It's Hard To Go Wrong With A Game By Tal

     Mikhail Tal (November 1936 – June 28, 1992) was a creative genius and one of the best attacking players of all time. His play was known or improvisation and unpredictability. 

     Born in Riga, he learned chess at an early age, but WW2 interrupted his childhood when his parents moved to a small city in the Ural mountains to avoid the Nazis. After the war, Tal's father, a doctor, returned home to continue his medical practice. 

     There Tal joined the Riga Pioneer House in 1948 where he learned theory and was tutored by the master Alexander Koblencs under whom he quickly became a First Category player (2000-2125). 

     Although not particularly successful in tournament play because of the strong opposition he was meeting, in 1950, the magazine Shakhmaty USSR mentioned the fourteen-year-old Tal as being an excellent player. 

     In the 1951 Riga Championship he met Candidate Masters (2125-2250) and Masters (2250-2400) with little success. In his next tournament, the USSR Junior Championship, he also failed to excel, but did play some nice games. 

     1953 saw him become the Latvian champion at the age of 16 and achieve the Candidate Master title. In the 1953 Soviet Team Championship Tal, playing on second board, scored wins over several Masters and so won the right to play a match for the coveted Master title. His assigned opponent for the match was Vladimir Simagin who had beaten Tal in the team match. 

     It wasn't going to be an easy match. For 1953, Chessmetrics assigns Simagin a rating of about 2630. As an idea of how good Simagin was, other players in that group included such luminaries as Herman Pilnik, Ludek Pachman, Boris Spassky, Gedeon Barcza, Albric O'Kelly, Salo Flohr and Larry Evans. Chessmetrics does not assign Tal a rating until 1954. Tal won their match by a score of 8-6. 

     Tal's first international tournament was the 1956 Junior World Team Championship in Sweden which was won by the Soviets. Tal was on fourth board and scored 4-1. From there on his career took off and the rest was history as they say. 

     Tal was a chain smoker and an alcoholic and by the age of 23 he already had kidney problems. In 1969, one of his kidneys was removed. He died of kidney failure at the age of 55 in a Moscow hospital on June 28, 1992. 

     It used to be that one of the features of the Soviet Championship was that a crop of new talent was discovered, swelling the already large rank of Russian Grandmasters. The 23rd Soviet Championship held in Leningrad in 1956 was just such a tournament. 

     One of the new names that was introduced in this tournament was Mikhail Tal. Prior to this tournament he was just another talented young player, but after Leningrad the public took notice that he was a player who refused to be awed by authority and his willingness to slug it out with the top GMs, Although his talents were multi-sided, the thing that stood out was his tactics. A good illustration is the following game in which Tal struts his stuff in positional game that is rife with tactics and a transition into a won ending.

Mikhail Tal - Vladimir Simagin

Result: 1-0

Site: Soviet Championship, Leningrad

Date: 1956.01.14

Pirc Defence

[...] 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d6 Simagin employs a rather eccentric defense in this game trying to thow Tal off balance and lure him in to a rash attack, but the strategy backfires. 3.♘c3 ♘f6 4.f4 ♕b6 5.♘f3 ♗g4 6.♗e2 ♘bd7 No doubt Simagin considered his position solid and any white attack would be easily fended off, but he is soon proved wrong. In fact, in my database white scored +11 -0 =2 from this position. 7.e5 ♘d5 8.O-O

8.♘e4 ♗xf3 9.♗xf3 dxe5 10.fxe5 e6 11.a3 White has the advantage and went on to win smoothly in Almasi,Z (2400)-Schaefer,M (2460)/Budapest 1991

8...♘xc3 9.bxc3 e6 Black can't win a P here with 9...Bxf3

9...♗xf3 10.♗xf3 dxe5 11.fxe5 ♘xe5 12.♗e4 ♘d7 13.♗f4 Black is behind in development and will have problems catching up, his Q is exposed amd his K will have difficulty vacating the center.

10.♘g5 With the obvious intention of sacrificing on f7. In his book of Tal's selected games published in 1961 author J. Hajtun questioned the soundness of this move. However, we armchair GMs backed up by Stockfish can assure you the move is perfectly sound being the engine's first choice! 10...♗xe2 11.♕xe2 h6 Thinking the sacrifice on f7 was unsound, Simagin provokes Tal into making it. As a matter of fact, black's position is already very badly compromised to the point that there really isn't anything better.

11...g6 was tried in Pereira,A (2300)-Ribeiro,F (2240)/Lisbon 1995, but it. too failed badly. 12.f5 gxf5 13.♕h5 ♘xe5 14.♘xe6 ♘g6 15.♘xf8 ♘xf8 16.♖e1 ♔d8 17.♕xf7 ♕c7 18.♗g5 ♔c8 19.♖e8 and black resigned because he gets mated next move

12.♘xf7 ♔xf7 13.f5 dxe5 14.fxe6 ♔xe6 With black's K so badly placed it's time to make another sacrifice. 15.♖b1 ♕xb1 Black might as well take the offered R because there is nothing better.

15...♕a6 16.♕g4 ♔d6 17.dxe5 ♔c7 18.♗f4 b5 (18...♘c5 19.e6 ♔d8 20.♖fd1 with a mating attack.) 19.e6 ♔b7 20.exd7 ♗c5 21.♔h1 ♕xa2 22.♗e5 with a winning position.

16.♕c4 ♔d6 17.♗a3 ♔c7 18.♖xb1 ♗xa3 Now it's clear why Simagin thought he might be OK. He has a R+B+N vs the Q. However, it's amazing that Tals' two pieces are able to weakne black's postion even further. Black's problem is that he can never get his pieces coordinated. 19.♕b3 ♗e7 20.♕xb7 Tal begins relentlessly hounding black's K. 20...♔d6 21.dxe5 ♘xe5 22.♖d1 ♔e6 23.♕b3 ♔f5 24.♖f1 ♔e4

24...♔g6 is the natural retreat, but it's no better. 25.♕e6 wins a piece.

25.♖e1 ♔f5 26.g4 ♔f6 27.♖f1 Alas, he has to go to g6 anyway. 27...♔g6 28.♕e6 ♔h7 29.♕xe5 ♖he8 30.♖f7 The attack continues. 30...♗f8 31.♕f5 ♔g8 Now what?! There is no way to continue the attack plus all of a sudden white's K is in danger. 32.♔f2 Heading for a safe haven on h4. This idea illustrates true brilliance on the part of Tal.

32.a4 This is "pass" just to illustrate the danger white faces. 32...♗c5 33.♔g2 ♖e2 34.♔g3 (34.♔f1 ♖f2 wins) 34...♗f2 35.♔h3 ♖ae8 36.♕g6 ♖8e3 37.♔g2 ♗g3 draws

32...♗c5 33.♔g3 ♖e3 34.♔h4 The only safe place as having the K on any other square would allow black right back in the game. 34...♖ae8 It appears that black has finally consolidated his position, but Tal isn't through. 35.♖xg7 Yet another sacrifice only this one leads to a winning endgame which, by the way, Tal also played very well. 35...♔xg7 36.♕xc5 ♖8e6 37.♕xa7 White's passed a-Pawn is going to secure the win. 37...♔g6 38.♕a8 ♔f6 39.a4 ♔e5 40.a5 ♔d5 41.♕d8 ♔e4 42.a6 ♔f3 43.a7 ♖e2 44.♕d3 ♖6e3 45.♕xe3 Simagin resigned.

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US Student Champs And a Gut Blowout

     Well, the last couple of weeks have been tumultuous. Our reclining love seat in the TV room needed replaced and that lead to a whole bunch of redecorating projects. Then going into the Labor Day holiday weekend we suffered the loss of our cat. She, being 88 in human years, died of old age. This is the first time in 40 years we have not had a pet and our house seems empty. Labor Day (Monday) was a waste because we woke up to thunder and waves of heavy rain coming off Lake Erie most of the day...not a day to enjoy.

     In US chess Robert J. Fischer lead the rating list at 2640; Samuel Reshevsky was second at 2620. The also-rans were Pal Benko (2515), Robert Byrne (2512), Arthur Bisguier (2502), Raymond Weinstein (2444), James B. Cross (2408), James T. Sherwin (2406), Arthur Feuerstein (2405) and Hans Berliner (2403). 

     The United States won the 1960 World Student Team Championship. The team Captain was Jerry Spann, a well known figure in USCF affairs, who died of cancer in January 1968 at the age of 55 at his home in Norman, Oklahoma. The playing members were William Lombardy, Charles Kalme, Raymond Weinstein, Anthony Saidy, Edmar Mednis and Eliot Hearst. Sadly, they are all gone now except for Dr. Anthony Saidy (born May 16, 1937) and, as far as I know, Raymond Weinstein (born April 25, 1941). 

     The US players' scores were Lombardy (12-1) with two draws! Kalme (11.5-1.5) with one loss. Weinstein (7.5-2.5) with two losses. Mednis (5.5-2.5) with two losses. Saidy (4.5-2.5) with one loss. Hearst played two games; more about his plight later. 

The final standings were: 

 

     The event was held from July 15th to August 1st in Leningrad. After the start it was learned that the Polish team was not coming. Also, the age limit had been reduced to 27 years old with the result that most of teams included new names. For an event of this size, it's somewhat surprising that the chief umpire, GM Igor Bondarevsky, did not have to intervene in a single case. 

     The British team took the lead in the first rounds. Playing against Belgium, Finland and Hungary, they gained 10 out of 12 possible points. But when they came up against the Soviet and United States teams they suffered severe defeat. By the fifth round the United States was in the lead, but in the sixth round the Yugoslavs created a sensation by defeating the US by a score of 3.5-0.5 and the Soviet took the lead. 

     The decisive match was in round 11 when the Soviet team drew with Hungary while the US defeated Finland 4-0. In the next round the Americans consolidated their lead by beating the Hungary 3.5-0.5. Then in the 13th round the US defeated the Soviets in a fierce fight and that decided the championship. The US team lead the Soviets by only a half point when the two teams finally met. 

     The tension was great. On board one, Lombardy had the black pieces against Boris Spassky, at the time the only GM in the tournament, Kalme was white against Alexander Nikitin, Weinstein black against Yury Nikolaevsky and Saidy white against Janis Klovans. Surprisingly, Lombardy won the only relatively short game in the match, beating Spassky in 29 moves after Spassky made a bad blunder, overlooking a fork of two of his major pieces by Lombardy's Queen.

     Kalme won a 75-move battle, Weinstein lost a 37-move game, but Saidy gave the US the match victory of 2.5-1.5 after he gained an advantage, but finally had to agree to a draw in 41 moves. 

     This result meant that, even if the USSR (with 33.5 points) scored a 4-0 win in the fourteenth round while the U.S. team had the bye that the Americans we would enter the final (15th) round with a lead. As it was, the Soviets beat Bulgaria by only 2.5-1.5 in round fourteen, so going into the last round the US team had a three point lead over the Soviets. 

     In the last round the US met the strong Bulgarian team needing only 1.5 points to win the world championship. In all the games the US team managed to come out of the opening with no problems. 

     Lombardy had a slight edge. Kalme had a minimal advantage and Mednis had no problems and everybody agreed that Weinstein even had a won game. The the Bulgarian team captain offered a draw on all four boards and after thinking it over for a second, the US team Captain Jerry Spann accepted the offer and so the US became the World Champions. 

     The USSR beat Czechoslovakia in the last round by 3.5-0.5 making the final standings the US 41-11 total and the USSR in second place at 39.5-12.5.

     Lombardy won top honors on board one while on board two Kalme and Milan Vukcevich, then of Yugoslavia, but later a popular player in Cleveland, Ohio, shared top honors. Kalme’s only loss was to Vukcevich. Dr. Milan Vukcevich was an incredibly stand up guy. He had a chance to beat out Kalme for the board prize, but as soon as he heard that Kalme had accepted a draw against Bulgaria, he felt it would be unfair for him to take the board prize because Kalme took a quick draw under the given conditions. So, in a gesture of sportsmanship, he offered his German opponent a draw, which was accepted, on move 12. 

     Vukcevich moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1963 and became a professor of metallurgy and later a chief engineer at General Electric. He was also nominated for the Nobel prize in chemistry. 

     On board 3, Weinstein shared the board prize with Nikitin of the USSR. Saidy finished fourth among the board 4 players and Mednis was 5th among the first reserve players. 

     As for Hearst, well he had some bad luck. Hearst did not drink carbonated beverages which at the time were the only alternative to the Leningrad water faucets which he, foolishly as it turned out, elected to drink from. As a result, very early he developed a parasitic infection that forced him to high-tail it to the bathroom, which was quite far away from the tournament room, every 15 minutes or so. Thus, he managed to obtain losing positions in the opening against both his Swedish and Mongolian opponents in the second and seventh rounds but fought back to win the former and lose the latter in 91 moves after coming close to gaining a draw. 

     After that, he and Spann agreed that it would be best for the team if he did not play any more games. Hearst suffered from his malady until he returned to the US and some new, experimental drug cured him. 

     A couple of months after Leningrad, Lombardy announced that he would have little or no time for chess because he was entering a seminary and planned to become a Catholic priest and teacher. He eventually achieved his goal and afterwards he continued to be active in tournament play. Lombardy (December 4, 1937 – October 13, 2017) eventually left the priesthood because he felt that the administrators and accountants with whom he worked were not serious about the mission of the church. He died a bitter old man. 

     Charles Kalme stopped playing chess not long after Leningrad and obtained a PhD in mathematics in 1967. He was associated with the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Southern California for a few years, but then got interested in computer science and chess programs.  He retired early from the computer business early and spent the rest of his life back in his native Latvia. Rumor has it that he died in 2002 age of 62 as a result of a brutal mugging he suffered on the streets of Riga. 

     Weinstein qualified for the Interzonal tourney as a result of finishing third in the 1960-61 U.S. Championship, but chose not play. Shortly thereafter he began exhibiting erratic, even dangerous behavior. While studying psychology in Holland under IM Johan Barendregt, whom he assaulted, Weinstein was deported and detained in a half-way house where he killed his 83-year-old roommate with a razor. He has been institutionalized as criminally insane for decades. 

     Saidy remained active in chess and in the medical profession in which he specialized in the treatment of tuberculosis patients. He retired from his job as a Los Angeles County doctor in 2000. 

     Edmar Mednis (March 22, 1937 – February 13, 2002) got a degree in chemical engineering, worked briefly as a stockbroker, but ended up being a chess professional. In February of 2002, while recovering from a minor operation, he developed pneumonia, did not take it seriously, and suffered a fatal cardiac arrest at the age of 64. 

     Eliot Hearst (1932-2018) entered the academic world in 1965 and never again played in a tournament. He taught and did research on various topics in the fields of experimental psychology, neuroscience, and the history of psychology. Over his last 20 years or so he combined his interests in chess and psychology and co-authored a book on blindfold chess. 

     Kalme's amazing positional squeezes were often mixed with stunning tactics like his game against the Mongolian master Suren Momo in which Kalme got a decisive attack after black neglected to develop his Q-side.

Charles Kalme (USA) - Surem Momo (MGL)

Result: 1-0

Site: Leningrad

Date: 1960

Catalan

[...] 1.d4 ♘f6 2.c4 e6 3.♘f3 d5 4.g3 The Catalan got its name from a tournament in Catalonia in 1929 after the organizers asked Tartakower to create a new variation in homage to the area's chess history. It came to prominence at the top level when both Kasparov and Korchnoi played it in their Candidates Semifinal match in London in 1983. 4...♗e7 The main alternative is to win a P with 4...dxc4 5.♗g2 O-O 6.O-O c6 7.♘bd2 ♘bd7 8.b3 ♖e8 9.♗b2 ♗d6 10.♖c1 Usual is 10.Qc2.

10.♕c2 ♕e7 11.♘e5 ♗a3 12.♗xa3 ♕xa3 13.f4 Ottati,A-Kalkstein,R/Tel Aviv 1964 with good chances for white.

10...♘f8 Black has abandoned any idea of an advance in the center by advancing his e-Pawn.

10...e5 11.♘xe5 ♘xe5 12.dxe5 ♗xe5 13.♗xe5 ♖xe5 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.♘c4 and in this position black's isolated d-Pawn would be a liability.

10...♘e4 This seems to offer black his best chance of obtaining equal play. 11.♘e5 f5 with a solid position.

11.♕c2 ♘g6 12.e4 dxe4 13.♘xe4 ♘xe4 14.♕xe4 White has the better game, but it's hard to believe that he will soon suffer a total rout. 14...♗e7 15.♖fd1 ♗f6 16.♘e5 ♗d7 17.h4 The attack against the K begins! 17...♕c7 18.h5 ♘xe5 19.dxe5 ♗e7 20.c5 ♖ed8 21.♗f1 ♗e8 22.♗d3 g6 23.hxg6 hxg6 24.♔g2 Preparing to occupy the h-file with his heavy pieces. 24...♖d5 25.♖h1 ♗f8

25...♗xc5 allows a mate in three. 26.♕h4 ♔f8 27.♕f6 mates next move.

26.♗c4 ♖d2 (26...♖xc5 runs into 27.b4 winning the exchange.) 27.♗c3 ♖d7 28.♖h3 ♗g7 29.♖ch1 ♕d8 30.♕f4 ♖d1 31.♖1h2 b5 32.♕f6 The Q sacrifice seals black's fate. Nobody is going to blame Kalme for missing the mate in 13.

32.♖h7 bxc4 33.♖xg7 ♔f8 34.♖hh7 ♕d5 35.f3 ♖g1 36.♔xg1 ♕d1 37.♔g2 ♕e2 38.♔h3 ♕f1 39.♔g4 ♕xf3 40.♔xf3 ♔e7 41.♖xf7 ♔d8 42.♕f6 ♔c8 43.♖c7 ♔b8 44.♕d8#

32...♕xf6 33.exf6 ♖c1 34.♖h7 Facing mate in three no matter what he plays, black resigned. (34.♖h7 ♖g1 35.♔xg1 ♗h6 36.♖2xh6 b4 37.♖h8#)

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Today is a sad day

This afternoon my beloved Millie died at the age of 18. She will be missed.

     The longer we live on this planet, the more sorrow we face. Some is small, and some is great, but it all hurts. Death is one of life’s saddest and most certain realities. Whether it be a pet or a loved one, few things are as sobering as death. That cold, stiff body that is devoid of life is a heavy reminder that something is wrong with our world. 

     The Bible tells us that when Adam and Eve revolted against God, a curse was put not just on humanity, but on all creation and death comes for all of us, humans and animals alike.

     When we love someone, it seems our time with them was too short. Psalm 34:18 says, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” When pets die, asking God's comfort may seem seem petty, but it is not.

     Anyone who has lost a loving pet has, I am sure, wondered if they will see them again. God doesn’t say. Animals don’t have the same hope humans do because humans are distinct among all God’s creation. We’re made in His image and animals are not.

     Yet in Isaiah the prophet lists animals when describing God's Eternal Kingdom and it is my belief that it will be filled with with redeemed people and all sorts of animals. The Apostle Paul wrote, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." Will God allow us to enjoy the company of our pets in that Kingdom? I do not know, but I would not be surprised if He does.

Stockfish 12 Is Out

     Stockfish 12 was released yesterday. This version of Stockfish plays significantly stronger than any of its predecessors. In a match against Stockfish 11, Stockfish 12 will typically win at least ten times more game pairs than it loses. 

     On the CCLR (Computer Chess Rating Lists) 40/15 list Stockfish is still the number one rated. 

     Note that downloads are available for different processors and if you don't know which one to use, the site says to download all six and keep trying them out until you fond one that doesn't crash. Download from SITE

 

 Note: In case you are not sure which download to use, if it helps, on my old laptop running Windows 8, I had to use the SSE4.1 + POPCNT for Intel processors after ~2008, AMD processors after ~2007. On the newer laptop running Windows 10 the BMI2 for Intel processors after ~2013 works.

Janowski -Showalter Matches

     On January 14th a stir was created in U.S. chess circles when news leaked out that former world champion William Steinitz had handed the Manhattan Club his resignation as an honorary member. 

     His resignation was accepted by the old board just prior to their annual meeting. At the election several new members were voted into office and it was possible that things might have been different had his resignation been tendered to the new board instead of the old one. 

     Steinitz’ resignation was the second of a prominent player. Two years earlier the U.S. champion Harry N. Pillsbury had trouble with a member who swiped his umbrella and the club refused to meet Pillsbury’s demands that the thief be disciplined, so he resigned. 

     Steinitz’ grievance was different and affected all the masters because it called to attention the club's attitude toward professional players. Among other things, Steinitz was in a snit because about three years earlier a report had reached him in St. Petersburg that a speech had been made at the club’s annual meeting by a member, a New York City judge named Jerome, who stated, “This is not a club for professional players. Any two gentlemen may sit down to play a game of chess without prostituting it by playing for money.” After his speech the judge was loudly applauded. Steinitz stated that had he been present he would have moved for the judge’s expulsion then and there. 

     The newly elected club vice president, Dr. Louis Cohn, took umbrage with Steinitz’ attitude. He stated that while many members preferred to encourage amateur chess instead of spending money on professional players, all the masters who had partaken of the club’s hospitality had been treated with fairness and consideration. Cohn also pointed out that the judge’s speech was a long one and the applause at the end was not an endorsement of one isolated comment. 

     In other news, the match between David Janowski and Jackson W. Showalter that began in November, 1898, concluded on January 12, 1899 when Janowski won the 13th game. His score was +7 -2 =4. Showalter put up a gallant fight, but he was simply no match for Janowski. 

     Actually, this turned out to be their first match; they met in four different matches, three during a visit by Janowski to New York in 1898-1899 and a fourth in 1916 when Janowski was in the U.S. during World War I. 

     Shortly after their first match had finished, they played a second match. Originally meant to be a series of five games played at the Manhattan Chess Club from March 15-20, 1899, they agreed to six games when the score was tied 2-2. Showalter took the next two games to win by a score of +4 -2 =0. 

     Not long after that, they met again at the Brooklyn Chess Club for a seven game match held from March 29 through April 7, 1899. Showalter took that match, too, by a score of +4 -2 =1. 

     But wait! There's more! They were scheduled to play another match of five games beginning on April 22, but they came to the conclusion that they had had enough...at least for the time being.

     Their last match was played in 1916. Leading by one game, Janowski won the last four games and won easily +7 -2 =2. Thus, he took the overall victory +18 -12 =7. 

     Here is Janowski’s win in game 12 of their first match. Talking to a friend at the Manhattan Chess club, Janowski said he thought that game was perhaps the best he had ever played. If he had continued with 26.Be5 instead of 26.Nc5, the game would have been perfect. Let’s see if he was correct.

David Janowski - Jackson W. Showalter

Result: 1-0

Site: Match, New York

Date: 1899.01.10

Queen's Gambit Declined

[...] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.♘c3 ♘f6 4.♗f4 The popularity of developing the B on f4 has waxws and waned over the years, but even today it remains a good choice. 4...♗e7 5.e3 O-O 6.♘f3 a6 A good alternative is 6...c5 7.c5 ♘c6 8.♗d3 b6 9.cxb6 cxb6 10.♖c1 ♗b7 11.♘e5 ♖c8

11...♘xe5 12.♗xe5 b5 13.O-O ♕a5 14.a4 b4 is equal. Barnaure,V (2445) -Vajda,L (2541)/Bucharest 2005

12.O-O ♘xe5 13.♗xe5 ♘d7 14.♗g3 f5 Black should have played 14...b5 immediately. After 14...f4 white gains the advantage. 15.♕b3 b5 16.a4 b4 17.♘e2 ♕b6 18.♘f4 The backward e-Pawn won't ever get captured, but its weakness will affect black's prospects for the entire game. 18...a5 19.♖xc8 ♗xc8

19...♖xc8 runs into 20.♗xf5 This wins a P since the B cannot be taken. 20...exf5 21.♘xd5 and wins

20.♖c1 ♗b7 21.♗b5 Janowski has already obtained a strategically won position. 21...♘f6 22.♕c2 g5 Black has no real chances on the K-side, but what else can he do?

22...♖c8 After this Stockfish found the following amazing series of moves. 23.♕xc8 ♗xc8 24.♖xc8 ♗f8 25.♘d3 ♕b7 26.♖b8 ♕e7 27.♘e5 ♘e4 28.♖e8 ♕d6 29.♘d7 ♘xg3 30.hxg3 ♔f7 31.♖xf8 ♕xf8 32.♘xf8 ♔xf8

23.♘d3 ♖c8 24.♕xc8 So, one move later Janowski also finds this brilliant move. White has only a minimal advantage after the wimpy 24.Qd2. 24...♗xc8⩲25.♖xc8 ♔g7

25...♗f8 is no better. 26.♗e5 ♘e4 27.♘c5 ♘xc5 28.dxc5 ♕b7 29.♖e8 ♕f7 30.♗d6 wins.

26.♘c5 Not bad, but with this move Janowski's claim of a perfect game is gone because he would have had an even greater advantage after 26.Be5.

26.♗e5 ♔g6 27.♖c7 ♗d8 28.♖c6 ♕b7 29.♘c5 ♕f7 30.♘xe6 ♗e7 31.♘c7 ♗d8 32.♘e8 and wins. 32...♕f8 33.♘xf6 ♗xf6 34.♖xf6

26...f4 27.exf4 ♘e4 28.♖c6 This move really negates all his previous fine play!

28.fxg5 ♘xg3 29.hxg3 e5 30.♖c7 ♔f7 31.♖d7 and white has enough compensation for his Q so that the win should present no problems.

28...♗xc5 After this the chances are now equal. 29.dxc5 ♕b8 30.fxg5 ♘xg3 31.hxg3 ♕e5 32.f4 ♕xb2 33.♖c7 Here all black has to do is retreat the K to the 8th rank and white has nothing better than a draw. 33...♔g6 With this move Showalter stumbles into a mate in 5 moves.

33...♔g8 34.c6 The only try for a win. 34...b3 35.♖d7 ♕c1 36.♔h2 b2 37.♖d8 ♔g7 38.♖d7 ♔g8

38...♔g6 This is still a losing move. 39.♗d3 ♔h5 40.♖xh7 mates next move.

39.♖d8 draws.

34.♗d3 ♔h5 35.♖xh7 ♔g4 36.♔h2 Black resigned. Not perfect as Janowski claimed, but still a pretty nice game! (36.♔h2 ♕h8 37.♖xh8 e5 38.♖h4#)

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