Another Penrose Brilliancy

Max Blau

       As mentioned in the previous post, at Hastings 1957/58 Jonathan Penrose started off the tournament with a brilliant miniature against Max Blau (1918-1984, 65 years old) whowas born in Munich, Germany. Awarded the IM title in 1953, he was Swiss champion in 1953, 1955, 1956 and 1967. 

    Blau’s opening play was the reason for his defeat. It represents something I have often noticed when examining games for this Blog. My opening book is one I made from my database of about 5 million games with no effort to base it on the play of top GMs. Often one sees opening lines that yield poor results even though Stockfish (and other engines) evaluate the position as equal. When this happens it’s usually a case where in order to maintain equality there is only one good move and if the player does not find it he will find himself in a poor, or even lost, position. That’s what happened to Blau in this game. He entered a line in which he has to keep finding the best move or risk getting a really bad game and he couldn’t do it.

[Event "Hastings 1957/58"] [Site ""] [Date "1957.12.28"] [Round "?"] [White "Jonathan Penrose"] [Black "Max Blau"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C44"] [Annotator "Stockfish 19"] [PlyCount "39"] [EventDate "1957.12.28"] {C44: Scotch Gambit} 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 {If black accepts the offered P the result will be a wild game in which a draw will be unlikely. Black's opening play is, according to engine analysis, OK, but looking at the database results in practical play he achieves poor results. Evidently black is going to choose moves that will require him to walk a tightrope.} Nc6 {As is often the case, the best move is the immediate center strike 3...d5} (3... d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. cxd4 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bg4 {with at least equality.}) 4. Nf3 Nf6 {While often seen even though theoretically it cannot be faulted, for whatever reason it has not achieved good results in practice and 4...d5 is still probably the best.]} 5. e5 Ng4 {This time there is no question; this is a poor choice. Only 5 moves into the game and black has already reached a poor position.} (5... Nd5 6. cxd4 {and black has two good equalizing moves: 6...Bb5+ and 6...c6}) 6. cxd4 d5 {This comes too late because his N on g4 is in such a bad position.} 7. Bb5 (7. h3 {is also playable.} Nh6 8. Bxh6 gxh6 9. Nc3 {with a good position.}) 7... Bd7 8. Nc3 {White can take his time and develope...the N on g4 isn't going anywhere.} Ne7 {White has a decisive advantage.} 9. O-O {[%mdl 32]} c6 (9... Bxb5 10. Nxb5 Qd7 11. Qa4 Nc6 (11... a6 12. Nxc7+) 12. h3 Nh6 13. Bf4 {White's position is so strong iy can be considered a winning one.}) 10. Bd3 {Black has no really useful moves and his position is already a theoretical loss.} Qc8 11. Re1 Be6 12. Ng5 {The winning assault begins.} g6 13. Nxe6 Qxe6 14. Bg5 h5 (14... Bg7 15. h3 Nh6 16. Qd2 Nhg8 17. Ne2 {Planning to join the action after reaching f4} h6 18. Bh4 O-O-O 19. Nf4 Qd7 20. e6 {White has a winning attack.}) 15. Qb3 Qd7 16. Re2 Bg7 17. Qa3 {Black has to keep his K in the center to help defend the N.} b6 {After this white has a pleasing tactical finish.} (17... Nf5 18. Bxf5 gxf5 19. Na4 Bf8 (19... b6 20. Nxb6) 20. Nc5 Bxc5 21. Qxc5 b6 22. Qa3 {The material is equal and white has no immediate threats, but black has no maneuvering room and white will keeping improving his position and as he does so his winning prospects keeping growing.}) 18. e6 fxe6 {Now comes a brilliant finish.} 19. Nxd5 $3 {[%mdl 512] Worthy of Alekhine and Tal.} Nf5 (19... cxd5 20. Bb5) (19... exd5 20. Rxe7+) (19... Nxd5 20. Bxg6+) 20. Bxf5 {Black resigned. There is no defense against the attack on e6.} (20. Rxe6+ Qxe6 (20... Kf7 21. Bxf5 Rhe8 22. Bxg6+ Kg8 23. Rd6 Qc8 24. Ne7+) 21. Nc7+) 1-0

Penrose Pummels Barden

    The 1957/58 Hastings Christmas Festival was held from December 27, 1957 to January 6, 1958 and the veteran Estonian legend Paul Keres finished first even though he lost to Svetovar Gligorich in the last round. 

    The winner of today’s game, Jonathan Penrose, who won the British Championship ten times in his career, started the tournament with a brilliant 20 move win in a Scotch Gambit against the Swiss Master Max Blau. In this game PPenrose pulled off another brilliant win against countryman Leonard Barden in a game that Ludek Pachman used to illustrate the tactical use of pieces. 

    As Pachman explained, “To invest the pieces with a higher degree of effectiveness is a substantial part of the purpose of the moves we make in a game.” Penrose started his brilliant play at move 15 and although engine analysis showed Barden to have the better position it was only theoretical. In practical [pay he couldn’t get his pieces coordinated and that spelled his downfall. 

 

 

[Event "Hastings 1957/58"] [Site ""] [Date "1958.01.03"] [Round "?"] [White "Jonathan Penrose"] [Black "Leonard Barden"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B71"] [Annotator "Stockfish 19"] [PlyCount "77"] [EventDate "1957.12.28"] {B71: Sicilian Dragon, Levenfish Variation} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. f4 {[%mdl 32] Transposing into the sharp Levenfish Variation against the Drago. Both sides are itching for a fight.} g6 7. Bb5 {A rare side line. White intends to play e5.} Bd7 8. Bxc6 Bxc6 {Equally good is 8...bxc6} 9. e5 {Aggressive play! Penrose has no interest in the customary 9.Qf3 or 9.Nxc6} dxe5 $1 $11 (9... Bxg2 $4 10. Rg1 {Black has two pieces under attack and must lose one of them.}) 10. fxe5 Ne4 11. Nxe4 (11. Nxc6 {is more appropriate, but after} Qxd1+ 12. Nxd1 bxc6 13. Nf2 Nxf2 14. Kxf2 {All the tension has gone out of the position and a draw would not be a surprising outcome.}) 11... Bxe4 12. O-O {An interesting position! Engines give black the advantage here, but GM Ludek Pachman views things from the human perspective which is quite different. White has come out of the opening with a considerable lead in development, but he has a weak e-Pawn plus black has the two Bs. White's task will be to create effective threats as quickly as possible and so preventing black from completing his development.} Bg7 13. Re1 Qd5 {Well played as the Q is very strongly placed here.} (13... Bc6 14. Bg5 Qb6 15. c3 Rd8 16. Qe2 Rd5 {is quite equal. Kavalek,L-Jansa,V Jablonec 1962}) 14. c3 Qxe5 {Another excellent move. Other continuations are inferior.} (14... Bxe5 15. Qa4+ Kf8 16. Rxe4 Bxh2+ (16... Qxe4 17. Ne6+ {wins the Q.}) 17. Kxh2 Qxe4 18. Bh6+ Kg8 {Materially speaking white has a B+N vs a R=2Pa, but the activity of white's pieces should result in a win for him.}) (14... Bxg2 {is really bad.} 15. c4 Qxc4 16. Kxg2) 15. Bf4 {Theoretically this is not as accurate as the prosaic defensive move 15.Qe2, but it is still a very pretty move. Penrose is attempting to take advantage of the face that none of black's pieces are defended.} Qxf4 16. Qa4+ {Black has the advantage if he finds the right defense, However, the ancient proverb "There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip" is once again applicable.} Bc6 $2 {The slip on the way to the lip, but it's not fatal. However, white is now on the attack.} (16... b5 {This brilliant move has escaped the attention of all the annotators. The idea is to deflect a white piece.} 17. Qxb5+ Kf8 18. Ne6+ fxe6 19. Rf1 {lools bad for black, but after} Qf6 20. Rxf6+ Bxf6 21. Rf1 Kg7 {Black's R+2Bs are, theoretically at east, more than enough compensation for the Q.}) (16... b5 17. Nxb5 {The correct capture.} O-O 18. Rxe4 Qd2 {Black has survived an is even better.}) 17. Rxe7+ $1 {A beautiful move, but it does not lead to a forced win.} Kf8 (17... Kxe7 18. Nxc6+ {wins the Q}) 18. Ne6+ $1 {Another sledgehammer blow, but it will still take a few more licks to finish him off.} fxe6 19. Qxf4+ Kxe7 {Black has gotten as much as possible for the Q (a R+2Bs), but his problem is the lack of coordination between his pieces.} 20. Qc7+ Bd7 21. Rd1 Rad8 {Barden has consolidated his position as best as possible, but white keeps up the pressure.} ({This was the wrong R. Here is why...} 21... Rhd8 22. Qxb7 Be5 23. Rxd7+ Rxd7 24. Qxa8) 22. Qxb7 Rhf8 23. Qxa7 Rf5 {Looking further ahead than humanly possible 24...Rf7 amd ...Kf8 defending e7 amd placing the R on a more profitable rank would have been better.} (23... Rf7 24. a4 Kf8 25. Qb6 Bf6 26. a5 Rc8 27. a6 Bc6 28. a7 Ba8 {White's progress is stalled and the outcome is uncertain/}) 24. a4 {[%mdl 32] In this line the advance of the Ps will secure the win, but the remainder of the game had to be with great difficulty for both players because of the great complications.} Be5 (24... Rd5 {This may have been the idea behind 23...Rf5, but now black realized it was no use because after} 25. Rxd5 exd5 26. Qc5+ Ke8 27. a5 d4 28. a6 Rc8 29. Qd5 dxc3 30. bxc3 Bc6 31. Qe6+ Kd8 32. Qg8+ {wins}) 25. a5 Ke8 26. a6 Bc6 {Black has held up the advance of the a-Pawn, but white is not out of resources.} 27. Rxd8+ Kxd8 28. Qe3 Bc7 29. b4 {One of white's major resources.} Re5 {He could have put up a stouter defense with 29...Bb5 trying to prevent the advance of the P and threatening mate on f1.} (29... Bb5 30. g4 Re5 31. Qd4+ Kc8 32. a7 {As amazing as it seems, white is struggling to score the point} Re1+ 33. Kf2 Re2+ 34. Kf3 Ra2 35. c4 Bc6+ 36. Ke3 e5 37. Qc5 Kb7 {White is winning, but he still has plenty of work to do!}) 30. Qd4+ Kc8 31. c4 {Inhibits Rd5.} Re4 32. Qh8+ Kd7 33. Qxh7+ Kd8 34. Qh8+ Kd7 35. Qg7+ Kc8 36. Qf8+ Bd8 37. Qc5 Kd7 38. b5 {The three Ps cannot be stopped.} Ba8 39. Qa7+ {Black resigned. An amazing game for which both players deserve credit.} 1-0

An Irresistible Force Meeting an Immovable Object

Alekhine vs. Capablanca

    This classic philosophical paradox is rooted in ancient thought like the 3rd-century BC Chinese story of the spear and shield. What happens if a force is unstoppable and it meets an object that cannot be moved? In everyday language, the phrase is used for what happens if two equally stubborn opponents meet. In the historic 1927 World Championship match played in B uenos Aires between defending champion Jose Capablanca and challenger Alexander Alekhine the object moved.

    Alekhine won the title 6–3 with 25 draws, the title going to the first player to win six games. It was considered a massive upset because Capablanca had a strong record against Alekhine and he was widely considered nearly unbeatable. 

    Alekhine considered this game to have been praised too much! He wrote, “ t was doubtless very exciting both for the players, who were continuously short of time, and the public. But its final part represents a true comedy of errors in which my opponent several times missed a draw and I missed about the same number of winning opportunities. In short, but for its outstanding sporting importance (it became, in fact, the crucial point of the match) I would hardly have included it in this collection.”

    Alekhine’s assessment of this game is hard to understand because engine analysis shows white’s Weight Error Value to be 0.49 which is not at all bad while Alekhine’s play is evaluated at 0.15 which is considered very precise. 

 

[Event "World Champ Match, Buenos Aires"] [Site ""] [Date "1927.10.26"] [Round "21"] [White "Jose Capablanca"] [Black "Alexander Alekhine"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D63"] [Annotator "Stockfish/Alekhine"] [PlyCount "64"] [EventDate "1927.09.16"] [EventType ""] [EventRounds ""] [EventCountry ""] [SourceVersion ""] [SourceVersionDate ""] [SourceQuality ""] {D63: Queen's Gambit Declined: Classical} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 Be7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Rc1 a6 {Far more usual is 7...c6 and even though Alekhine had good results with 7...a6 in this match he later concluded that it was unsatisfactory because of three games later in the match in which Capab;anca played 7.dxc5.} 8. a3 {This tame move makes no attempt at gaining an advantage. Ti di that white has to play either 8.c5 it 8.cxd5} h6 9. Bh4 dxc4 {Black usually avoids this until white has moved the B, but here he immediately regains the lost tempo with ...b5} 10. Bxc4 b5 11. Be2 {Very tame. The thematic maneuver is Ba2-c1 and Qc2 or Qc3 setting up a battery aimed at h7} (11. Ba2 c5 12. O-O Bb7 {Hindering Qc2 (or d3) beause of ...Bxf3 The position is equal.} 13. Bb1 Rc8 14. Qe2 {and Simonian,T (2425)-Grachev,B (2675) Erevan ARM 2014 was eventually drawn/}) 11... Bb7 12. O-O {Also acceptable was 12.b4} c5 13. dxc5 Nxc5 14. Nd4 {Alekhine believed that because white has no advantage whatsoever he should have just simplified by exchanging Qs. However, after the text black has no advantage at all either.} (14. Bxf6 {Alekhine claimed this is "entirely wrong", but , in fact, it is entirely equal.} Bxf6 15. Nxb5 Qxd1 16. Rfxd1 Nb3 17. Rc7 Bxf3 18. Bxf3 Rac8 (18... axb5 19. Bxa8 Rxa8 {The position is unclear, but the chances are probably equal, white havong a R+P vs. B+N.}) 19. Rxc8 Rxc8 20. Nd6 Rc2 {with a completely equal position.}) 14... Rc8 {Eliminatiin any threat of Nxb5} 15. b4 {Alekhine criticized this as "without any necessity the square c4." That is simply not true because the position is still pretty much dead even.} Ncd7 {[%mdl 32]} 16. Bg3 Nb6 17. Qb3 Nfd5 {The idea behind this subtle move is the positional threat of ...Nxc3} 18. Bf3 (18. Kh1 {A pass to demonstrate the threat.} Nxc3 19. Rxc3 Bd5 20. Rxc8 Qxc8 21. Qb2 Qb7 {All of black's pieces are, or will be, actively place.}) 18... Rc4 {The N would have been better placed here than the R.} 19. Ne4 Qc8 20. Rxc4 {Alekhine considered this move to be the decisive positional error because from now on "black, taking advantage of the formidable position of (the N on c4) will gradually concentrate all his pieces for action in the center." An astute observation because now, while technically black's position is evaluated as being only slightly better, black's advantage begins to gradually increase. Safer was 20.Qb1 maintaining thension on the c-file.} Nxc4 21. Rc1 Qa8 {hreatening either 22...Nxb4 or 22...Nxe3 and so white is forced to "abandon control of the central light squares."} 22. Nc3 $2 (22. Kh1 Ndxe3 23. fxe3 Bxe4 24. Bxe4 Qxe4 25. Bf2 Rd8 26. Qc3 e5 27. Nf3 Rd3 {Black is winning.}) 22... Rc8 23. Nxd5 Bxd5 $19 24. Bxd5 Qxd5 25. a4 {Capablanca has reduced the number of pieces and now he wants to reduced the number of Ps. but his "position still remains compromised, inasmuch as his Ps will become a welcome object of attack in the endgame." At this point white's position can be considered lost.} Bf6 26. Nf3 Bb2 {The purpose of this move is to play ...e5 without restricting the B.} (26... Rd8 $19 {And now ...e5 would win.} 27. axb5 axb5) 27. Re1 (27. axb5 Bxc1 28. bxa6 {meets with the tactical refutation} Nxe3 29. Qxd5 Nxd5 30. b5 Ba3 31. Kf1 Rc1+ 32. Ke2 Bc5 {and the advance of the Ps is prevented.}) 27... Rd8 28. axb5 axb5 29. h3 {The K needs an escape square/} (29. Bc7 $17 {was necessary.} Qd3 30. Qxd3 Rxd3 31. h3) 29... e5 {[%mdl 32]} 30. Rb1 e4 31. Nd4 Bxd4 32. Rd1 {Loses immediately.} (32. exd4 {wasn't much better though.} Qxd4 33. Bf4 g5 34. Qg3 Qd3 35. Rc1 Qxg3 36. Bxg3 f5 37. Re1 Rd3 {with an overwhelming position.}) 32... Nxe3 {White resigned.} (32... Nxe3 33. Qxd5 Rxd5 34. fxe3 Bxe3+) 0-1

Triumviratus, a New Engine

    Triumviratus has, as of this writing, come out of nowhere and taken over the #1 spot on the CCLR rating list, but only by one rating point. It is an open-source engine written in C++ by Francesco Torsello. Of course, a single point lead doesn’t mean anything and the engine has not yet completed a full compliment of what appear to be 30 games against its rivals. 

    According to techies it’s neural network structure (whatever that is) is highly intriguing for technical reason that are another language to me. There are naysayers though. Whenever a relatively new engine suddenly challenges Stockfish people get suspicious and label them Stockfish clones. 

    My only interest is how it performs on my laptop. To be honest, I have “tested” some engines other than Stockfish (e.g. Reckless, Swordfish and PlentyChess) in correspondence play against a few ICCF titled players and haven’t really found much of a difference...all the games ended in boring draws, even a couple in which I played the Smith-Mora Gambit against the Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.d4). 

 

 

    The above tournament was held on my laptop with a time limit of 2 minutes + 2 seconds per move and the result seems to support the claim that it’s irrelevant which engine you use for your analysis, the results will be pretty much identical. Download Triumviratus from github HERE 

 

Reshevsky – Botvinnik Match

    The other day found me wondering if Samuel Reshevsky could have become World Champion if he had been able to play a match against Mikhail Botvinnik. Did the Soviet) hegemony in chess which lasted from 1948 until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 have anything to due with it? 

    Apparently not. Reshevsky never became World Chess Champion for a number of reasons. First, he was not a full time professiona; player; he was a Certified Public Accountant. Reshevsky wrote that the CPA exam was more challenging that any chess game he ever played. Statistically the pass rate is only about 50%. 

    Chess-wise Reshevaksy was notorious for having chronic time trouble issues that were often related to his consuming a massive amount of time in the opening which were always a weakness. Pal Benko told how that one time when he served as Reshevsky’s trainer to worked on openings they would work on them in the morning, break for lunch and then resume. By that time Reshevsky had forgotten almost everything they had studied in the morning. 

    Of course, Reshevsky and Botvinnik never played a match, but in their careers they met fourteen times and Reshevsky scored +2 -5 =7 for a total score of 5.5-8.5.

    Chessmetrics estimates Botvinnik’s highest ever rating to have been 2885 on the October 1945 rating list placing him at #1 in the world. By comparison, Reshevsky’s highest ever rating was 2785 on the October 1953 rating list where he was#1 in world. So it’s likely that had they met in a match Botvinnik would have won. 

 

    In the following game from the 1948 World Championship match/tournament that was held in The Hague and Moscow. Reshevsky’s inspired defense scores the point. 

 

[Event "World Champ, The Hague/Moscow"] [Site ""] [Date "1948.04.18"] [Round "14"] [White "Mikhail Botvinnik"] [Black "Samuel Reshevsky"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E29"] [Annotator "Stockfish 19"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "1948.03.02"] [EventType ""] [EventRounds ""] [EventCountry "URS"] [Source ""] [SourceVersion ""] [SourceQuality ""] { E29: Nimzo-Indian: Saemisch Attack} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 {In their first encounter in an earlier round Reshevsky played 4...d5 and lost.} 5. a3 {A predictable move from Botvinnik.} Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Nc6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. Ne2 b6 {Thia ia by far the most common move here. Black reserves the option of opening up the game with ...d5 or keepoing it closed with ...d6} 9. e4 {The idea is to play Bg5 and e5 and initiate a K-side P attack.} Ne8 {Reshevsky plays what at the tine was a novel idea, but today is routine;avoids the pin and forces white to select another plan,} 10. Be3 {Threatening to win the c-Pawn.} d6 {This is what is known as the Wyvill Formation, It is a P-structure where white does not have a P on the b-file and doubled c-Pawns and a P on d4 or d5. Aside from the Nimzo-Indian it can also arise from the French, Winawer Variation. White usually teies to build up a K-side attack using an idea like f4-f5 while black targets the P on c4.} 11. O-O Na5 {There is probably nothing wrong with this move, but back in the old days Nimzovich warned against it as long as there is tension in the center. Therefore, 11...Ba6 is the other option. It's splitting hairs.} 12. Ng3 {To support the advance of the P to f5.} (12. f4 {is the also possible. After} Ba6 13. f5 exf5 14. Rxf5 Bxc4 15. Bc2 {White wants to preserve this B for a possible attack...it aims at h7.} Be6 {The chances are completely equal.}) 12... Ba6 13. Qe2 Qd7 {The purpose of this move is to continue the attack on the P on c4 by ...Qa4} 14. f4 {White compensates for the loss of the P on c4 with a strong K-side attack.} f5 {A very fine move that was made possible by 9...Ne8! It hinders white's K-side attack and prevents him from opening up the f-file.} 15. Rae1 {With this move Botvinnik's new idea is to break through in the center by advancing his d-Pawn.} g6 {Black has to play this in order to defend the f-Pawn in the event white plays d5 attacking its supporting P.} 16. Rd1 {Indirectly threatening the Q.} (16. d5 Ng7 17. dxe6 Qxe6 18. exf5 gxf5 {White has no attack and both sides have weak Ps...the chances are equal.}) 16... Qf7 {A dual purpose move: it moves the Q to a safer square and protects the e-Pawn.} (16... Qa4 {sttscking the c-Pawn was also playable. After} 17. d5 {things get complicated.} Ng7 18. dxe6 Bxc4 19. exf5 gxf5 {It's a messy position and probably not one Reshevsky would like even though the chances are equal.}) 17. e5 {Advancinf the d-Pawn doesn't accomplish anything, so Botvinnik tries advancing the e-Pawn.} Rc8 {An attack on the P on c4 by ...Qa4 is no longer possible, but this move renews the thratened attack with the idea of ...cxd4} 18. Rfe1 {In order to reposition the N to e3.} dxe5 {The idea of this move is to be able to bring his N and R on f8 into play.} (18... cxd4 {is also playable, but after} 19. Bxd4 $1 {Activates the b.} dxe5 20. Qxe5 Ng7 21. c5 Bxd3 22. Rxd3 {Black has failed to win the P on c4 and this unclear and somewhat messy position offers no advantage to either side.}) 19. dxe5 Ng7 20. Nf1 Rfd8 21. Bf2 Nh5 22. Bg3 {He prefers this to opening up the long diagonal with 22.g3} {Returning to the old ...Qa4 idea.} Qe8 23. Ne3 Qa4 $2 {This move is not so good even though it enables black to exchange Qs whenever he wishes. Doubling Rs on the d-file (by say ...Rc7-d7) was better.} 24. Qa2 {This move, protecting the P, falls in with black's plan.} (24. Rf1 {baits a trap.} Rxd3 25. Qxd3 Nxc4 26. Nxc4 Bxc4 27. Qd6 Re8 (27... Bxf1 28. Qxe6+ Kg7 29. Rd7+ Kh6 30. Qe7 {wins.}) {White has the advantage.} 28. Rfe1) (24. Rf1 Nxg3 {is worse.} 25. hxg3 {and white's K-side attack will prevail/}) 24... Nxg3 25. hxg3 h5 {To nullify the strength of g4} 26. Be2 (26. g4 hxg4 (26... fxg4 27. f5 gxf5 28. Qf2 Qe8 29. Qh4 Rc7 30. Bxf5 Rxd1 31. Rxd1 Nc6 (31... exf5 32. Rd8) 32. Be4 Rd7 33. Rxd7 Qxd7 34. Qxh5 {White is winning.}) 27. Qf2 Nxc4 28. Bxc4 Bxc4 29. Qh4 Rxd1 30. Rxd1 Bb3 31. Rd3 Qe4 32. Rd8+ Rxd8 {draws} 33. Qxd8+) 26... Kf7 27. Kf2 Qb3 {[%mdl 2048]} 28. Qxb3 Nxb3 {The exchange of Qs has left black with a slightlu favorable ending, but the position is far from won.} 29. Bd3 Ke7 {Why not go after the P on c4?!} (29... Na5 30. Be2 Rxd1 31. Rxd1 Ke7 32. Bd3 Rd8 33. Ke2 {In this difficult position in Shoorouts white scored +0 -2 =3, so his position, while very difficult to defend, is not totally without hope.}) 30. Ke2 $2 {After this passive move black gets the advantage.} (30. g4 {This followed by Rh1 would give white ssufficient play on the h-file that a draw wpuld not be out of the question.} hxg4 {with equal chances.} 31. Rh1 Rh8 32. Bc2 Na5 33. Ba4 Rxh1 34. Rxh1 Rf8 35. Rh7+ Rf7 {with equal chances.}) 30... Na5 31. Rd2 Rc7 32. g4 Rcd7 $1 {Black's advantage has grown into a winning one.} 33. gxf5 {Faced with ...Bxc4 white has to try to complicate.} gxf5 {...and he is successful, but doesn't realize it!!} (33... Nxc4 $3 {wins after} 34. f6+ Kf7 35. Red1 Nxd2 36. Bxa6 Ne4 {and black is up the exchange.}) 34. Red1 $2 {[%mdl 8192] This is a serious mistake that immediately decides the game.} (34. Rdd1 {holds. For example, after} Rh8 35. Rh1 {There is no way for black to gain an advantage.}) 34... h4 {White can't move a piece without allowing ...Bxc4} 35. Ke1 Nb3 {Black is clearly winning.} 36. Nd5+ exd5 37. Bxf5 Nxd2 38. Rxd2 dxc4 {The P is finally captured.} 39. Bxd7 Rxd7 40. Rf2 Ke6 41. Rf3 Rd3 42. Ke2 {White resigned. A titanic struggle!} 0-1

Brilliancy Prize by Boris Siff

    Boris Siff (1911-1998) passed away in San Jose, California at the age of 86; he was an interesting character whose main distinction was that he became a USCF Senior Master (over 2400) for the first time at the age of 72. 

    After a tournament in 1984, at the age of 72, Siff, suffering from leukemia, was having a meal with friends in a restaurant when he had to be taken to the hospital where the doctor advised him that he should remain hospitalized, but he refused and returned to the tournament the next day. It should also be mentioned that Siff had open heart surgery a few months earlier and his spleen had been removed shortly before this tournament. 

    At the tournament, aided by a couple of shots of cognac he defeated then Senior Master (later IM) Elliot Winslow to win the tournament. It was this event where he scored wins over two Experts (2000-2199), two National Masters (Fritzinger and Michael Tomey), Winslow and GM Peter Biyiasas that earned him the Senior Master rating. Unfortunately, his rating dropped to 2399 (one point below the SM title) before his rating was published. At the time of his death his rating stood at 2266. 

    The only child of Russian emigrant parents, Siff was originally from the Bronx, New York City. He received a four year scholarship to one of New York's finest private schools and joined the Empire City Chess Club in the Bronx. Arnold Denker wrote about Siff in My Best Chess Games 1929-1976 that Siff had a very enterprising style and was very original in his approach to the opening. Denker added that when it came to openings, Siff was "far ahead of the times.” 

    Denker wrote that, probably due to the demands of work, he completely disappeared from tournament play. Denker also believed that had Siff continued tournament play then in a few years he “would have contributed a great deal to the theory of the openings." 

    Siff, who retired as a machinist in 1976, faded into obscurity after his successes in winning the championships of Boston, New England and Florida in the 1950s. Before moving to California, Siff was the 1956 Massachusetts champion and in 1958 he tied for first with John Curdo and Orest Popovych. 

    At the end of his life Siff, who never married, was barely eking out an existence. One reason was that for many years he gambled on card games. At the insistence of a couple of friends he eventually gave up that vice and returned to his first vice, chess. 

    The following game won Siff the brilliancy prize. His opponent was Dennis Fritzinger, the 1970/71 California State Champion. Fritzinger played in several Lone Pine Tournaments in the 1970s and was a contributor, along with Jude Acers, to the book Grandmaster Chess: The Book of the Louis D. Statham Lone Pine Masters-Plus Tournament 1975 by Robert E. Burger. The game is interesting because after black's seemingly innocuous 18th move a flurry of tactics followed. 

 

[Event "Sunnyvale, California"] [Site ""] [Date "1983.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Dennis Fritzinger"] [Black "Boris Siff"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B50"] [Annotator "Stockfish 19"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "1983.??.??"] {B50: Sicilian} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 g6 5. d4 {The main alternative is playing the Closed Sicilian with 5.d3} cxd4 6. Nxd4 {[%mdl 32]} Bg7 7. Ne2 (7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. O-O Qb6 9. Nc3 Nf6 10. Rb1 Bg4 11. Qd3 {Galego,L (2488)-Ruiz Sanchez,O (2381) Havana 2010}) 7... h5 {The results from this move have been promising for black.} 8. h3 $1 {The position is equal.} Be6 (8... Bd7 9. O-O Nh6 10. Nbc3 Qc8 11. Kh2 h4 {After 12.ge white has a solid position. Landau,C (2030)-Prestel,O (2186) Bad Woerishofen 2000}) 9. O-O Qd7 10. Nf4 Bc4 11. Re1 e5 12. Nd5 Bxd5 13. exd5 Nce7 14. h4 f5 15. c4 Rc8 16. Qb3 Nf6 17. Nc3 O-O {White has emerged from the opening with a slim advantage and he shpuld now complete his development with 18.Bg5. The great teacher C.J.S. Purdy observed that your development is not complete until yor Rooks atre connected.} 18. a4 {After this black gets a strong initiative on the K-side.} f4 $1 19. gxf4 Ng4 {This move is the beginning of a barrage of tactics.} 20. f3 {Obviously white wants to drive th e N back but has overlooked that the N need not retreat. 20.fxe5 and 21.Ne4 would have been much safer.} exf4 {This is the critical position.} 21. Bh3 $2 {After this white is busted; his best chance was to try and add the N to the Ks defense.} (21. fxg4 Bd4+ 22. Kh1 Qxg4 {is hope;essly lost for white.}) (21. Ne2 g5 {Shattering white's K-side and making room for the N.} 22. hxg5 Ng6 {leaves black with a strong attack.}) 21... Nf5 $1 22. fxg4 {There wasn’t much choice except to take the N.} Nxh4 {After this most of black’s advantage has disappeared.} (22... hxg4 {is winning.} 23. Bg2 Bd4+ 24. Kh1 Ng3+ {leads yo mate.} 25. Kh2 Qh7 26. Be3 Qxh4+ 27. Kg1 fxe3 28. Qb6 axb6 29. Re2 Rf2 {mates in 3 at most.}) 23. Re6 {This R plunge into the heart of black's position goves white some new life.} Nf3+ {White is now faced with a difficult choice of to where to put his K and there is only one move where it will be somewhat safe.} 24. Kh1 {And this isn't it!} (24. Kg2 Nd4 25. Qd1 f3+ 26. Kf1 Nxe6 27. g5 {Black is considerably better, but white can still put up a fight.}) 24... Qd8 {Adding the Q to the attack is decisive.} 25. Ne2 hxg4 26. Nxf4 Qh4 {A few more swift blows follow.} 27. Kg2 gxh3+ 28. Kxf3 h2 29. Be3 h1=Q+ 30. Rxh1 Qxh1+ 31. Kg4 Qb1 {Even stronger was 31...g5} 32. Nd3 Qf1 33. Bf4 Qg2+ 34. Bg3 Rf3 {White resigned. It's mate in 3} (34... Rf3 35. Rxg6 Qxg3+ 36. Kh5 Rf5+ 37. Rg5 Qxg5#) 0-1

Larry Evans Gets a Bad Shock

In the following game things were progressing at a fairly even pace until the 22-year old Bent Larsen caught Larry Evans off guard with a move that probably would have elevated the game to a brilliancy in the old days. According to Evans this game, specifically Larsen’s 27h move, demoralized him so badly that he only scored 3 points in the remaining 11 rounds. 

    The game was played in the international tournament in Dallas, Texas from November 30 to December 16, 1957. It was unfortunate that David Bronstein was invited, but the U.S. State Department denied his visa application in retaliation for restrictions placed on travel by Americans in the USSR. As a result he was replaced by Larry Evans. 

    In 1957, the 25-year old Evans was a two time (1951 and 1952) U.S. Champion and it was the year he was awarded the GM title. He was one of the top players in the country. Chessmetrics estimates his rating to have been 2616 after the tournament ranking him at #44v in the world. Larsen’s estimated rating wasn 2705 placing him at #13 in the world/ The top rated player was Vassily Smyslov at 2786. By the way, the 14-year old Bobby Fischer was ranked #47 at 2611. 

 

  

[Event "Dallas"] [Site ""] [Date "1957.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Larry Evans"] [Black "Bent Larsen"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D32"] [Annotator "Stockfish 19"] [PlyCount "56"] [EventDate "1957.??.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "14"] [EventCountry "USA"] [Source ""] [SourceVersion ""] [SourceQuality "1"] {D32: QGD, Tarrasch Defense} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 {In this, the Tarrasc Defense, black hopes to wrest the Initiative. It was Evans' opinion that because white is "already better developed, so this is quite Impossible." Statistics don't bear that out because it performs about the same as other conyinuations by black. It has never been very fashionable thoiugh,} 4. e3 {Evans claimed this move is "very strong", but he was probably influenced by the fact that Soviet GMs Geller and Spassky played it. Its statistical results are almost identical to the usual 4.cxd5} Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. cxd5 exd5 {Evans wrote, "This definitely leads to the Inferior game." Ths is incorrect..engines and statistics say otherwise. 6...Nxd5 is the alternative.} (6... Nxd5 7. Bd3 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. a3 cxd4 10. exd4 {The isolated d-Pawn is a position with its own unique characteristics.}) 7. Bb5 {This will result in white giving up the two Bs in exchange for rapid development.} a6 8. Bxc6+ bxc6 9. O-O Bd6 10. dxc5 {The main option is 10.Qa4 which Evans thought might be better, but it's really a matter of choice.} (10. Qa4 Bd7 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. e4 {with equal chances after 12...O-O, but nor} Nxe4 (12... dxe4 {just transposes.} 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4+) 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Bg5 f6 15. Qxe4+ {and white is better.}) 10... Bxc5 11. e4 O-O (11... Nxe4 12. Nxe4 dxe4 13. Qxd8+ Kxd8 14. Ng5 Ke7 15. Nxe4 Bd4 {is equal.}) 12. Bg5 Be7 13. Nd4 {This Is the only try for an advantage, b ut the position remains completely equal.} Qd6 {In a couple if games black tried 13...Bd7, but it, too, failed to gain any advantage.} 14. e5 Qxe5 15. Nxc6 Qxg5 16. Nxe7+ Kh8 17. Nxc8 Raxc8 18. Qd3 {Black could save the a-Pawn with 18...a5,ut Larsen prefers active play and relies on his d-Pawn to generate plenty of activity.} Rfd8 19. Qxa6 {This is a bot risky. The safe alternative was 19.Rac1} d4 {[%mdl 32] The action begins. Black's position makes up for his P minus and white's two connected passed Ps.} 20. Ne2 Rc2 {It's hard to argue with this, but more precise would have been 20...d3 and 21...Rb8. Now white could have obtained excellent drawing chances.} 21. Rad1 Qe5 {[%mdl 1024]} 22. Ng3 h5 {Applying the pressure on white and it's going to require careful play on white's part to avoid ending up at a disadvantage.} 23. Rfe1 Qd5 24. Re2 $2 {[%mdl 8192] Oddly, Evans mad no comment on this move which is the losing one. It was absolutely necessary to prevent the advamce of the d-Pawn so 24.Qd3 was correct.} (24. Qd3 {This costs the two Ps, but it's better than losing.} Rxb2 25. Nf5 Rxa2 26. Qxd4 {and white has the draw.}) 24... d3 {After this there is no way of saving the game.} 25. Re3 Rxf2 $3 {[%mdl 512] This came as no surprise to Evans.} 26. Ne4 {This wily move sets a trap into which Larsen falls} (26. Kxf2 {is met by} Ng4+ 27. Kg1 Nxe3 28. Rd2 Qc5 {Black has a mating attack. For example...} 29. Ne4 Qc1+ 30. Kf2 Ng4+ 31. Kf3 Qe1 32. Qb6 Re8 33. Re2 Qxe2+ 34. Kg3 Qe1+ 35. Kh3 Qxe4 36. g3 Qh1 37. Kh4 Qxh2+ 38. Kg5 Re5+ 39. Kf4 g5+ 40. Kf3 Qe2#) 26... Nxe4 $2 {This allows white back into the game...assuming he finds the right move. Several weeks after the game was played Larsen discovered the winning continuation.} (26... Ng4 27. Qxd3 (27. Rexd3 Qxe4 {White can only delay mate.}) 27... Nxe3 28. Qxe3 (28. Qxd5 Rxd5 29. Kxf2 Nxd1+) 28... Rxg2+ 29. Kxg2 Qxd1 {Black has a sure won...at least it is for GMs!}) 27. Rexd3 $2 {[%mdl 8192] It's the age old story...wrong Rook!} (27. Rdxd3 Qg5 28. Rxd8+ Qxd8 29. Rxe4 Rxb2 30. Qc4 {with a dtaw.}) 27... Rf1+ $3 {[%mdl 512] Evans confessed that he overlooked this move and called it a bolt from the blue.} 28. Rxf1 (28. Kxf1 Qf5+ 29. Rf3 Rxd1+ 30. Ke2 Nc3+ 31. bxc3 (31. Rxc3 Qf1+ {wins the Q}) 31... Qc2+ 32. Ke3 Qd2+ 33. Ke4 Re1+ {mates}) 28... Qc5+ {White resigned.} (28... Qc5+ 29. Kh1 Nf2+ 30. Rxf2 Qc1+ {mates}) 0-1

Peeved With chessgames.com

    I suppose most of the games in this Blog can be found in my database, but for a long time I have downloaded them from chessgames.com. What I really like about the site is that very often you can view the crosstable of the event in which the game was played and there is almost always a brief biography of the players. 

    That’s a lot for free! For $39 a year you can get a whole lot more, but it’s stuff that holds no interest for me, so what the site offers for free is just fine. 

    Maintaining a massive game database, servers, forums, etc., etc. costs money and so I understand the reason for the pop up ads on the site. However, it seems that lately the ads have become more frequent. It’s a bit annoying, but I can live with it. 

     No doubt it has been “operator error” when I “mis-clicked” to close an ad and got sent to the ad’s site..annoying, but it was probably my fault. What has turned me off on the site though is that 2-3 times in the last week or two is that I have gotten that REALLY annoying SCAM message where a voice informs me that my computer is locked.

    This "computer locked" message claims my laptop is locked due to a virus or unusual activity. Of course it’s really a fake tech support scam, not a real message from Microsoft or the security software (in my case, Webroot). 

     If you call the listed number you will reach scammers who try to charge you fees, steal your personal data, or trick you into installing remote-access software. All really nasty stuff! 

    First, do not call the number! Instead, do the “three-finger salute”...press Ctrl + Alt + Delete on your keyboard and click Task Manager. Then select your web browser (like Microsoft Edge, Chrome, or Firefox) and click End Task. Then restart your laptop and run your security software just to be safe. 

    To get rid of annoying ads on chessgames.com you have two main options. You can install third party ad blockers or you can pay for a membership. If you don’t want to do either, you can visit chess365. They also offer a ton of services from searching for games and players to improvement courses. A one year subscription is only $20.

    Without a membership you can't  download games. What you can do is highlight the moves then copy and paste them into your chess program. When you save the game you have to fill in the header yourself.

A Puzzle for You

    I recently reached this position in an online game and it’s pretty obvious that black, being the exchange up, should win, but it wasn’t until later when I looked at the game with Stockfish that I discovered black has an amazing continuation.. Can you find it? The solution is HERE

 

Tailenders Tussle

 

    No matter what the tournament some players’ games never get any attention. Unless they get pummeled by one of the leaders those who finish near the bottom never get any recognition. So, just out of curiosity here is a game from the 1957/58 championship that was played by a couple of the tailenders. In this game Attilio Di Camillo (1917-1962) lost to Abe Turner. 

    Di Camillo won the Pennsylvania State Champion in 1946, 1947, 1960 and 1961. He is probably best remembered for being the coach of the U.S. women’s champion and media darling Lisa Lane, 

    Abe Turner (1924-1962, 38 years old) was born in New York City and learned to play chess in 1943 at a naval hospital while recovering from shrapnel wounds he received during World War II. Turner was a strong coffeehouse player who liked to grab a Pawn and then trade down to the ending. For a brief time Fischer was a student of Turner. 

    Noted for his huge girth, Turner was found stabbed to death and stuffed in a safe in the basement of Al Horowitz’ Chess Review magazine offices where he had been working as a clerk. The New York Times reported that in addition to having been stabbed his head had also been battered by a heavy object, probably a claw hammer.

    The building’s superintendent discovered the body while searching the building after Turner’s co-workers began wondering where he was after he had gone down to the basement to dump some trash and didn’t return. 

    Theodore W. Smith, a clerk-typist employed by Chess Review, was arrested while entering his room in the YMCA and readily admitted that he had killed Turn and then dragged his body along a corridor and stuffed it in the safe. Smith claimed that Secret Service agents had told him to kill Turner. 

 

[Event "1957/58 US Champ, New York957/58"] [Site ""] [Date "1958.??.??"] [Round "10"] [White "Attilio Di Camillo"] [Black "Abe Turner"] [Result "*"] [ECO "C98"] [WhiteElo "2367"] [BlackElo "2394"] [Annotator "Stockfish 19"] [PlyCount "85"] [EventDate "1957.12.17"] [SourceVersionDate "2026.10.27"] {C98: Closed Ruy Lopez: Chigorin Defense} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 Na5 9. Bc2 c5 10. d4 Qc7 11. h3 O-O 12. Nbd2 Nc6 13. dxc5 dxc5 14. Nf1 Bd6 15. Bg5 {This has all been played many times. Black's two main choices are 15...Nd7 and 15...Nd8} Nd7 (15... Ne8 16. a4 Rb8 17. axb5 axb5 18. Ne3 f6 19. Nd5 Qf7 {equal. Smyslov,V (2620)-Bolbochan,J Moscow 1956}) 16. Ne3 Nb6 17. Nd5 {A better plam was play on the Q-side with 17.a4} Nxd5 {This is probrbly not a food idea because it gives white's light squared B a clear diagonal to black's K. 17...Na5 immediately was better.} 18. exd5 Na5 19. Nh4 {White's pieces look menacing, but black's position is inherently sound so he should be able to successfully defend his K.} f5 {This is a bit loosening, but 19...f6 leads to unclear play.} (19... f6 20. Qb1 {This leads to some sharp tactical play after} fxg5 21. Bxh7+ $3 {Otherwise white is just a piece down.} Kh8 22. Ng6+ Kxh7 23. Nxf8+ Kg8 24. Nh7 {White has a R+P vs two Bs and the position is unclear.}) 20. g4 $1 fxg4 21. hxg4 (21. Qd3 {was an equally good alternative. The best line is} g6 22. Bh6 Rf7 23. hxg4 Bxg4 24. Qg3 Qd7 25. Re4 Bh5 26. Rae1 {The problem for white here is that there seems to be no way of persuing the attack.}) 21... g6 22. Be4 {This is too passive. The aggressive continuation 22.Bh6 and 23.f4 was more promising.} ({White should try} 22. Bh6 $16) 22... Qf7 23. f3 {Di Camillo has shifted gears ans gone from aggressive play to taking a passive stance.} Bd7 24. b3 Nb7 25. Qd2 {Holding up black's coming Q-side play with 25.c4! would have been considerably better.} a5 {At last black has time to start his counterplay.} 26. a3 Rfc8 {26...a4 was more forceful.} 27. Kg2 {Hoping to build up an attack on the h-file.} c4 28. b4 Ra6 $1 29. Rh1 {And now Nxg6! would win so black has to make tghe defensive move 29...Bf8. Hiwever, both sides are oblivious to the possibility.} Rca8 $2 30. Rac1 $2 (30. Nxg6 hxg6 31. Rh4 {White is going to double Rs on the h-file.} Bf8 32. Rah1 Bg7 33. Kg3 {Intending Qh2 and the tripled heavy pieces on the h-file spell disaster for black.}) 30... Be8 {[%mdl 8192] Again ...Bf8 was necessary.} 31. Kg3 {Again missing Nxg6} axb4 32. axb4 Bf8 {Finally!} 33. Rh2 {Obviously played with the intent pf doub;ing Rs, but by now this idea takes too much time.} (33. Nxg6 {This idea still works, but it 's no longer deadly.} Rxg6 34. Bxg6 Qxg6 35. Bh6 Nd6 36. Bxf8 Kxf8 37. Qh6+ Qxh6 38. Rxh6 Bg6 {White has a R+P vs B+N and the game's outcome is uncertain.}) 33... Nd6 34. Rch1 Bg7 35. Rc1 {More passive play on white's part and this time it gets him into serious difficulties.} (35. Ng2 Ra2 36. Qe3 h5 37. gxh5 Nf5+ 38. Bxf5 gxf5 39. f4 {with unclear complications in which both sides have chances.}) 35... Ra3 36. Ng2 Bd7 37. Ne3 {Trapping his own B, but there was nothing that was really better.} (37. Rch1 {has lost its punch.} h5 38. gxh5 Nf5+ 39. Bxf5 gxf5 40. h6 f4+ 41. Kf2 Ra2 {wins}) 37... h6 38. Rxh6 Bxh6 39. Bxh6 Ra2 40. Nc2 {[%mdl 8192] This is a gross blunder, but it's possible that Di Ca,illo was in time pressure otherwise he could still have made Turner work for the point by retreating the b.} (40. Bc2 Qh7 41. Ng2 {Bkack is better having a R vs. B+P and an active position,, but he also has some clever, but hard to see, tactics available.} Bxg4 42. fxg4 Rxc2 43. Qxc2 Qxh6 {Material is reduced and equal, but black is still attacking.} 44. Re1 Qg5 45. Nh4 Kg7 46. Qxg6+ Qxg6 47. Nxg6 Kxg6 48. Rxe5 Rf8 {Technically black is winning, but in practice the putcome would not be clear.}) 40... Nxe4+ {Black is winning.} 41. fxe4 R8a6 {Intending 41...Rf6} 42. Bg5 {Preventing ...Rf6, but black has...} Rb2 43. Qh2 {In this hopeless position white exceeded the time limit.} (43. Qh2 {A possible continuation is} Raa2 44. Be3 Qf6 45. Rh1 Qg7 46. Rc1 g5 {Now black has defended afaonst an invasion by white's Q and his own Q can now enter the action on the f-file or h-file.} 47. Qg2 Qf6 48. Qh2 Rb3 49. Qe2 Qh6 50. Qd2 Qh4+ 51. Kg2 Qxg4+ {and black is winning.}) *

An Early Fischer Game

    The leading candidate for the 1957/58 U.S. Championship was Samuel Reshevsky and Larry Evans was the dark horse. Robert Byrne would have been in the running, but he had declined his invitation at the last minute. It came as a surprise when Bobby Fischer won his first Championship which concluded on January 7, 1958. 

     The 14-year old Fischer had been playing a lot, giving simultaneous exhibitions and generally attracting attention plus he had won the 1957 U.S. Open and he had lost a two game match against former World Champion Max Euwe. Even so, winning the U.S. Championship looked impossible. 

    His opponent in this game was James T. Sherwin (born 1933) who was having one of his best tournaments ever. Sherwion was awarded the IM title in 1958. An attorney by profession, he was serving as an executive with the GAF Corporation, North America's largest roofing and waterproofing manufacturer, when in 1988 he was indicted for stock manipulation by a sleazy District Attorney, later politician, who hounded Sherwin until finally, on the third try, he managed to get a conviction.

    However, on appeal the conviction was overturned and the case was dismissed with prejudice, meaning the lawsuit was permanently closed and Sherwin cannot be tried for the same case again. Sherwin has lived in England since at least the 2010s.

 

 

[Event "1957/58 U.S. Champ, New York"] [Site "+"] [Date "1957.12.27"] [Round "?"] [White "Robert Fischer"] [Black "James Sherwin"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B87"] [Annotator "Stockfish 19"] [PlyCount "71"] [EventDate "1957.12.17"] {Sicilian, Sozin Attack} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bc4 e6 7. O-O {This line was a Fischer favorite.} b5 8. Bb3 b4 {Sherwin probably suspected Fischer had some prepared analysis in the event he played the usual 8...Be2. In any case, it would have been safer that the text which is somewhat weakening and therefore quite risky.} 9. Nb1 Bd7 {Taking the P is technocally safe, but with only his N developed and precariously sitting in the center, Sherwin elects not to risk it.} 10. Be3 {Again, offering the P.} Nc6 {Again, Sherwin declines.} 11. f3 {Because it's clear his opponent isn't going to take the P Fischer decides to protect it and move on to another plan...Q-side play.} Be7 12. c3 bxc3 13. Nxc6 {Tempting Sherwin to play 13...cxb2 which would lose.} Bxc6 14. Nxc3 O-O 15. Rc1 Qb8 16. Nd5 exd5 17. Rxc6 dxe4 18. fxe4 Qb5 {This time taking the e-Pawn would lose, but instead of the text move black could have maintained equality with 18...Qb7!} 19. Rb6 Qe5 20. Bd4 Qg5 21. Qf3 Nd7 22. Rb7 Ne5 23. Qe2 Bf6 24. Kh1 a5 {This P is a serious weakness and it soon falls, but in the process Fischer missed a better continuation.} 25. Bd5 Rac8 26. Bc3 a4 {Here Fischer should have played 27.h3, not to prevent black's next move (which is a poor one), but to eliminate any danger of ending up with a first rank weakness which cpuld show up in some variations.} 27. Ra7 Ng4 {This should have lost outright!} 28. Rxa4 {An interesting position! A cursory glance at the position might give the impression that white is winning, but, in fact, black gets fully equal chances. One annotator who was present at the game noted that it took Fischer less than a minute to capture the P and he wasted no time in rejecting 28.Bxf6. Alas, both Fischer ant the annotator were wrong because after either 28.Bxf6 or 28.Rxa4 black can equalize.} (28. Bxf6 Nxf6 29. Rxa4 Rc1 {and black has equalized.}) (28. Bd2 {This mild mannered retreat is actually white's best reply as it allows white to bring the B into a dominating position after} Qg6 29. h3 Ne5 30. Bf4 {and now white is ready to capture the a-Pawn with impunity.}) 28... Bxc3 {Things are about to get tactical.} 29. bxc3 Rxc3 30. Rxf7 {This is not nearly so devsatating as it looks.} Rc1+ {A clever tactical trap, but Fischer is alert.} (30... h5 $3 {While not at all flashy or tricky, this move keeps the chances even.} 31. Rc4 Rxc4 32. Rxf8+ Kxf8 33. Qxc4 {White has every advantahe. An outside passed P and a B vs. N, yet with carful play squeezong out a win will be difficult, if not impossible. (engine evluation 0.00).}) 31. Qf1 (31. Rf1+ $4 {A tactical blunder that loses outright after.} Kh8 32. Ra8 Rxa8 33. Bxa8 Qf4 34. g3 Rxf1+ 35. Kg2 Rf2+) 31... h5 32. Qxc1 Qh4 (32... Qxc1+ 33. Rf1+ Kh8 34. Rxc1 {leaves white a R to the good.}) 33. Rxf8+ Kh7 34. h3 Qg3 35. hxg4 h4 36. Be6 {Black resigned. A real fighting game.} 1-0

Who Were Fritz Woog and Leonhard Westphal?

    An Internet search for these German masters won't turn up much. According to Edo Historical Ratings Fritz Woog's first rating was 2247 in 1920 and his last rating was 2130 in 1929...all based on a scant 83 games. In group 4 of the 1920 German Championship he finished second behind Carl Ahues with a score of +4 -1 =2, 

    His one loss being to Ahues. Chessgames.com has only three of Woog's games and five by Westphal. The only information on Westphal is that he was born August 16, 1895 and died at the age of 61 on March 6, 1957. 

    The below game between these two is both entertaining and instructive. It’s a good example of short range planning plus it features a Classic Bishop Sacrifice that does not lead to an immediate forced win. Also, Woog's methodical buildup of his attack is instructive to witness. Analysis by Fritz/Stockfish evaluates Woog’s play as “very precise.” 

 

[Event "Berlin Open"] [Site ""] [Date "1920.??.??"] [Round ""] [White "Fritz Woog"] [Black "Leonhard Westphal"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C83"] [Annotator "Stockfish 19"] [PlyCount "67"] [EventDate "1920.??.??"] {C83: Open Ruy Lopez} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 {White will argue that black loosens his position with this active defense while black hopes to deprive white of a center P. Black's K will be temporarily vulnerable, but can reach safety while white is busy regaining his P.} 6. d4 {Other moves are not worth considering.} b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 {At this point white has tried many different moves with varying degrees of success, but the text is by far the most often seen.} 9. c3 Be7 10. Be3 O-O 11. Nbd2 Nc5 {The main line 11...Qd7 is much better. The move played has not yielded good results for black.} 12. Bc2 Bg4 {Another poor choice. 12...Qd7 is still the move.} 13. h3 Bh5 (13... Bxf3 {also favors white.} 14. Nxf3 Re8 15. b4 Ne4 16. Qb1 Qd7 17. Bxe4 dxe4 18. Qxe4 {White is better.}) 14. Bxh7+ {After this black should simply acquiesce to the loss of a P and play 14...Kh8. Instead, he accepts the B and loses.} Kxh7 (14... Kh8 15. g4 Bxg4 $2 {Now is the to play 15...Kxh7} 16. hxg4 Kxh7 17. Bxc5 Bxc5 18. Nb3 Bb6 {White is winning. Miletic,D-Ursic,M (2078) Nova Gorica 2002}) 15. Ng5+ {[%mdl 512] In the classic Bishop sacrifice it is essential for white to be able to play this move.} Bxg5 16. Qxh5+ Bh6 17. Bxc5 Re8 18. f4 ({Less strong is} 18. Qxf7 Nxe5 19. Qf5+ g6 {White is better, but his attack is at a standstill.}) 18... g6 19. Qf3 Qd7 20. Rad1 Nd8 21. Nb3 {The N is headed for the outpost on d4. Note that this type of "plan" is only two moves and there is no particular target, but it is the type of short plan that is often seen in master practice. If you can't think of anything to do, find a poorly positioned piece and think of a way to improve its position. 21...c6 22.♘d4 ♘b7 23.♘b3 This retreat is less effective than simply playing 23.Bb6. From d4 the N could think about going on a further journey of c2, e3 and g4 from where it eyes f6. 23...a5 24.♗d4 ♕f5 It's hard to suggest a really viable plan for black, but this move simply loses time as white plays g4 with a gain of time. 25.g4 ♕c8 26.♘c5 While this doesn't really harm white's position, an immediate attack with 26.f5 would have been more forceful.} c6 22. Nd4 {Threatens to win with f5.} Nb7 23. Nb3 a5 {Eliminating the B with 23...Nxc5 was just a bit better.} 24. Bd4 Qf5 25. g4 Qc8 26. Nc5 Nd8 {Hoping to exchange some attackers with 26...Nxc5 would not be of much help.} 27. Qg3 Bg7 28. f5 {[%mdl 32]} g5 29. h4 {Woog concludes the attack with great verve.} gxh4 30. Qxh4+ Kg8 31. f6 Bh8 32. Rf5 Ne6 33. Nxe6 fxe6 34. f7+ {Black resigned. Forceful and precise play by Woog.} 1-0

How Is This Position Legal?

    When I saw this position in a post on Tim Krabbe’s old online site it just had to be checked out. How can this position possibly be legal?! You can read about it HERE; it’s post #373.

    Tim Krabbe was born on April 13, 1943, in Amsterdam and is a renowned author and cyclist who is best known in the chess world for his long running online site Chess Curiosities, which explores endgame studies and historical chess curiosities of every kind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Event ""] [Site ""] [Date "???.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Puzzle"] [Black "?"] [Result "*"] [Annotator ""] [PlyCount "65"] [EventDate "1898.??.??"] [SourceVersionDate "2026.10.22"] 1. d3 h6 2. Bxh6 f5 3. Qd2 f4 4. Qxf4 a5 5. Qxc7 Kf7 {The K is headed for a1.} 6. g3 Kg6 7. Bg2 Kh5 8. Bxb7 Kg4 9. Nf3 Kh3 10. Bxc8 e5 11. Bxg7 e4 12. Kd2 e3+ 13. Kxe3 Kg2 14. Ng1 Kf1 15. Kf3 Ke1 16. Qxa5+ Bb4 17. Nc3+ Kd2 18. Rf1 Rh3 19. Bxd7 Nh6 20. Nd1 Kc1 21. Bxh6+ Kb1 {The white pieces gragually begin heading home.} 22. Bc1 Na6 23. Kg2 Rc8 24. Bxh3 Rc3 25. Nxc3+ Ka1 26. Nb1 Nc5 27. Rd1 Be1 28. Qxe1 Ne4 29. Kf1 Nd2+ 30. Rxd2 Qd5 31. Qd1 Qg2+ 32. Ke1 Qf1+ 33. Bxf1 {It's mate in 3.} (33. Bxf1 Kxb1 34. c4 Ka1 (34... Kxa2 35. b3+ Ka1 36. Ba3#) 35. b4 Kb1 36. Ba3#) (33. Bxf1 Kxa2 34. b4 Kxb1 (34... Ka1 35. c4 Kxb1 36. Ba3#) 35. c4 Ka1 36. Ba3#) *

A Strong Knight in the Center

    Knights make excellent in blockaders, but because their range is limited they are best used in this capacity in or near the center. A Knight occupying such an outpost often gives rise to interesting and instructive play. 

    In the following game Boleslavsky sacrifices a Pawn in order to maneuver his Knight into a blockading position that is so strong it leads to winning the game. 

    Isaac Boleslavsky (191901977) learned to play chess at the age of nine, but it was not until after World War II that he first made a name for himself and in the 1950s he was one of the leading Soviet players. He died in Minsk at age 57 after a fall on an icy sidewalk. He suffered a fractured hip and could not overcome an infection acquired during his hospitalization. Georgy Lisitsin (1909-1972) was was Leningrad Champion in 1933-34 (jointly), 1939 and 1947 (jointly) and was awarded the IM title at its inception in 1950. 

 

[Event "USSR Champ, Leningrad"] [Site ""] [Date "1956.02.01"] [Round "?"] [White "Isaac Boleslavsky"] [Black "Georgy Lisitsin"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Stockfish 19"] [ECO "B76"] [WhiteFideId "-1"] [BlackFideId "-1"] [PlyCount "59"] [GameId "2367641511301139"] [EventDate "1956.??.??"] {B76: Sicilian Dragon} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. O-O-O Nxd4 {With this move black enters a line that has not enjoyed much success. Better wpuld have been 9...d5} (9... d5 10. exd5 Nxd5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bd4 e5 {But even here although the position is technically equal, in practical play white has enjoyed considerable success.}) 10. Bxd4 Qa5 {A poor choice. Much better would have been 10...Be6} 11. Kb1 (11. Bc4 {is the thematic move, but it can safely be met by} Be6 {Capturing the B only strengthems black's center, so...} 12. Bb3 b5 {with good play.}) 11... e5 (11... Be6 {is often met with the incorrect 12.g4 which allows black to get good play. Much better for white is} 12. Nd5 Qd8 (12... Qxd2 13. Nxe7+ {and white is practically winning}) 13. h4 h6 14. g4 {White has a very dangerous attack brewing.}) 12. Be3 Be6 {Inhibits Bc4.} 13. a3 ({Stronger than} 13. Qxd6 Bxa2+ 14. Nxa2 Rfd8 {forcing} 15. Qxd8+ Rxd8 16. Bc4 {and white only has a R+B for his Q.}) 13... Rfd8 {Black's plan is to prepare the advance ...d5.} (13... a6 {Black apparently thought he was setting a trap in Matsuura,E (2460)-Assumpcao,R (2305) Sao Paulo 2006 when he played this, but...} 14. Qxd6 {and white found the refutation.} Rfd8 15. Bb6 Rxd6 16. Bxa5 Rc6 {White has won the P cleanly and eventually won the game.}) 14. Nb5 {A clever retort. Black can't afford to trade Qs and there is no really good square to which the Q can retreat.} Qa4 {After the previous error 14 . , Q x Q; 15 Rx Q is no longer sufficient, since both 16 Rtx QP and 16 Kt—B7 are threatened.} (14... Qxd2 15. Rxd2 d5 16. Nc7 Rac8 17. Nxe6 fxe6 18. Bxa7 dxe4 19. Rxd8+ Rxd8 20. fxe4 Nxe4 21. Be2 {The ending is greatly in white's favor.}) 15. c4 {This surprising P sacrifice allows white to force the exchange of both the black pieces that cover the important strategic square d5. It's interesting strategy that was praised by GM Ludek Pachman in one of his otherwise excellent book, but it misses the crusher.} (15. Nc7 {Attacking the R and threatening Bb5.} Qc6 16. Nxa8 d5 17. Bb5 Qxb5 18. Nc7 Qc6 19. Nxe6 Qxe6 20. exd5 Rxd5 21. Qe2 {1-0 Alonso,S (2500)-Campeon,M (2020) Villa Tehuelches CHI 2019}) 15... Bxc4 {[If black declines the P offer he will still end up with a vastly inferior position.} (15... Rac8 16. Qc2 Qxc2+ 17. Kxc2 Bxc4 18. Bxc4 Rxc4+ 19. Kb3 Rc6 20. Nxa7 Ra6 (20... Rc7 21. Bb6) 21. Nb5 d5 22. exd5 Nxd5 23. Rd3 {White's position is vastly superior.}) 16. Nc3 Qb3 17. Bxc4 Qxc4 18. Bg5 Qe6 19. Bxf6 {gaining complete control of d5.} Qxf6 20. Nd5 Qh4 {The result of white's 15.c4 is that he is left with a strong N in the center and black has a bad B. Black's extra P on d6 is actually a disadvantage, because it hinders black's pieces. White's next plan is to prepare the opening of files on the K-side for an attack on black's K.} 21. Qe2 {[%mdl 1024] White has strong compensation.} Bf8 {Were it not for the pawn at (23, the Bishop could come into play this way!} 22. Qf1 $1 (22. g3 {at once would be wrong because after} Qh3 {the advance of the white Ps is held up.}) 22... Rac8 23. g3 {[%mdl 32]} Qg5 24. h4 Qh6 {Capturing the g-Pawn loses the Q.} (24... Qxg3 25. Rh3 (25. Rd2 {Curiously, in Modern Chess Tactics Pachman claimed this move wins the Q after ...Rg2, it does not. Still, after} Bh6 26. Rg2 $4 (26. Rd1 $1 {wins after 27.Rh3}) 26... Rc1+ {black has equalized.}) 25... Qxh3 26. Qxh3) 25. g4 {Threatening the winning advance of the g- and h-Pawns.} g5 26. hxg5 Qxg5 27. Rh5 Qg6 28. g5 {The decisive move. Black has no defense.} h6 29. Rxh6 $1 {[%mdl 512]} Qxg5 (29... Bxh6 30. Ne7+) 30. Rh5 $3 {[%mdl 512] Black resigned. Except for the tactical hiccup on move 15 this game is an excellent example of strategic play.} (30. Rh5 Qxh5 31. Nf6+ Kh8 32. Nxh5) 1-0

A Classic Stonewall Attack

    As I wrote in a post a few years ago, I am tempted to say winning with the Stonewall Attack can’t be done, but that’s because I tried it a few times and it never worked out like a couple of my books on it said it was supposed to. Indeed, the opening does not enjoy a good reputation today, but it might still be worth a try; it’s just not for me. 

    What it is supposed to do is build a wall of Pawns on the dark squares and white will then use his Queen, King’s Bishop anf Knight to launch an attack. The following game is a classic example of the Stonewall in action. White’s attack is simply brilliant.

    The winner, Dr. Richard Kujoth (1931-2011, 80 years old), was Wisconsin Champion in 1947, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1953, and 1958. His opponent, Dt. Charles Crittenden (1933-2023, 90 years old) was a National Master who won the championship of North Carolina in 1948, 1952, 1953, 1956 and 1959. 

 

 

[Event "Milwaukee"] [Site ""] [Date "1949.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Richard Kujoth"] [Black "Charles C Crittenden"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D00"] [Annotator "Stockfish 19"] [PlyCount "41"] [EventDate "1949.??.??"] {D00: Stonewall Attack} 1. d4 d5 2. e3 Nf6 (2... Bf5 {The idea of this move is to trade off the light squared Bs. GM Andy Soltis explains that the move is weak because it weakens the b7 square and white often get favorable tactical opportunities on the a4-e7 diagonal} 3. Nf3 {White does well to abandon the Stonewall here.} Nf6 4. c4 c6 5. Nc3 {White is just slightly better.}) (2... Bf5 3. Bd3 {This attempt to use the ensuing gob of Ps in the center leads to no more than equality.} Bxd3 4. cxd3 Nf6 5. Qb3 b6 6. Nf3 e6 7. Nc3 c5 {with full equalit5y.}) 3. Bd3 e6 {Routine. 3...g6 and 4...Bg7 is probably his best plan. This, together with ...c5, effectively nullifies the pressure of white's B on d3.} 4. f4 (4. Nd2 {Preventing black from playing ...ne5 would have been more accurate.} c5 5. c3 Nc6 6. f4 {etc.}) 4... Nbd7 (4... Ne4 {The thematic move.} 5. Nf3 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nbd2 f5 {is completely equal. It's pretty clear any hopes white had of generating a K-side attack have been stymied.}) 5. Nd2 c5 (5... b6 6. Ngf3 Bb7 7. O-O Ne4 8. Ne5 Nxe5 9. fxe5 Qd7 {White's position is the more active. Petricevic,P (2019)-Dobrovic,A (2091) Sibenik CRO 2012}) 6. c3 {So that in the event of ...c4 he can jeep the B on the diagonal with Bc2.} cxd4 $146 {Relieving the center tension is a poot choice. 6...Bd6 and castling was the correct way to go.} (6... c4 7. Bc2 b5 8. a3 a5 9. Qe2 Bb7 10. Ngf3 b4 11. axb4 axb4 12. Rxa8 Qxa8 {is equal. Ivanov,D (2071)-Slavov,V Sofia 2007}) 7. exd4 Be7 8. Ngf3 {Here white is only slightly better, but black's problem is that the smallest slip will allow white a winning attack.} b6 {Castling was better.} 9. Ne5 {Here again black should castle. Instead, he plays a move that allows white to begin a strong attack.} Nxe5 {This eliminates white's well placed N, but it has the disadvantage of opening thr f-file and allowing white's B on c1 into the game. his best option was to castle and then play ...a5 and ...Ba6 hoping white will allow the exchange of Bs.} 10. fxe5 Nd7 11. O-O a5 (11... O-O {is no better. White has no direct mating attack, but black's position would still be very poor.} 12. Qh5 g6 13. Qe2 Bg5 14. Nf3 Bxc1 15. Raxc1 Qe7 16. Rce1 Bb7 {Black's pieces are all very ineffective whereas white can now launch a promising attack beginning with 17.h4!}) (11... f5 {is met by} 12. g4 {Black has no good answer to this, If} O-O 13. gxf5 exf5 14. Bxf5 Nb8 {An attempt to easee the defense by trading pieces.} 15. Bd3 {White needs to preserve this B.} Na6 16. Rxf8+ Qxf8 17. Qf3 Qxf3 18. Nxf3 {and white has a distinct endgame advantage.}) 12. Qg4 g6 13. Bc2 {[%mdl 128] This avoids the exchange of this valuable B which otherwise would happen after ...Ba6.} Bg5 $2 {The idea is to trade some pieces, but it allows white a nice little tactical response.} (13... f5 {keeps fighting.} 14. exf6 Nxf6 15. Ba4+ {The weakness on the a4-e8 diagonal that Solti mentioned.} Kf7 16. Qh4 {After white adds his N to the attack with Nf3 black will face serious difficulties.}) 14. Nc4 $1 {[%mdl 512]} dxc4 {He can't allow the N to reach d6.} (14... Bxc1 {14...Be7 4.24 gets him mated.} 15. Nd6+ Kf8 16. Qxe6 {[%csl Gd6,Gf1][%cal Re6f7]} Be3+ 17. Kh1 {[%csl Gd6,Gf1][%cal Re6f7]} Nxe5 18. Rxf7+ Kg8 19. Rd7+ Kf8 20. Rf1+ Bf2 21. Rxf2+ Nf7 22. Qxf7#) 15. Bxg5 Qc7 {White now has a crushing finish, bit there was no way to save the game/} 16. Rxf7 $3 {[%mdl 512] Brilliant.} Kxf7 17. Rf1+ {White has a mating attack.} Kg7 18. Bh6+ $1 {[%mdl 512] Another brilliant move!} Kxh6 19. Rf7 Qd8 20. Rxh7+ $3 {[%mdl 512] Yet another brilliant move.} Kxh7 (20... Rxh7 21. Qxg6#) 21. Qxg6# {No wonder this is a classic example of the Stonewall Attack in action.} 1-0