh,B (2525)-Donk,M (2345) Antwerp BEL 1998}) 23. Nxf7+ Kh7 24. Qf5+ Kg8 25. e6 {[%mdl 128] A nice finishing touch that threatens to win with h6, but black can defend himself.} Qf6 {Excellent! Past annotators based there comments on the outcome, but today engines don’t have that problem.} 26. Qxf6 gxf6 27. Rd2 Rc6 28. Rxb2 Re8 (28... Bc8 {puts up a tougher resistance.} 29. Nh6+ Kh8 30. e7 Re8 31. Rd2 Kh7 32. Nf7 Kg8 {Offering white to take the draw by repeating moves.} 33. Nd8 Rc7 {The e-Pawn falls and the chances are equal.}) 29. Nh6+ Kh7 30. Nf5 $18 Rexe6 31. Rxe6 Rxe6 {[%mdl 4096] 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. Rc2 $1 {[%cal Rc2c7] Rc7+ is the strong threat.} Rc6 33. Re2 Bc8 34. Re7+ Kh8 {The final error.} ( 34... Kg8 {puts up a bit of a fight.} 35. Nh4 f5 36. Rxa7 d4 37. Kf1 f4 38. Ng6 Rc1+ 39. Ke2 Bg4+ 40. f3 Bxh5 41. Nxf4 {with a win ending.}) 35. Nh4 f5 36. Ng6+ Kg8 37. Rxa7 {Black resigned.} 1-0

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. 

[Event "1st US Lightening Champ, New York"] [Site "?"] [Date "1942.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Herbert Seidman"] [Black "Reuben Fine"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C13"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "45"] [EventDate "2025.??.??"] {C10: French Defense} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Be7 6. Bd3 {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... O-O { is OK, but it resulted in the following amusing miniature...} 7. c3 Nxe4 8. Bxe7 {Now 8...Qxe7 is equal, but black tried to get fancy with...} Nxf2 { wich is refuted by...} 9. Bxh7+ Kh8 10. Qh5 Qd5 11. Bf5+ {1-0 Ruzicka,T (1783) -Wagner,A Tabor 2008}) 7. Nf3 Bb7 8. Qe2 Nbd7 9. O-O O-O 10. Rfe1 h6 11. Bh4 Nd5 12. Bg3 {All pretty routin so far. The reason for Fine's next move is rather obscure. 12...Nb4 seems logical.} Kh8 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 $2 {Very risky. It would have been much safer to have tried to initiate exchanges with 13...N5f6} 14. Nc3 {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...} Nb4 15. axb4 fxe4 16. Bxe4 Bxe4 17. Qxe4 Bxb4 18. Re3 {Hoping to play the R over to the K-side.} Re8 19. Qg4 {White has a cosiderable advantage.}) 14... f4 15. Qxe6 N7f6 {[%mdl 8192] This loses. The position is fascinating!} (15... fxg3 {would have resulted in equal chances after} 16. hxg3 Nxc3 17. bxc3 Bd6 {White is a piece down, but after} 18. Qg6 Nf6 19. Re6 {The threat is mate on h7 after Rxf6; black has to play...} Kg8 { and white has equality, but not more. For example...} 20. Rxf6 Qxf6 21. Qh7+ Kf7 22. Re1 b5 {To stop Bc4+} 23. Nh4 Qg5 24. Bg6+ Kf6 {White has to find the one move that does not leave him with a lost ga,e and that is} 25. Nf5 { Threatening Qxg7#} Rg8 26. Re5 {Again, the only move.} Bxe5 27. dxe5+ Ke6 28. f4 Qd8 29. Nxg7+ Rxg7 30. Qxg7 {Now it's black's turn to find the only move that doesn't lose!} Kd5 31. e6 Kc5 32. e7 Qd5 33. Qd4+ Qxd4+ 34. cxd4+ Kxd4 { The point of the K maneuver!} 35. e8=Q Rxe8 36. Bxe8 {and a draw would be a reasonable outcome. Of course, all this is impossible to see at 10 seconds a move.}) 16. Bh4 Bc8 17. Qe2 g5 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 (18... gxh4 19. Nxe7 Re8 20. Qe5 Qd6 21. Nxh4 Qxe5 22. dxe5 Nh5 23. Nxc8 Raxc8 24. Bg6 {with a decisive advantage.}) 19. Qe4 Rf7 20. c4 gxh4 21. cxd5 Rb8 22. Qg6 Qf8 23. Ne5 {Black resigned. A crushing defeat of a player who in 1942 was still considered one of the best players in the world.} (23. Ne5 Rg7 24. Qxh6+ Kg8 25. Ng6 {Ends the game; black has to shed heavy plastic.}) 1-0

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. 

 

[Event "Chicago Championship"] [Site "?"] [Date "1942.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Einar Michaelson"] [Black "Herman Hahlbohm"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B15"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "58"] [EventDate "1943.??.??"] {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. Nc3 dxe4 4. Bc4 {The Hennig Gambit; it's risky,} Nf6 5. Bg5 (5. f3 {is the usual continuation.} exf3 6. Nxf3 {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... Bg4 6. f3 exf3 7. Nxf3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 { Surrendering the d-Pawn, but 8.cxf3 is too ugly to consider.} Qxd4 9. Bb3 { White's opening play has been a bust and there is no reaon why black, short of a huge blunder should not anticipate winning.} Nbd7 10. Rd1 Qe5+ 11. Be3 e6 12. O-O Bc5 13. Rfe1 O-O-O 14. Kh1 {It was probably his intention to plat Nf4} Qh5 {Of course black is more that willing to trade Qs and head foe an ending. but it was a bad decision!} (14... Bxe3 15. Rxe3 Qc7 {Black is two Ps up with an insuperable position.}) 15. Qf4 {[%mdl 8192] Of course white avoids the exchange, but it is also a bad decision.} (15. Qxh5 Nxh5 16. Rxd7 {A little tactical shot that both players missed. White gets the advantage in all variations.} Rxd7 (16... Bxe3 17. Rxd8+ Rxd8 18. Rxe3 {White is better.}) ( 16... Kxd7 17. Bxc5 {White is better.}) 17. Bxc5 {White is better.}) 15... Bxe3 16. Rxe3 Nc5 17. Rf1 {Threatens to win with Re5.} Nxb3 18. cxb3 Rd7 19. Re5 Qg4 20. Qe3 Qd4 {Black has not only a material advantage, but dominates the d-file. White is helpless.} 21. Qxd4 Rxd4 22. Rg5 Nd7 (22... Kd8 {and black stays on top by bringing the K over to defend the f-Pawn} 23. Rxg7 Ke7 24. h3 Rd2 25. Na4 Rhd8 26. Rg3 Rg8) 23. Rxg7 {This attack on the f-Pawn gives white new hope. } f6 24. Ne2 {This move allowing the R to reach the second rabk is wrong. 24... Rd1 was correct.} Rd2 25. Nf4 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. Nh5 Re8 {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. Kg1 {and it's a new game.} f5 28. Rxh7 (28. Rxf5 e4 29. Rf1 e3 30. Nf4 e2 31. Re1 Nf6 32. Kf2 Ne4+ 33. Kf3 Rd1 34. Rxe2 Rf1+ 35. Kg4 h5+ 36. Nxh5 Nf6+ 37. Nxf6 Rxe2 { Technically black is winning, but by prolonging the game white obtains practical chances.}) 28... Rf8 29. Rf2 {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... Rxb2 28. Nxf6 Rf8 29. Rxd7 $15) 28. Nxf6 Nxf6 29. Rxf6 e3 { White resigned.} 0-1

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. 

 

[Event "St. Petersburg 1895/96"] [Site "St. Petersburg RUE"] [Date "1896.01.04"] [Round "?"] [White "Harry N. Pillsbury"] [Black "Emanuel Lasker"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D50"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "60"] [EventDate "1895.12.13"] {D50: Queen's Gambit Declined} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c5 5. Bg5 cxd4 6. Qxd4 Nc6 7. Qh4 Be7 8. O-O-O {A risky decision that will require careful play.} (8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Qxe7+ Kxe7 11. Rc1 Nxc3 12. Rxc3 {With complete ewuality. Seidemann,U (2075)-Wolf,S (2075) Germany 1998}) 8... Qa5 9. e3 (9. cxd5 {exchanging some material is safer.} Nxd5 10. Nxd5 exd5 11. Bxe7 Nxe7 12. Kb1 {with equality.}) 9... Bd7 10. Kb1 h6 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Nd4 O-O 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Qh5 Nxd4 15. exd4 Be6 {The calm before the storm.} 16. f4 Rac8 {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. Rc1 {would lose to} Bxd4 18. Bd3 Bxc3 19. bxc3 Rxc3 20. Rxc3 Qxc3 21. Qd1 Rc8 {Black is winning. For example...} 22. Qb3 Qf6 23. g3 Rc3 24. Qd1 Rxd3 25. Qxd3 Bf5) 17... Rxc3 {A move worthy of a World Champion!} 18. fxe6 (18. bxc3 Rc8 19. Rd3 Qb6+ 20. Kc2 Bd7 21. Be2 Ba4+ {The K is caught in a crossfire.} 22. Kd2 Bg5+ 23. Ke1 Qb1+) 18... Ra3 { [%mdl 512] Nice move! Pillsbury now selects the least satisfactory defense. Either way though black's position has excellent prospects.} 19. exf7+ { [%mdl 8192]} (19. bxa3 $18 Qb6+ 20. Bb5 Qxb5+ 21. Ka1 fxe6 {...and white has the possibilty of surviving.} 22. Qh3) 19... Rxf7 {Black now has what amounts tp a decisive advantage.} 20. bxa3 Qb6+ 21. Bb5 (21. Kc2 {is no better.} Rc7+ 22. Kd2 Qxd4+ 23. Ke1 Qc3+ 24. Kf2 Bd4+) 21... Qxb5+ 22. Ka1 Rc7 {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... Qc4 23. Qg4 {Black could maintain a huge advantage with ...Re7-e2, but there is a fancier way.} Be5 24. Qe6 Bxd4+ 25. Rxd4 Qxd4+ 26. Kb1 Qd3+ 27. Ka1 Qd2 28. Qc8+ Kh7 29. Qc1 Qxg2 {with the clearly better position.}) 23. Rd2 Rc4 {[%mdl 128]} (23... Rc2 { would also result in equality after} 24. Rb1 $8 (24. Rxc2 Bxd4+ 25. Rc3 Bxc3#) 24... Qc4 25. Rxc2 Bxd4+ 26. Rcb2 Bxb2+ 27. Kxb2 {and it's doubtful that black can make any progress.}) 24. Rhd1 {A perfectly logical move defending the d-Pawn, but it gives black a decisive advantage.} (24. Re1 {A sruprising hidden resource!} Kf8 (24... Bxd4+ {is met by} 25. Rxd4 Rxd4 26. Re8+ {and it is white who wins.} Kh7 27. Qf5+ g6 28. Qf7#) 25. Red1 Qc5 26. Qf3 Kg8 27. Kb1 Bxd4 28. Rd3 {with equal chances!}) 24... Rc3 {Another innacurate move by Lasker.} (24... Qc6 {Threatens ...Bxd4+ and white cannot capture the B.} 25. Kb1 (25. h3 Bxd4+ 26. Rxd4 Rxd4 27. Qf3 Rxd1+ 28. Qxd1 Qf6+ 29. Kb1 Qg6+ { with a won ending.}) 25... Bg5 26. Qe2 (26. Re2 Rc1+ {mates}) 26... Bxd2 27. Qxd2 Qg6+ 28. Kb2 Qb6+ 29. Ka1 Qc7 {picks up the h-Pawn and leaves black wityh a won ending.}) 25. Qf5 Qc4 26. Kb2 {[%mdl 8192] A tactical mistake that loses the game.} (26. Kb1 Qb5+ (26... Rxa3 {is met by} 27. Rc1 Qb5+ 28. Rb2 Qd3+ 29. Qxd3 Rxd3 30. Rxb7 {and white is superior.}) 27. Rb2 Qc6 {with the better chances.} 28. Rb3) 26... Rxa3 {[%mdl 512] White has no satisfactory answer to the threat is mate with ...Rxa2+} 27. Qe6+ (27. Kxa3 {gets mated.} Qc3+ 28. Ka4 b5+ $1 {[%mdl 512]} 29. Kxb5 Qc4+ 30. Ka5 Bd8#) 27... Kh7 28. Kxa3 (28. Qf5+ Kg8 29. Kb1 Bxd4 30. Qc2 Qb4+ 31. Kc1 Rc3) 28... Qc3+ 29. Ka4 b5+ {[%mdl 512]} 30. Kxb5 Qc4+ $1 {White resigned.} (30... Qc4+ 31. Ka5 Bd8+ 32. Qb6 axb6#) 0-1

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. 

[Event "Brooklyn CC Championship 1895/96"] [Site "Brooklyn, NY USA (Brooklyn CC)"] [Date "1895.12.17"] [Round "7"] [White "Salomon Rocamora"] [Black "David Finlay"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C14"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17"] [PlyCount "73"] [EventDate "1895.11.26"] [Source "(Brooklyn) Daily"] {C14: French: Classical System} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 {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. Bg5 { This is the usual move which defends the e-Pawn by pinning the N, Black has several reasonable replies.} Be7 {This natural move breals the pin and renwws the threat to the e-Pawn.} 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 {White's main options are mow 7.h4 or 7.Qd2} 7. Nb5 {This rare sideline threatening 8.Nxc7+ has surpsisingly good results.} Nb6 {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. Na3 {[%mdl 32] This can be considered the normal line after 7.Nb5, but white has accomplished nothing because his N on a3 if put of play.} O-O (9... N8d7 10. f4 c5 11. Nf3 cxd4 12. cxd4 Qb4+ 13. Qd2 Qxd2+ 14. Nxd2 {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. Nf3 c5 12. Nc2 Bd7 13. Ng5 {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. Nf3 c4 {Closing the Q-side is exactly what he should avoid. 14...cxd4 was a good option.} 15. Qd2 Be8 {Making room for the N on c6 so he can advance the b-Pawn} 16. Ne3 N6d7 17. Be2 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 Bg6 {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. Nh4 (20. Qd1 {was more exact as black cannot defend the h-Pawn.} Nc6 (20... Qf7 21. Nh4 Nc6 22. Nxg6 Qxg6 23. Bxh5 {and white has a decisive advantage.}) 21. Nh4 Bf7 22. Bxh5) 20... Qe8 {Very weak.} (20... Be8 {puts up a manly defense.} 21. Bf3 Nb6 (21... Nc6 22. Nxd5 exd5 23. Bxd5+ {wins}) 22. h3 g6 23. Ng4 {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. Bf3 {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.} Nc6 {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. Nxd5 {[%mdl 512]} Rc8 23. Ne3 Nb6 24. Qe2 Ne7 25. Qg2 Rd8 26. O-O Nbd5 27. Nxd5 Nxd5 28. Qg3 Kh7 29. a3 Qf7 30. Rf2 Rh8 31. Re2 Rhe8 32. Rg2 Rh8 (32... Qe7 33. Nxg6 Kxg6 34. Bxh5+ Kxh5 ( 34... Kh7 35. g6+ Kg8 36. Bf3 {White will invade on the h0file.}) 35. g6 { An odd place for the K...of course white is better!} Qh4 36. Qf3+ Qg4 37. Rxg4 fxg4 38. Qg3 {White is winning.}) 33. Bxh5 {[%mdl 512] Rocamora now finishes the game in a neat fashion.} Bxh5 {This leads to a quicj demise, but the game was lost in any case.} (33... Ne7 34. Nxg6 Nxg6 35. h4 Kg8 36. Qf3 Qe8 37. Bxg6 Qxg6 38. Rh2 {White has a decisive advantage.}) 34. g6+ Bxg6 35. Nxg6 { Threatening to mate with Qh4+.} Kg8 36. Nxh8 Kxh8 37. Qh4+ {[%mdl 32768] Black resigned.} 1-0