A Brilliancy Prize for Bobby Fischer

    The year 1962 started off with Mikhail Botvinnik winning the Hastings Congress and Viktor Korchnoi winning the Soviet Championship, held in Yerevan. Larry Evans won the US Championship; Bobby Fischer did not play. 

    For some players, it was just a plain bad year. On March 11, 1962, Soviet GM Vyacheslav Ragozin (1908-1962) died in Moscow at the age of 53. On April 3, 1962, Ernst Grünfeld (1893-1962) died in Vienna at the age of 68. On May 4, 1962, the strong Czech master Josef Rejfir (1909-1962) died at the age of 52. On October 9, 1962, Dr. Milan Vidmar (1885-1962) died in Ljubljuna, Yugoslavia at the age of 77. On November 30, 1962, Ossip Bernstein (1882-1962) died in France at the age of 80. 

    On October 25, 36-year-old strong coffeehouse player, Senior Master Abe Turner (1924-1962), who had been employed by Al Horowitz at Chess Review for two weeks, was murdered. He was stabbed in the back 9 times and beaten with a hammer and his 280 pound body stuffed in a large safe in the basement. 

    He and another employee had been taking the trash out of the Chess Review office. Turner’s body was found by the building superintendent that afternoon after he followed a trail of blood. 

    The murderer was a fellow employee who had been as a handyman at Chess Review for six months. His name was Theodore Smith, an ex-mental patient who had not long before been released from an insane asylum. 

    Smith was arrested that night and he led police to the murder weapon, a hunting knife, he had buried in Central Park. He told police that Turner was a Communist spy and had to be killed on orders from the Secret Service. Smith was sent to Bellvue Mental Hospital and from there the trail goes cold. 

    For Bobby Fischer the results were mixed. In April, 1962, the 18-year old Fischer dominated the Stockholm Interzonal, finishing 2.5 points ahead of the field. But, it was Tigran Petrosian who won the Curacao Candidates while Fischer finished in 4th place. He later accused the Russians of cheating by pre-arranging the results of games among themselves. 

    In the following game from Interzonal Fischer’s opponent was Julio Bolbochan (1920-1996), of Argentina. He was born in Buenos Aires and was Argentine Champion in 1946 and 1948. He was awarded the IM title in 1955 and an honorary GM title in 1977. At Stockholm 1962 he finished in 13th place and although he was slated to play at Sousse 1967, illness prevented him from participating. Other than this, most of his chess was in South America. He was the younger brother of Jacobo Bolbochan. 

    The game features a rare sideline against the Sicilian that Fischer had obviously prepared and it won him a brilliancy prize.

 

 

[Event "Stockholm Interzonal"] [Site "Stockholm SWE"] [Date "1962.03.03"] [Round "21"] [White "Robert Fischer"] [Black "Julio Bolbochan"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B90"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "73"] [EventDate "1962.??.??"] {B90: Sicilian Najdorf} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 {In a previous game from the same event against Sam Schweber Fischer chose the usual 5.Be3, but here he plays a rare sideline.} Nc6 {At the time the recommended continuation was 6...e5 7.Nde2 which was believed would give black an edge. But then later it was discovered that very much the opposite was true and white obtained a distinct advantage. Since then though it's known that the position is equal. So, based on the theory at the time Bolbochan tried something else/} (6... e5 7. Nde2 h5 8. Bg5 Be6 9. f4 Nbd7 {with equal chances.}) 7. g4 {[%mdl 32]} Nxd4 8. Qxd4 e5 9. Qd3 Be7 {Fischer correctly claimed that that the immediate 9...Be6 was more accurate.} (9... Be6 10. g5 Nd7 11. f4 exf4 12. Bxf4 Be7 {and eventually Kuzubov,Y (2615)-Korobov,A (2679) Plovdiv BUL 2012 agreed to a draw.}) 10. g5 {Best.} (10. Nd5 Nxd5 11. Qxd5 Qc7 12. c4 Be6 13. Qd3 {Tarnowski,A-Drozd,R Katowice 1961. Black's position is better.}) (10. Bg2 Be6 11. b3 O-O 12. Bb2 b5 13. O-O-O b4 14. Ne2 { Was played in an old game, Gereben,E-Geller,E Budapest 1952, and black stands better.}) 10... Nd7 11. Be3 Nc5 (11... Bxg5 {allows white to obtain a promising game.} 12. Bxg5 Qxg5 13. Qxd6 {and white can rely on his Q-side P-majority to give him a slight edge.}) 12. Qd2 Be6 13. O-O-O O-O 14. f3 Rc8 15. Kb1 {Fischer explained this move by saying that amateurs are often puzzled by this apparently needless move, but it's a handy defensive move, getting out of the pin on the c-file which could become annoying after ...b5-b4. He assed, "One never knows when lightning will strike!"} Nd7 16. h4 b5 17. Bh3 Bxh3 { Unfortunately for black there is no way he can escape trading off his good B. In any case, he is in serious positional trouble. He possibly had hopes of abandon his d-Pawn hoping to put up stiff resistance in a R endgame.} (17... b4 {falls short.} 18. Nd5 a5 19. h5 a4 20. Bxe6 fxe6 21. h6 g6 22. Nxe7+ Qxe7 23. Qxb4) 18. Rxh3 Nb6 19. Bxb6 Qxb6 20. Nd5 {White has a strategically won game; his N cannot be dislodged. -- Fischer} Qd8 21. f4 {Interesting...Fischer does not cash in his positional advantage for a difficult ending, but instead plays for an attack.} (21. Nxe7+ Qxe7 22. Rh2 (22. Qxd6 {loses immediately.} Rfd8) 22... Rc6 23. h5 Rfc8 24. c3 b4 25. cxb4 Rc4 26. a3 Rd4 27. Rc1 Qd7 28. Rxc8+ Qxc8 29. Qc1 {This ending is won, but white still has some work to do.}) 21... exf4 22. Qxf4 Qd7 23. Qf5 {Black may have expected 23.Nf6+} (23. Nf6+ gxf6 24. gxf6 Kh8 25. a3 Rg8 (25... Bd8 26. Rg3 Qe6 27. Rxd6 Qe8 28. Qh6 Rg8 29. Rg7 { wins}) 26. fxe7 Qxe7 27. Rxd6 Rg1+ 28. Ka2 {A result of having played 26.a3} Rxc2 29. Rhd3 Rc8 30. Rxa6 {White is winning, but, again, he has to work for it.}) 23... Rcd8 {This is Black's only move.} (23... Qxf5 24. Nxe7+ Kh8 25. Nxf5 {and white has won a piece.}) 24. Ra3 {[%mdl 32]} (24. Rc3 g6 25. Qf3 Qe6 26. Rc7 Rde8 {is also a win for white, but his text move deflects black's Q to a remote location.}) 24... Qa7 25. Rc3 g6 (25... Qd7 26. Rc7 Qxf5 27. Nxe7+ { as before.}) 26. Qg4 Qd7 27. Qf3 (27. Qxd7 Rxd7 {White is clearly better, but he wants his R on c7} 28. e5 Bd8 (28... dxe5 29. Nf6+) 29. Rc6 {is decisive.}) 27... Qe6 28. Rc7 Rde8 29. Nf4 {An excellent move! The N abandons its fine post on d5 and goes to a square where it stays for the rest of the game. What the move does is clear d5 for the R.} Qe5 30. Rd5 {The black Q is driven to oblivion!.Just 6 moves ago is was uselessly sitting on a7.} Qh8 31. a3 { White pauses to avoid lightening striking on the first rank. Also, it's up to black to try and come up with a useful move, but there isn't one.} h6 32. gxh6 Qxh6 33. h5 Bg5 34. hxg6 $1 {The N is bait, but it can't be taken.} fxg6 (34... Bxf4 35. gxf7+ Rxf7 36. Rxf7 Kxf7 37. Rh5 Qg6 38. Qxf4+ {and white is goping to win this ending one way or another.} Ke7 39. Rg5 Qf7 40. Rf5 Qe6 41. Qe3 Ra8 42. Qb6 Qc8 43. Rh5 Kf7 44. Qxd6) 35. Qb3 {The coup de grace.--Fischer.} Rxf4 ( 35... Kh8 36. Rxg5 Rxf4 37. Qc3+ Kg8 38. Qb3+ Kh8 39. Rd5 Rfxe4 40. Rxd6 Rc4 41. Rxc4 bxc4 42. Qxc4 Qg7 43. Rxa6 {etc.}) 36. Re5+ Kf8 37. Rxe8+ {Black resigns. It's mate in 3. Pue Fischer genius.} (37. Rxe8+ Kxe8 38. Qe6+ Kf8 39. Qc8+ Bd8 40. Qxd8#) 1-0

A Delicate Touch by Salas Romo

    Back in 1951, unemployment was low as was the inflation rateand the average household income was $3,510 a little over $41,000 in today’s dollars. By comparison the average household income in the United States last year was a little over $67,500. Are we any better off? 

    In any case, in 1951, Americans were buying houses in the suburbs, television, refrigerators and new cars which average $1,500, a cheap $17.600 today. Gas was 10 cents a gallon, $2.23 in today’s dollars which made it cheap even in 1951.

    On January 27, nuclear testing officially began at the Nevada Test Site. Between 1951 and 1992, the US government conducted a total of 1,021 nuclear tests there. I started school in 1951 during the Cold War and remember the “Duck and Cover” precautions were were to take in the event of a nuclear attack. We were taught to hide under a desk or against a wall and cover our neck and face; It would keep us safe. Teachers emphasized that the nearest lage ciyt, some 60 miles away, was targeted by the Russians, so it was very important that we pay attention to the training films we had to watch. You can watch one HERE.

    American citizens Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted and sentenced to for conspiracy to commit espionage for the Soviet Union. Eventually, on June 19, 1953, Julius died in the electric chair on the first jolt. Ethel's execution wasn’t as smooth. She was given the normal three shocks and the equipment was shut down. However, a doctor determined that she was still alive so she was hooked up again and zapped twice more. Smoke rose from her head and she was pronounced dead.. 

    The chess year of 1951 started off with West Germany’s Wolfgang Unzicker winning at Hastings. 1951 was the year the title of International Arbiter was created and the International Braille Chess Association was founded. 

    Also in January a seven year old Bobby Fischer played Senior Master and US Speed Chess Champion Max Pavey in a simultaneous exhibition. Fischer blundered his Queen 15 minutes into the game. A 14-yea3 old future GM, Edmar Mednis was also playing Pavey and managed a draw. 

    Milton Hanauer won the 1950-51 Marshall Chess Club championship. and Arnold Denker won the Manhattan Chess Club championship. Seventeen year old James Sherwin won the New York state championship. Mary Bain was the women's champion. 

    In Connecticut a 22-year old future strong master named James Bolton was the first person in the state to get arrested for draft evasion case under the new Selective Service Act after the outbreak of the Korean War. His defense was that the law was unconstitutional. It wasn’t and he spent one year and a day in jail.

    Problemist Alain C. White, Alain (born in 1880) died in Sumerville, South Carolina on On April 23, 1951. Geza Maroczy (1870-1951) died in Budapest at age 81. 

    In Moscow, Mikhail Botvinnik drew a match with David Bronstein to retain his world championship. Paul Keres won the 19th USSR Championship in Moscow The Staunton Centenary tournament in England was won by Svetozar Gligoric. Yugoslavia’s Boris Ivkov, age 17, won the first World Junior championship, held in Birmingham, England. 

    Samuel Reshevsky won the Wertheim Memorial in New York. Larry Evans won the US Championship, also held in New York. Evans also won the US Open, held in Fort Worth, Texas. 

    Not many of the world’s chess players noticed, but down in Chile Rene Letelier (1915-2006) won the championship of Chile. He was awarded the iM title in 1960.

 

 

    In the following game Julio Salas Romo (1913 – 1996) defeats his opponent, about whom I could find no information, with a N+B and a passed Pawn which proved too much for his opponent’s Rook. It’s also amusing top watch the wandering of his opponent’s King. From the late 1930s to the early 1960s, Salas Romo was one of Chile's leading chess players. In 1937, he won his Chile Championship and n repeated in 1954, 1955, and 1962.

[Event "Chile Championship, Santiago"] [Site "?"] [Date "1951.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Julio Salas Romo"] [Black "Hugo Zamora"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B50"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "97"] [SourceVersionDate "2024.04.24"] {B50: Sicilian Defense} 1. e4 c5 2. b3 Nc6 3. Bb2 d6 4. Nf3 e6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Nf6 {White gets a better P-formation after this, so 6...Bd7 might e a better idea.} 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. e5 dxe5 9. Qxd8+ Kxd8 {Watch the King...it's going to mosey up to e5.} 10. Bxe5 Ng4 (10... Bb4+ 11. c3 Bc5 12. Be2 Ke7 13. Bf3 Bd7 14. Nd2 Rhc8 {White is better. Varga,Z (2534)-Pogorelov,R (2449) Balaguer 2003}) 11. Bb2 Bc5 12. Be2 {Very nice! This takes advantage of the undefended N.} Nf6 (12... Bxf2+ $2 13. Kf1 $18 {and black must lose a piece.}) (12... Nxf2 {does not work either.} 13. Rf1 $16 (13. Bxg7 Rg8 $17) 13... Ne4 14. Rxf7 Bb4+ 15. c3 Bd6 16. Rxg7 Bxh2 17. c4 e5 18. Nc3 Bg3+ 19. Kd1 Nf2+ 20. Kd2 Bf4+ 21. Ke1 Be3 22. Rf7 Ng4 23. Ne4 Nh6 24. Rd1+ Bd4 25. Bxd4 {1-0 Krejci, J (2530)-Fuchs,M (2206) Aschach AUT 2014}) 13. O-O Ke7 $16 14. Nc3 Rd8 15. Na4 Bd6 16. Rad1 Bb7 17. Bf3 Rac8 18. Bd4 {Black's weak Q-side Ps are a cause for concern.} Ba6 19. c4 {White would like to be able to play Nc5.} c5 (19... h6 20. Nc5 Bxc5 21. Bxc5+ Ke8 22. Rxd8+ Kxd8 23. Rd1+ Kc7 24. Bxa7 {and white would be winning.}) 20. Bc3 {Keeping the pressure on the v-Pawn with 20.Be3 would have been more accurate.} Rd7 21. Rfe1 Bb7 {This repositioning of the B males sense, but it's a tactical mistake as white alertly demonstrates. Black had to stay passive and defend with 20...Ne8} 22. Rxd6 {[%mdl 512]} Kxd6 (22... Rxd6 23. Bxb7 Rc7 24. Bf3 Rc8 {The endings were ratjer tedious, but white prevailed in 5 Shootouts as the black R was no match for the two Bs.} 25. h3) 23. Rd1+ Nd5 (23... Kc7 24. Be5+ Kd8 25. Rxd7+ Nxd7 26. Bxb7 Nxe5 27. Bxc8 Kxc8 28. Nxc5 {with a won N+P ending.}) 24. cxd5 Bxd5 25. Bxd5 exd5 26. Bxg7 Re7 27. Bb2 d4 28. Ba3 Kd5 29. Kf1 {Safety first...he eliminates any possibility of a first rank mate plus it brings the K closer th the blacks Ps...a handy thing in a few moves. He is now ready to add the R to the attack on che c-Pawn.} Re6 30. Rc1 c4 {Blacj is defending very well...his Ps offer him some play.} 31. Nb2 {Very well played!} (31. bxc4+ {not only makes white task more difficult, but it allows the advantage to swing over to black.} Rxc4 32. Rxc4 Kxc4 33. Nc5 Rh6 34. h3 Rg6 35. g3 d3 36. Ke1 Rg5 37. Kd1 Re5 38. Nb7 Re2 {and black is better.} ) 31... c3 32. Nd3 Re4 33. f3 Re3 $16 34. Nb4+ Ke6 35. Re1 {Black's R is too well placed to leave it on the board.} (35. Nc2 Rd3 36. Re1+ Kd7 37. Bc1 { And noe black has a magic move that equalizes!} Rd2 38. Bxd2 (38. Nb4 a5 39. Nd5 Kd6 40. Nf4 Rxa2) 38... cxd2 39. Rd1 Rxc2 40. Ke2 Rxa2 {White has to be caresult that he doesn;t lose by playing 41.Rxd2} 41. Kd3 (41. Rxd2 Rxd2+ 42. Kxd2 Kc6 43. Kd3 Kb5 44. Kxd4 Kb4 {and wins.}) 41... Rb2 42. Kxd4 Rxb3 43. Rxd2 Rb5 44. Ra2 a5 45. Kc4 Kc6 {This position is drawn.}) 35... Rxe1+ 36. Kxe1 Rc5 37. Ke2 {A tiny slip that allows black to equalize!} (37. Bc1 {leaves black tied up...However, the possibilities are enfless!} a5 38. Nd3 Rc8 39. Kd1 Rg8 ( 39... h5 40. Nf4+ Kd6 41. Nxh5 Rh8 42. g4 d3 43. Bf4+ Kd5) 40. Nf4+ Ke5 41. Ke2 h6 42. Kd3 Rd8 43. g3 Rd7 44. Ne2 h5 45. Bf4+ Kd5 46. Nxd4) 37... Ra5 {[%mdl 8192] A subtle error...this is the wrong Rook file!} (37... Rh5 38. h3 Rg5 39. g4 Re5+ 40. Kd3 Re3+ 41. Kxd4 Rxf3 42. Nd3 c2 43. Bc1 Rg3 44. Bd2 f6 45. Kc3 Rxh3 46. Kxc2 {with a likely draw.}) 38. Nc2 Kd5 39. Kd3 f5 40. Bf8 {White is clearly winning.} a6 41. a4 Ke6 42. Bb4 (42. Bg7 {is not quite as precise/} Rd5 43. Nxd4+ Kf7 44. Bh6 c2 45. Kc4 Rd7 46. Nxc2) 42... Rd5 43. Nxd4+ Kf6 44. Bxc3 Rd8 45. b4 Ke5 46. b5 axb5 47. axb5 f4 48. Kc4 Rg8 49. g4 {Black resigbed. A touchy ending that was played quite well by both players!} 1-0

Reshevsky Returns to Detroit

    Reshevsky first arrived in Detroit in 1920 and a nationally known checker player named Morris Steinberg took an interest in the chess playing boy wonder and in turn interested Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932), a businessman, philanthropist and part owner of Sears in the prodigy.

    Rosenwald determined that it was in that the boy’s best interest to tale a break fro chess and get his education and enjoy “a normal boyhood.” 

    Consequently, between the years 1924-1931 Reshevsky played only occasionally during school breaks. He entered Northern High School in Detroit, from which he graduated with honors. 

    He then entered the University of Chicago and in 1934 earned his accounting degree from the university's School of Commerce after which he revived his chess career. 

    The year before he graduated from college he returned to Detroit to compete for the Western Open title. Reshevsky was asked if he expected to win the tournament and even though Reuben Fine was playing, Reshevsky’s reply was "Who is there to beat me?" He was right in one respect, nobody did beat him and he even defeated Fine, but he did not win the tournament...Fine did! 

    In the last round Fine, as expected, defeated local master Leon Stoltzenberg. Reshevsky was expected to defeat Chicago master Albert Margolis. Instead, Reshevsky narrowly escaped defeat and was lucky to draw. The result was Fine finished first with 12 points and Reshevsky finished second with 11. Arthur Dake was a distant third with 9.5. 

 

    In the following game Reshevsky defeats Egil Opsakl (1902-1984), a Norwegian born electrical engineer. He arrived in the US in 1927 and settled in Detroit. Opsal enlisted in the US Navy and served from 1942 to 1945. His older brother, Haakon Opsahl (1905-2001, 95 years old) was a master player who ended up in Canada. 

    The closed nature of the game made it very difficult to analyze even with the powerful Stockfish engine and in many cases the positions were unclear. 

    The Fritz program has a Shootout Mode in which the engine plays a series of games against itself. When setting up these Shootouts there are a some variable that you can adjust (blitz and long time controls and fixed depth where you can adjust the number of plies). I prefer the latter method and with the minimum plies set at 7 and the maximum at 15 the result is 5 games are played at lightening speed...engines rip through plies extremely fast. Of course, the results may or may not be what would happen if humans were playing! 

    Analyzing this game with Stockfish was extremely difficult; it suggested moves that were only a fraction of a Pawn better at almost every move! Also, some variations, while the engine evaluated them as clearly superior, I think in practical play things would not gave been at all that clear! See what you think. 

[Event "Western Championship, Detroit"] [Site "Detroit, MI USA"] [Date "1933.09.28"] [Round "8"] [White "Samuel Reshevsky"] [Black "Egil Opsahl"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A46"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "77"] [EventDate "1933.??.??"] {Stonewall Attack} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. O-O d5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. f4 {The Stonewall P-formation (Ps on c3, d4, e3 and f4) give white a good N outpost on e5 and may provide him with ab opportunity launch a primitive K-side attack. On the other hand, its a rather inflexible P-structure, long-term light square weaknesses and the bad dark squared B can tell against him.} a6 {An aimless move.} (7... Be7 8. Nd2 O-O 9. Rf3 Ne4 10. Rh3 Nxe5 11. fxe5 f5 12. exf6 Rxf6 {favors black. Mamedyarov,S (2767) -Warmerdam,M (2599) chess.com INT 2021}) 8. Qf3 {By placing the Q here Reshevsky hopes to use it for attacking purposes. The strategy is successful, but only because of black's cooperation.} (8. Nd2 Ne4 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Bc4 g6 11. Qg4 {is equal. Fernandez Hernandez,A (2303)-Janssen,R (2524) Havana CUB 2010}) (8. g4 {might look inviting, but after} Ne4 9. Nd2 Nxe5 10. dxe5 Nc5 { white has no real prospects pf a K-side attack. In fact, it's black who does.} 11. Be2 f6 12. exf6 Qxf6 {Black will play ...O-O-O and then try to take advantage of white's weakened K-side limited in scope pieces.}) 8... g6 { The fianchetto seems to be a good defensive plan against both the Stonewall and the Colle.} 9. Nd2 $14 c5 10. c3 Qc7 11. Qh3 Bg7 12. Ndf3 {Neither side can boast of any advabtage here, but Opsahl's next move is an harbinger of trouble. Why he neglects castling is hard to understand.} h6 (12... O-O 13. Ng5 Qd6 14. Rf3 h6 15. Ngxf7 Rxf7 16. Nxf7 Kxf7 17. g4 Ne4 {White has no effective way to continue. Five Shootouts from this position resulted in white scoring +1 -3 =1, but the games were very long and arduous.}) 13. Bd2 (13. Bxg6 { was certainly a possibility.} fxg6 14. Qxe6+ Kd8 15. Nf7+ Kc8 16. Nxh8 Bxh8 { with a highly unbalanced material situation...a R+2Ps vs. B+N. In Shootouts white scored +1 -0 =4}) (13. Nxf7 {was the correct sacrifice. After} Kxf7 14. Ne5+ Ke8 15. Bxg6+ Kd8 16. Nf7+ (16. Qxe6 Rf8 17. Qh3 Kc8 {Black has a nearly equal position.}) 16... Kc8 17. Nxh8 Bxh8 18. Qxh6 {White's position is very promising. In 5 very messy and very long Shootout games white scored +4 -0 =1}) 13... Ne4 {There is no reason not to castle. Black undefended f7 is a sore point.} (13... Rf8 14. Be1 O-O-O 15. Bg3 Ne4 16. Bxe4 dxe4 17. Nxd7 Qxd7 18. Ne5 {leaves black rather breezy on the Q-side. It's going to take white some time though to get his B and Q into play, but in the long run black's position looks tenuous.}) (13... O-O {looks perfectly safe as although white has the initiative an attempt by white to dig out the K does not seem to work.} 14. g4 Ne4 15. Be1 Nxe5 16. Nxe5 cxd4 17. cxd4 Qe7 18. Bh4 Qe8 19. Bxe4 dxe4 20. Nc4 Qc6) 14. a4 (14. Nxg6 {is interesting, but inconclusive.} Nxd2 15. Nxh8 Nxf3+ 16. Rxf3 Bxh8 17. Qxh6 O-O-O 18. g4 {Stockfish give white s slight edge here, but very messy Shootouts resulted in white scoring + 3 -1 =1}) 14... Ndf6 15. Be1 Qe7 (15... O-O-O 16. dxc5 Nxc5 17. Be2 Nce4 {is about equal/}) (15... O-O { also seems satisfactory.} 16. g4 a5 {and black has sufficient resources to defend the K-side.}) 16. Kh1 (16. Nxf7 {is still playable.} Kxf7 (16... Qxf7 17. Ne5 Qg8 (17... Qe7) 18. Nxg6 Rh7 19. f5 {with a strong initiative.}) 17. Ne5+ Kg8 18. Nxg6 Qe8 19. Nxh8 Kxh8 {but white's advantage is minimal.}) 16... g5 {Opening up the K-side is the wrong strategy. 16...c4 closing the Q-side followed by Q-side castling would have been a much safe course.} 17. Ng1 O-O-O {...c4 here or on the next move would have left his K a bit safer.} 18. Qf3 { Even though his K has left the area it is disadvantageous for black to open up the K-side, OTB that would be hard to judge. Engines give white a two P advantage after 18...g5} h5 19. fxg5 Nxg5 20. Qf4 Nfe4 21. Bxe4 (21. Nxf7 { is bo longer feasible.} Rhf8 22. Nxd8 Rxf4 23. exf4 Qxd8 24. fxg5 Qxg5 { Technically the position offers equal chances, but nobody likes parting with their Q without seeing a clear advantage.}) (21. Bh4 {was the correct move.} f6 {with a clear advantage.} 22. Ng6) 21... Bxe5 22. Qxe5 (22. dxe5 {Taking with the Q loses most of his advantage, but taking with the P leaves white with a clearly better position.} Nxe4 23. Bh4 f6 (23... Qf8 24. Bxd8 Kxd8 25. Qxf7) 24. exf6 Qf7 25. Nf3 Rdf8 26. Ne5 Qc7 27. Ng6) 22... Nxe4 23. Qf4 f6 24. Bg3 Nxg3+ {The vigorous 23...e5 appears to be a worthwhilw try.} (24... e5 25. Qf5+ Kb8 26. Bh4 Rdf8 27. dxe5 Qxe5 {and black should have no difficulties.}) 25. Qxg3 Rdg8 26. Qh4 Rg6 27. Rf2 Kd7 {Now that white has been neutralized white on the K-side, Opsahl turns his attention to getting play on the Q-side, but the correct course would have been to keep the Q0side closed with 27...a5} 28. a5 {It;s white who strikes on the Q-side!} b5 29. dxc5 Rhg8 {With white having gained the advantage on the Q-side black turns his attention back to the K-side...tripling pieces on the g-file} 30. Ne2 {Too slow!} (30. Qxh5 Qg7 31. Qf3 Kc7 32. Ne2 d4 33. e4 f5 {and we are back to equal chances!}) 30... Rg4 { Suddenly Reshevsky is facing problems on g2!} 31. Qh3 d4 32. Nf4 (32. Nxd4 { Paradoxically this is better!} Bxg2+ 33. Rxg2 Rxg2 34. Rd1 Kc7 35. b4 Qd7 { Of course the Q cannot be taken.} 36. Qxe6 Qxe6 37. Nxe6+ Kc8 38. Nf4 {and white has a fighting chance.}) 32... Qxc5 {Black misses a golden opportunity!} (32... e5 33. Nd3 Kc7 {Allowing the R to move.} 34. e4 Bxe4 35. Ne1 Qxc5 { and the attack on g2 leaves white in serious trouble.}) 33. cxd4 ({is the wrong way to capture.} 33. exd4 Qf5 34. Qxh5 Qxh5 35. Nxh5 Rxg2 36. Nxf6+ Kd8 37. Rxg2 Rxg2 38. h4 Rf2+ 39. Kg1 Rxf6 {The situation is, again, black shpould win...theoretically any way!}) (33. Rd1 {[%eval 0,32] [%wdl 5,991,4] [%emt 0: 00:08] Nxh5 Nxf6+} Kc7 $19 {Nxg8}) 33... Qc6 {[%mdl 8192] It's quite logical to increase the pressure on g2, but oddly enough this move leaves white with a decisive advantage!} (33... Qf5 {keeps the chances even after} 34. e4 Qxe4 35. d5 Bxd5 36. Nxd5 Qxd5 37. Qe3 Rxg2 (37... Rd4 {relieves the pressure on g2 and it;s a whole new game after} 38. h3 Rg5 39. Raf1 Qe5) 38. Qa7+ {and as bad as things look for white, black's K cannot escape the Q checks.}) 34. Rd1 (34. Nxh5 Qxg2+ (34... Rxg2 35. Nxf6+ Kd6 36. d5 {wins.}) 35. Rxg2 Bxg2+ 36. Qxg2 Rxg2 37. Nxf6+ Kd6 38. Nxg8 Rxg8 {is also decisive for white.}) ({Much less strong is} 34. Qxh5 $6 Kc8 $18) (34. d5 $142 exd5 35. Nxh5 {[%eval 337,22] [%wdl 1000,0,0] [%emt 0:00:05]} (35. Qxh5 Kc8 $16) 35... f5 36. Rxf5) 34... Rxf4 (34... Kc8 {is a better chance.} 35. Qf3 R4g5 36. d5 exd5 37. Rfd2 d4 38. Qxc6+ Bxc6 39. Rc2 Kb7 40. Rxd4 {In spite of appearances black is still in serious trouble after} f5 41. Rd6 Be4 42. Rb6+ Ka7 43. Rd2 R5g7 44. h3 Rh7 45. Ne6 Rb7 46. Rdd6 Bxg2+ 47. Kh2 Rxb6 48. axb6+ Kb7 49. Nc5+ Kc8 50. Rd7 Rg6 51. b4 Bf3 (51... Rg8 52. Rc7+ Kd8 (52... Kb8 53. Nd7+ Ka8 54. Ra7#) 53. Ne6+ Ke8 54. Rc8+ {ans wins}) 52. b7+ Kb8 53. Rd8+) 35. exf4 Qc4 36. f5 {[%mdl 32]} Qa4 37. fxe6+ {White is clearly winning.} Ke7 38. Qxh5 Rg7 39. d5 {Black resigned. An abrupt end to a massively complicated game.} 1-0

Even Tal Couldn’t Top This

    William M. de Visser (November 5, 1855 0 December 4, 1922, 68 years old) was a charter member of the Manhattan Chess Club, an expert player and organizer. In 1899, he won the New York State Championship. 

    When he died at his country residence in Brentwood on Long Island, New York, chess circles in the New York area lost one of the outstanding figures who for 30 years had been President of the Metropolitan Chess League. 

    As an active member of the Brooklyn Chess Club he occasionally played on its teams. He was also elected an honorary member of the Manhattan Chess Club with which he had been identified in one way or another for nearly 40 years. 

     He captained the first Manhattan team in the first cable match ever played between the Manhattan and British chess clubs. Later, when the Brooklyn Chess Club perfected the system of conducting those matches, he was helpful in furthering the annual international matches between the Brooklyn Chess Club and the City of London Chess Club. 

    de Visser was born in New Orleans, but moved to New York in his youth. He was senior member of the importing and commission house of Thomas J. Owen & Co. in New York. A commission house was a company that executes orders to buy and sell listed securities or commodity future contracts. In that position he succeeded his father0in-law Charles A. Gilberg, a well known problem composer and chess book collector. 

    de Visser’s opponent in the following game was Walter Penn Shipley (1860-1942), a well known organizer and chess patron who was friendly with many famous players. He was the president) of the Franklin Chess Club in Philadelphia. Shipley was also a very strong amateur player. 

    This game ends with de Visser playing a long and entertaining double check, double Bishop mating combination that includes a sham queen sacrifice. I don’t think even Tal ever played such a brilliant game! 

 

[Event "Club Match"] [Site "New York, NY"] [Date "1900.05.30"] [Round "?"] [White "William de Visser (Manhattan)"] [Black "Walter Penn Shipley (Franklin)"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B20"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "59"] [EventDate "1900.??.??"] [Source "Edward Winter, A"] {B20: Sicilian: Wung Gambit} 1. e4 c5 2. b4 {This takes the opponent out of the book and allows white to play d2-d4 and set up the classical P-center with Ps on e4 and d4. Additionally, white also gets quick development if black accepts the gambit. In my database wthe gambit enjoys a giid success rate... among amateurs, of course.} cxb4 (2... e6 3. bxc5 Bxc5 4. d4 Be7 (4... Bb6 { is probably not a good way to decline the gambit because black's B is not especially well placed on b6.}) 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. c3 {is unexplored. Black can play 6...e5 or 6...Nf6}) 3. a3 {This is the most often seen move, but white also has other reasonable options.} e5 (3... d5 {is probably the best way to decline the gambit.} 4. exd5 Qxd5 {Now white should play 5.Nf3 when black is only slightly better. But what he must NOT play is} 5. axb4 Qe5+ {0-1 Kamran Shirazi-John Peters, US Championship, 1984}) (3... bxa3 4. Nxa3 d6 5. Bb2 Nc6 6. d4 Nf6 7. Bd3 e6 8. Nf3 Be7 9. O-O O-O {The position id about equal.}) 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. axb4 Bxb4 6. Bc4 (6. c3 Be7 7. d4 exd4 8. cxd4 d5 9. e5 Bg4 10. Be2 Qb6 11. Be3 {Black has only a slight dvantage, but in Tiarks,J (2231)-Jaskolka, T (2238) chess.com INT 2023 he nursed it to a win.}) 6... Nf6 7. Qe2 (7. c3 Be7 8. Qb3 (8. d4 O-O 9. d5 Na5 10. Rxa5 Qxa5 11. d6 Bd8 12. O-O {Black is considerably better. Nanu,C (2325)-Bernat,R (2140) Szeged 1998}) 8... O-O 9. Ng5 Qe8 10. O-O {favors black. Gorovykh,E (2447)-Yemelin,V (2571) St Petersburg RUS 2010}) 7... O-O 8. O-O d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nd4 11. Qd3 Nf4 (11... Bc5 {was a bit better. After} 12. c3 Nf4 13. Qe4 Qh4 14. Kh1 (14. d3 Bf5 {wins.} 15. Qxb7 Rab8 16. Qa6 (16. Qc7 Bb6) 16... Nh3+ 17. gxh3 Bxh3 18. cxd4 Bxd4 19. Qd6 Bxf1 20. Be3 Bxa1 21. Kxf1 Rxb1+) 14... Bf5 15. Qe3 Nc2 {and the complications are head whirling! Jist a sample of the possibilities...} 16. Qxc5 Nxa1 17. d3 Rac8 18. Qxa7 Nxg2 19. Bxf7+ Kh8 20. Ba3 Qf6 21. Bxf8 Qxe5 22. Bxg7+ Qxg7 23. Qxa1 Bxd3) 12. Qe4 Nfe2+ {[%mdl 8192] Correct was the solid 12.. .Be6} 13. Bxe2 Bf5 14. Qe3 Nxc2 {This is the point of black's 12th move, but he has completely misjudged the position; white has a decisive advantage!} 15. Qf4 Nxa1 16. Qxf5 {This is the right B to capture!} (16. Qxb4 {allows black to equalize after} Nc2 17. Qf4 (17. Qxb7 {is too risky.} Rb8 18. Qxa7 Qd5 19. Qc7 (19. Nf3 Rxb1) 19... Rxb1 20. Bc4 Rb7 21. Bxd5 Rxc7 {favors black, but it's still a very complicated position to play!}) 17... Nd4 18. Bc4 Be6 {an unbalanced position that offers about equal chances.}) 16... Qc7 {At first glance it may be hard to believe, but white is winning.} 17. Bb2 Nb3 18. Bd3 { It's rather amusing that both the Q and now the B have occupied this square in front of the d-Pawn which has not made the thematic advance to d4 and bever does.} g6 {Incredibly tjis allows a mate in 13!} (18... Rfe8 {avoids the mate, but still loses.} 19. Qxh7+ Kf8 20. Qh8+ Ke7 21. Qxg7 Kd8 22. Nxf7+ Kc8 23. Bf5+ Kb8 24. Be5 {White wins/} Rxe5 25. Qh8+ Bf8 26. Qxf8+ Re8 27. Qxe8+ Qc8 28. Qxc8#) 19. Ng4 (19. Qf6 {is a forced mate as follows...} Qc3 20. Bxc3 Bxc3 21. Nxc3 Nxd2 22. Ng4 h5 23. Nh6+ Kh7 24. Nxf7 Rg8 25. Ng5+ Kh6 26. Ne6 Nf3+ 27. gxf3 Kh7 28. Qe5 Kh6 29. Qg5+ Kh7 30. Qxh5#) 19... Bc3 {The only move to avoid immediate disaster...it prevents Nf6#} (19... gxf5 20. Nf6+) 20. Qf6 { [%mdl 512] A brilliant riposte.} Bxf6 21. Nxf6+ {[%mdl 32]} Kg7 (21... Kh8 22. Ne8+) 22. Ne8+ Kg8 23. Nxc7 Rad8 24. Be4 Nxd2 25. Nxd2 Rxd2 26. Bc3 Re2 27. Nd5 f5 28. Bd3 Ra2 29. Bc4 Ra4 30. Ne7# {A brilliant win by de Visser.} 1-0

A Rococo Finale by Devos

    In 1948, in the small town (population less than 25,000) of Baarn, located about 22 miles southeast of Amsterdam, Paul Bevos and Baruch H. Wood met. Devos won the Brilliancy Prize in a game in which the final position was described as being positively bizarre or fantastic. 

    The final position was also described as “rococo” which was a new word to me. It has three meanings: 1) an 18th century style of architecture 2) an 18th century musical style and 3) excessively ornate or intricate. 

    In any case, in regards to the final position, tale you pick of descriptions: bizarre, fantastic or rococo. They all seem to fit! 

 

    Paul Devos (1911-1981) was seven times Belgian champion in 1933, 1936, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1945 and 1948. 

    Baruch H. Wood (1909-1989) was an English player, editor and author. Between 1938 and 1957, Wood was the champion of Warwickshire eight times. In 1948, he tied for second place at the British Championship and he won the British correspondence championship in 1944–45. In 1935, Wood founded the magazine CHESS, which became one of the two leading chess magazines in Great Britain. He also held various administrative position in various British chess organizations.

 

[Event "Baarn"] [Site "?"] [Date "1948.04.21"] [Round "?"] [White "Baruch H. Wood"] [Black "Paul Devos"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E37"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "54"] [EventDate "1948.??.??"] {E37: Nimzo-Indian: Classical} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Ne4 7. Qc2 c5 8. dxc5 Nc6 {This line in the Noa Variation usually gives rise to complicated positions requiring subtle play. At the time it was thought the P sacrifice was not sound.} 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Nf3 Bf5 { Black can regain the P with 10...Qa5+, but the text is more aggressive} (10... Qa5+ 11. Bd2 Qxc5 12. Qxc5 Nxc5 {with a benign position.}) 11. b4 O-O 12. Bb2 d4 {Devos continues his aggressive play.} (12... Re8 {is solid.} 13. Rd1 b6 14. e3 bxc5 15. Bb5 Qb6 {with equal play. Ivanchuk,V (2717)-Topalov,V (2718) Monte Carlo 2001}) 13. Qc4 Re8 14. Nxd4 {[%mdl 8192] This turns out to be the losing move. White is under too much pressure ti be be able to afford taking the second P.} (14. Rd1 {is the correct move, but even here white cannot afford a misstep!} Bg4 15. Bxd4 Nxd4 16. Qxd4 Qe7 17. Qe3 {The Q had to go to b2. Or, even e5 then is black exchanges on e5 white has a P-fork with e3} Rad8 18. Nd2 {Instantly fatal. The N had to go to d4.} Qd7 19. Qb3 Nxd2 20. Qc2 Bxe2 { White resigned; he is losing lots of material. Brown,M (2121)-Bodek,M (2191) Crossville USA 2011} 21. Rxd2 Bxf1+ 22. Kd1 Qg4+ 23. f3 Qxg2 24. Rxd8 Rxd8+ 25. Kc1 Qxh1 {etc.}) 14... Qf6 {Black has a decisive advantage.} 15. Ra2 {The worst of the evils facing white is apparent after this move, the idea of which is to defend the B and free the N to move. However, it really doesn't matter because white's position is lost whatever he plays.} Be6 16. Nxe6 Qxf2+ (16... Qxe6 {Was this what white was expecting?} 17. Qxe6 Rxe6 18. f3 Nf6 19. e4 { and it's white who is winning.}) 17. Kd1 Rxe6 18. Bc3 {Unmasking his R.} Rd8+ 19. Kc2 {On the surface it looks like white might be able to defend himself, but the engines demonstrates a forced mate in 10/} Qe3 {A "slip" that leaves black only a little more than a R+P advantage according to the engine.} (19... Nxc3 20. Ra1 Re3 21. Rc1 Nb5 22. Ra1 Qf6 23. Kb1 Nc3+ 24. Kc1 Na4 25. Ra2 Rc3+ 26. Rc2 Rxc4 27. Kb1 Rxc2 28. Kxc2 Qb2#) 20. h4 {White tries to free himself from black's merciless grip, but it's fr too late' Black now generates a crushing attack.} Rd2+ {[%mdl 512] A brilliant sacrifice.} 21. Bxd2 Qxd2+ 22. Kb3 Nd4+ {Black mates...in 16 moves.} 23. Ka4 {This shortens the agony...it's mate in 2} (23. Qxd4 Qxd4 24. Rh3 Qd1+ 25. Rc2 Qb1+ 26. Rb2 Nd2+ 27. Kc3 Qc1+ 28. Rc2 Nb1+ 29. Kb3 Qxa3+ 30. Kc4 Re4+ 31. Kd5 Qxb4 32. Rd3 Na3 33. Rb2 Qc4+ 34. Kd6 Qe6+ 35. Kc7 Qc6+ 36. Kb8 Re8+ 37. Rd8 Rxd8+ 38. Kxa7 Qa6#) 23... Qd1+ {After this it's now mate in 3} (23... Nc3+ 24. Qxc3 Ra6#) 24. Ka5 Ra6+ (24... Qa4+ 25. Kxa4 Nc3+ 26. Qxc3 (26. Ka5 Nc6#) 26... Ra6#) 25. Qxa6 {It's still mate in 3} Qa4+ {[%mdl 512]} 26. Kxa4 Nc3+ 27. Ka5 Nb3# {Rococo does seem the best description of the finale.} 0-1

Who was F. R. Chevalier?

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

Chess On the High Seas

    I don’t think I have ever presented a game from this far back…April 11, 1853. That was the year Howard Staunton went to Brussels to meet with Tassilo von der Lasa, Germany’s leading player, to standardize the rule. Staunton also lost a match (+4 -5 =3) to von der Lasa. Chess historian Bill Wall noted that the matych was supposed to be longer, but Staunton was feeling ill (heart palpitations) and returned to London. 

    Chessplayers lost that year were the leading Philadelphia player Chales Verzin (1781-1853) and the great German player Lionel Kieseritzky (1806-1853) who died in Paris at the young age of 47. He was committed to a mental home in Paris and was buried in a pauper's grave. 

    In New York City that year an 8-player knockout tournament was held. One interesting aspect was that some of the players were given material odds by the better players. James Thompson defeated Adolphe Möhle by a score of 3-0. Both players won a chess set as their prize. 

     The following game was played by a Mister McCoombe who was saileing from Glasgow, Scotland to Melbourne in Australia. The ship was in the Bay of Biscay which is located west of France and north of Spain. Just a note in passing, according to Bill Wall1853 was the year the first time a chess game was played using signals at sea between ships. 

    The Bay’s average depth is 5,722 feet and its maximum depth, a little south of its center, is 15,525 feet. The Bay is noted among sailors for its rough seas. Gales can be severe and winds may exceed 70 miles per hour. Squalls are also a hazard and may occur at any time of year. Not the place to be, especially on an 1850s ship! 

    Mister McCoombe’s opponent was a Frenchman, Monsieur Luiser, who was in an adjoining cabin. It was to be a 10,000 mile trip, so they played a lot of chess.

    After white played his 10th move in the following game it was adjourned at Monsieur Luiser’s request because the ship was encountering very rough seas and the pieces would not stay put. The game was continued the next day. 

    As Mister McCoombe humorously told it, after adjournment as he was packing up the pieces, Monsieur Luiser scampered towards the bow of the ship. Just as he was about to climb up to the The forecastle (the upper deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast. Historically, it is the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters) a huge wave hit the ship causing it to rise and fall with tremendous violence. Monsieur Luiser was knocked down and soaked and slowly staggered back to his cabin. I guess you had to be there. By the way, for an idea of what heavy seas look like, check out my post HERE! 

    Playing through the game quickly gave the impression that white had a pretty easy win, but analysis showed it was filled with complications galore! Thinking about the conditions under which it was played makers you wonder how they players managed to play as well as they did! 

 

[Event "The ship Abdalla, in the Bay of Biscay"] [Site "?"] [Date "1853.04.11"] [Round "?"] [White "A.G. McCoombe"] [Black "Monsieur Luiser"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C23"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "51"] [EventDate "1853.??.??"] {C23: Bishop's Opening: 2...Bc5} 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 {In the Bishop's Opening white atta ks f7. It’s one of the oldest openings to be analyzed, dating back to the late 1400’s and early 1500s. In modern time Weaver Adams once advocated it as winning, but when he couldn’t prove it, he switched to the Vienna as a winning opening, but he couldn’t prove that either. In more recent time some attacking players (Larsen, Kasparov, Nunn and Leko) have used it as a surprise, but it really only leads to equality.} Bc5 {The most popular move is 2...Nf6 (the Berlin Defense) because it forces white to devide how to defend his e-Pawn. The text is the Classical Defense; it offers white a slew of possibilities.} 3. Qe2 {When I first saw this I thought beginner's move!. But I was wrong! It shows up in my database with white scoring +5 -3 =0.} d6 ( 3... Ne7 4. Bxf7+ Kf8 {Losing. He needed to take the B.} 5. Bc4 d6 6. Nc3 Nd7 7. d3 Nb6 8. Bb3 Bb4 9. Qh5 c5 10. Qd1 {1-0 Castillo,D (2041)-Tanha,T Dresden 2008}) 4. f4 {While hardly bad, this may be a bit too aggressive.} (4. d3 Nf6 { Equally good is 6...Nc6} 5. c3 a6 6. Bg5 {with equal chances. Gohlke,H (2166) -Gilde,G (1630) Sottrum 2005}) 4... exf4 5. Nf3 g5 {While this move is seen in similar positions in the K-Gambit, here it's not good because of white's next move. The solid 5...Nc6 was much safer.} 6. d4 (6. b4 {is an interesting alternative.} Bb6 (6... Bxb4 7. Bb2 Nf6 8. Nxg5 Qe7 9. Bxf7+ {and black is in a difficult situation.}) 7. Bb2 Nf6 8. Nxg5 Qe7 9. Bxf7+ {etc.}) 6... Bb6 (6... g4 {fails against} 7. dxc5 gxf3 8. Qxf3 Be6 9. Bxe6 fxe6 10. Bxf4 {At first glance black's position looks safe enough, but he is, in fact, losing because his K has nowhere that's safe.} Ne7 11. cxd6 cxd6 12. Nc3 O-O 13. Qg3+ Kh8 14. Bxd6) 7. g3 {Terrible, but things are a little tricker than they appear!} (7. h4 {keeps the pressure on black.} Nc6 (7... g4 8. Ng5 Nh6 9. Bxf4 {and black's position is on the verge of collapse.}) 8. hxg5 Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Bxd4 10. Bxf7+ Kxf7 11. Qc4+ Ke8 12. Qxd4 Qxg5 {White can easily fall into a trap here!} 13. O-O (13. Qxh8 Qxg2 14. Rf1 Qg3+ 15. Rf2 Qg1+ {White has to consent to the draw here and not play} 16. Ke2 Bg4+ 17. Kd3 Qg3+ 18. Kc4 Be6+ 19. Kb5 Qxf2 20. Ka4 b5+ 21. Ka3 Qxc2 22. Nc3 a5 23. b3 b4+ 24. Ka4 Bd7+ 25. Nb5 Bxb5+ 26. Kxb5 Qc5+ 27. Ka4 Qc6#) 13... Qf6 14. Qd3 Ne7 15. Bxf4 {White's better, but black has chances of surviving.}) 7... fxg3 {[%mdl 8192] Very obliging on black's part.} (7... g4 8. Nh4 Bxd4 (8... f3 {is also OK.} 9. Qd3 Qf6 10. Be3 {with the slightly better position.} Nc6) 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Qc4+ Be6 11. Qxd4 Qf6 { Black is slightly better.}) (7... Nc6 {Developing is his best course of action. } 8. c3 {and now} g4 9. Nh4 f3 {and in this position it's black who stands slightly better.}) 8. Nxg5 (8. hxg3 {was not nearly as good.} Bg4 9. Qd3 Nc6 10. Bxg5 f6 11. Bh4 Qd7 {followed bo ...O-O-O and black has nearly equalized.}) 8... Nh6 {This should have lost quickly.} (8... Nf6 {was necessary.} 9. Bxf7+ Kf8 10. hxg3 Nc6 11. c3 Qe7 12. Bh5 {and, at leaset, black has avoided immediate defeat.}) 9. O-O {After this move white's advantage completely disappears!} (9. hxg3 {attacking the N wraps it up.} Ng8 10. Bxf7+ Kf8 11. Bxg8 Kxg8 (11... Rxg8 12. Qf2+ Qf6 13. Qxf6+ Ke8 14. Qf7+ Kd8 15. Qxg8+ Kd7 16. Rxh7+ Kc6 17. Qd5#) 12. Nc3 c6 13. Bf4 Qf6 14. O-O-O {With all his pieces in play white is ready to launch the final assault. After a break to to get a coffee this is Stockfish's continuation...} d5 15. exd5 h6 16. Nge4 Qg6 17. Qc4 Bd8 18. dxc6+ Qf7 19. c7 Bxc7 20. Nf6+ Kg7 21. Nh5+ Kg6 22. Qxf7+ Kxf7 23. Bxc7 Kg6 24. Rdf1 Nd7 25. Nf4+ Kh7 26. Ne6 Rg8 27. Bf4 Rg6 28. Nc7 Rb8 29. N7d5 { with a clear win.}) 9... O-O {[%mdl 8192] Black counterblunders. It's odd that castling is a blunder!} (9... Rg8 {and black has nothing to worry about.} 10. Qh5 (10. Nxh7 Bxd4+ 11. Kh1 g2+ {wins}) 10... Rg6 11. h3 Nd7 (11... Bxd4+ 12. Kg2 Nd7 13. Nxh7 {is good for white.}) 12. c3 (12. Nxh7 g2 13. Rf3 Ne5 14. Bxh6 Bxd4+ {wins for black.})) 10. Qh5 {At this point the game was adjourned due to rough seas, but white is already winning.} Bxd4+ 11. Kh1 {This is another mistake after which the chances remain about equal.} (11. Kg2 {keeps the win in hand.} Bg7 12. Nxf7 Nxf7 13. Bxf7+ Rxf7 14. Rxf7 Be6 15. Rxg7+ Kxg7 16. Qh6+ Kf7 17. Bg5 Qf8 18. Qf6+ Kg8 19. Qxe6+) 11... Bg7 12. Rxf7 (12. Nxf7 {Now it's clear why the K should have gone to g2.} Nxf7 13. Bxf7+ Kh8 {and he has to play Kg2 anyway in order to defend the R and so black can equalize.} 14. Kg2 Qd7 15. hxg3 Qg4) 12... Rxf7 $11 13. Nxf7 Nxf7 14. Bxf7+ {Once again the chances of both sides can be considered equal.} Kf8 {Also good was 14...Kh8} 15. Bg5 {[%mdl 128] Black needs to defend precisely.} Bf6 {[%mdl 8192] Which he does not!} (15... Qd7 16. Bd5 c6 17. Nc3 {Essential...white must bet his R into play.} (17. Bb3 g2+ 18. Kg1 Bd4+ 19. Kxg2 Qh3+ 20. Qxh3 Bxh3+ 21. Kxh3 Bxb2 {wins for black.}) 17... cxd5 18. Rf1+ Kg8 19. Nxd5 Nc6 20. Rf4 g2+ 21. Kg1 Bd4+ 22. Kxg2 Qh3+ 23. Qxh3 Bxh3+ 24. Kxh3 Bxb2 {White's and black's chances are comparable.}) 16. Nc3 {[%mdl 32] Once his R gets into play the game will be over.} Bxg5 17. Qxh7 g2+ 18. Kxg2 Bf4 (18... Bh3+ {was a long shot for if} 19. Kxh3 Qd7+ 20. Kg3 Qxf7 {he can play on...for a while anyway.}) 19. Qg8+ {White now has a mate in 7 which he pulls off precisely.} Ke7 20. Nd5+ Kd7 21. Be8+ {[%mdl 512] Nice!} Qxe8 22. Nf6+ Kc6 23. Qc4+ Kb6 24. Nd5+ Ka5 25. Qb4+ Ka6 26. Nxc7# {What a game!!} 1-0

Waltuch Wallops Gurnhill

    Needless to say, with WWII going on there wasn’t a lot of chess activity going on, especially in England. 

    January was the start of the nocturnal Luftwaffe bombing offensive chiefly targeted at the Greater London area which lasted until May. Later, in September, the first V-2 rocket attack on London was launched from The Hague. And, on June 6th, D-Day for the Normandy landings was launched. It involved 155,000 Allied troops. 

    In other British news, in February a pay as you earn system of tax collection introduced and in May the prohibition on married women working as teachers was lifted. Instituted in primary schools in 1923, the practice, known as the Marriage barm was a way of tying women to the home after marriage, It was a common practice in teaching and the civil service in the UK at the time. 

    The last English championship had been held in Brighton in 1938 and it was won by C.H.O’D. Alexander and Minnie Musgrave was the women’s champion. Elaine Saunders (later Pritchard) won the 1939 women’s championship that was held in Bournemouth. No further championships for either men or women were held until Nottingham 1946 when Robert F. Combe and Elaine Saunders won. 

    One of the few exceptions was a small event held in Blackpool on England’s west coast in July of 1944. It consisted of a Premier tournament, a Major tournament and a First Class tournament. The Premier and Major sections consisted of six players while the First Class was divided into six sections. The Major section was won by Leslie Dewing.

 

 

    David Hooper’s success on the Premier was notable and fully deserved. Victor Wahltuch demonstrated his uncompromising and attacking style (he was the only player with no draws) with had been bringing him much local success for decades.

    The triple tie for third place was a fierce struggle. The failure of the 79-year old Jacques Mieses showed that his advanced age was just too great a handicap and that he no longer had the stamina for even a short tournament. 

`The game between Wahltuch and Gurnhill was an exciting one. It started out with a slow Colle System in which Gurnhill with black equalized early. Wahltuch’s aggressive play was not quite sound and his opponent got the advantage. However, Gurnhill didn’t play aggressively enough and his advantage vanished. Then, even worse, he underestimated Wahltuch’s resources and made what turned out to be the losing move at move 28. 

    The winner, Victor Wahltuch (1875-1953) was the son of the prominent Manchester physician Adolphe Wahltuch (1827-1907), an Russian-born English physician and chess writer. He was known as a successful practitioner and as a prolific writer of medical works. An avid chess player, he edited the chess column in the Manchester Weekly Times and founded several chess clubs in the city. .

    Victor shared first at Blackpool 1907, won at Blackpool 1908 and tied for 3rd-4th at Blackpool 1910. In the 1912 British Championship he tied for 9-10th. After World War I, he played in several international tournaments held in England with modest success. He also played for England in the Olympiad at Prague on 1931. 

     His opponent, Charles Gurnhill (1891-1972) was a Sheffield player who, in his day, was one of Sheffield's strongest players. 

 

[Event "Blackpool Premier"] [Site "Blackpool"] [Date "1944.07.18"] [Round "2"] [White "Victor Wahltuch"] [Black "Charles Gurnhill"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D04"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "65"] [EventDate "1944.07.17"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "5"] [EventCountry "ENG"] {D04: Colle System} 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 {A major theme of the Colle is the to play a well-timed e3-e4. White can also opt for the Zukertort system by fiachettoing his c1B. Used mostly by amateurs, the Colle is no longer the dreaded weapon it was back in the old days when Edgar Colle and George Koltanowksi and others used it with great success. In modern time English GM John Nunn called it innocuous. I think the more aggressive Torre Attack (3.Bg5) is more likely to produce good play for white.} Bf5 {More popular are 3...e6 and 3...c5. The text is an obvious attempt to neutralize the B on d3 which eyes h7. In my database 3...Bf5 enjoys a much better success rate than either of these two move. Hiwever, the defense with the highest success rate is 3... g6.} 4. Bd3 e6 (4... Bxd3 5. cxd3 e6 6. Nc3 c5 {offers little to either side/}) 5. Bxf5 exf5 {White's intention of playing e4 has now been ruled out.} 6. Qd3 Qc8 (6... g6 {This careless move is met by} 7. Qb5+ {picking up the b-Pawn. Black can harass the Q, but it will not gain him any advantage.}) 7. Nbd2 (7. O-O c6 8. c4 dxc4 9. Qxc4 Bd6 10. Nc3 O-O 11. a4 {as played in Breyer, G-Rubinstein,A Gothenburg 1920 only lead to a long, boring draw.}) (7. c4 dxc4 8. Qxc4 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. b3 Nbd7 11. Ba3 {as played in Landau,S-Euwe,M Amsterdam 1931 had the same result.}) 7... Be7 8. Nf1 O-O 9. Bd2 Ne4 10. c4 c6 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Rc1 Nc6 13. a3 Qd7 14. Bc3 Rac8 15. N3d2 a6 {So far this has been the kind of game Jiohn Nunn was thinking about when he called the Colle innocuous. White could have kept it that way with 16.Ng3} 16. Nxe4 {This is not good because black now has a space advantage and some attacking possibilities.} fxe4 $17 17. Qe2 f5 18. f4 {Further weakening his position. Either 18.Ng3 ot even 18.g3 were called for.} Bh4+ (18... exf3 {was mucj more advantageous.} 19. gxf3 f4 {and black's advantage borferd on decisive!} 20. Rd1 Rce8 21. Rd3 b5 {black is attacking on all fronts!}) 19. g3 Bf6 20. Rd1 Qf7 { Black is better here, but if white plays 21.Nd2 making progress will prove very difficult.} 21. g4 {Technically this is not a good plan; it opens up the position where black is bvetter placed. Practically speaking though it might be good idea...black goes astray defending himself so things worked out for white after all.} Bh4+ 22. Kd2 h6 {...and just like that black's advantage has disappeared!} (22... Qc7 {With nothing to be done on the K-side at the moment this move, switching to the Q-side and intending ...Na5-c4 cause white some consternation.} 23. Ng3 (23. b4 Nxd4) 23... Na5 24. Ke1 {He can run, but he can't hide...statement attributed to boxer Joe Louis of his challenger Billy Conn in 1946.} (24. Bxa5 Qxa5+ 25. b4 Qa4 26. Rc1 Qxa3 {and black is winning.}) 24... Nc4 25. Rc1 Rf6 26. g5 Rc6 27. Kf2 h6 {White has no usefull moves.}) 23. Ng3 g6 24. gxf5 gxf5 25. Qg2 Kh7 {So as to be able to challenge white on the g-file.} 26. Qh3 Be7 27. Rhg1 {[%mdl 32]} b5 28. Rg2 a5 {[%mdl 8192] This is a gross blunder. Gurnhill has completely underestimated the possibilities in white's position.} (28... Qf6 {This save the game. Now after...} 29. Rdg1 (29. Nxf5 {just loses a piece.} Qxf5) 29... Qh4 {and black has avoided all danger.}) 29. Rdg1 {Threatening mate with Nxf5!} Qe6 (29... b4 30. Nxf5 $1 {[%mdl 512]} bxc3+ 31. Ke1 Qf6 32. Rg7+ Kh8 33. R7g6 Qxg6 34. Rxg6 Bh4+ 35. Qxh4 Rf7 36. Rxh6+ Rh7 37. Rxh7+ Kg8 38. Rg7+ Kf8 39. Qh8#) (29... Rg8 {fails to} 30. Nxf5 Rxg2+ 31. Rxg2 Bf8 32. Nxh6 Bxh6 33. Qxc8 {with a won position.}) 30. Nxf5 { [%mdl 512] White wants to mate with Rg7+.} Rf6 (30... Rf7 31. Rg6 Qxg6 32. Rxg6 Kxg6 33. Nh4+ Bxh4 (33... Kf6 34. Qxc8) 34. Qxc8 {White is winning.}) (30... Qxf5 31. Rg7+ Kh8 32. Qxh6+ Qh7 33. Qxh7#) 31. Rg7+ {White mates.} Kh8 32. Qg3 Rxf5 33. Rh7+ {[%mdl 512] Black resigned.} 1-0

The Naegeli Syndrome and Chess

    Dr. Oskar Naegeli (January 25, 1885 - November 16, 1959), was a Swiss player and dermatologist. 

    In the field of dermatology, the Naegeli–Franceschetti–Jadassohn syndrome is named after him. It is a rare condition characterized by reticular skin pigmentation (distinct brown or pink-red areas or raised bumps that form a net-like pattern), diminished function of the sweat glands, the absence of teeth and thickening of the skin of the palms and soles of the feet. One of the most striking features is the absence of fingerprints. It’s caused by mutations of a gene. Treatment is based on an individual's symptoms. 

    Naegeli was the son of the physician Otto Naegeli (1843-1922) and the brother of the \Otto Naegeli (1871-1938) who were prominent hematologists (specialists in diagnosing, treating and managing diseases that affect the blood). 

    He studied at Geneva, Zurich, Munich, and Heidelberg, obtaining his medical doctorate at Zurich in 1909. He worked in Freiburg at the pathological institute. Later he worked at the university dermatological clinic at Bern. His work concerns immunity research in dermatology and the diagnosis and treatment of syphilis.

    Chesswise, he represented Switzerland at the Chess Olympiads in 1927, 1928, 1931 and 1935 as well as at the unofficial Olympiad in 1936 at Munich.

    Naegeli won Swiss Chess Championship in 1910 and 1936. He lost a match to Dr. Ossip Bernstein by a score of 1-3 in 1932 and to Salo Flohr (by a score of 2-4) in 1933. He participated in the strong international tournaments at Berne 1932 and Zurich 1934, both won by Alekhine. 

    In the following game he pulls off a ni8ce win against Lacido Soler (1903-1964) who was one of the strongest players in Spain in the 1920s and 1930s. He won the Catalan Championship in 1924 and1931. He finished second in the Catalan Championship (1926).1 

    In 1926, he won the silver medal in the Catalan team Championships. In 1921, he was co-founder and first chairman of the Barcelona Chess Club. He was also a chess journalist and was the founder of the chess journal Els Escacs a Catalunya. 

 

[Event "Chess Olympiad Final, London"] [Site "London ENG"] [Date "1927.??.??"] [Round "9"] [White "Placido Soler"] [Black "Oskar Naegeli"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B83"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "1927.07.18"] {B83: Sicilian Scheveningen} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 e6 {This seemingly modest d6–e6 P-center gives black a solid defensive setup, controls the critical d5 and e5 squares and has the flexibility to break in the center with either ...e5 or ...d5.} 7. O-O Be7 8. b3 {A rare sideline that is not particularly effective. Ususal is 8.Be3} O-O 9. Bb2 a6 {Just one of deveral reasonable moves.} (9... Qb6 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. Re1 Bb7 {is equal. Apicella,M (2515)-Stefansson,H (2569) Cappelle la Grande FRA 1999}) (9... e5 10. Nf3 h6 11. Nd2 Nd4 12. Bc4 Bg4 {with complete equality. Dzierzenga,S (2178)-Novak,P (2349) Jenbach AUT 2013}) 10. Kh1 {White wants to play f2-f4 and so removes his K from the a7-g1 diagonal.} Qc7 11. Bf3 {This is hard to explain. First he placed one B in a rather passive position and now he does the same with the other one.} (11. f4 {is the thematic move.} Bd7 12. Nf3 b5 13. a3 Ng4 14. Qd2 Qb6 15. h3 Nf6 16. e5 {with an active position. Arnaudov, P (2129)-Peev,P (2320) Plovdiv 2003}) 11... Ne5 12. Be2 b5 13. a3 Bb7 14. f4 Ned7 15. Bf3 Rac8 16. Rc1 {Passive. 16.Qe1 and 17.Rd1 is a plausible plan.} Rfd8 17. Qe2 Nb6 18. Rfd1 Nbd7 (18... g6 {This is a more active move. It prevents f5 after black play ...e5} 19. Qf2 e5 20. Nde2 Bf8 {Repositioning the B to a more active square.} 21. Nd5 Bxd5 22. exd5 Bg7 {with just a very slightly better position because his pieces a better positioned.}) 19. Re1 Nc5 20. b4 Ncd7 21. Nb3 Nb6 22. Nd2 Rd7 {For the last few moves both sides have been jockeying for position without accomplisging much. White should continue that strategy with, say, 23.Qf2. Insteaf he embarks on the aggressive idea of advancing his e-Oawn in a position where his pieces do not support such an advance.} 23. e5 dxe5 24. Bxb7 Qxb7 25. fxe5 Nfd5 26. Nce4 {Clearly black is better, but it's hard to see that white's position is very close to collapsing. } Nf4 {This N is going to play a major role.} 27. Qg4 {Better was 27.Qe3 and 28.Bd4} Ng6 28. Nb3 Nc4 {[%mdl 32] This move could not have been prevented.} 29. Nec5 {A tactical miscalulation.} (29. Bd4 {was called for, but white would still be in serious difficulties after...} Qc6 30. Nec5 Bxc5 31. Nxc5 h5 32. Qd1 (32. Qxh5 Rxd4) 32... Rd5 33. c3 Ngxe5) 29... Bxc5 30. Nxc5 {This fork was probably what white was counting on because if black moves the threatened Q...} Rxc5 {[%mdl 512] ...and wins!} (30... Qc7 31. Nxd7 Qxd7 32. Qd4 Qxd4 33. Bxd4 Nxa3 34. c3 {an unclear position has been reached.}) 31. bxc5 Nxb2 32. Qb4 Nc4 33. Rcd1 {White is lost, but thus move falls into a mate in 10!} Nf4 {A major player steps up.} 34. c6 Qxc6 {White resigned as mate cannot be avoided.} ( 34... Qxc6 35. Rd5 (35. Rg1 Rxd1 {mates in 2}) 35... Qxd5 36. Rg1 Nxg2 37. Qc5 (37. Rxg2 Qd1+ 38. Rg1 Qf3+ 39. Rg2 Rd1+ 40. Qe1 Rxe1#) 37... Qxc5 38. h4 Nge3 39. a4 Qxe5 40. Rf1 Qe4+ 41. Rf3 Qxf3+ 42. Kg1 Qg2#) 0-1

Fine – Najdorf Match, 1949

    In the winter of 1948, when it came to the attention of the Manhattan Chess Club that three top foreign players would be spending December in New York, a tournament was put together on short notice. 

    The masters in question were former world champion Max Euwe, Miguel Najdorf and Swedish champion Gideon Stahlberg. Unfortunately, Stahlberg would not be staying in New York long enough to participate, so he declined. His invitation went to Samuel Reshevsky, who also declined. Argentinian master Herman Pilnik found out about the tournament from Najdorf and offered to fill the empty seat and so he did. 

    When it was all over Fine had defeated Najdorf in their individual game and so took first with Najdrof finishing second. Euwe and Pilnik tied for third. 

    After the tournament Euwe went on tour giving simuls while Fine and Najdorf played a little publicized 8-game match. The hard-fought match ended in a draw.

 

    The majority of the games were played at the Manhattan and Marshall chess clubs; Edward Lasker acted as referee. Fine looked like an easy winner when he won the first two games making it three in a row (counting the tournament) that he had taken from Najdorf. Then Najdort rallied winning games 3 and 4 to tie the natch. The final four games resulted in draws. 

    In the following game, the first game of the match, Fine made quick work of his redoubtable opponent. 

[Event "Match, New York"] [Site "?"] [Date "1949.??.??"] [Round "1"] [White "Miguel Najdorf"] [Black "Reuben Fine"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E34"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "54"] [SourceVersionDate "2024.04.15"] {E34: Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 { The Classical (aka Capablanca) Variation was popular in the early days of the Nimzo-Indian, and though eventually superseded by 4.e3 (the Rubinstein Variation), but it made a revival in the 1990s. White';s plan is to acquire the two Bs and at the same time avoid doubled c-Pawns. On the down side, his Q move will lose a tempo of two.} d5 {Besides this move b;ack has three other common replies: 4...0-0, 4...c5 and 4...Nc6} 5. cxd5 Qxd5 {Equally good is 5... exd5} 6. Nf3 c5 7. Bd2 Bxc3 8. Bxc3 O-O 9. dxc5 (9. e3 b6 10. Bd3 Ba6 11. Bxa6 Nxa6 12. O-O cxd4 13. Bxd4 {as in Li,B (2325)-Moradi,B (2178) Anzali Free Zone IRI 2019 is completely equal.}) 9... Qxc5 10. Rc1 Nc6 (10... Nbd7 11. e4 h6 12. Bd3 b6 13. O-O Bb7 14. Qe2 {is equal. Dreev,A (2655)-Andersson,U (2582) Barcelona ESP 2009}) 11. Qb1 {While this may look rather odd, the position is so evenly balanced that pretty much anything short of a gross blunder keeps the balance.} (11. e3 Bd7 12. Qb1 Qe7 13. Be2 Nd5 14. O-O Nxc3 {Draw agreed. Kelecevic,N (2475)-Landenbergue,C (2410) Biel 1996}) 11... Qe7 12. g3 e5 13. Bg2 Nd5 14. O-O {A draw by agreement at any time seems reasonable.} Nxc3 15. bxc3 (15. Rxc3 {is more logical, but, again, even after Najdorf;s move giving himself an isolated P, the position is dead equal.} Be6 16. Qe4 f6 {and a handshake is a reasonable outcome.}) 15... Be6 16. Rfd1 Rac8 17. Ne1 {He has to make a move and this is as good as any.} Bc4 18. Nd3 {This gives Fine just a tiny opening. Doubling Rs on the d-file with 18.Rd2 was super-solid.} f5 { [%mdl 32] A sign of aggression. Black has the initiative, but not much else. Will it pay off?} 19. e4 {It does after this slightly risky move.} (19. h4 { Makes things interesting after} e4 20. Nf4 {and black has to plausible moves.} Ne5 (20... e3 21. Bd5+ Bxd5 22. Nxd5 exf2+ 23. Kxf2 Qc5+ {Black has some play, but white should be able to hold him off.}) 21. e3 Rfd8 {with a completely even game.}) 19... f4 20. Bh3 $1 Rcd8 21. Nb4 Qf7 22. Rxd8 {This proves fatal!} (22. Qc2 Qf6 23. Nxc6 Qxc6 24. Bf5 g6 {and the position doesn't offer much to either side.} 25. Bh3) 22... Nxd8 {[%mdl 32] This excellent move may have come as a surprise to Najdorf as he may have been expecting Fine to recapture with the R. Even so, white's position is far from lost.} (22... Rxd8 $6 23. Nxc6 bxc6 24. Rd1 {with a fully equal position.}) 23. Qc2 Ne6 {The N is headed more more versant pastures.} 24. Bf5 {All of a sudden black has a decisive advantage!} (24. Nd5 {might work better.} Ng5 25. Bg2 Qe6 26. Qd2 Qg4 27. Ne7+ Kh8 28. Qd6 {Black is better, but there is no forced win. His advantage lies in his more active pieces.}) 24... Nc5 25. Rd1 Qh5 26. Nd5 {A quick glance might leave on to think wjite is OK; his pieces look to be well placed.} g6 { The B doesn't have anywhere to go.} 27. Bd7 {Now if black plays 27...Nxd7 white gets the piece back with a N check plus he will ahve a R on the 7th rank. } Nxd7 {White resigned. Why?!} (27... Nxd7 28. Ne7+ Kh8 29. Rxd7 {Everything looks good for white, but...surprise! Black has a mate in 8 moves.} Qh3 30. Nxg6+ hxg6 31. Qc1 f3 32. Qh6+ Qxh6 33. h4 Qc1+ 34. Rd1 Qxd1+ 35. Kh2 Qf1 36. h5 Qg2#) 0-1