The Master Game Book 2

The Master Game BookTwo

eremy James and William Hartston

The Master Game, the only international chess tournament played for television has established itself as a firm favourite among both viewers and the world s leading grandmaster participants. This book contains the ,

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complete games of the first six series of The Master Came. Those from the fourth, fifth and sixth series are illuminated by the players' running commentaries, recapturing their thoughts and emotions at the time of making critical decisions. The fourth series culminated in a thrilling final between Larsen and Hort which needed five games at ever-increasing speed before a winner finally emerged. The following year was still more dramatic, ending in victory for the West German Lothar Schmid who had started the tournament as a complete outsider. The 1981 series was the most exciting and surprising of all with a fifteen-year-old stealing the limelight from seven grandmasters. The players' comments to their own games not only show the contrast between their widely differing personalities and chess styles, but provide unique insight into the thought processes of some of the best players in the world today. Quite apart from its educational value, however this collection is a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining trip through some marvellous games in the company of such players as Viktor Korchnoi Bent Larsen Vlastimil Hort, Tony Miles and, of course, the astonishing English teenager Nigel Short. Jeremy James introduces the players with some revealing tales of their attitudes to chess and life in general, and Bill Hartston adds his own comments to the games. ,

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£3.95

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Round One One Round Alberik Q'Kelly O'Kelly 0-1 Tony Miles Vi,0- Yl, Vi, 1 1 Vlastimil Hort John Nunn Yl,O0-7 Jan Hein Donner Walter Browne 0-1 Gyozo Forintos 0-1 Bent Larsen

So, curiously, all players who drew the black pieces for their first games succeeded in passing through to the semi-finals. Game 1: 1: Game

Alberik O'Kelly - Tony Miles .-./ Queen's Indian Defence

A A game which was made to look really one-sided by Miles's Miles s powerful attacking play, but the Belgian grandmaster played far too passively throughout.

to play simply. Let's go to the Queen's Indian with g3.

44g3. g3. MILES: Now there are many possibilities. Bb7 is normal -- let me see -- he writes a lot about the game and probably knows most what s currently fashionable. That's about what's That s Bb7 and Be7 so I'll play something different. I'll attack c4. '

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1 c4 b6 2 d4 e6. 1 O'KELLY Q'KELL Y:: So he's trying to playa play a Nimzo-lndian without the move Nf6. What Nimzo-Indian shall shall I do? Well, the normal move is e4 but I expect that he must have found an improvement on the game that he lost a few days ago against Browne in Tilburg, so let's play simply, Nf3.

. . . Ba6. 4 ••• O'KELLY Q'KELL Y:: So you're attacking my pawn; I have to protect it. There are several possibilities. I can protect with Qa4 or Qc2, but I'll play simply: b3.

5 b3. MILES: Yes, now White wants to develop his bishop to b2, so I'll give him an annoying little check on b4 and try to deflect him.

3 Nf3.

. . . Bb4+. 5 ..•

MILES: Qh, Oh, we're going to transpose into a boring Queen's Indian. Still, nothing can be done about it. I must move Nf6.

O'KELLY Q'KELL Y:: I/ just remember a game won by Smyslov with Black against Uhlmann when 6 Nbd2 was played. It's probably safer to interpose the bishop.

. . . Nf6. 3 ••• O'KELLY Q'KELL Y:: Perhaps I should consider playing Bf4, that's my opponent's speciality. He won a good game against Spassky in the wine tournament in Montilla, but I prefer

66Bd2. Bd2. MILES: That's good. Now I don't want to exchange on d2 because that would only develop another white piece, so I play my 23

bishop back to el and hope that his bishop is misplaced. 6 .••• . . Be7. Be7. 6

O'KELLY: My bishop is not so nice on d2, O'KELLY: but I won't move it again at this stage. Let's develop simply.

7 Bg2. 7Bg2. Bbl is possible, MILES: Now Bb7 possible dS d5 is possible, c6 ;s is an interesting move; play d5 dS later and if necessary recapture with the c-pawn. I quite like it. ,

the c-pawn. It's not pleasant to take in the I ve probably no option. I centre but I've remember a game that I won with Black against the late Ossip Bernstein about twenty-five years ago. He also took in the I ve no option. centre, but here I've '

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10 exdS. cxd5. 10

MILES: That's nice. I expected NeS Ne5 but I would have played Nfdl Nfd7 with a fairly easy position. Now White releases the tension -I m sure Black has a very easy position -I'm probably a little better already. Now I like cxd5, that s my style. I think the American cxdS, that's Grandmaster Lombardy claimed that exdS exd5 was good for Black but I don't don t believe that. '

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. . . c6. 77 ... e6. O'KELLY: Interesting idea. My Q-side is a O'KELLY: little bit weak so it's not so easy to develop the Q-Knight because he might jump in on the weak squares with a bishop. Let's castle. 0-0. 88 0-0.

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10 •.. . . . exdS. cxd5. 10

With both Black bishops more aggressively placed than White's, White s, the central pawn exchange has left him with the easier game. The next few moves saw O'Kelly O Kelly adopting defensive measures against Ne4 and Ba3. '

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MILES: Now my idea's to play d5, dS, but I also need to castle. Which move do I play first? I don't think it makes any difference. I'll play dS. I'll d5.

11 Qb1 Qbl Nc6 12 a3 Re8 Rc8 13 Re1. Rcl.

8 8 ... 65. dS. .

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O'KELLY: He's threatening my pawn again. O'KELLY: Well, let's ignore the threat for one move. 9 9 Nc3. Ne3.

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88 7 6

MILES: Now Now if II take take on on c4 c4, he recaptures NeS. That attacks my and after Bxc4 he has Ne5. bishop and my pawn on c6 and I can't play ,

Bd5 BdS because of e4, so I'd have to move the

bishop back and then Nxc6 and I lose material. So So I can can'tt take on c4 for the moment, but if I castle first then I think I'm Im really threatening him. '

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5 4 5

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b e c d d b

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g 9

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. . . 0-0. 9 ... 0-0. O 'KELLY: O'KELLY: 24 24

Now I/ must do something about

MILES: Now a plan, my kingdom for a

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plan. Maybe Nd7 and Bf6, but I don't don t know. On Nd7 maybe he can play e4. I can t give him so much time yet. That's can't annoying, but he hasn't hasn t got any sensible moves either. Possibly another idea for me is Bd6 and Qe7, then I have some pressure against the Q-side. I don't don t know; against Bd6 he might still be able to play e4, then maybe he'll he ll have Ng5 attacking h7. I need a good waiting move, maybe ReB. Re8. The rook will be useful there later on; it may allow me to regroup.

off and his knight would attack my pawn. Let's wait and see.

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. . Re8. 13 . .. O'KELLY: What are you up to? Seems to be O'KELLY: waiting for a mistake. /t's It s not easy, my bishop is out of play, the d-pawn needs protection from the knight. I have two possibilities here: either Bf1 Bfl or e3. If I play e3 it locks in the bishop on d2. What shall I do? Let's play e3 and have a look at what will happen later. '

14 e3. e3. 14

MILES: Now that I like. Both his bishops are now fairly bad. Can I play Bd6? I don't don t know, maybe he can still play e4 and if I take twice he'll recapture with the queen; my knight on c6 is loose and he may still have Ng5. I think I need another waiting move. Maybe just h6 so that I won't won t have the worry of Ng5 at the end. He's still not doing anything. He's having terrible trouble finding moves and he's taking a long time over it. Another waiting move is good. '

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. . h6. 14 . ..

15 Qb2. MILES: That's nice, there's no longer control over e4. I can even think of putting my knight there, but I like myoId my old plan, Bd6 and Qe7 looks nice. I don't have to worry about e4 any more and I get nice pressure against the Q-side. 15 .. .. . . Bd6. Bd6. 15 O'KELLY: That's unpleasant, he's O'KELLY: threatening e5. I should have thought about that before. My two bishops are bad. Maybe I could playa play a counter-attack on the Q-side That's the general strategy against a Q-side. Let s try it. central thrust. Let's .

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16 b4. b4. 16

Strange logic by O'Kelly; O'Keily; the normal recommendation is for action in the centre to counter a wing attack. This move puts his last pawn on a black square. The threat of b5 is easily countered and White is left with disastrous weaknesses on the light squares. squares. . . . Bd3 17 Nel Bc4 18 Bfl Bxfl 16 ... 19 Kxfl e5!

88 3

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v.

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5 4

O'KELLY: He just waits. What shall I do? O'KELLY: Probably the safest way is Bf1, Bfl, proposing an exchange, but it's it s very passive because he might enter on the white squares later. It's not easy to find a move. I might even play Ne5 -- it's it s no good, he would take it '

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a b b cc a

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Exchange of bishops has left left the white ~ame squares defenceless. Miles opens the game squares opens for the the decisive attack. attack. O'Kelly's O'Kelly's men, in In their draughts board posture, are in no their draughts board posture, are in no position to offer much resistance. O'KELLY O'KELLY::

Very strong move. He might e-fiJe. If I take, the knight enter on the e-file. takes back and enters on the white

squares. It It'ss very bad, probably already squares. lost. Well, let's try Nb5. '

20 20 Nb5. Nb5.

MILES: Now I could probably play e4 and then build up on the K-side. That's probably strong but but II'd d like to open the probably bit because his pieces are all position a bit stuck on the Q-side. stuck '

20.. 20 .•.. exd4. exd4. O'KELLY Nxd6, Qxd6 then 65, b5, he A' KELL Y:: If I play Nxd6,Qxd6 takes on e3. The king's too exposed. I

must must take back. back. 21 21 Nxd4. Nxd4.

MILES: Right, I take on d4 and he can't MILES: take with the queen because of Be5. 21 21 .• .• .• Nxd4 Nxd4 22 22 exd4. exd4.

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22 ••• 22. . . Qd7. O'KELLY O'KELLY::

Let's exchange one of the rooks.

23 23 Rxc8.

MILES: MILES: Now Now Rxc8 RxcB is is normal normal but but I want the the

on the e-file. e-fi/e. If the queen takes on c8 cB rook on and Re2. This is very strong, I threaten Qh3 and he must let one of my pieces in.

23 ••• Qxc8. 23... 26 26

24 Kg2. MILES: That stops Qh3+, Qh3 +, but Re2 looks very strong. Then I pin his bishop and pawn. My knight knight'ss going to e4 e4 and the queen's coming to f5. That must be queen s winning. '

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24 . . Re2. 24 .... Re2. O'KELLY O'KELLY:: Very unpleasant. Many threats here, the main one being Ne4. The position is lost.

25 Nf3.

Ne4100ks MILES: Now Ne4 looks very strong, but wait, Ng4 is much better. Then the only Rf1, when I way to protect the f2 pawn is Rfl, have Ne3+. His pawn's pinned against his king, and the bishop against the queen. So he can't take it and I win the exchange. Kg1 and then I No, more! He must play Kg!

g2 have Qh3 and that's mate next move on g2 f1. Check once more: Ng4 and if he tries or fl. Rc1, I have Qf5. That doesn't help. Rcl, 25 •.. 25. . . Ng4.

MILES: Now in such positions my queen belongs on a white square and there's only one for it. That That'ss d7, d7, it it'ss very strong. '

O'KELLY O'KELLY:: There's probably no defence. He threatens Qh3+ with a winning attack. Well, let's play Kg2.

O'KELLY O'KELLY:: /I overlooked that. I cannot play Rf1 to protect the f-pawn because of Ne3 Ne3+. Rfl +. There's nothing to be done.

26 Resigns.

Game 2:

Rael. 13 Rae1.

John Nunn Nunn -- Vlastimil Vlastimil Hort Hort /J John Petroff s Defence Petroff's

HORT: I/ expected this move and I have to be very careful because White threatens to win the game immediately with Rxe7 and Qh4. I can't play Bd7 and I'm afraid to play Be6 because the f-pawn starts to march, f4 and f5 and that is very bad for me. I don't don t like it much but I have to change the bishops.

Hort made it clear at the start that he was not willing to take any chances playing for a a win with the black pieces. Adopting the solid Petroff, he played for equality but found himself very much on the defensive after the opening. 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 d4 Nxe4 4 Bd3 d5 1 5 Nxe5 Bd6 6 0-0 0-0 7 Nd2 Nxd2 8 Bxd2 Nc6 9 Nxc6 bxc6 10 Qh5.

White makes good use of his extra tempo to threaten mate and induce a weakness in the black king's defences. 10 ••• . . . g6 11 Qh6 Re8. NUNN: If \f I could get rid of Black's only active piece, I would have a distinct advantage, so I think I'll I ll go Bg5 here. Then if he interposes his bishop on e7, el, I can swap them off. '

12 Bg5. HORT: I/ was afraid of this. Now I cannot HaRT: play f6 because White sacrifices his bishop on g6 and wins immediately, I will be mated. I have to exchange the black-colour bishops. . . . Be7. 12 •••

NUNN: I/ can exchange immediately here, but he recaptures with the queen and I can t occupy the e-file with my rook. I can't think a little trick is in order; I'll play the rook to the e-file straight away. Then if he takes on g5, I'll exchange rooks on e8 and recapture with the queen on g5. That way I exchange off his active rook on e8 as well as his active bishop. '

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13 ••• . . . Bxg5 14 Rxe8+ Qxe8 15 Qxg5. HORT: What shall I do? I succeeded to HaRT: change some pieces but still I am afraid my pawn structure is very unsatisfactory. My a little weak and so so I have to to Q-side is a Q-side defend. I am afraid to play Bd7 because then White has Qf4 attacking the pawn on c7. Better to play to e6. . . . Be6. 15 •••

NUNN: I/ must decide how to make progress. It's It s very tempting to advance my f-pawn; if I manage to get it as far as f5 f-pawn; then Black will have serious problems. That looks the most effective idea. '

16 f4. HaRT: HORT: Now I/ have to change queens.

16 ••• . . . Qd8. NUNN: Well, he's offering the exchange of queens. I have to think what combination of pieces I want left on the board. I think that in view of Black's slightly weakened K-side it will be better for me to have K-side, queens on the board to preserve some attacking possibilities. I'd I d like also to preserve the pin on the g-pawn to make the threat of f5 stronger, so I'll retreat my queen down the g-file. ,

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17 Qg3. 27 27

HORT: That move is very clever because I cannot now attack the pawn on d4. If I attack this pawn by Qf6 then f5 comes and I m under very strong attack. I can take on I'm d4 with check, but after Kh1 Khl my pawn on c7 is still hanging and I'm I m almost losing. I have only one move.

8 7

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17 . .. . . Qd6.

5 4

3

NUNN: He prevents me from playing f5 because of the possible exchange of queens. I have to keep running away with the queen. Where can it find a good square? f2 looks promising because that supports the thrust f5 and also prevents Black from playing c5. First of all I think I'll force him to put his queen on a more passive square by going to h4 with my queen. I think he'll he ll oppose queens by going back to dB d8 and that will make it more difficult for him to play his rook on a8 over to the e-fi/e. e-file. aB '

18 Qh4 Qd8 19 Qf2. 18Qh4Qd8 HORT: That's now very dangerous. f5 is a threat and I have to do something about it. Well, I am not afraid to come to the rook endgame with my bad pawn structure. Lasker once said that all rook endgames are drawish so I will try to make a little attack against d4 as well.

19 . .. . . Qf6. NUNN: Well, if I play f5 here, that just leads to everything being exchanged off. I do have a definite advantage here, but it's difficult to make progress. Rel. 20 Re1.

Hort was clearly very worried by his position at this stage. With Q-side pawn weaknesses and White threatening an

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a bc d e 9 h abcdefgh

attack on the other wing by means of ReS Re5 and fS f5 he is forced to defend precisely. Usually attacking chances on both wings together with the superior bishop will give excellent winning chances to White in such positions. . . . Rb8 21 b3 Re8 22 ReS Re5 Kf8. KfB. 20 ...

NUNN: I/ didn't expect to get such a good position against a strong player like Vlastimil Hort, but again White has trouble making progress. It would be rather nice to play c4 in some positions. If he exchanges, his Q-side pawns are more exposed. Of course, my own d4 pawn would be rather weak, but perhaps that's that s not so important. First of all, I think I must consolidate. I'll put my queen on the e-file behind the rook. '

23 Qe3. Well, White had to make his choice now. I think I was a little bit lucky because I was afraid very much of the move Qd2 and then the queen would come to the e1-a5 diagonal and my pawns would be very exposed. I don't don t know what I would do after 23 Qd2. I am a little bit happy now '

because I see that my opponent might not find the right plan. Of course, I move my bishop right away. away. . . . 8d7. Bd7. 23 •.•

Having missed the right plan of preparing an attack on the Q-side pawns with Qd2 and a later QaS, Qa5, Nunn was given no further chance to increase his advantage. By move 26 Hort thought his position good enough to offer a draw. Nunn declined, but seven moves later realised that there was no point in continuing.

24 c4 dxc4 25 8xc4 Bxc4 Qd6 26 RxeS+ Rxe8+ 8xeS Bxe8 27 Qe5 f6 2S 28 Qc5 8f7! Bf7! Exchanging queens would have left Black with a very difficult bishop endgame to defend. Hort realises that he can ignore the attack on a7.

29 Qxa7 8xc4 Bxc4 30 bxc4 Qxf4 31 Qa3+ KeS Ke8 32 Qc3 KdS Kd8 33 h3 draw agreed.

Sicilian; I prefer to play something unusual for my opponent because now the game lasts only one hour and so I will try a move that I always used here in England with success.. success

22c3. c3. NUNN: This is rather unusual. I won't have the chance to play my favourite Najdorf Tve never had to face this variation. In fact I've move before so I face the problem of finding the correct moves in something I don't know very well. I'll Til try to choose something which has a fairly strategiC strategic theme and not get embroiled too much in opening theory. 2 ••• . . . dS. d5.

HORT: This move I also know quite well; it is defended by many Soviet players. This move opens the centre and what I like is that the game loses its Sicilian character and gets some character of a game where my opponent's opponent s knowledge might be a little weaker. I have to take. '

Game 3:

3 exdS exd5 QxdS Qxd5 4 d4 e6 5 Nf3 Nf6 6 8e2. Be2.

Vlastimil Hort - John Nunn Sicilian Defence

NUNN: I've got to make the decision at some point when to exchange those pawns on d4. I prefer not to do it immediately because if I take on d4 with my pawn, then White recaptures with his pawn on c3 and can later gain a tempo attacking my queen I ll delay this exchange with Nc3. So I think I'll and just continue development.

Under the rules of the competition, each player had one hour on his clock for this replay. Hort wisely chose an opening variation with which he was more familiar than his opponent. Nunn ran short of time trying to solve the problems of his position, finally succumbing to Hort's Hort s systematic endgame pressure. An instructive lesson in the art of capitalising on small positional advantages. '

11 e4 c5. HORT: I/ don't don't like normal normal lines lines in in the the HORT:

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. . . 8e7. Be7. 6 ...

HORT: That's an interesting move. My opponent still hesitates to take on d4. I think I might try to change the strategy and to play for for majority on the Q-side. Q-side. I will will get three three pawns to two on on the Q-side Q-side and and later support support itit by play of of pieces.

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7 c4 Qd8 88 0-0cxd4 0-0 cxd4 99 Nxd4. Nxd4. 7c4Qd8 NUNN: would like like to to castle castle in in this this NUNN: /I would m aa little position but but II'm little worried worried that that White position might play play Nb5. Then if the queens are might exchanged there will be be the danger danger of his exchanged and trapping my my rook knight coming to c7 and on on a8. a8. II think think that that if castle and and White if I castle defend by by just just playing playing my my plays Nb5, I can defend from b8 to d7. Castles seems seems safe knight from enough. enough. '

9 . . 0-0. 9 .•.• 0-0.

Actually I received what I wanted in HORT: Actually HORT: small advantage as have some small this game. I have opponent had in our our first game and I my opponent play on the Q-side. I have to watch for can play and I have have to place place my pieces very e5 and e5 properly. 10 10 Nc3. Nc3.

problem now now is is the the development development of of Black's problem Black's his Q-side pieces. Nunn refrained from his Q-side pieces. Nunn playing Nc6 Nc6 fearing the the weakness weakness of the playing isolated pawns resulting from aa knight isolated pawns from exchange. The plan he chose avoided exchange. The plan he chose avoided creating weaknesses, but did nothing creating weaknesses, but did nothing to lessen the the White White pressure pressure against against the lessen -side Q-side. Q .

10 .••• a6 11 11 Bf4 Bf4 Nd7 Nd7 12 12 Bg3 Bg3 (avoiding (avoiding the 10 . . a6 HORT: HORT: That is is an an active active move. move. I have have to to watch watch the the d-file d-file because because now now Black Black

pawn at at b2 and and he threatens threatens the pawn to to come come with his his rook rook to to d8. d8. That would be be

so Qc2 or Qe2. I don don'tt very uncomfortable, so am not sure this but I am know -- I'll play Qc2 but move is right. move '

NUNN: The knight on d4 is undefended NUNN: but there doesn't doesn't seem to be be any any way to but 30 30

14 . . Bd7. 14 .••. Bd7.

other way how Black Black HORT: There is no other HORT: get his pieces into the game, but now I can can his into but now to concentrate on the position of the have have concentrate position knight on on c5. So Rb1 preparing 64. b4. So Rbl 15 15 Rabl. Rab1.

move to NUNN: This is aa very awkward move meet. The knight on has no retreat c5 meet. and White just just threatens to trap trap it square, and by advancing his pawn to b4. Perhaps I by advancing his Qb4, but that would could blockade by Qb4, only delay the evil moment. White would just defend the attacked pawn on c4 with just b3, and then then he will have all sorts of nasty nasty 63, queen with moves threats, attacking the queen after Qxa3, 64 b4 hitting the like a3 and after knight, knight moves, Rb3 and I've lost my can'tt allow that. It's a very queen. No, I can difficult decision to make make but but II think that that must play my pawn pawn to a5. unfortunately I must It's very unpleasant to allow these white b5 attacking the knights to come into 65 sensitive black squares. The white bishops look very active on these diagonals. I think look me but but still the position is turning against me a5 must be played. a5 '

15 .•.• a5 16 16 Rfdl Rfd1 Rac8 17 17 Qe2 Qe2 RfeS Rfe8 15 . . a5 18 18 NdbS. Ndb5.

threat of of 12 12 .... e5) Nc5 Nc5 13 13 Bf3 Bf3 Qb6. Qb6. threat . . e5)

14 Qc2. Qc2. 14

exploit it. I think I must must continue with my exploit plan of development. plan of

7

HORT: / could have expected that, but I/ can do the same, so I/ will come with my king into the game.

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23 Kfl.

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NUNN: / have the opportunity here to so I/'11 exchange one pair of rooks, so ll play rook to dd. dB.

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Since Nunn Nunn refrained refrained from from exchanging exchanging Since pawns at move six with cxd4/ cxd4, he had never felt comfortable. Now the black position has become critical with the white pieces all bearing bearing down down uncomfortably uncomfortably on on the the all weakened Q-side. NUNN: as NUNN: My only hope is to exchange as as possible, seeking my many pieces as salvation in the endgame just as as my opponent did in our first game. I/'11 ll try to get rid of bishops first. '

18 ... . . . Be6 Bc6 19 b3 Bxf3 20 Qxf3 Qe6 Qc6 Qxe6 Rxc6. Rxe6. 21 Qxc6 HORT: HORT: Now my endgame is surely better

because of the square b5 and pawn majority on on the Q-side. Still, /I have to cover e4 because Black has an opportunity to jump there. 22 f3. NUNN: NUNN: The rot has certainly set in. /I just

don't seem to have any active possibilities can t think of anything at all. Well, if /I can't better to do I/ might as as well move my king nearer to the centre.

HORT: Black defends still very well. He is trying to exchange all the pieces. I/ think that I/ will still have an advantage but I/ don't like it -- maybe I/ already spoiled it a little bit. I/ just have to continue and see what will happen. So I/ will attack his rook and a7 pawn. 24 Bc7. Be7.

NUNN: The only way to avoid losing a pawn is to exchange. 24 . .. . . Rxdl+ Rxd1+

25 Rxdl.

NUNN: At last I/ have the opportunity for one active move, even if it it'ss

only a little tiny bit active. I/ can play my pawn to a4 can'tt take attacking the pawn on on b3. White can this pawn because after bxa4 just Na6 attacks both the bishop on c7 and pawn '

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on c4. c4.

25 •.• . . . a4.

HORT: Yes that's unpleasant. Black gets rid of one weak pawn. /I think this game may can t take on a4 because also be drawn. I/ can't my c-pawn is very weak, so /I just have to defend the pawn. '

26 Rbl.

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. . Kf8. 22 . ..

The exchange of Black's a-pawn certainly eased his defensive problems, but now John Nunn had less than ten minutes remaining on his clock. As Hort now

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demonstrates, the white Q-side pawn majority, aided by his well-placed pieces, still make the black position very

8 8 7 7

uncomfortable. uncomfortable.

6 6

26 .• .• .• axb3 27 axb3 Ne8 28 Be5. 8e5.

5 5

NUNN: The position is still worse for me but perhaps not completely hopeless now. I must still try to exchange some pieces b5 and of course that horrible knight on 65 which has been annoying me for so long must be a prime candidate for being swapped off. So II'll ll bring this knight on e8 back into the game and also offer the exchange.

V/.

4 4

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28 .••• . . Nd6. Nd6.

plan, HORT: My opponent continues in his plan but now I must calculate very properly because the position starts to be critical. I cannot, of course, play b4 because then my c-pawn would be hanging and Black would play Nxc4 and he would be better. I have to set my pawns in motion. I will play for a forced variation; maybe it brings success, but I cannot risk much. The game ,

can be drawn, but but I don don'tt think that I am in '

danger of losing.

NUNN: Vlastimil thought a long time over that move. I'm sure it's a good one. Still, II've there'ss no ve relatively little time left, so there point in hesitating over obvious moves. 29 ..•• . . Bxd6. 8xd6.

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Hort's exchange of bishop for In fact Horfs knight was the start of aa delicately calculated sequence designed to advance bS and c5. cS. The threat to the pawns to b5 create aa passed pawn then makes life very difficult for Black. 30 b4 Na6 Na6 31 Nxd6 Nxd6 Rxd6 32 Ne4! Ne4! Rd4

cS 33 b5 (the knight on e4 takes away the c5 Black'ss knight) Nb8. square from Black '

HORT: Now /I want to see whether my opponent might fall into the trap I prepare for him. 34 c5.

29 Bxd6. 298xd6.

'

abc

'

NUNN: Nof Not much time to think about my move here. That knight on e4 is very strong; I must try to get rid of it at any costs so that I can counter these dangerous pawns rushing forward on the Q-side. 34. . .i5. 34 .•. f5. HORT: Oh Oh, I am lucky, because I think my opponent is falling into the trap. Let us play quickly and hope that my calculation was right. Ng5 trying to hit e6 and h7 hl simultaneously. ,

35 Ng5.

32

win will not escape me. I pin the knight.

NUNN: Threatening Nxe6+ forking my king and rook. I must defend that e-pawn even if it means the h7 one going. going. At least the white knight will be out of play if it captures on that square. I'll I ll bring my king nearer the Q-side pawns.

NUNN NUNN:: Yes, that's the point. He wins the knight without losing his pawn. I'll play playaa couple more moves.

35 •. •. •. Ke7.

42 ••• . . . Rc4. Rc4. 42

HORT: HORT: Everything goes according to plan plan..

HORT:: That was forced move because HORT otherwise I would play c7 and win the rook for my pawn. But now I can still make profit of my advanced pawn. pawn .

'

Rel. 36 Re1.

NUNN: I/ can 't defend this pawn on e6. can't e6. annoying, but perhaps I have That's very That's one little piece of tactics left. I'll I ll advance my e-pawn and then if White takes it with his rook, I can play Kf6 hitting both rook and knight. It's It s my only chance. '

'

36 .•• . . . e5. e5. 36

HORT: Oh I am very happy because it seems to me that my opponent is really falling into the trap. Of course he has not so much time left so I have just to continue to play quickly. 37 Rxe5+ Rxe5+ 37

The next few moves confirmed that Hort had indeed calculated more deeply and accurately than his opponent.

42 Rd8!

43 cxd7.

NUNN NUNN:: He threatens now just to move his rook away and promote the pawn. pawn . It /t 'ss necessary for me to attack this pawn with my rook. '

43.. Rd4. 43 • ••. Rd4.

But the rest was very easy for Hort. He simply exchanged d-pawn for f-pawn, f-pawn , leaving himself with an easily won endgame with two extra pawns. Nunn did not prolong the game longer than necessary. necessary.

44 Rf8 Rxd7 45 Rxi5 Rxf5 resigns resigns..

+ Kg6 37 •. •• . . Kf6 38 Re8 Nd7 39 Nxh7 Nxh7+ 40 c6! bxc6 41 bxc6.

NUNN: It looks very bad now. This pawn is going to go straight forward and make a queen queen.. Still, I'll I ll just take the knight and see what happens happens.. '

. . . Kxh7. 41 •••

HORT: Now if I take on d7, Black recaptures with his rook and even though I have one pawn more the game should be a draw. But I have now very strong move which I saw many moves ago. I think the

Game 4: Browne - Jan Hein Donner Walter Browne· Pirc Defence

Browne's time trouble was the culprit in this game. The opening was undeniably favourable to White, though the advantage was small. Trying to maintain his pressure cost the American grandmaster too much time on the clock clock.. A miscalculation at

move 21, followed by an outright blunder

33

Semi-Finals Vlastimil Vlastimil Hort

1-0 7-0

Jan Hein Donner Ian

Tony Tony Miles %,0-%,1 V2,0-V2,1 Bent Larsen

the queen and and gets gets a piece piece out gain the queen out with with gain of time. It can't be bad.

Game 6:

Vlastimil Hort Tony Miles Miles Vlastimil Hort -- Tony

6 .•• . . . Nc6.

Sicilian Defence

A game game of of great great interest, interest, but but spoiled spoiled by an A by an uncharacteristic blunder by Miles. The the opening opening with with great great Englishman played played the Englishman atcuracy and achieved some advantage. atcuracy and achieved some advantage. Hort had had to to play play well well to to avoid avoid aa seriously seriously Hort In position. a complex weakened weakened position. In a complex middlegame position, position, Miles made the the middlegame Miles made blunder which was to give Hort his free blunder which was to give Hort his free ride ri de into the final. fi nal.

c3 Nf6 (Varying (Varying from from the the 11 e4 c5 2 c3 2 ... . . . d5 which John Nunn had played Hort) 3 e5 Nd5 4 d4 cxd4 5 Qxd4. against Hort) against long time time since since II played played MILES: It's a long MILES: against this line, I can hardly remember anythirig about it. I suppose I have to play anything e6 and see what what happens. 5 .•. . .. e6.

HORT: Now Now II have have to to think. think. II can can play play Bc4 Bc4 HORT: but I prefer to develop first my knight and but I prefer to develop first my knight and then II will see where to go go with bishop. then will see where to with bishop.

HORT: HORT: I/ have to move my queen, queen but to what what square? My pawn on on e5 is a little exposed. I have to cover him. ,

7 Qe4. MILES: MILES: I/ can can play normally with with d6 d6 but but then probably has has an like then White White probably an edge. edge. II like something more active. What What is there? there? Be7 .. .. . . No, then then the the knight on on d5 d5 has nowhere to go. b6 isn't really good. Maybe Maybe f5, and if he takes it I recapture with the knight kicking his queen queen again again and and then then II have a useful pawn centre. If he moves his queen away, away, there's lost time again. The queen there's lost time again. The hasn'tt got any good squares. queen hasn '

7 . . ..15 f5 8 exf6 exfG Nxf6.

HORT: My queen has no easy life actually, actually because she has to move move again. again. II analysed analysed here, at home, Qc2 but II want want to play it very sharp now. now. II think might not very sharp think that that Tony Tony might not ,

know it well, so I will choose another move. move.

9 Qh4.

6 Nf3. MILES: /I remember, I think think, Hort won aa game against Polugayevsky this about about game against Polugayevsky with with this twenty years ago - maybe it was only ten II don't don't know know what happens. Nc6 attacks what happens. Nc6 attacks ,

see, what next? next? Be7 looks looks MILES: Let's see natural but maybe he has Bg5. He natural but maybe he has Bg5. He can can then then ignore h6 and he's going to play his bishop ignore h6 and he's going to play his bishop to d3. d3. That be annoying; annoying; maybe maybe he's he's to That will will be ,

39

got Bg6+. Bg6 + . How can /I avoid this? This position can't can t be bad surely. I'd like to advance my pawn centre but d5, Bd3 doesn't look nice. e5, that's very interesting: then if he plays Bd3, e4; Bxe4, Qe7; seems to win a piece. That's nice. After e5 maybe he can play Bg5; then /I just play d5, he can take on f6, /I take with the queen. That must be very good for Black. Looks very interesting, /I think /'11 I'll try it. '

. . . eS. e5. 99 ...

HORT: What is this? My plan was just to play Bd3 and then to check on g6, destroying the position of the black king. . . . Be7 or 9 ... d5 The normal move is 9 ... but /I think Tony has improved the theory. After Bd3 he looks really pleased by this simple move e4; Bxe4, Qe7; followed by d5 and /I am pinned on the e-file. /I think that /I really have to consider my next move very carefully. Black wants to build up a very strong centre. /I start not to feel easy in this position. There are many moves like Bb5, Bg5. It's a very difficult decision. /I decide on Bg5, it still makes some threats later for black K-side, but /I don't like it now much.

'

11 BbS Bb5 Bd6. Bd6. 11

Black's fine pawn centre shows that he has completely solved the problems of the opening. Hort now felt obliged to strike quickly against the d-pawn, before Black could castle and consolidate. A very sharp position quickly emerged. 12c4 0-0 13 13 0-0 0-0 e4. e4. 12 c4 0-0

88 7 6 5

4

3 2

3

1

a b b cc a

10 BgS. Bg5. MILES: / have to play d5; otherwise the bishop will come to d3. . . dS. d5. 10 . ..

HORT: That's the best move, because now /I again cannot come out with my bishop. Bd3, e4; and /I will lose my bishop. /I have to attack these black central pawns in some way, maybe just playing c4. Well, /I started this strange strategy, /I think that /I have to continue. /I remember that Czechoslovakia played a tennis match with England lately and we lost. /I would like to take some know revenge from Tony but /I don't don t know '

40 40

don t whether /I can do it now, because /I don't like my position much. But Bb5 still looks to me quite good.

d

e

f

g 9

h

HORT: / was afraid of this move. /I can play 6x06, bxc6; Nd4, but then /I don't like Qb6 Bxc6, attacking my knight and b2 pawn. Or if I move my knight away, this loses time and Black has almost winning move Nd4. So there is only one move left for me.

14 adS cxd5 exf3 1S 15 dxc6 fxg2 16 Kxg2 bxc6 17 Bc4+ Kh8. This forced sequence of moves has left White's king exposed. Hort must rely on his active pieces to fight off the Black attack.

1B Nc3 Qc7 19 Radl Rad1 Bb7 (The bishop has 18 little future on this diagonal. Instead 19 .... BfS would have preserved Black's 19 . . Bf5 advantage) 20 Bd3.

MILES: That's slightly irritating. There's a but'I possibility of his taking on f6 now, but it'ss not not too too recapture with the pawn so it bad. What do I, want to play? Be5 is nice to aim at the Q-side a bit. Just a minute, though, then he takes on f6, I, take back with the pawn, then he takes on h7 with the bishop, I, take twice and he has Rd7+ ll have b7. We We'll have to picking up the bishop on 67. stop that. '

22 22 Bxh7.

can'I do? MILES: That was stupid, what can Nxh7, Rxd8 and that loses an exchange and d1 he has Bf5+ and If'I take on dl a pawn. If Be6+. Okay let's try and rush him. 22. . . c5+ 22 ... cS+

.

23 f3.

*»

MILES: Some way to complicate .. .... Rd4 looks interesting. If he takes, I, take with the pawn. Might get some counterplay. Seems'I have to lose the exchange; let's Seems hope he gets short of time.

'

23. . . Rd4. 23 . ..

Now'I really have to play for mating HORT: Now m attack or to win the exchange, because II'm

20.. 20 . ... Rad8. RadB.

'

still'I HORT: Yes, Tony saw the trap, but still think'I can play for am now quite happy. I, think move'I prepared earlier. traps. I, will make a move 21 Bf5. BfS.

also short of time.

2S BfS+ KgB 26 Be6+ Rf7 24 Rxd4 cxd4 25 Bf5+ Kg8 27 27 Ne4.

Miles's blunder on move 21 has left his

f3, MILES: That's a bit uncomfortable. c5+; f3, still doesn doesn'tt

do anything. Maybe Maybe'I haven't got anything any more. Perhaps Perhaps'I should offer a draw and try to get him with the white pieces. I, don don'tt know, maybe maybe'I might still get his king later. Don Don'tt know know what what to play. Be5 again, back with the Q-side. Yes, I, still have some play. '

position in dire straits. The white pieces are now closing in for the final attack, and Black can only hope for some error from his opponent.

'

'

21 .... . . Be5. BeS.

MILES: Oh Oh,

just aa minute, have 'left I left h7 en prise? Oh dear. ,

HORT: This move, I, think, opens the combination for for me, me, because because the rook on

d8 might be hanging. So, what about Bxh7? Rxd1 then then'I have check with the bishop If Rxdl {5, and of course course'I can check again on e6. f5, If Black takes the bishop in h7 with his Now'I knight, I, am winning an exchange. Now for the first first time satisfied with my am for position in this game.

8 8

7

6 5 4

1

3

2 1

aa b b c c

d

ee

f

g9

hh

can'I do MILES: That looks strong, what can 41

QC2+, Rf2; no that's that s nothing; d3 is now? Qc2+, nothing. I've got to make him take my I ve rook to free my game. '

Game 7:

'

Jan Hein Donner - Bent Larsen Nimzo-lndian Defence Defence Nimzo-Indian

27 ••• . . . Qc6. HORT: I/ can understand that Tony wants to get rid of my bishop even for the rook, but I think I can play stronger now. I must calculate whose attack goes first. My king is now a little safer than Black's and, yes, I see it, I see the deciding combination. 28 Nxf6+ gxf6 29 Bxf6. MilES: MILES: That's a a problem. I can't take on e6 because QhB Qh8 is mate. Why did I play that It s hopeless. What is ridiculous move? It's there? Qc2+ is something and if Rf2, Qg6+. Qg6 + . Well, there's a couple of chances for him to go wrong.

This was an exciting and well-played draw, with both sides producing interesting ideas. larsen Larsen sacrificed two pawns in a bold bid for the initiative, but Donner chose the the correct correct moment moment to to return return the the chose material. The tense endgame which resulted finally settled down to a peaceful conclusion. 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e3 c5 1 5 Bd3 Nc6 6 Nf3 Bxc3+.

'

29 ••• . . . Qc2+. HORT: I/ must play exactly. His queen wants to come back to g6 and I must be very careful not to lose my bishop. I still have one good square for my king and I think this will win. Black has no sufficient counter-attack. 30 Kh1. Khl. 30

7 bxc3 d6 8 e4 e5 9 d5 Ne7.

8 7

6

MilES: MILES: I'm falling apart everywhere. If I take on f6 he just recaptures. I can't move any of my pieces. Well, Bxf3+, no other moves. moves. . . . Bxf3+. 30 ••• ,

31 Rxf3 Qd1+ 33 Qf2 Qg6+ resigns.

5 4

32 Kg2 34 Rg3!

Qc2+ Bxg3 35 Qxg3

a

3 22

was of course, just desperation. But this was, With careful moves, Hort escaped the checks and finished the game with no further problems.

42 42

This variation was very popular at the time of the present game. In pure Nimzowitsch style, Black doubles the white c-pawns. The question remains whether White's bishops and powerful pawn centre will counterbalance the pawn weakness.

A

1

a b b c c a

d

e

f

g 9

h

DONNER: Well, there's probably no player in the world who has lost so many games with this variation as I did, but I must play

it. I can play the knight to d2, but I must play Nh4. It's It s fairly complicated but it must be good for White. '

10 Nh4. LARSEN: This position became famous after one of the match games Spassky-Fischer, but I remember I knew the position before that. I think there was a Hungarian game: Black played h6 and later I looked at it. h6 is okay, but I want to play something else, something I looked at years ago. years ago.

10 . .. . . Qa5.

LARSEN: Now I/ haven't got these tricks with gS g5 followed by taking his knight on fS f5 and playing e4. Ng6 is probably not so good now, but I can prepare 0-0-0 with Bd7. I can also play gS; g5; NfS, Nf5, BxfS; Bxf5; then 0-0-0 but I don't like it much. Then I have 0-0-0, to keep the position very closed because he has the two bishops against two knights. I think I'll play Bd7 and see what he does; if he castles I'll play gS. g5. ,

12 . .. . . Bd7.

DONNER: He does not play gS; g5; that is interesting. Shall I play a4 to prevent bS b5 in It s a good possibility, but some variations? It's the best is probably to prevent gS g5 for good by playing NfS Nf5 immediately. This must be a little better, though after he takes on fS f5 he has possibilities with bS. b5. I'm a little behind in development but he must give up at least two pawns. No, I don't believe that. '

DONNER: That's a mad move; usually they play h6 or Ng6. Now it is probably best to sacrifice the pawn and just castle, Qxc3; Rb1, threatening RbS. Rb5. But why should I play difficult moves when there is a simple answer? I must play the queen to c2, she is well placed there.

11 Qc2. LARSEN: I/ remember analysing a pawn

sacrifice here: Ng6; NfS, Nf5, BxfS; Bxf5; exfS, exf5, and then e4. It's quite interesting I remember, but apart from that I don't remember very much. I can also play h6 as they do in the other position now the white queen has gone from d1. Because the black queen is I m one move closer to castling out, I'm '

Q-side Q-side. .

. . . h6. 11 •••

DONNER: If I castle now, he plays gS g5 and his pawns at h6 and gS g5 are in a strong position. That's That s the reason I must not castle, so that after a later gS g5 I have the possibility to operate with pawn to h4. I must make make a a neutral neutral move, move, that's that s the the best. best. must '

13 Nf5 Nxf5 14 exf5.

LARSEN: I/ have several possibilities now. e4 is probably not a correct pawn sacrifice: he takes it and when I try to get my knight to eS e5 via g4, he plays Bf4 and then he's a good pawn up. Then there is Ba4 or Qa4. On Qa4 he plays Qe2 then later drives my queen away with Bc2. There's There s Ba4, his queen goes somewhere and I prepare a6 and bS b5 and get counterplay on that side. But the most interesting is bS; b5; he takes, I recapture; or I can also make it a pawn sacrifice, a double pawn sacrifice with c4, he takes, then RcB. Rc8. That looks very interesting indeed. Well, in a game like this one must play actively. '

. . . b5 15 cxb5 c4 16 Bxc4 Rc8. 14 ...

'

12 f3.

43

7

DONNER: That is the move, I see it. On Be3 he plays Qa5 against c3 again. I'm in trouble; I must exchange queens.

6

23 Qe3.

8

5

a

a

LARSEN: Now I/ can exchange queens or I can play Qa6. Qa6, that's that s not so bad, but also if I exchange queens I win back the second pawn. Difficult; Qa6 or Qxe3. Yes, I think I'll win back the pawn.

a

'

4

3

2

a

23 23.... . . Qxe3+ 24 Bxe3.

1

a b b cc a

d

e

f

g 9

h

Larsen's bold sacrifice of two pawns has given him a strong initiative. White has C3, dS d5 and fS f5 and his weaknesses at bS, c3, king is exposed. Nevertheless, as Donner shows, White can still hope to consolidate his position, return the material and keep his pair of active bishops.

17 Qb3 0-0 18 Bd2 a6 19 a4. 17Qb3 18Bd2a6 White could not stand 19 bxa6 Ba4. Now, however, there follows a general liquidation leaving Larsen still appearing to have a fine attack.

19 ... . . . axb5 20 Bxb5 Bxb5 21 Qxb5 Qa7. DONNER: Now he's threatening e4. My king is kept in the centre. It's an extremely dangerous position. I must exchange queens at all costs, even if it costs me two pawns. pawns.

22 Qd3.

LARSEN: Now I/ can take on d5 or on c3. The more important pawn is the one on d5 because the other one blocks his bishop. 24 ... . . . Nxd5. Nxd5. 24

DONNER: I/ lose the two pawns back, but nevertheless this happening gives me hope for the future. I have a strong passed pawn there on the a-file.

25 Bd2. LARSEN: Now I/ have to choose between Nxc3, Rc6 and Rc4. Rc4 is a nice move, but he plays his king up to d3; I probably cannot keep the blockade there; then he advances his a-pawn. Rc6 defends d6; that's very nice. I can take on c3, but then his a-pawn is very dangerous. I think I'll play Rc6 and try to win his a-pawn. His a-pawn is the only dangerous one. a-pawn one .

. . . Rc6. 25 •••

With Larsen enjoying his active rooks and knight, and Donner happy about his bishop and passed a-pawn, we were clearly in for an interesting endgame. Both sides in the ensuing moves made the most of their advantages.

LARSEN: Perhaps e4 immediately, I think he can take it; he can also play Qd4, I don't know what that is. I think it's better to prepare it.

a5 ReS Rc5 28 Rhd1. Rhdl. 26 Kf2 Ra8 27 as

72... Rfe8. 22 ••• Rfe8.

A clever defence to the a-pawn;

44 44

. . . Rxa5 29 Rxa5 Rxa5 30 c4! would 28 ... lose Black a piece.

28 ••• . . . Ra6 29 Ra3 Ne7 30 f6 gxf6 31 c4 (Finally jettisoning this pawn which obstructs his bishop) Rxc4 32 Bxh6 d5 33 Bd2 f5 34 34 Rc1 Rcl Rxc1 Rxcl 35 Bxc1 Bxcl d4 33 36 Ke2 Ke2 e4. e4.

It s cannot take on d4 because of Nc2+. It's difficult; I would like to have more time. I would like to play Rh6 attacking his king from that side, but he controls that with a bishop. That's an idea for later. Nd5 must be right; he takes on f5, I play e3, then his bishop is very badly placed and later I come on f4 with the knight. I wish I had more time, but that must be right. '

88

37 ••• . . . Nd5.

7

DONNER: What else can I do now other than take on f5? I must break these two combined pawns.

6 5

38 gxf5.

4

LARSEN: The next one is easy, I must doesn t make much sense; advance. Nc3+ doesn't he can move the king and when I play e3, he takes it with the bishop.

A

3

'

2 1

38 ••• . . . e3. e3. 38

a a b b cc

d

e

f

9 g

h

DONNER: Now Kd3, he checks me on b4 can t take on d4 because he checks and I can't on c2. That is a highly unpleasant position. I must get a square; Nf4+ is threatening, I must get a square there. '

The position has suddenly become very tense, Black's powerful centre pawns trying to prove their superiority over White's passed pawn at the edge. DONNER: He has two connected passed pawns and I must do something to break that. Nobody likes to play against two such pawns in the centre. The only possibility I

see is g4. 37 g4. LARSEN: That's a funny move. I can let him + but take on f5. I can also begin with d3 d3+ then all the pawns are hanging and he gets his bishop to d2 to stop the pawns and protect his own pawn. No, I think Nd5 is very strong: then if he takes on f5, I play e3, then on Kd3, I play Nb4+ and he

39 f4. LARSEN: I/ would like to have more time now. Probably there is something strong in this position. Probably the right move is Rc6; that's complicated because then his pawn is ready to run. Rc6, Ra1, I don't don t know. It's very complicated. I think I'll take on f4 then I can go back and I've I ve made 40 moves and passed the time control. '

'

. . . Nxf4+. 39 ••• In fact that was was where where Larsen Larsen missed missed his his In fact that real chance to win this game. 39 ... . . . Rc6! defence with with was after after all all correct. correct. White's White s defence was 40 Ra1 is countered by 40 ... . . . Rc2+ 41 Kd3 '

45

(or 41 Kd1 Kdl d3 winning easily) Nb4+ 42 Kxd4 e2 and either 43 Ba3 or 43 Be3 can be met by 43 ... . . . Ra2! with Nc2+ to come to decide the issue. An easy line to overlook when short of time. Now Donner takes his chance to save the game. DONNER: That is quite fortunate, now my king has some squares. I was most afraid of Rc6.

40 Kf3. LARSEN: What can I/ do? e2 is bad because

of Bd2 which protects his own passed pawn. My knight must go back. I have to move quickly, I wouldn't wouldn t like to lose on '

Game 8: Bent Larsen - Jan Hein Donner Queen's Gambit Declined This was a truly terrible game by Donner. He has often admitted a tendency to panic when short of time and here the fast replay rules -- all the moves in one hour -- seemed to throw him off-balance from the start. Perhaps he felt that he had done his duty by by reaching reaching the the semi-final and drawing the the fi rst game against Larsen. first 1 1 c4 e6 2 Nc3 dS d5 3 d4 Nf6 4 BgS Bg5 Be7 5 Nf3 h6 6 Bh4 0-0.

time.

LARSEN: Now e3 is normal; then he

40 ..• . . . Nd5. NdS.

b6, that's probably plays 66, that s the Tartakower variation, he likes that. I can also play Rc1 Rd '

DONNER: It looks drawish now, but I must

first. That's what Korchnoi did in one of his

be careful. Ra4 is probably the easiest.

games. II like that that idea because if he plays b6 then later I take on f6 and I take on d5,

41 Ra4.

LARSEN: Strange, why didn't he play Bb2? Well, everything is rather drawish; the pawns are disappearing. What can I do? e2 is a nice trick, if he takes it then I win his rook, but he plays Bd2 then he keeps his a nothing. Must be a-pawn -pawn and I have nothing .

careful. Ne7 is nice, because when I take

on f5 I protect d4. So he probably takes on d4 at once and then his a-pawn is not protected. 41 .••• . . Ne7 42 Rxd4 RxaS Rxa5 Draw agreed. All the dangerous pawns are exchanged and there is nothing left for either player.

then I play g3 as Korchnoi did. I've not it'ss a type of played that idea before but it position I think II understand very very well. '

7 Rc1. Rcl.

DONNER: That is what Korchnoi played and it is an important improvement because the Tartakower variation is difficult to play against for White, but with fianchetto of the bishop it works. I'll play the old Lasker, I wanted that and I'm going to do it. ••• Ne4. 7 ... 1 LARSEN: Oh, Oh, that's that's surprising, surprising, the the Lasker Lasker LARSEN: variation. Does he play that too? Well, the first move is easy. 88 Bxe7 Qxe7 99 e3 c6.

LARSEN: This is all like aa game in the last round of the Lone Pine tournament. 46 46

Polugayevsky played White against Lein. do; II was Well, I know what I want to do; wondering during the game why Polugayevsky didn't take on c4 with the rook we ll probably get to that position. rook - we'll I I'm m very satisfied with that. '

'

10 Bd3 Bd3 Nxc3 11 Rxc3. Rxc3. 10 Nxc3 11 DONNER: it's an an obvious obvious move, now DONNER: Well, it's I change at c4 and then when he takes with the bishop I play 66 b6 and since years we know that White has nothing. 11 .••• . . dxc4. dxc4. 11

LARSEN: This is where Polugayevsky took with the bishop and Black played Nd7. Then White castled and Black played eS, e5, and they had a normal position except Black has the pawn on h6 instead of h7. Here they agreed a draw which made me very happy because then I won first prize without sharing it with Polugayevsky. That was very nice, $12,000, very nice last round. Well, this is where Stahlberg always wrote that you should take with the rook and I like like that. that.

'

13 0-0 Bb7 14 Ne5 Qd6 15 Qf3 f6. Tired of the pressure against c6, Donner tries to drive away the strong knight, but this move already prepares his fatal blunder.

88

1

7 6 5 4 3

2

12 Rxc4. Rxc4. DONNER: That's an odd odd move; I've I've never seen that before. Yes, I've I ve read something about it in old tournament books, somebody said that this was the best. Now if I play Nd7 and eS, e5, the rook is well placed and the bishop too. Can I play b6? 66? He cannot attack immediately with Be4 because there is Ba6 in the position all the time, especially after he has castled. I don't know, b6 66 looks dangerous, but I'm convinced that after NdJ Nd7 and e5 eS White definitely is a little better. If there is a way to make a quick draw it must be b6. 66. '

. . . b6. 12 ...

After this move, however, Donner always looked in trouble. The weakness of the pawn on c6, together with White's White s possibilities of attacking on the b1-h7 diagonal, gave him severe problems. After the game both players decided that 12 ... . . . Nd7 followed by RdB, Rd8, NfB Nf8 and Bd7 was the right way to develop without creating points of attack.

i

a a b b c c

d

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h

LARSEN: That weakens his position, I can play Ng6, then he plays Rfl Rf7 protecting his bishop and he's ready to play cS. c5. Still, it's a very good position for White, the knight is strong on g6. But what is Qe4? Of course he cannot take the knight; Qe4, he plays fS, f5, then my knight is safe on eS; e5; I can play then Qf4 or Qf3. Qe4 looks very strong, it's good to get those pawns on white squares because he has the white-squared bishop.

47

Qe he takes on e5, eS, I/ take with the Qe4, d-pawn Yes, that's terrible. d-pawn.

People resign the move before mate, that's a funny thing.

16 Qe4.

20 Qxg7+.

DONNER: That is a funny move; can I take the knight? If I take at e5, he checks me at h7, Kf7; Bg6, Kf6; takes at e5, Qxe5. What is this? Is that correct, the sacrifice of the piece? To play f5 -- I absolutely don't don t like, I ve hardly anything else than to take so I've that knight. Well, perhaps I am mated but I don't see it immediately.

DONNER: Mate or resigning? No I prefer mate.

.

'

'

16 •.• . . . fxe5. fxe5. 16

LARSEN: I/ wonder what he's overlooking. Am I overlooking something? I think it's so simple; I take on e5 first, he has no good move for his queen, then I have check, then check with the bishop or with the don t see it, I take on e5, he gives rook. I don't his queen for my bishop and he wins my rook with a bishop pin; I still have queen and pawn against rook and knight. That's That s '

'

an easy win.

17 dxe5. DONNER: Oh, that is horrible, of course he takes it immediately. Oh this is really horrible, I completely overlooked that, and so simple. This is absolutely hopeless. I can as well resign, it's mate in all it s mate variations. The queen has no square; wherever I go I get a check at h7, aa rook at f4 and the bishop at g6. I lose a rook at least. There's no difference whatever move I do here. Qe7 is mate in two; Qd8 is mate in four or something. Okay I let him give me mate. '

17 ..• . . . Qd8 18 Qh7+ Kf7 19 8g6+ Bg6+ Ke7. LARSEN: I/ wonder if he's going to resign now. Naidorf Najdorf once told me I was a gentleman because I let him mate me.

48

20 •.. . . . Rf7 21 Qxf7 mate.

The The Final Final Bent Larsen Larsen Bent

Y2,Y2,Y2,Y2,1-Y2,Y2,Y2,Y2,O Vlastimil Vlastimil Hort Hort l/2,1/2,1/2/1/2,7-l/2/1/2,1/2/y2/0

Game 11: 11: Game Larsen -- Vlastimil Vlastimil Hort Hort Bent Larsen Bent Grunfeld Defence Griinfeld Defence

88

i

77 66

This was was aa good good example example of of true true This grandmaster chess. Playing an unusual grandmaster chess. Playing an unusual opening variation, Larsen secured opening variation, Larsen secured aa minimal endgame endgame advantage. advantage. He He pushed pushed minimal hard and Hort found himself under hard and Hort found himself under considerable pressure. pressure. Despite Despite time time considerable pressure, the Czechoslovakian grandmaster pressure, the Czechoslovakian grandmaster defended well well and and managed managed to to save save defended himself. himself.

55

A

44

33 22

11

1

ab b c c

a

dd

ee

ff

99

h

c4 g6 g6 22 Nf3 Nf3 Bg7 Bg7 33 d4 d4 Nf6 Nf6 44 Nc3 Nc3 d5. dS. 11 c4

From an an English English opening opening we we have have reached reached From a Grunfeld Defence. White is challenged a Griinfeld Defence. White is challenged to form form aa big big pawn pawn centre centre which which Black Black to hopes to undermine. hopes to undermine. cxdS Nxd5 NxdS 66 e4 e4 Nxc3 Nxc3 77 bxcS bxc3 c5 c5 5Scxd5 BbS+ Nc6 Nc6 88 Bb5+

Larsen has has adopted adopted aa very very old old variation variation Larsen considered innocuous by theory. Now 99 d5 d5 considered innocuous by theory. Now 9 .. nothing after ."a6, but the Dane brings brings nothing after 9 . . . a6, but the Dane has another another idea idea which which he he had had played played in in has an earlier game in a Spanish team match an earlier game in a Spanish team match

Now II have have to to use use my my own head. LARSEN: Now own head. LARSEN: Castro took took on d4 and and then then castled castled and and II on d4 Castro got aa very very nice nice position. position. What What now? now? Qa4 Qa4 or or got Qb3, ora4 or a4 or or Rbl. Rb1. Rbl Rb1 II don't don't even even know know Qb3, what II do do ifif he he takes takes my my a-pawn. a-pawn. Qa4 Qa4 he he what takes, then then maybe maybe just just Bd7, Bdl, because because later later takes, he can can play play Na5 NaS and and he he gets gets his his knight knight to to he c4. Qb3 Qb3 looks looks much much better, better, then then ifif he he c4. castles II can can take take the the knight knight and and play play Qa3. Qa3. castles looks like like aa very very good good ending. ending. That looks That Qb3. 10 Qb3. 10

HORT: This This move move isis probably probably best. best. II have have HORT:

against Oscar Oscar Castro. Castro. against

to watch watch out out now now for for d5. dS. Well, Well, but but ifif II to

QaS. 990-0 0-0 Qa5.

and White White plays plays d5 dS II have have still still nice nice castle and castle move like like Ne5. NeS. Yes Yes II have have some some move

on the on counterplay on the diagonal: diagonal: the-bishop the· bishop on counterplay 56 56

b5 b5 is not not so so famous. After d5 I can even even

take on c3 with my queen. Yes, d5 is not possible so I castle. 10 . . 0-0. 10 .... 0-0.

LARSEN: LARSEN: Now I have have to make a decision. If my centre pawn with Be3 he I protect my probably exchanges pawns on d4 then It'ss an unclear position; he he gets plays Bg4. It some counterplay. I like the other variation

HORT: /I think that Larsen is really playing for microscopical advantage, but he is quite strong in this position. He plays opposite-coloured bishops bishops positions positions these these opposite-coloured very well. I have nothing better than Ba6. 16 . . Ba6. 16 .... Ba6.

idea.

LARSEN: He's playing it as actively as he Be2. Oh that that'ss bad can. Now Bc5, he plays Bel. because if I play Rd2 he has Bh6. Well that's terrible. I probably have nothing better than Ne5. I think it's still a slight advantage in in spite spite of of the the bishops bishops of of advantage opposite colours.

11 Bxc6 Bxc6 bxc6 bxc6 12 12 Qa3. Qa3. 11

17 17 NeS Ne5 BxeS Bxe5 18 18 dxeS dxe5 RadS Rad8 19 19 Rxd7 Rxd7 Rxd7. Rxd7.

'

c6, then Qa3 and the better. I can take on c6, bishop will be very strong on a3 and his c6

pawn will be weak. That must be the right

HORT: White is playing for another strategic scheme now I see. The game will be quite hard for me because I have aa disturbed pawn chain. I can't get away with my queen because if I play Qb6, after Be3 his rooks are coming very cheaply on the b-line b-line. I have to be satisfied with slightly worse endgame. I think that I can defend. .

12 .... Bxa3 cxd4 14 cxd4 Rd8 12 . . Qxa3 13 BxaS 15 15 Racl. Rac1. After 15 15 Bxe7 Bxe7 Re8 ReB Black Black would have have

15 .... regained the pawn. Now 15 . . Bxd4 is 16 Bxe7. White maintains strong met by 16 and e7, but Hort pressure against c6 and

'

8 8

7

1

6

5 4

3 2

3

1

abc d e 9 h abcdefgh

continues to find active active defensive defensive ideas. ideas. 15 . . Rd7. 15 ....

16 Rxc6 is answered by 16 16 .... Now 16 . . Bb7. LARSEN: /I begin begin to regret my last move. I could have played Bc5 and maybe the rook should not go to cl. c1. But it it'ss quite good anyway. Rfdl Rfd1 looks logical, he he'ss coming to a6 with the bishop so why not move the a6 rook away? '

'

16 16 Rfdl. Rfd1.

Despite the simplification, White still has chances to make progress. Both his pieces are active, and the pawns at e7 and c6 demand constant attention. Although opposite-coloured bishops have strong drawish drawish tendencies in in the absence of other

pieces, in the presence of rooks their attacking potential can be considerably enhanced. White White'ss first concern is is to '

improve the position of his king and try to improve create an initiative initiative on the K-side. 57 57

20 h4 Bb5 BbS 21 Bc5 BeS a5 as 22 22 Kh2 Bd3 23 f3 a4

24 Kg3 hS BbS 26 a3 Kf8 27 g4 Rd3. h5 25 Kf4 Bb5

At last some signs of activity for Black. He must counter-attack against f3 to tie down

that Larsen had made as much progress as was possible. Hort Hart'ss steadfast defence continued to be sufficient to keep the white pieces at bay. '

some of of the White force.

Re1 34 Bd6 Rc3 Re3 35 3S Rg2 c5. eS. 33 . .. .. Rcl

28 gxh5 gxhS gxh5 gxhS 29 Bb4 Rb3.

Finally this pawn manages to advance and Black's troubles are nearly over.

Now threatening 30 ... . . . Be2. 30 Rc2 Re2 Rbl Rb1 31 Rd2 Ke8.

LARSEN: I'm beginning to like it. Now I BaS. If he goes can threaten mate with Ba5. back with the king I'll check him and then Bb4 again and I get a strong attack with my rook and bishop. In some cases I probably BaS, e6: that is come with my king also. Ba5, the move he has been trying to avoid the whole game. Then I get the squares d6 and f6. It looks very good. 32 Ba5. BaS.

HORT: There is aa mating threat now. I KfB because then I don't think I can play Kf8 RdB+, Kg7; Bb4, e6: Be7 will be checked Rd8+, and then there is a famous mate threat Bf6 et cetera. Well, I have to weaken my king.

The final point of Black's defence. The f3 pawn will need defending and White has no longer any chances to win. + Kc6 Ke6 39 Kg3 Rxa3 40 Rc7+ Re7 + Kb6 38 Rxf7 Rxf7+ KbG 41 Bxc5+ BxeS+ Kxc7 Kxe7 42 Bxa3.

Finally the disappearance of rooks guarantees aa draw. 42 .... . . Kd7 43 Kf2 Bdl Bd1

4S 45 49

44 Ke3 Ke8 f4 Kf7 46 f5 fS Bg4 47 Kf4 Bdl Bd1 48 Kg5 KgS Bf3 Bb2 Bdl Bd1 Draw agreed.

The Final - first replay Game 12: 12:

Vlastimil Hort - Bent Larsen

32 .. .... e6.

LARSEN: Now I can check and afterwards I

BdB+ and Bf6. can play Rd6 threatening Bd8+ But he has a defence. He plays Rb3 and when I give check and Bf6 he plays Rd3, then he can hold the ending after RdB+, Ke7: exchange of rooks. How is Rd8+, RhB? It's not too clear; maybe he plays Rb3, Rh8? Be2. It's very then he has a threat of Bel. unclear. I think I/'11 ll go back with my bishop and keep the blockade so he still cannot cS. play c5. '

33 Bb4.

The further course of the game showed 58 58

36 Rg8+ Kd7 37 Rf8 Be2.

Ruy Lopez After the hard draw in the previous game, both players treated this replay with great caution. The result never looked like being other than another draw.

eS 2 Nf3 Nc6 Ne6 3 BbS 11 e4 e5 Bb5 Nge7 4 d4 exd4 Ne6 7 Qe3 Bb4+ 5S Nxd4 Nxd4 66 Qxd4 Nc6 8 10 Nd5 NdS Bc5 BeS 8 Nc3 Ne3 0-0 99 0-0 d6 10 e6 11 Qg3 Kh8 KhB 12 Bd2 Nd4 13 Bd3 c6 lS Bc3 Be3 Qg5 QgS 16 QxgS NxgS 14 Nf4 Ne6 NeG 15 Nxg5 17 17 Rael Rae1 Ne6 18 18 Bd2 Nxf4 Nxf4 19 19 Bxf4 Be6 20 e5 RadB 22 a3 Rfe8 RfeB eS dxe5 dxeS 21 BxeS Rad8 23 h3 Kg8 KgB 24 Re2 BdS Bd5 Draw agreed.

is uncomfortable to play under the fast time limit of this game.

*

88 7

4

HORT: White has very nice development. Can I play Nc6? If I do he takes on cS. c5. Nd7 is another possibility, but what happens if he pushes dS? d5? I don't have much time. I will play shy and cover my pawn.

3

. . . N8d7. 10 •••

6

5

*

2

a a b b c c

d

e

f

LARSEN: a4 is probably stupid. I think I'll just castle and see what he does. I have a nice development already.

g 9

h

. . . Rc2+ drawnl! drawn?! 48 ••• . . . e2 wins for Black; after But 48 ... 49 Ra8+ Kf7 50 Re8 Black simply captures the c-pawn.

11 0-0. HORT: Now I'm really not sure what to do. Maybe I have to play Bd6 but then I am really afraid of f4 and my bishop can be very bad. Well, I will try not to allow White to play f4, so I will first of all take. . . . cxd4. 11 •••

The Final - fourth replay Game 15:

'

12 Nxd4.

Bent Larsen - Vlastimil Hort Slav Defence a decision. And it came about in a At last a similar manner to the previous game. Again Hort ran short of time defending a difficult position: and again Larsel1 Larsen took great risks to complicate in the endgame. This time, however, it paid off, though for one move Hort was actually winning. 1 c4 c4 Nf6 Nf6 2 2 Nc3 Nc3 c6 c6 3 3 d4 d4 d5 d5 4 4 e3 e3 Bf5 Bf5 1 5 cxd5 Nxd5 6 Bc4 e6 7 Nge2 Nb6 8 Bb3 c5 9 e4 Bg6 10 Be3.

White has clearly the freer position from the opening, but Hort's game has no clear Black s position weaknesses. Nevertheless, Black's '

60 60

LARSEN: Oh, he probably wants to Nc5, but that's that s all right. I continue with NcS, take with the knight, of course.

HORT: Now shall I play NcS Nc5 or shall I put the bishop there? I should like to run with my king: my development is a little bit shaky, so I think I have to play the bishop. . . . Bc5. 12 •••

LARSEN: I/ started wondering about that while he was thinking. He has only nine Let s give him minutes left, I have thirteen. Let's a problem. Na4 is very strong. '

13 Na4. Na4. 13

HORT: That's surprising. Now if I take the knight, Nxa4, Bxa4, 0-0, then Nxe6 and I'm probably losing a pawn and White is better. Of course otherwise I lose my bishop.

Maybe I should cover the bishop because White has a threat, Nxe6, that is very strong. I don't don t see another move.

make use of that, I must complicate the game. game.

'

13 .•• . . . Qe7 14 Nxe5 Nxc5 Nxe5 Nxc5 15 f3 0-0. As a result of the opening, Larsen has acquired a useful bishop pair, and Black's Black s remaining bishop is shut out of the game.

20 Rfd1. Rfdl. 20

HORT: What shall I do? Let's change some pieces.

'

16 Qe2 RaeS Rac8 17 Be2 Bc2 e5 lS 18 Nb5 a6 19 Ne3. Nc3. HORT: Of course he wants to get the d5 square, but I think I can still defend. My two position is worse due to White's White s two bishops. Well, as Alekhine once said, 'Was haben Sie gegen zwei Laufer?' It means 'what what do you have against two bishops'. bishops Well I have only the hope that I can defend. I will play f6 trying to get my bishop into the game. '

'

'

.

. . . 16. f6. 19 •••

88

20 ••• . . . RfdS. Rfd8. 20

LARSEN: I/ think he made a mistake there because now c5 will be less protected. 21 RxdS+ Rxd8+ RxdS. Rxd8. 21

LARSEN: Now Qf2 with some clever things on that diagonal. If he protects with Nbd7, I come to d5 with the knight.

22 Qf2. Oh what shall I do now? My HORT: Oh, knights are a little bit hanging and I don't know what to do. I cannot play Nbd7 because of b4 and I am losing a piece, so I have to move my rook again. ,

22 ••• . . . ReS. RcB. 22

1 i

7 6

5 4

3 2

With Hort defending well but rapidly running out of time, Larsen now decided that his principal advantage was the clock. He had six minutes left to Hort's three. Consequently, White decided from now on just to play quickly. Abandoning his previous strategy, he now settles for simplification and a long endgame. Rdl Bf7 24 Bxe5 Bxc5 Rxe5 Rxc5 25 Bb3 Bxb3 23 Rd1 Rc6 27 h3 Rd6. 26 axb3 Re6

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LARSEN: That spoils one of my ideas because his bishop is not completely out of the game. Can I make use of the two knights hanging there on c5 and b6? Rd1 Rdl is a terrible move. I have more time, I must

LARSEN: I'm stupid. I should have played Qd2 last move. Well, to make it a little complicated now I must play Nd5. He probably takes it, then I get a passed pawn. That's he s That s at least something and he's short of time. short of time. '

'

28 Nd5. 61 61

H ORT: /I think that the position is rather HORT: drawish, but still White gets pawn to d5 dS and I have good blockade. Now I think that worst time is behind behind me. me. 28 .••• . . Nxd5. NxdS.

LARSEN: LARSEN: Take with the rook? I'll never win

Larsen embarks on aa wild and and incalculable

continuation confident only perhaps half aa minute more it. it.

gxfS gxf5 gxfS 43 Rxe5 RxeS Rxc5 RxcS 44 Rxf5 RxfS Rb5 RbS 42 gxf5 45 4S Kh5 KhS Rxb2 46 Kxh6 a5 as 47 h4 a4 48 Rf8.

that.

29 exd5. exdS.

8

HORT: Now /I must try to be active, so let's occupy some file for the first time in this

7 7

game. game.

6 6 5 5

29 ...• . . Qc7. LARSEN: Let me see. I want to make a a

can'tt exchange queen move. Qe3, then he can queens on b6 because my pawn runs. '

30 Qe3.

4 4

3 3 2 2

i_*_ -- --i_--~A

'

-- -

-~A

1

HORT: What shall I do? Shall I play Qc2? I am not so sure about this move: maybe it is good move. I am really short of time now. I can can'tt play Qc2 because he can don'tt know sacrifice pawn maybe. I really don what to do. Well, I will improve my king.

that he has to think about

aa b b c c

d

ee

f

g9

hh

48 .••. . . b5? bS?

'

The losing move. Instead 48 .... . . a3 49 Ra8 RaB a2 would save aa move and even win

30 . . Kf7. 30 .••.

for Black.

Apart from his clock, Hort would be in no danger of losing this game now. But Larsen manages to continue to create problems, until both sides were again having to make their moves almost instantaneously.

49 Ra8 Rb3 50 SO f4 a3 51 Sl f5 fS b4 b4 52 S2 f6 Rf3

31 Qe4 Qc5+ QcS+ 32 Kh2 g6 33 Qc4 Qxc4 34 bxc4 Rb6 35 Rd2 Ke7 36 c5. cS. The white pawns look imposing, but only one of them is passed and the black rook is is now active.

RbS 37 Rc2 f5 fS 38 Kg3 Kd7 36 .••• . . Rb5 RbS. 39 Kh4 h6 40 g4 Rb3 41 Re2 Rb5. Now 42 Rc2 would repeat moves. Instead 62 62

S3 Kg5 KgS Kd6 54 h5 hS Kxd5 KxdS 55 h6 Rg3+ 53 S6 Kf4 Rgl Rg1 and Black lost on time. 56 A sad end, but at least after 57 h7 his his

position is now hopeless anyway.

The Master Master Game Game 19801980- Series Series Five Five The

Order of Play Group A:

Round One: Round Two: Round Three:

%- % Hort; Nunn V2-V2 Pfleger 0-1 Browne %- % Nunn Hort 1-0 Pfleger; Browne V2-V2 %- % Pfleger; Nunn V2-V2 Hort 0-1 Browne

B B

N N

Browne Browne

x x

Nunn

H H

P P

Total

1/2 % 11

11

2V2 2%

V2

x

V2

Vh 1%

Ho rt Hort

0 0

1/2 % xx

11

Vh 1%

Pfleger

0

% 0 xx y2

% V2

V2

Game 16: 16:

John Nunn -• Vlastimil Hort

Hungarian Defence As in their game from the previous year's series, Hort took few risks with the black

pieces. The blocked centre after the opening left Nunn with some advantage, but Hort equalised by careful play.

pawns in the centre or push on. If I exchange, the position is very symmetrical and rather drawish. It It'll ll probably be more interesting to advance the pawn. It'll gain time because he'll have to retreat his knight. '

5d5. S dS.

11 e4 e5 eS 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Be7.

surprise. Now the HORT: That's another surprise game will have a closed character because of the blockade. I have only one move.

NUNN: That was an unusual move. The

5 . . Nb8. Nb8. S ....

Hungarian Defence I think it's called. The alternatives are Bc5 BcS and Nf6. I was rather

expecting him to play one of those. Now II've ve got to remember this old theory. Well the right move must be d4. '

4 4 d4.

HORT: That is the strongest move. Now I have to make something in the centre. 4 .••• . . d6.

WeillI can either exchange those NUNN: Well

.

NUNN: /I wanf to form want fo form a fairly fairly large large centre centre NUNN: here by advancing my c-pawn but the bishop's in the way, so I'd better move it somewhere. I think I'll put it on d3 because it'll defend the e-pawn from that square. Then later on I can push my c-pawn.

c-pawn

.

6 Bd3 Nf6 7 7 c4 c5 cS 8 Nc3 Nc3 Nbd7.

The game has now assumed the character queen'ss pawn opening, the Czech of aa queen '

69 69

Benoni, with Black a a move behind. He has

lost two moves with his knight, while White has lost only one with his bishop. Nevertheless the blocked nature of the position minimises the effect of this time loss.

Be2 Ng6 11 Ba4+. 9 h3 Nf8 10 Bc2 This manoeuvre is calculated to disrupt Black's development. After 11 ... . . . Bd7 the exchange of bishops would favour White since Black would be left with his remaining bishop impeded by its own Hort'ss clever reply, however, pawns. Hort avoids any trouble and eventually leads to Black gaining the bishop pair. '

11 . . . Nd7! 11 ...

12 Ne2 Nh4 13 Nxh4 Bxh4 Bxh4

14 0-0 0-0 15 15 Bxd7 Bxd7 140-00-0 Bxd7 16 a4 b6 17 Ra3.

NUNN: I/ thought he was going to open up the position on the Q-side but he's gone over to the other side of the board completely. Well I'll I ll just have to take it as he's played it. I must take. '

18 exf5. exfS.

HORT: Oh, I see that what I did was not the right thing. Now I have to be very careful, I must cover now the square e6 because aa knight can come there from e2 and f4 later. I don't don t see another move. '

18 . . Bxf5. 18 .•.• BxfS.

NUNN: I'm a a little worried about these two bishops of his, but at least I have the opportunity to get my rook on fl f1 into the

game. game. 19 f4. HORT: /I was afraid of this move. Now the

8 8

position changes character. It is not closed any more. I really have to be careful because my pawn on d6 can be weak and I have also to be careful about the square e6. /I have to make a difficult strategical decision. I think that I have to move my bishop back.

7 6 5

4

A

3

. . . Bd7. 19 ..•

A

2 i

a a b b c c

d

e

f

9 g

hh

Black must now decide how to open the game for his bishops. The possible plans bS to break on the Q-side are either a6 and b5 fS opening the other wing. Hort chose or f5 the latter. 17 . . f5. 17 .•.. fS.

70

NUNN: He's ignoring my pawn advance. I can give him an isolated pawn here. Well, I'd b I'd better etter do so or else my last move doesn't have any point. 20 fxe5 fxeS dxe5. dxeS.

White now has something to show for his concession of the bishop pair. The passed d d-pawn eS give Black -pawn and weakness at e5 some problems but the position is still more or less equal. The open f-file is sure to lead to exchanges and aa draw was already looking the likely result.

QxfB 22 Rf3 Qd6 23 Nc3 Qg6. 21 Rxf8+ Qxf8

Game 17: 17:

Black prevents the white knight from coming to e4 and also creates some attacking possibilities for himself down the -file Nunn continues cautiously. g-file. g

Helmut Pfleger - Walter Browne English Opening

.

24 Kh1 KM Rf8 Rxf8+ KxfB. RfB 25 RxfB+

NUNN: I'm sure the draw ought to be in hand here. I've got to find some m a bit constructive plan. II'm bit worried about the queens coming off and all those Q-side pawns of mine becoming very weak and perhaps prone to attack by the white-squared bishop. It It'd d probably be a good idea if I could exchange some of them. a5 move because then as looks like the move I get rid of the weak pawn on a4 and after the exchange on b6 his own b-pawn might become weak. '

'

26 a5.

HORT: It looks as if he is playing for aa draw, but still his move is very good because he's changing the pawns that could be weak. I must be careful, I will try to exchange queens.

Browne scored the first win in this group with aa good technical performance. Pfleger's attempt to start aa K-side attack with 12 g4 was convincingly refuted by the American's accurate play. Once he had gained the initiative Browne never slackened the pressure. Finally Pfleger lost material in time trouble.

1 1 c4 c5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 g3 b6 4 Bg2 Bb7 5 0-0 e6 e6 66 b3 Be7 77 Bb2 0-0 8B d4 cxd4

11 h3 Qc7. 10 Nc3 a6 11 99 Qxd4 d6 10 This is aa normal type of position from the English Opening. White has an advantage in space, but Black's game is perfectly solid. The normal way for White to continue is 12 e4 followed by Qe3 and Nd4, holding on to the extra space and preventing Black Black'ss freeing moves, d5 dS and bS. Instead Pfleger embarks on a new plan b5. a '

of immediate attack.

12 g4 h6 13 g5.

26 .. .... Qg3.

NUNN: That looks aggressive. Is he threatening to sacrifice on h3 now? No, Qf1 + + and then take the because I can play Qfl bishop on h3. So I have the opportunity to exchange pawns without worrying. axb6 28 Ne4 Qg6 29 Qf3+ Qf5. 27 axb6 axbB

And on making this move, Hort offered aa draw which was accepted. The position is level and, without aa constructive plan clearly available to either player, neither felt inclined to take risks in this first round.

8 8

1

7 7

6 6 5 5 4 4

3 3 2 2 1

aa b b c c

d

ee

f

9 g

hh

71

18 Nh5 Bh8 19 f4 Bg4. The correct defence. White's powerful knight must be eliminated. 20 fxe5 Bxh5 21 exd6 Qxd6 22 Nf3 Bg6.

reflection of the position. Black's extra pawn is blockaded and he is still worried about possible mating threats on the long diagonal. Browne felt it unwise to continue with insufficient time for the next nine moves. moves.

8

i

i

7 6

John Nunn - Helmut Pfleger Pirc Defence

5 4

a

3

A

2 i

:

a bc d e abcdefgh 9 h Curiously, both players were quite optimistic about their chances at this stage of the game. White still has hopes of attacking the exposed black king, while Black is destroying the white centre pawns. 23 26

Nxh4 Bxe4 24 Qf2 Qxd5 25 Rg3+ Bg6 Nf5.

White threatens 27 Nh6+ Kg7 28 Qxf7+ Qxf7 29 Rxf7 mate, or 27 Nh6+ Kf8 28 Rxg6 winning. Nunn defends coolly. . . . Bd4 27 Nxd4 cxd4 28 Bh6 Rb7. 26 •••

Adding to the defence of f7 and enabling 29 Qf6 to be met by 29 ... . . . QeS. Qe5. Now White should play 29 RgS Rg5 maintaining a dangerous attack. Short of time, Browne decided to give his king some air. 29 h4 Qh5 30 Bg5 d3 31 Qf6 draw agreed. A slightly surprising decision, though a fair 78

Game 20:

This game was important for both players: Nunn had to win to keep alive his chances of reaching the final; Pfleger was fighting to avoid the ignominy of losing all three games. The game showed that the German grandmaster had not lost his combative spirit. He counter-attacked well from a poor position and scored a good draw. 11 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 f4 Bg7 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Bd3 Na6. Curiously, Pfleger's chosen opening variation is also a favourite of his opponent. Black prepares a counter-thrust c5. in the centre with cS. 7 0-0 c5 8 d5 Nc7 9 a4 e6 10 dxe6 fxe6 11 e5 Nfd5. White's advance in the centre has given him the basis for an attack on the K-side. Now the normal continuation would be 12 Ne4, centralising and maintaining White's advantage in space. Instead, Nunn decided to open the position and go for an immediate attack. 12 exd6 Qxd6 13 Ne4 Qe7 14 Ne5 b6 15 Qg4 Ba6 16 Bxa6 Nxa6. Black has succeeded in exchanging one of the attacking pieces, but Nunn's forces are

still poised bring fresh

near the king. He must now troops into the attack.

RacB for take it off, but then he can play Rac8 example, and my knight is then pinned against the pawn on c2. He He'd d get rather a strong initiative, so I think II'd d better ignore his c-pawn. But his knight on a6 can come to c5 and exchange yet another potential attacking piece on e4. If he keeps lopping ll have no attack my pieces off like this II'll left whatsoever. But I don't think I have much choice; I must continue with my plan. '

'

8 8

7

'

6 5

4

A

18 18 Rh3.

3 2

PFLEGER: He simply neglects my pawn offer. Is he always like that? Well, some uncomfortable things threaten here on the K -side I think I have to oppose with the K-side.

a

1

aa b b c c

dd

ee

g9

f

hh

.

rook.

NUNN: That exchange has weakened my queen'ss rook in attack somewhat. My queen It'ss very particular needs to come into play. It tempting now to play Ra3 and then over to h3 perhaps with some real K-side threats. /t's curious that in all three of my games in It's this tournament White has developed this rook via a3. Perhaps it will start a trend. '

'

17 17 Ra3.

PFLEGER: Oh, I completely overlooked this move. What shall I do now? I saw John

recently win against Darga, also from Germany, in rather an impressive manner and somehow II'm m a little bit afraid of being it'ss too mated here. If I play Nb4 I think it slow: he simply plays c4 and everything is in his favour. Maybe I can sacrifice a pawn with c4, giving my knight the square c5. /I '

18 18 .. .... Rf5.

NUNN: My bishop's gone from d3, so this doesn'tt seem move is possible. My attack doesn to be getting quite as far as I'd like. Perhaps I should change track now and take off that pawn on c4. It's far moce RcB I possible now because if he plays Red have aa knight fork on d6. Well aa pawn is certainly a worthwhile thing to take off, so let's have it. '

19 19 Nxc4. Nxc4.

PFLEGER: At last he becomes greedy. Well, it gives my knight the opportunity to come back into the centre with force.

'

think I have to do it. 17 17 .. .... c4.

NUNN: NUNN: That's a bit of a shock: I hadn't realised it was possible. Of course I can

19 19 .. ..•. Nc5.

NUNN: /I feel this is a crucial point in the He'ss obviously got some game. He m sure if I counterplay for the pawn but II'm play accurately I should maintain my extra material. What shall I play? Qe2, Ned6, Ncd6, there are so many choices I'm sure II'm m going to make the wrong one. The '

'

'

79 79

problem with Qe2 is that he can then take the pawn on a4 and I can't see how to exploit his out-of-play knight. If I play Ned6, NedS, his rook just goes back to fB fd and then he can attack my knight with RadB Rad8 I m going to be retreating rapidly. I'll and I'm I ll try the third possibility, though I'm a bit suspicious of a move I arrive at by a process of elimination. '

'

20 Ncd6.

But Pfleger was happy with Nunn's choice because it gave him the chance to create immediate pressure against the f-pawn. 20 •. •. •. Nxe4 21 Nxe4 Raf8.

with the rook on f4, he exchanges rooks, then once again eS e5 and the bishop can't move because of mate on f1. What can I do? I mustn't lose my head. I can no longer think of winning this game, but somehow I'm I m sure I ought to find a way out to draw. Half a point is better than none at all. Well, my move seems forced. '

24Rxf4Rxf4 24 Rxf4 Rxf4 25 Bxf4.

PFLEGER: Now the planned move eS. e5. His bishop cannot retreat because he would then be mated on f1, so I will win back my piece with, I think, slightly the better game. game. 25 ••• . . . e5.

NUNN: My best chance here is to exchange as many pieces as possible and try to draw the ending. I want to make sure that I can exchange off the rooks; that's the most important thing because then I I ll cannot be mated on the back rank. So I'll prepare to swap those rooks down the f-file f-file.

88 7 6

'

5 4

.

3

26 Rf3 exf4 27 Rxf4 Bxb2 28 Rxf8+ Qxf8.

2 1

abcdefgh f a bc d e 9 h

With all Black's pieces now enjoying concerted action, he has clear compensation for the pawn. Nunn's next move overlooks a little combination. Khl Nxf4. 22 c4 Bd4+ 23 Kh1

NUNN: Oh, what have I allowed to happen? A A combination I completely It s so simple when you see it. overlooked. It's If I take on f4 with the bishop, he plays eS e5 and my rook on f1 is undefended. If I take '

80

The exchanges have left material level and both kings too exposed for either player to have realistic hopes of winning. Neither can free his pieces from defensive duties for sufficiently long to create any threats. 29 32

Qe6+ Kh8 Kh2 Qe2+

30 h4 Draw

Qf4 31 g3 Qf1+ Qf1 + agreed.

Black has a perpetual check, so there is no arguing.

Order of Play Group B: Schmid 1-0 7-0 Korchnoi; Byrne 0-1 Korchnoi; Korchnoi 1-0 Stean;

Round One: Round Two: Round Three:

K B B St Sc K

Total

Schmid

x

Korchnoi

0x11 0 x 1 1

2

Byrne

Y2 V2 0

x

1 1

Stean Stean

o0

V2 x x Y2

11

0 0

1/2 Y2 11

Y2 V2

Byrne Y2Y2 Stean V2-V2 Stean 0-1 Schmid Schmid Y2Y2 Byrne V2-V2

2V2 2Y2

V2

Game 22:

6d4b5 7Bb3d5. 6 d4 bS 7 Bb3 dS.

Lothar Schmid - Viktor Korchnoi Ruy Lopez

Black cannot afford to open the game totally.with totally-with his king still in the centre, so he must return the pawn here.

This game was the major sensation of the whole tournament. The German grandmaster, who had been almost totally retired from competitive play for some years, beat the favourite and World Championship candidate. Korchnoi's iron will to win was the culprit in this game. Refusing Schmid's draw offer in a level position Korchnoi tried to squeeze something out of the game. He ran short of time and was already probably losing when his flag fell. e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 BbS Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 11 e4 eS 5 0-0 Nxe4. S

This is the Open Defence to the Ruy lopez, Lopez, considered a little suspect by most modern grandmasters, but always a favourite of Korchnoi. Black accepts a haggard-looking pawn structure in exchange for free piece play. The alternative is is the the conservative conservative 5 5 ... . . . Be7. Be7. alternative

84

dxe5 Be6 9 c3 Be7 10 Nbd2. 8 dxeS

In the twenty-fourth game of their 1978 match, Karpov had played 10 Bc2 against Korchnoi. Evidently Korchnoi found Schmid's move less impressive.

if

8 7 6 5 4

3 2

a b b c c a

d

e

f

g 9

h

KORCHNOI: My opponent is not acquainted with all the subtleties of the position. Bc2 would be more careful to prevent me playing the line I prepared.

Korchnoi met this move perhaps aa little too casually. He initiated aa series of exchanges to free his game, but then realised that he

Be2 Bg4. 10 .... . . Nc5 11 Bc2

15 .. .... Bg6 16 Qe2 Ncxd4 17 Nxd4 Nxd4 18cxd4c5 18 cxd4 c5 19dxc5. 19 dxc5.

the pawn on e5 is attacked SCHMID: Now fhe and I have to protect it with the rook.

Re1 Qd7 13 Nb3. 12 Rel

KORCHNOI: The same happened in my game against Karpov and my opponent was the main referee of the match at at that

KORCHNOI: I overlooked something. This is aa terrible threat. It is too late to go back now. I must take this pawn. 19 19 .. .... Bxc5.

SCHMID: SCHMID: Now /I have have aa combination. It is

doesn'tt moment although probably he doesn know well how to play this line. '

13 .. .... Ne6.

Bya By a curious transposition we have now indeed reached aa position from game 28 of the Karpov-Korchnoi match and the chief referee had been playing closer attention than Korchnoi imagined. He now plays aa better move than Karpov's. SCHMID: Here /I have an idea which hasn't been played yet and will maybe give me quite a good game. Qd3 attacks the pdwn pctwn on h7 so that he cannot castle.

14 Qd3. KORCHNOI: Oh something new. It looks much stronger than Karpov played, well he played a kind of rubbish h3. Now to try the idea Nd8 NdB and then c5, but but after Nd8 NdB he plays Rd1. Maybe Rd8 RdB is the strongest move, but then I have to calculate a4. Well anyhow I have an excellent game with Bh5. 14 .... . . Bh5.

SCHMID: My knight on f3 is no longer pinned and I can centralise it, a typical Spanish move. 15 Nfd4.

had made made aa mistake. mistake.

most interesting whether or not Black can defend; his king is in the centre instead of being safe after castling. I have the possibility to take the bishop on g6 or push the pawn to e6 first. It's not easy to decide. 20 Bxg6. KORCHNOI: /I see fhe the threat. I can take

with the f-pawn, leaving his pawn on e5 very strong, or I can just fall into his trap. don.'t like fxg6 but what can I Positionally I don't do? I should have thought before. 20 .. .... hxg6.

SCHMID: Now of course if I want aa good game I have to push the e-pawn. 21 21 e6.

KORCHNOI: If I take on e6 he plays Qc2 attacking the bishop and pawn on g6: I retreat the bishop, he takes on g6 and eventually takes the pawn on e6. My rook hB is already developed in a very on h8 wayan strange way on the h-line. I can attack the pawn on h2. Qd6, he takes exf7+, Kxf7, KgB, Bf4. Not a pleasure. So let's Qf3+, Kg8, pretend nothing happened. Qe6. 21 .... . . Qc6.

SCHMID: Well this is aa type of move not 85

often seen; this is a grandmaster move. Who else would be so strong not to take off this e-pawn and to allow me to take on f7 myself? Suddenly the board is burning. exf7 + Kxf7 23 Qf3+ Kg8. 22 exf7+

The simplification has left Black's king out of danger. Schmid retains hopes of advantage because the black rooks are uncoordinated and his pawns look weak, but as Korchnoi demonstrates these

problems are easily overcome. He had, in fact, been far more afraid of the move

22 Qg4, maintaining tension instead of exchanging with 22 exf7+.

24 Be3 Rf8 25 2S Qg4 Bxe3 26 Rxe3 RhS Rh5 27 Rdl RhfS. Rhf5. 27 Rd1 Finally all is content in the Black camp. His rooks work well together and the vulnerable pawns are shielded from attack.

SCHMID: My rook is attacked, my pawn is attacked, I should cover both. There are

only two moves: Qd2 or Qd4. Qd4 is

dangerous: he could even move Rg5. The queen is not very nice on this square. I think I should try to get her out.

31 Qd2.

KORCHNOI: Nothing to think about: I cannot exchange queens.

QcS+ 32 Qf2 Qe7. 31 ... . . . Qc5+ SCHMID: I/ think I do not have any more the advantage. I think I shall try to offer him a draw because he has only a few minutes left on his clock and still to make eight moves. I think it would be fair to offer a draw. I play Kfl Kf1 and ask him whether or not he wants to play for a win. 33 Kfl. Kf1.

28 f3 Re8 29 Qd4 Rxe3 30 Qxe3. 28f3Re8

KORCHNOI: Aha, he understands that he cannot improve his position, but what about me? Let us pass over the time trouble and then see if I can improve or not. I don't don t accept. I will play for the win, or vice versa.

8 7

'

6

33 ... Rc1 Qe6 . . . ReS Re5 34 Qd4 gS g5 3S 35 Rcl QfS 37 Rd2 Qe6 38 Kf2 Kf7 36 Rc2 Qf5 39 Rc2 Qe7 40 h3 Qd6.

5 4

3

The time control successfully negotiated, Korchnoi started thinking again about how he might tempt an error.

2 i

a a b b cc

d d

e

f

g 9

h

KORCHNOI: Now to prevent him to penetrate into my camp, I will try to penetrate with the queen. 86

30 ... . . . Qc2.

41 44 47

QcS Qc5 Qf6 Rd3 Qe7 Qd3+ g6

42 Rd2 Kg6 4S Rd2 Kh7 45 48 Rd2.

43 Qd4 Kh6 46 Rc2 Qf6

hour for all his remaining moves. By move

8

5~ 56 he h.ad had less than a minute remaining.

Fmally Finally Itit was the white pieces which broke through in attack.

7

6 5 4

3 2

1

a

1

a

i

a a b b c c

d

e

f

9 g

50 ••• . . . g5 51 Qg4 Kh6 52 Kg2 Rf5 53 Qd4 Kg6 54 Qd3 Kh6 55 Rc2 Re5 56 Rc7 Qg6 57 Qc3 Qf5 QfS 58 Qd2 Kh5 59 Kg3 Re2 60 Qxe2 Qf4+ 61 Kg2 Qxc7 62 f4+ Kh6 63 Qe6+ Kg7 64 fxg5 Qc2+ 65 Kg3 Qxb2 66 Qxd5 a5 67 h4 a4 68 h5 Qc3+ 69 Kf2 Qc2+ 70 Ke3 Qcl 68h5Qc3+ Qc1 + and Black lost on time.

h

Game 23:

48 ••• . . . g4. Suddenly it looked as though Schmid had fallen into a trap. After 49 hxg4 Qh4+ Black develops a mating attack from nowhere: 50 Kf1 Kfl Re1 Rel mate, or 50 g3 Qh2+ 51 Kf1 + 52 Kf2 Re1. Kfl Qh1 Qh1+ Rel. But the German grandmaster remained calm and found the only way to avoid disadvantage.

Robert Byrne - Michael Stean Nimzo-lndian Defence Nimzo-Indian An amazing escape for Byrne who seemed bound and gagged and just awaiting execution. After playing a fine positional game Stean should never have let this one slip. 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e3 0-0 1 cxdS exd5 80-0 8 0-0 b6. 5 Bd3 c5 6 Ne2 d5 7 cxd5

49 Qd4. KORCHNOI: Oh yes. I thought I was winning already but now he maintains equilibrium. Let's Let s take on f3. '

49 ••• . . . gxf3. SCHMID: I/ need to retake. Black has freed his game: I think both have chances and it might be a draw. 50 gxf3. In fact the real result of Schmid's overlooking 48 ... . . . g4 was to encourage Korchnoi to think even longer about how to tempt a further error. In the remainder of the game he totally mishandled his clock, having perhaps given insufficient thought to the unusual time control of one

~tean Stean

realises that his Nimzo-Indian Nimzo-lndian bishop IS is soon to be exchanged for the knight on c3. This move prepares Ba6 to rid White of his bishop pair and leave him with a bishop somewhat constricted by its own pawns. pawns. 9 a3 Bxc3 10 bxc3 Ba6 11 Ng3 Bxd3 12 Qxd3 Nc6 13 f3. White's chances lie in the mobilisation of his centre pawns. 13 ••• . . . Qd7 14 Bd2 Rad8 RadB 15 Radl Ne8. NeB. The knight heads for the outpost at c4 via d6. 16 Bel.

87

threats of Nxa3 and the fork with Nb2 is to defend the a-pawn.

8 7

Ral. 18 Ra1.

6

STEAN: I/ thought he might sacrifice the pawn. Can I take advantage of the fact that his pieces are on very strange squares? I can play Nb2, or I can take first on d4. No, I need to support the knight on c4 and then I get some threats. I can't play bS 65 at ll once, maybe he takes on cS, I'll take so on c5, I d4 first.

5 4

3

A

2

'

. . . cxd4 19 cxd4 b5. 18 ...

a bc d e f 9 h abcdefgh STEAN: He doesn't seem to know what to do with that silly bishop. Where's it going? I suppose he wants to put it on f2. Nc7 looks logical, but why should I play so passively? I can play Nd6 and then if he takes on cS c5 I can play Nc4 threatening the 62. fork on b2.

Black has established a strong bind on the Q-side, Q-side so Byrne now tries his chances on the other wing. ,

20 e5 e5 f6. f6. 20

The correct response to Byrne's advance. Now 21 f4 fS f5 leaves the white bishop totally ineffective. 21 ed6 exf6 Rxf6 Rxf6 22 22 Btl Bf2 Re8. ReB. 21

. . Nd6. 16 . ..

BYRNE: Is there any way to take advantage of that? The knight's knight s obviously on a good square but it's it s temporarily blocking support of his d-pawn. But if dxcS, dxc5, he interpolates Nc4 with a fork threat on b2 and the d-pawn is protected with tempo. d-pawn tempo I don't like to disturb the pawn line in the centre unless I get some clear advantage doing it. Can I use that momentary block in order to play e4? It looks a bit risky but I think I'm Im going to try it. '

'

88

i

7 6

.

'

5 4

3

2

/ y /

a

17 e4.

STEAN: I'm not really afraid of e4 because his pieces are on rather funny squares at the moment. So the knight belongs on c4. . . Nc4. 17 . ..

BYRNE: The only thing to do about the two

88

a bc d e 9 h abcdefgh

BYRNE: I/ can't can'f go on playing this game with my queen and rook tied down to the

defence of that a-pawn. I know he's going to be very happy if I try to get rid of that pawn with a4 but if I want to play actively I ll just have to take my chances. at all I'll '

so I might as well take it now and take what tempi I can get. 26 Qxf5. STEAN: That was forced. This endgame is fantastic, the b-pawn almost queens by force.

23 a4. that not for one STEAN: I/ don't believe that, What s he trying to do to me? I moment. What's can just get a tremendous passed pawn don t understand it. with b4. I don't ,

'

. . . Rxf5. 26 •••

'

23... M. 23 .•• b4.

BYRNE: Now that the b-pawn is advanced, advanced his knight is not quite as sturdily protected as it was. Perhaps I can get some usefulness out of my knight. ,

24 Ne4. STEAN: So that was his idea. I don't want to take that knight. It's going to c5. Let's let s go home. move this rook: let's

Byrne did manage, in the course of the following moves, to concoct a barrier to the progress of the terrible pawn, but his position still looked dreadful, with the pawn ju~t just one square from queening. Rxe1 + 29 Rxel Re8 Rc8 27 Rfel Rff8 28 Nd7 Rxel 30 Nc5 Kf7 31 Kfl N6a5 32 Ke2 b3 Kc3 Re8 35 Rbl Re2 36 Nd3. 33 Kd3 b2 34 Ke3

8

'

7

24... 24 ••• Rff8.

BYRNE: What will getting that knight to a better square do for my position? I'm worse anyway but perhaps I can develop some tactical threats.

6

5»

turn y

.

4

3

25 Nc5.

2

STEAN: I/ can change the queens, that would be lovely, then queen the b-pawn. If I play Qf5 his queen's got nowhere to go. If he runs away to b3 63 I/ have a fork on d2 with my knight.

i

a a b b cc

25 •••. Qf5. 25.. BYRNE: Of course, he wants to exchange queens: he's he s looking at that beautiful passed pawn on the b-line, but I'm I m in no position to stop him. His pieces are controlling too many squares. The ending's ending s going to be bad for me. I'm I m not going to be able to avoid an ending in the long run '

'

'

'

a

d

e

f

g 9

h

White is now so tied up that the black pieces just have to find something to do and the game seems won. Having entered the white position Stean's rook was described, at the time of the game, as free to roam while Byrne fiddled. STEAN: Now I've nearly got him. He still can t take the pawn on b2 because the can't '

89

bishop will hang. Now the knight on a5 is doing nothing. I must improve it. 36 .. .... Nc6.

BYRNE: /I feel as though I've been embraced by an octopus. Logically this isn't going to be defended but perhaps I can dig up a trap or two. I must at least try to reduce the number of pieces that are hanging. The first thing is that bishop. I don't want to be forever defending it. 37 Bg3.

for the groceries. Now Nxa4+; it's not just just a pawn he he'ss threatening, but also to separate my king from its protection of my knight. I can't play Bf4, which I would like to try to resolve the tension here, but then '

comes Nxa4+, Kb3, Rxd3, I have to

exchange rooks, bringing his knight to d3, and he attacks my bishop and II'm m losing a There'ss only one thing I can do: piece. There hope he'll give me some air if I play Rd2. '

'

41 Rd2.

to take my pawn on still wanfs wants fo STEAN: He sf/7/

STEAN: That's not fair fair, he found a move. Now I win a pawn but no more. Well, let's

b2, but I think I can sacrifice it.

take it and work the rest out later.

,

as.

37 .... . . a5.

41 .... . . Nxa4+ 42 Kb3 Nb6 43 Kc3 g5

BYRNE: What aa shame. I really didn't expect him to do something silly such as opening up the game with Rxg2, Nf4, Rd2, Nxd5. I would have good counterplay, but that's all water over the dam. I hardly have any choice here. I see what his idea is but I don't see what to do about it. I have simply got to take off that dangerous m going to passed pawn, and when I do II'm can'tt think of get into an awful pin, but I can anything else to do. '

44 h4.

Byrne, but A really desperate thrust by Byrne surprisingly it paid off. ,

8 8

7 6

'

5 4

38 38 Nxb2 Re3+.

BYRNE: /I can't play Kc2 here, because of Na3 +, Kd2, Rb3 and I can't guard my Na3+, attacked rook without moving it away and losing my knight. So I have to go into that

3

A

2 1

abc d e 9 h abcdefgh

pin. 39 Nd3. 39 Nd3.

STEAN: Well, it's a nice pin but I don't yet don'tt see how he's see how I'm winning. I don breaking the pin either. That's his problem. '

39 .... . . Nb4 Nb4 40 Rdl Rd1 Nb6.

BYRNE: That's it: tie him up and then look 90 90

STEAN: STEAN: Oh he doesn't believe I'm threatening g4. Well I think I am.

44 .••• 44 . . g4.

BYRNE: What's that? I was expecting he would play h6 and just prevent me from

getting that bishop bishop into play. play. II think think g4 is a getting weak m not weak move. move. II'm not sure sure II can can draw draw this this

Game Game 24: 24:

'

but at at least least I have have aa chance now to ending, but break that pin. . finally break 45 45 Bf4. Bf4.

5TEAN: What's this? That's losing aa piece. I STEAN: a4, he he plays Kb3. I take take on d3 -check on a4, f4 defends the rook stupid, the bishop on f4 me right for being too clever. on d2. Serves me I've got to exchange. Well, I've

Robert Byrne Byrne -- Viktor Korchnoi French French Defence Defence

disaster against After the first-round disaster Schmid, Korchnoi really really showed his his class Schmid, in this game. game. Keeping complete complete control of in very complex position, he first defended aa very against Byrne Byrne'ss attacking attacking intentions, intentions, then against gradually went on to a full-scale offensive. gradually went on to a full-scale offensive. A most most impressive impressive victory to keep alive '

45 . . Rxd3+. 45 ...• Rxd3+.

Korchnoi's Korchnoi's interest interest in in the the tournament. tournament.

50 forgetting that after 45 .... Na4+ 46 Kb3 So . . Na4+ not forced forced to capture on Rxd3+ White is not d3, but but can just just take the knight on on a4. d3,

5 5 a3 a3 Bxc3+ Bxc3+ 66 bxc3 bxc3 Ne7. Ne7.

5tean suddenly suddenly discovered discovered that he he has Stean away his his bind. bind. The exchanges exchanges now now thrown away lead to an an endgame endgame which Byrne Byrne can just just lead hold. hold. 46 Rxd3 Nxd3 47 47 Kxd3 Kxd3 gxfS gxf3 48 48 gxf3 gxf3 Kg6. Kg6. 46Rxd3Nxd3 tempt an an error error from Despite trying to tempt Despite Byrne for many many moves, moves, Stean Stean finally fi nally had had to Byrne give up up any any ideas ideas of of winning. After give suffering for for so so long in in aa miserable miserable suffering position, the American was determined determined to position, back with half half aa point. point. come back 49 Kc3 Kc3 Kf5 Kf5 50 50 Bg5 Bg5 h5 h5 51 51 Kb3 Ke6 49 52 52 Ka3 Ka3 Kd7 Kd7 53 53 Kb3 Kb3 Kd6 Kd6 54 54 Bh6 Bh6 Nc4 Nc4

55 Ka4 Ka4 Kc6 Kc6 56 56 Bg5 Bg5 Nd6 Nd6 57 57 Kxa5 Kxa5 Nf5. Nf5. 55 pawn, but but material material is Black regains the pawn, Black reduced to permit permit any any serious serious now too reduced attempt. winning attempt. 58 58 Kb4 Kb4 Nxd4 Nxd4 59 59 f4 f4 Nf5 Nf5 60 60 Bd8 Bd8 Kd7 Kd7

61 Bg5 Bg5 KdB Kd6 61 64 Bd8 Bd8 Nd4 Nd4 64 67 Kb4 Nf5 67 Kb4 Nf5

62 Bf6 Bf6 KeB Ke6 63 63 Bg5 Bg5 KdB Kd6 62 65 Bg5 Bg5 Nc6+ Nc6+ 66 66 Kb5 Nd4+ Nd4+ 65 68 Bd8 INg3 69 Bb6 Ke6 68 Bd8 |Ng3 69 BbB KeB

70 70 Kc5 Kc5 Ne+ Ne+

draw agreed. agreed. draw

71 71 Kd4 NdB Nd6 72 72 Kc5 Kc5

11 e4 e4 eB e6 22 d4 d4 d5 d5 33 Nc3 Nc3 Bb4 Bb4 44 e5 e5 c5 c5

This Defence variation variation was was aa This French French Defence

favourite of of World World Champion Champion Botvinnik, Botvinnik, but now now Korchnoi is is its its leading leading exponent. exponent. Conceding the bishop pair, Black Conceding bishop pair. Black obtains active play against doubled c-pawns active play against the doubled and and down down the the c-file. c-file. White White'ss sharpest reply is 77 Qg4, Qg4, but but Byrne Byrne prefers prefers aa more more is positional approach. positional approach. '

Nf3 Qa5 Qa5 88 Bd2 Bd2 Nc6 Nc6 99 Bd3 Bd3 c4. c4. 77 Nf3

8 8

7 6

5 4

3 2 i

aa

be b c d d

ee

f

g9

hh

BYRNE: BYRNE: Be2 Be2 is is orthodox orthodox here, here, but but in in some some

experimented with earlier games I have experimented

Bf1. It looks strange to undevelop like that I know, but often the bishop is better placed at g2 or h3.

protect my black squares on the K-side. Eventually the bishop can inflict me much

10 10 Bfl. Bf1.

20 .. .... Nd8. NdB.

harm.

KORCHNOI: Now if I play Bd7 with the idea to castle long, he'll play Ng5. It doesn't allow me to finish my development without making new weaknesses. I can try now f6, it looks dangerous a bit but my tournament situation is so difficult I shouldn shouldn'tt be afraid of difficulties.

8 8 7 7 6

'

5 5

10 .... 11 exf exffi 12 Nh4. 10 . . f6 11 fi gxf6 12

4

QhS+ and 13 Qh5+ White now has the threat of 13 QhS. The 12 .... . . Ng6 is still met by 13 Qh5. black king has no choice but to castle short, however exposed it may seem there.

3 3 2 2 1

a b c c ab

12 .... 14 Bg2 Bd7 12 . . 0-0 13 g3 Rf7 14 15 0-0 Ng6 16 Nxg6 hxg6 17 h4.

Byrne's attack begins to look dangerous. His plan is to break open the K-side with h5. hS.

Yes, his position is clearly KORCHNOI: Ves, better: his king is better protected and he has the two bishops. They don't play right now but sooner or later the position will get open. I have to prevent by all means opening the position. First Rh7 against h5. 17 17 .. .... Rh7.

BYRNE: /I knew I could not expect it to be so easy to play h5. How can I continue my attack? Qg4 is just a blow in the air: he can play Kg7 or Kf7 and eventually my queen is going to have to get out of the line of that bishop on d7. I think I will settle for more mobility first, bring my rook into action. 1B Rel Re1 Re8 ReB 19 19 Qf3 Kg7 20 Bf4. 18

KORCHNOI: /I have to play carefully to 92 92

d d

e e

9 9

f

h

BYRNE: That's a good move: it's going to make possible a very stubborn defence. He obviously intends to go to f7 with the knight, it covers all the major squares d6, e5, g5 and h6, that my bishop bears down on. I will mobilise a rook, perhaps I can put some pressure later on the e-line. 21 21 Re2 Nf7.

problem, every time I BYRNE: It's always a problem played this line I found the same thing. It looks at times as though in this opening both sides get stuck in a sticky pudding after about about fifteen moves. I wish I had a marvellous plan that I could just go into carefree, but I don don'tt see anything obvious. II'm m not ready to play Rael. Viktor takes can'tt just give them away pawns, you can blithely, and he'd eat the a-pawn if I were to double on the e-line without a positive It'ss taken over result. My queen is not free. It ,

'

'

'

'

the bishop's function guarding the c-pawn, but I want to be able to do something with it. I still can't find a a clear plan. I'm going to try to reorganise my pieces and see what turns up. I hate to admit my last move was a lost tempo, but I'm I m going to play Re3. Perhaps I can bring the queen behind the rook without having to sacrifice the a-pawn and bring some pressure to bear a-pawn, on his e-pawn. '

32 Rg3 Qe6 33 Qe3 Qf5 34 Kf1 Kfl Rh8 Kel Bf3. 35 Ke1 This move marks the beginning of the end for White. 36 Bxf3 exf3 37 Qxe7 Rh1 + 38 Kd2 Qxf4+ would lose a piece. Byrne continues to run with his king but his pieces have lost all semblance of coordination.

,

22 Re3 Rhh8 23 Qe2. KORCHNOI: Maybe he can do nothing because his pawn on c3 is not protected. I will try Bc6. What is he doing now?

36 Kd2 Rh4 37 Bb8 Bxg2 38 Rxg2 Rh3 39 Rg3 Rxg3 40 Qxg3 Nxg5. Finally this important pawn falls and the knight joins the attack. The immediate . . . e3+. threat is 41 ... 41 Kc1 Kcl Nf3 42 Bxa7 Qg5+.

23 ••• . . . Bc6. Bc6. 23

BYRNE: Oh that's an aggressive move. I can t take the e6 pawn: he can exchange can't on e6 and take my c3-pawn. My whole pawn position comes apart. Maybe I'm Im going to have to use that other rook on the all Very well, I'll make room for e-line after all. e-line it. '

A A simple solution, the endgame is miserable for White.

43 Qxg5 Nxg5 44 Bb8 Rf7.

'

.

24 Qd2.

88 77 6

Having consolidated his defences, defences Korchnoi now moved surely on to the attack.

44

24 ••• . . . Re7 25 Re2 Rhe8 26 g4 e5.

33

This long-prepared advance secures Black's advantage. Byrne finally succeeds in gaining the black squares by advancing his own pawn to g5, but Korchnoi's Korchnoi s white squares look more impressive.

22

,

'

27 30

Bg3 e4 28 g5 fxg5 29 hxg5 Bd7 Bf4 Bg4 31 Re3 Qa6.

The queen has spent more than twenty moves tieing White to the defence of his Q-side Q-side pawns. pawns Now at last she moves for decisive action on the other wing. .

55

1

a b b c c a

d

e

f

9

h

BYRNE: I/ don't really have any defence. I am just giving him a chance to show his technique. If I play Bg3 here, that doesn't +, Kb2, he stop him: he plays e3, 63, fxe3, Rf1 Rf1+, exchanges rooks, plays Ne4 and my extra e-pawn is meaningless while he queens his e-pawn

93

g-pawn. -pawn g

Whatever do I've I've got got to to get get my my Whatever II do rook into the game. rook into the game. .

45 Rbl. Rb1.

missed his chance: Be5+ BeS+ KORCHNOI: He m;ssed was much stronger. After Kh6 he could play was much stronger. After Kh6 he could play Kb2 threatening to check and nearly mate Kb2 threatening to check and nearly mate h1. Now I have my chance, e3, and if from hi. e3 II exchange he takes on e3 exchange rooks. rooks. he takes on 45 .••. . . e3.

He can can still still carry carry on on that that plan. plan. It BYRNE: He BYRNE: It isn'tt useful useful going going on on any any further further here here really isn 1'1/ play playaa few moves. but I'll '

46 f4 Ne4 47 47 Kb2 Kb2 g5. g5. 46 f4 Ne4

even faster faster than than II thought. thought. BYRNE: That's BYRNE: That's even Well, Well, I can't permit him to take another pawn. I have to exchange even though that opens a line for his rook.

positional as against against Byrne positional play, play, but but as Byrne he he allowed his opponent to escape. As in allowed his opponent to escape. As in his his game against against Korchnoi, offered a game Korchnoi, Schmid Schmid offered a draw, Stean Stean followed the recipe draw, followed the recipe by by declining and, and, like declining like Korchnoi, Korchnoi went on to regret it. ,

11 c4.

SCHMID: Chess Chess is not aa joke; indeed it can be hard but today is such such a can be hard work, work, but today is lovely day, fine weather and I've purchased lovely day, fine weather and I've purchased a few old old lovely chess chess sets. II feel feel in the the playaa foolish game. mood to to play 1 c5 2 2 Nf3 g6. 1 .• .• .• c5 Nf3 g6.

STEAN: Now we get some line of of the the Sicilian Defence. I can play d4 or e4 first. It makes no difference. I'll I ll play d4. d4. '

3 d4.

SCHMID: He could could have played e4. e4. II

48 fxg5 fxg5 e2 e2 49 Rel. Re1.

remember a book of Professor Becker

KORCHNOI: Yes, Yes

BeS+, Kg6, Bf6 I after Be5+, NxgS. would have won won by one tempo with with Nxg5. ,

Now it is much easier.

written about fifty fifty years years ago, in '29, 29, written about ago, II think think in and he said it is more correct correct to to play e4 because now Black can can try try to to equalise equalise in try it. it. another way. way. II'll ll try '

'

49 .•• . . . Rf2.

impossible, he can take BYRNE: This is just impossible his good sweet time playing Kg6, Kg6, KxgS, Kxg5 lf3 and Kd2 if he likes; or even Nd2 Kg4, Kf3

3 ••. . . . cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6.

,

,

to f3. No, I can't continue.

White resigned.

normally they play Bg7 STEAN: Interesting, STEAN: Interesting, normally they play Bg7 and Nc6. I wonder what he has in mind. 5 Nc3.

SCHMID: Here to be consistent I have to

try that that line, dS d5 instead of Bg7. Bg7. Let's see what what happens.

Game 25: 25: \vj Game

5 ... . . . d5.

Michael Stean -- Lothar Schmid

STEAN: That That looks fishy. I'm I'm ahead in dev~/opment and he wants to open the development position. Nf3 Nf3 is is interesting, interesting, strange strange move, move, position. BgS, it's natural. but not bad. But II like Bg5,

English Opening A game in which the history of the first round round repeated itself. Once again Stean established aa winning winning position position by by fine fine established 94 94

6 Bg5. 6Bg5.

SCHMID: Now I have two possibilities: either to take the pawn on c4, which is certainly the solid way to play, but as I told myself I have my foolish day. 1'1/ I ll try the other move which is not quite sound, but perhaps just playable.

8 7

'

6 5

. . . Ne4 7 Nxe4 dxe4 8 NbS. Nb5. 6 .••

44

This strong move must have left Schmid doubting the wisdom of his choice of opening variation. After 8 ... . . . Bd7 or 8 ... Nd7 White wins the queen with . . . 9 9 Nd6+. Black's only alternative is to submit to an uncomfortable exchange of queens. queens.

3

8 ... . . . Bg7 9 Qxd8+ Kxd8 100-0-0+ 10 0-0-0+ Nd7 11 Be3 b6 12 g3 Stean quietly completes the development of his pieces, leaving Black tangled up and faced with the problem of meeting the ever-growing pressure against his position. 12 ... . . . Ba6 13 Bg2 Re8 Rc8 14 Kbl Rxe4 Rxc4 15 b3.

A A move which Schmid appeared to have underestimated. Instead 15 Nxa7 Ke8 would not have been bad for Black. Now . . . Rb4 16 Nd4 leaves the black rook 15 ... trapped. trapped.'' . . . Re6 Rc6 16 Nxa7 Rd6 17 Bxe4 Bxe2 15 ... 18 Rxd6 exd6 19 Rel.

The exchanges have left Black alive, alive but his d6-pawn is weak and White's pieces remain far more effective. ,

. . . Ba6 20 Ne6+ Nc6+ Ke7 Kc7 21 Nb4 Bb7 19 ... 22 Bxb7 Kxb7.

22

A

1

abc

d

e e

f

9

h

STEAN: He's short of time and I stand better. Maybe I have a forced win here. If I play Rd1, Rdl, he can play Be5, f4, Bc3: not clear. But I can use my rook on the e-file maybe. Move the bishop on e3, I know the best square, he won't expect this one. 23 Bel. 23

SCHMID: Now he's threatening Re7 winning a pawn. I have to defend these squares. The best might be to get the king into the centre again and cover my knight. 23 ... . . . Ke7. Kc7. 23

STEAN: Oh, he's let the rook to the seventh and then he plays RfB. Rf8. I must be able to do something then. No time to think. 24 Re7. SCHMID: Now my f-pawn is attacked. I have to cover it and then I should try to put the rook out of my house. I think there is a good chance to do so. . . RfB. 24 . ..

STEAN: My God, Cod, it looks like Custer's last stand. How do I get through? I have no

95

threats, but but neither neither does does he. he. He He can't can't play play threats, Bf6 because I play Nd5 take on d7 and +, Bf6 because I play Nd5+, take on d7 and He can't play Be5 because I take on f6. He play Bh6. So So he he'ss got got no no moves moves here. here. II play play play looks right. Bf4, that looks

8 8 7 7

'

6 6 5 5

25 2S Bf4. Bf4.

But But after after Schmid's Schmid's next next move move, itit became became

4 4

,

apparent that that Stean Stean'ss play play had had been been apparent over-optimistic. Instead Instead of of playing the rook over-optimistic. to to e7, e7, he he would would have have been been better better advised advised to play play the the position position technically, technically, putting putting the the to rook on on dl d1 and and knight knight on d5, d5, then pushing rook Q-side pawns. pawns. the Q-side '

25 . . h5. 25 .••• hS.

This fine fine defensive defensive resource resource had had been been This overlooked by by Stean. Stean. The idea idea completely overlooked is to play play Be5, Be5, hemming hemming in in the white rook. is 25 .... Be5 immediately immediately would have lost lost to 25 . . Be5 26 26 Bh6 Bh6 when when the the black black rook rook must must leave leave its its

3 3

1

a

2 2

1

a

bed

e

f

'

41 41 Nd3. Nd3.

SCHMID: That That is is aa real real trap. trap. II can can take take the the SCHMID: fork in in it it. However, However, II fork

g-pawn but there there is is a -pawn but g think it it doesn't work. think

26 26 Nd3 Nd3 Bf6 Bf6 27 27 Re2 Re2 Nc5 NeS 28 28 Nb4 Nb4 Kd7 Kd7

41 .•.• Nxg3 42 42 BxgS Bxg3 RxgS. Rxg3. 41 . . NxgS

With this move, move, Schmid begins to obtain With on the K-side. He He now now offered counterplay on draw which which Stean, Stean, still still hoping hoping to to take take aa draw advantage of of his his useful useful Q-side Q-side pawns, pawns, advantage declined. The The next next ten ten moves moves were were played played declined. under time pressure pressure by by both both sides. sides. under 31 Bd2 Bd2 Kc6 Ke6 32 32 Nb4+ Nb4+ Kd7 Kd7 33 Ke2 f5 fS 33 Kc2 31 h3 g4. g4. 34 h3 34 energetic play play by by Schmid Schmid, creating creating aa Fine energetic Fine weakness at at g3. g3. weakness ,

3S hxg4 hxg4 hxg4 hxg4 36 36 fxg4 fxg4 fxg4 fxg4 37 37 Rh2 Rh2 Rf3 Rf3 35 38 Bf4 Ne4 Ne4 39 39 Rh7+ Rh7 + Ke6 Ke6 40 40 Rh6+ Rh6+ Bf6. Bf6. 38 Bf4

h

STEAN: What What have have II been been doing doing with with my my STEAN: m position? II should should have have taken taken aa draw. draw. II'm position? g3 is attacked. worse now, the pawn on g3 Nd3 is is the the only only chance. chance. Nd3

defence of of f7. f7. After After h5 h5 has has been been played, played, defence Bh6 is is met met by by Rh8 attacking attacking the White's Bh6 bishop. bishop. 29 Nd5 NdS Bd8 Bd8 30 30 f3 f3 g5. gS. 29

9 9

.

STEAN: Now I give give him aa check. Maybe STEAN: he'll go go to to the the wrong wrong square. square. he'll 43 Nf4+. 43 Nf4+.

can't play play Kf5 SCHMID: How tricky. I can't my bishop with because he would take my check and then, if I retake, the knight check gives aa terrible terrible fork fork on on h5 h5 winning winning my my gives there'ss only only one move which is rook. No, there good. good. '

43 . . Ke5. 43 ..•. KeS.

STEAN: Now my my last chance: Rxf6. STEAN: 44 Rxf6. 44 Rxf6. SCHMID: SCHMID: And And of of course course not not to take the

rook, but but Rf3 Rf3 and and his his knight knight is is in in a pin. pin. rook, 96 96

44 .••• Rf3 45 45 Re6+ Re6+ Kxf4. Kxf4. 44 . . Rf3

the Having successfully successfully traversed traversed the Having complications arising arising from from his his taking taking the the complications g-pawn, g-pawn ,

Schmid is is now now clearly clearly winning, winning, Schmid

thanks to his his powerful powerful passed passed pawn. pawn. The The thanks is aa matter matter of simple simple counting. counting. rest is Rxd6 g3 g3 46 Rxd6 46 49 Rg6 Kf2 49 Rg6 Kf2

47 Rf6+ Rf6+ Ke3 Ke3 48 Rxb6 g2 g2 48 Rxb6 47 SO Rxg2+ Kxg2. 50 Rxg2+ Kxg2.

Now Black Black wins wins simply simply because because the the white white Now king cannot cannot advance advance to to support support the the pawns. pawns. king S1 a4 a4 Kg3 Kg3 52 S2 a5 as Kf4 Kf4 53 S3 a6 a6 Ke5 KeS 54 Resigns. 54 Resigns. 51 54 a7 a7 Rf8 RfB Black Black picks picks off off the the pawns pawns After 54 After with king king and and rook. rook. with

Game 26: 26: Game

to play he wanted to play d5, that consistently. If If he consistently. would be better when the pawns were on on would be better when the pawns were a2 a2 and if II take and a7. al. Then Then if take twice twice on on d5 d5 he he would attack the pawn pawn on on a2. Strange, well well would II must must take. take.

10 cxd5 cxdS Nxd5 NxdS 11 11 Nxd5 NxdS Qxd5 QxdS 12 12 Be3. Be3. 10 go queen must go STEAN: Now my queen STEAN: obviously can can'tt leave leave itit on on somewhere. II obviously to d5. Well Qd6 is very normal, but II want to play something inventive today. The queen play something inventive queen go to b5; b5; strange strange square square but but itit stops stops could go to b3 queen coming out to b3 or or a4. his queen '

12 .... QbS 13 13 Qc2 Bf5. BfS. 12 . . Qb5 normally the Another rather exotic move: normally in such positions. bishop prefers d7 or e6 in Now Korchnoi already begins to think Now game by forced means. about winning the game

Viktor Korchnoi -- Michael Michael Stean Stean Viktor English Opening Opening English

8 8

spending so so many many months months as as aa After spending After member of of Korchnoi Korchnoi'ss analytical analytical team team member during the the World World Championship Championship match match in in during Stean seemed to find great Baguio City, Stean difficulty in in actually actually playing playing against against him. him. difficulty Trying to to play play something something slightly slightly out out of of the the Trying ordinary, the the English English grandmaster grandmaster only only ordinary, succeeded in in misplacing misplacing his his pieces. pieces. succeeded Korchnoi's attack attack crushed crushed through through with with Korchnoi's surprising rapidity. rapidity. surprising '

c4 Nf6 Nf6 11 c4 S g3 Bg7 5 g3 Bg7

Nc3 e5 eS 22 Nc3 6 Bg2 0-0 6 Bg2 0-0

Nf3 33 Nf3 7 0-0 7 0-0

Nc6 44 d3 d3 g6 g6 Nc6 Re8. Re8.

Already an an unusual unusual move move from from Stean. Stean. Already Normally Black Black plays plays 77 .... d6, but but here here he he Normally . . d6, open the the option option of of aa less less closed closed keeps open keeps game with with d5. d5. game Rb1 a5 as 9 a3 d5. dS. 8 Rbl 8 KORCHNOI: My My partner partner today today doesn't doesn't play play KORCHNOI:

7 •

6 6

5 4

3 2 1

•_1

_ill ifl ~ ~N~

_........•

----~- "m~

~

_~a~B ~ "m~ :",.". A D~_~Djl "m~ ~ "N~ IP

X

abc d e 9 h abcdefgh

KORCHNOI: Now /I can play a4; he cannot 8c5, Qg4; then play Qb4 or II win a piece: Bc5, a4, he plays Nb4, II h3, Qh5; g4. Or II play a4f cl, he takes on a4 with the queen, take on c7, II play Ng5 attacking two pawns and win a a4 gives him aa pawn. On the other hand a4 square on b4 for the knight, not right now 97 97

but later. Maybe I have another way to obtain the advantage: NgS Ng5 and what is he doing? The pressure on the Q-side is irresistible.

KORCHNOI: I/ can play Qb3, or Qd1, Qdl, or I Nxc2, Rfc1 with strong can take on bS, 65, Rfcl pressure. Or I can play Qd2, Qxa4, Bxh6. 6x66. I/ don't like the position when there are Rcl he several ways to win. If Qb3, Qc6, Qc6 Rc1 has Be6 or Qe6. If Qd1, 7; Qdl, Qd7; NcS, Nc5, Qe Qe7; Nxb7, e4; oh he's sacrificing everything. What to choose? I like Qd1. Qdl. ,

14 Ng5. STEAN: Viktor's the kind of player who might just want to take my knight on c6 and double my pawns, but I'm I m not frightened of that. Anyway I must kick his knight because I want to play Nd4 in some moments and when he takes on c7 I/ certainly don't don t want him to be attacking f7. '

'

. . . h6 15 Ne4. 14 •••

STEAN: I/ start to feel uncomfortable because I'm not getting Nd4 in and I know these positions: when you can't play Nd4 you get into trouble. I'm I m not quite sure what to do here. Develop something.

17 Qd1. Qdl. STEAN: Typical Viktor. How to get my queen out of this mess? Well, Qd7, NcS, Nc5, Qe7, Nxb7 and now if I want to get any play I must play e4. For the exchange and a pawn I start playing at last, but it's too What s the minimum I'm I m going to much. What's iose lose in this position? Qc6 looks very strange but what to do? '

'

'

17 ..• . . . Qe6. Qc6. KORCHNOI: Now I can play NcS, Nc5 then he plays e4 or NdS Nd5 temporarily protecting all his pawns. No, one intermezzo. ,

15 ••• . . . Rad8.

mistake it KORCHNOI: That's a horrible mistake, was his last chance to play Nd4. Now I have two possibilities to win. One is Nc3, Nc3 Qa6; NdS, Nd5, rook somewhere protecting c7; b4 64 and I threaten to win a piece by bS. 65. Horrible position. There is another way, a4. What's stronger? Nc3 and NdS Nd5 I win slowly, but after a4, well I win quickly, a pawn at least. ,

Rcl. 18 Re1.

,

16 a4. STEAN: He's attacking my queen, queen where do I move it? If I go to b4 64 he has BcS, Bc5, I must play Nd4, he takes on b4, 64, I/ take on a5. Oh I'm I m losing too c2, he takes on as. much. Well, only one move. ,

'

. . . Nb4. 16 •••

Note that 16 ... . . . Qa6 would have been met by 17 Nc5 followed by Nxb7 destroying the support of the knight on c6.

98

STEAN: I/ was hoping for NcS. Nc5. Now I must give up the queen, she has no square again. If I go away he plays NcS Nc5 winning everything. Maybe I can resist a bit. . . . Bxe4 19 Rxe6 Rxc6 Bxe6. Bxc6. 18 ...

(see diagram opposite)

STEAN: The knight is attacked again and c7 is a problem. I must defend.

8 8

7

24 .. .... Rdd6.

i

6

KORCHNOI: And now Qa6. If he plays

5 4

Nb4 I can then check him on a8. aB.

25 Qa6.

a

QcB. This STEAN: Help, he's threatening Qc8. t defend it. If I pawn on c7 has had it. I can't pawn on c7 has had it. I can play Rd7, he has Rxc6 and check on a8. aB.

3

'

2 1

25 ... . . . Nd4 26 Qc8+ Kh7 27 Bxd4 exd4

a a b b c c

dd

ee

g9

f

28 28 Rxc7. Rxc7.

hh

With the fall of this pawn, Black's game KORCHNOI: Perhaps there are some technical difficulties, but the queen is stronger than than rook rook and and knight. knight. So So Qd and Qc1 and stronger attack the pawn on h6.

Qcl. 20 Qd. STEAN: Yes, if II wanted wanted to to lose queen II STEAN: Yes, if lose my my queen have done done it it against against Viktor. Viktor. He's He's very strong in these technical positions. He wants b5. II can wants to to come come with with the the queen queen to to b5. can see it in his eye. I must defend the h h-pawn. Kh7 he he gets gets another another tempo tempo with with -pawn If Kh7 at some point. Qc4 Qc4 at some point. shouldn t shouldn't '

collapses totally. totally. He He can can only only struggle struggle on on aa collapses few moves before further losses become inevitable.

28 ... . . . Rf6 29 Qb7. KgB he has QbB+, STEAN: On Kg8 Qb8+, Kh7, Rxf7. Well, the rook on d6 must move. . . . Rde6. 29 .•.

KORCHNOI: I/ can take the pawn on f7/ f7, but I will protect first. After KgB Kg8 I have Rxf7, Rxf7/ Rxf7; QcB+ Qc8+ winning rook on e6.

.

20 ... . . . h5 21 Bxc6 Nxc6 22 Qc4.

30 Kfl.

STEAN: He doesn't even give me a pawn. I can t defend this pawn on f7. KgB can't Kg8 he plays Rxf7, Rxf7/ Rxf7, Rxf7f QcB+. Qc8+. The position is lost. '

Black Black is is to to be be given given no no chance chance to to consolidate his position. consolidate his position. Korchnoi Korchnoi spotted the vulnerable point at b7 heads straight for it.

has has and

Black resigned.

22 . . . Re6 23 Rcl b6. KORCHNOI: The only difficulty which cad can arise in this position is if I allow him to play play Nb4 Nb4 and and c5. Then Then Black's Black s position position is is impossible to break through. I impossible to break through. I have have to to play play carefully. carefully. '

24 Qb5.

99

The Final Final The

Game 28:

BROWNE: He's playing very passively, I can t believe this is good for White. Maybe can't Ne5 is okay, threatening Nc4, but that's not so much. If I could get in d5 I think I should at least equalise. I think I'll I ll play Rd8. RdB. '

Lothar Schmid - Walter Browne Sicilian Defence Defence Sicilian

'

Fortune had been with Schmid during the preliminary rounds; it stayed with him when he drew the white pieces for this final. He played the opening quietly and this, apparently, tempted Browne into trying for too much at moves 14 and 15. The American grandmaster fell into a trap, lost a pawn and never really got back into the game, though the German had to play some fine moves in the endgame to avoid letting Browne escape. c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 11 e4 cS 5 Nc3 a6 6 a4. S

An unusual move which has the merit of

avoiding Browne's Browne s good theoretical knowledge. 6 Be2, 6 Bg5, 6 Bc4 and 6 f4 have all been analysed extensively. '

. . . e6 e6 7 7 Be2 Bel Be7 Be7 8 8 0-0 0-0 Nc6 Be3 0-0. 0-0. 66 ... Nc6 99 Be3

Again a normal position has been reached. Here, White usually plays for a K-side attack with such moves as f4, Qe1 and Qg3. Instead, Schmid takes a more conservative path, hoping for Q-side pressure. pressure.

10 Qd2 Qc7 11 Nb3 b6 12 Rfdl Rb8 13 f3.

. . . Rd8. 13 ...

SCHMID: He can now free his game by d5 can t stop it. But there is something and I can't in this position, I should say a real trap. Let's see whether or not it will come to the board. I'll make the square f2 free for my queen. queen. '

14Bf1. 14 Bfl.

BROWNE: Didn't expect that. It's /t's a a reasonable move. Nb4 is possible with the idea of d5, but then if he plays e5 and I take with the queen, he has Bf4. I'd like to play d5 with my knight still on c6. If I play Bbl, Bb7, he plays Qf2. I feel I should punish him for his opening moves, they're so passive. d5 must be good. . . . dS. d5. 14 ...

SCHMID: Natural, but he has to be very careful because this is just the line with a trap. I have to take it and see what happens. 15 exd5. lS exdS.

101

. . . e5. 16 •••

if

88

At this stage, stage Browne thought for more than fifty minutes trying to find a way out of his problems. There was no answer to . . . Rxd6 18 BxeS Bxe5 Rxd2 17 d6. After 17 ... 19 Bxc7 Rxd1 20 Rxd1 Rb721 Rb7 21 Bd6, or 17 ... . . . Bxd6 18 BxeS Bxe5 BcS+ Bc5+ 19 NxcS, Nxc5, Black loses material. He chose the only way to make a fight of the game. ,

7 6 5 4

3

2

a

a a b b c c

17 d6 Qxd6. d

e

f

9 g

h

BROWNE: Now if Nxd5, he takes, rook takes, that's not much; oh, but he could then play Bf4 and I've got to play Bd6. It's got to be better than that. that I could even take with the pawn. I'm sure Black is at least equal. Probably Korchnoi would like that, he loves isolated pawns. Well, almost anything's anything s good. Nb4 must be okay in this position.

SCHMID: I/ shall win a a pawn and should win the game, at least if my technique is okay. It will be not as easy as it looks. That pawn on c2 is my plus but it is not so easy to advance it. It is no passed pawn, it takes quite a long time. The best thing is to exchange queens and then get the pawn on e5. e5. on 18 Qxd6 Rxd6 19 Bxe5 Rxd1 Rxdl 20 Rxd1 Rxdl Ra8.

'

. . . Nb4. 15 •••

SCHMID: He plays it rather quickly but this is a move which is doubtful; I think it is even a mistake. Did he overlook this next move, Bf4? He can play e5, but then there will come a surprise. 16 Bf4. BROWNE: Really I hadn't considered that move; I thought, I just play e5 and then he has to move the bishop. But he can play d6! No, I can't believe this. I play e5, he plays d6, I take with the bishop, he plays + he just takes it. If I play Bxe5, then Bc5 Bc5+ Bd6 he takes on e6 and he has a pin. This is terrible. Well I guess I have to play e5 as bad as as it it is. is. bad

102

After 20 ... . . . Rb721 Rb7 21 Bd6 Kf8 White would

have won a piece with 22 Bxb4 Bxb4 23 Rd8+. Now Schmid had to be content

with his extra pawn on c2. The first stage of his winning plan is consolidation. Bxe7+ + Kxe7 23 Nd4 Bd7 21 Bd6 Kf8 22 Bxe7 24Bc4Rc8 24 Be4 Re8 25 Bb3.

The c-pawn is now firmly guarded and White can begin to think about expelling the knight from b4. 25 ••• . . . Ne8 26 Ne4 h6 27 Kf2 Ne6 Nc6

28 c3 c3 NaS Na5 29 Be2 Bc2 Ne4 Nc4 30 Re1 Rel Kf8.

A necessary defensive move; 30 ... . . . Nxb2 would Nc5+ Kd8 would have lost to 31 NcS+ BfS-f. 32 Nxd7 Kxd7 33 BfS+.

31 34 34 37

Rb1 Rbl Bd3 Bd3 Rd1 Rdl

f5 32 Ng3 g6 33 Nge2 Ned6 a5 35 35 Bxe4 Bxc4 Nxe4 Nxc4 36 36 b3 b3 Ne5 Ne5 a5 Kf7 38 h3 g5 39 f4!

A good move to prevent the black pawn's advance to this square.

39 ••• . . . gxf4 40 Nf3.

about time he made an error. Should I play Ng5 to threaten his rook? Maybe Nd2 is better. I can stilf still go to e4 and I attack his b-pawn That might be important. b-pawn. .

An unpleasant move to have to meet with little time left to reach the forty-move control. The knight at eS e5 must renounce its defence of the bishop. 40 ••• . . . Nxf3 NxfS 41 41 Rxd7 Rxd7+. 40 +.

42 ••• . . . Nd2. Nd2. 42

SCHMID: I/ see that my last move was not the best. Rb7 would have solved the problem easily because with checks at b6 and b5 65 perhaps I should have won all his pawns on the queen's queen s wing. Now I get this other h-pawn which is not so important at the moment. This is very difficult because he's well centralised, his pieces have suddenly come to life. I shall have much trouble to win the game, maybe it's not even possible. '

1

88 7 6

5 4

43 Rxh6+ Ke5 44 Rxb6.

3 2 i

abcdefgh a bc d e 9 h

BROWNE: Made the control, thank God. Now if I play Ke8, he plays Rh7, I move the knight, he could even trade rooks and the knight ending is easy. I'll have to move my king up; maybe my good king position wilf will give me a chance. . . . Ke6. 41 •••

SCHMID: I/ have several moves: to go back with my rook on the d-fiIe, d-file, which should win because I get the f-pawn with check then; or to stay at the seventh rank and attack his pawns. Either Rb7 or Rh7. I attack his h-pawn.

42 Rh7. BROWNE: That looks like a mistake. It's

Having wasted a move taking the the h-pawn, Schmid now realises that the win will not come easily. But, never one to be ruffled, he settled down to the task with renewed determination. Black's king, knight and rook are all active now and White must play very accurately. . . . Ne4+ 45 Kf1 Kfl Nxc3. 44 •••

88 7

66 5 4

3 2 i

a bc d e f 9 h abcdefgh

103 103

Now 42 Nxc3 Rxc3 43 Rb5+ Rxc343 RbS+ Ke4 44 Rxa5 RxaS Rxb3 would give Black an easy draw. He can play f3 to exchange another pawn and leave White no winning chances whatsoever. Schmid now plays aa very fine move, keeping knights on the board, maintaining the f3 square and giving Browne aa real shock.

Ng1! 46 Ngl!

BROWNE: What aa surprise. Can this really NdS; Nf3+, Ke4; be good? I could play Nd5; Re6+, Kd3; Rd6 -- doesn't look so great. What about Kd4? Ah, but then Kf2, Ne4+; Kf3 and then if Ke5, KeS, rook check; doesn't

Nf3 +, Kd5; KdS; look so good. If Ne4, he plays Nf3+, RbS + kicking my king back. What shall I Rb5+ do? Could give away a pawn with f3 just to get a square, but he must have enough to win. What can I do? This is incredible.

There must be some knight move here. RdB. Of course Must be something. Maybe Rd8. he has Nf3+, Ke4 and then Re6+. I must

try Kd4. 46 .•.• . . Kd4.

SCHMID: Well again my good friend Walter Browne is in time trouble but he

plays very aggressively and tries to mate me. He threatens to come with his king to

plays Ne2, I take on 65, bS, check on d2 and take the b3-pawn. That's three pawns against three, two passed pawns against one. I don't like it but I have a chance for a draw. 47 .••• . . Ne4+ 48 Kf3 Ke5 49 Rb5+ Re5 Rc5 50 50 h4.

This h-pawn is set to win the game for White, but with both players running short of time, accurate play is still needed. 50 .•.• . . Rxb5 RxbS 51 axbS axb5 Nd2+

52 Ke2 Nxb3 NxbS

53 Kd3 Kd5 54 Ne2 Nc5+ Nc5+ 55 Kc3 Ne4+ 56 Kb3 Kc5 57 Ka4 Nd6 58 Nc3 Ne4 Ne4

8 8 7 7 6 6

~II

5 5 4 4

--1)-_1--~;

W

~

~

~~

3 3

~

~

"m~

~L)

2 2 1

a b b c c a

-~

d d

e

f

9 a

h h

e3. However I think this move cannot save

59 Kxa5! KxaS!

the game because now his pawns on f4 fS are looking a little bit weak, not and f5 covered by the king. My king at least gets free. I'm very happy.

A precisely calculated and elegant solution to White's task. By giving up his knight he ensures that the b-pawn and h-pawn will

47 47 Kf2.

BROWNE: He found a move; his only move, but he found it. Now I have only one chance. I have to play Ne4+; that way KeS; Rb5+, RbS+, Rc5; RcS; well weillI have he plays Kf3, Ke5; to win a pawn back. If he takes, I take with the knight and win his b-pawn; or if he 104 104

be more than Black can handle. 59 .••• . . NxcS Nxe3 60 b6 Kc6 61 Ka6 Na4 62 h5!

62 b7? Nc5+ NcS+ would Now, the h-pawn is

have lost the game. too fast.

62 ..•• . . Nxb6 KdS Nxb6 63 h6 Nc4 Ne4 64 h7 Kd5

65 h8(Q).

The new queen signals the end for Browne. The remaining moves were played at lightning pace, but it was the American who had less time on his clock. 6S 65 ••• . . . Ne5 66 KbS Kb5 Ke4 fjJ 67 Qe8 Kd4 Qe6 fJ &9 68 68Qe6f3 69 gxf3 NxD Nxf3 70 Qxf5 Ne5 71 Qe6 Nd3 72 Qd6+ Ke4 and Black lost time. on lime.

The Master Game 1981 - Series Six

Order of Play Group B: Round One: Round Two: Round Three: L M L

Miles 1-0 Larsen; Schmid V2-V2 Yl- Yl Donner Larsen 1-0 Schmid Yl- Yl Miles; Donner V2-V2 Larsen 1-0 Donner; Miles 1-0 Schmid S D S

Total

Miles

xX 11 1/Yl 11

2V2 2Yl

Larsen

0

xX

1 1

1 1

2 2

Donner

1/2 0 Yl

xX

1/ Y2

1 1

Schmid

0 0

1/ Yl2

xX

2

0 0

2

1/ Yl2

Game 35: 35: Game

Tony Miles - Bent Larsen Keres' Defence

A fine struggle which showed much of the best of both players. Larsen played the opening in original fashion to secure a promising position. Pushing his K-side pawns he developed a powerful attack which forced play of great accuracy from Miles. Faced with such resolute defence, Larsen lost objectivity when his position did not reveal a win. Refusing to settle for a draw, he began to play badly. Miles accepted every chance he was offered and finally clinched a win in a hard endgame. 1 d4 e6 2 e4 c4 Bb4+. 1

An unusual defence pioneered by the Estonian grandmaster Paul Keres. Black intends later to move his pawns to d6 and eS, e5, so prepares to exchange this bishop.

as

3 Bd2 a5 4 e3 f5 5 Bd3 Nf6 6 Ne2 d6 Bxc3 9 Bxc3 e4 10 Be2. Bc2. 7 Nbc3 e5 8 a3 Bxel

130

White plays the whole opening too cautiously. Here 10 Bb1 was better designed to counter Black's plan; then Black would find great difficulties maintaining a hold on dS d5 with White able to play Ba2 and Qb3 to attack that square. 10 13

. . . d5 11 ••• cxd5 exd5 cxd5 exd5

Nf4 e6 c6 12 Bb3 Na6 14 Ba4+ Kf7.

The king is quite safe here and Black does not mind the minor inconvenience of being unable to castle. 15 18 21

Qd2 b6 16 Be6 Bc6 Ra7 17 b4 Qd6 Bb5 Ne7 Nc7 19 Be2 axb4 20 Bxb4 Qd7 0-0 Ba6 22 Bxa6 Rxa6 23 Rfel Rfcl g5.

Larsen begins his K-side attack, though he still has to take care to defend vulnerable squares on the other wing. 24 Ne2 Ne6 25 Ne3 Nc3 Raa8 26 Qe2 Rhe8 Rhc8 Nb5 Ne8. 27 NbS

Black must prevent the threatened 28 Nd6+. He does not fear 28 QhS+ Qh5+ Kg7 when the unsupported white queen can do no damage. 28 f3 exf3 29 gxf3 Rxe1 + 30 Rxe1 Rxc1+ Rxcl Re8 Rc8 31 Rxe8 RxcB Qxe8 QxcB 32 Ne3 Nc3 Nf6 33 Qd3.

because he takes with the knight and my doesn t work position's position s a wreck. Qf5 doesn't because he'll take on e3. I've got to play e4. Something nasty's nasty s going to happen to this position very quickly. '

'

'

34 e4. e4. 34

LARSEN: It's interesting to take on e4.

When he takes with the pawn I must have some threats against his king, but his centre is very strong. I must attack immediately.

88 7 6

34 ••• . . . g4.

5

MILES: I/ don't know what the hell's going on. e5 is natural, but that does fix my pawns on black squares if it doesn't doesn t win. What's he planning on e5? He's going to take on f3 and threaten QgB+ Qg8+ mating me, or maybe play QgB Qg8 first. Let's Let s see, e5, he takes on f3, I must recapture, QgB+, Qg8+, king somewhere, Ng4, it's it s very messy. What else can I play? Taking on d5, Ng5, that's that s out of the question; taking on g4 can't can t be right. I don't don t like it much but I must play e5.

4

'

A

3

2

'

i

a b b c c a

d

e

f

g 9

h

'

'

'

LARSEN: Now I have to calculate exactly. f4 looks good because my knight on e6

wants to get a good square near his king. f4, fA, he plays e4, I play g4, nobody knows what happens; looks very good; after e5 I can take on f3. My knight from e6 gets to g5, maybe to e4. It's It s very complicated. Kg6 is playable; e4, I can play Nf4. Maybe that is the safe line. No, on Kg6 he comes with the bishop to el, e7, not logical, I'm fighting against that bishop of course. I must play f4. f4. '

. . . f4. 33 •••

MILES: Hello, something's happening. e4

is what I want to play, what's going to happen? He takes it, I take with the pawn and have a massive pawn centre. He wouldn t play that. I can't take on f4 wouldn't '

'

35 e5 gxf3 36 Qxf3. LARSEN: Now I/ think I cannot take on d4 because he takes on f4. Well, then I can play Qg4+ but I certainly get no winning chances. Ng5 looks normal, it's it s very good there. '

36 ••• . . . Ng5. MILES: This is beginning to look horrible; his knights and queen are all flooding at my king. Where do I put the queen? g2, well then then he's he s getting f3 with tempo. God, well Cod, + will how am I stopping that f-pawn? Nh3 Nh3+ come, the queen could come, everything's everything s coming in. f1 fl is a useful square, it stays on f4, it stays on the same file as his king; that '

'

131

can be useful in the long run. If his knight from f6 has to move, maybe I'll take on d5 and then perhaps I'll I ll be able to get my queen into activity on c4. It must be best, though this position's getting terrible. '

37 Qf1. Qfl.

LARSEN: Another important choice: Nf3 or Nh3. Nh3, he plays Be1, Bel, it's not so clear. Nf3 looks good. Many threats against his king. . . . Nf3. 39 •••

LARSEN: Now it's a very important decision: should I play Qg4+ or Nh3+? Nh3 + ? Both protect my f-pawn and bring my pieces closer to his king. Nh3+, Kh1, Khl, Ng4, that's interesting; I'm threatening Nf2+; he plays Qf3, I think that's that s his only move; Qf3, knight check, he goes to g2, gl, I can check with the queen on gB, g8, he goes to f1, fl, I can check him on g1, gl, he goes to e2 and what have I got? This is terrible. If there is nothing there, then d5 is hanging. It's It s not so easy. I don't don t see it. I think Qg4 is safer. Once more, Nh3, Kh1, Khl, Ng4, Qf3; no I don't see it, his king escapes. He's lucky. Well okay, Qg4+ is a good move anyway. '

'

'

37 ..• . . . Qg4+. MILES: That's what I was most frightened of. Now I could play Qg2, but then f3 and I think I'd lose a piece stopping the f-pawn so I must play Kh1, f-pawn, Khl, nothing else. ,

Khl. 38 Kh1. take on on LARSEN: Can I sacrifice a piece? f3, f3 take f6, Nh3; no I don't think it's good enough. I m threatening f2 but he has Nd1 I'm Ndl for instance, I must go to e4, that looks natural. natural. ,

'

. . . Nfe4. 38 .••

MILES: It It would would be be nice nice to to take take that that off off but then my position is just terrible for no compensation. I've I ve got to go pawn snatching. I have to take the one on d5, it's my only hope. Maybe I can expose his king a little. Just keep my fingers crossed. '

132 132

39 Nxd5.

88 7 6 5 4

3

if

2 1

abcdefgh a bc d e 9 h

MILES: I/ didn't really expect that, but it does look quite strong now it's arrived. How about e6+? That's the sort of move that might disconcert him. He's only got a few minutes left for his last move. He can't take with the queen, because then I take the knight on f3 and I'm completely safe. Got to get rid of those wretched knights somehow. e6+, takes with the king, then at least least I'm I m not going to have to worry at have some some forks forks about Nd2 because I'll I ll have with queen checks on the e-fi/e. e-file. If he moves his king away after e6+, I play el. e7. I haven't seen a clear threat for him yet on the K-side, and pawns on the seventh are bound to to create create some some always strong. It's It s bound trouble. trouble. '

'

'

40 e6+. LARSEN: I/ guess I/ have to take that. It's a

little unpleasant, my king should be in aa but I have to take that pawn. safe spot, but 40 . . Kxe6. 40 ..••

MILES: I've got to move my knight so I can threaten Qc4+. if the knight moves it might as well take the b-pawn. At least that won'tt lose a simple ending if I ever ever way I won get out. out. get '

41 Nxb6. Nxb6.

like that I can be.

45 h4 Kg6 46 a4 Nf6 47 Bd2 Nd5 Qbl + 49 Kh2 Qa2 50 Qd3+ Kf6 48 a5 Qb1+ 51 Kh3 Qal 52 Qa6+ Kf5 53 Qd3+ Kf6 54 Kg2 Qdl 55 Kf2 Qhl 56 a6 Qxh4+. Now the white king escapes to the Q-side. 56 ... . . . Qh2+ was aa better chance.

57 Ke2 Qh2+ 58 Kdl Qg1+ Qgl + 59 Kc2 Qg2 60 Kb3 Nc7.

LARSEN: /I must move my king so that his queen has no check. I cannot play Ng3+, he takes, Qxg3, Qc4+ and he has all his pieces attacking before I can mate him.

8

41 . . Kf6. 41 .•..

6

Ndl+? He can't MILES: What's wrong with Nd7+? m possibly take it because then II'm so he must move his king, absolutely safe, so Anyway, what else can I play, but where? Anyway, but it looks good.

7

5

'

42 Nd7+. Nd7+.

3 2 1

LARSEN: Maybe I should play Kg7, Kgl, maybe LARSEN: he plays Ne5. I think I can as well take the he knight. I really have a very strong position, but it's a pity I'm a pawn down.

Qxd7 43 Qxf3 Qxf3 Qf5 44 Bel. 42 ..•. . . Qxd7 Now Now Black Black has has an an Immediate immediate draw draw with with

Qb1 + 46 Kg2 Qc2 Qc2+ 44 .... . . Ng5 45 Bh4 Qb1+ + when White has no satisfactory way to avoid the checks. Instead, Larsen, without any particular idea in mind, decided to play for aa win. 44 . . h6. h6. 44 .•••

MILES: Only Larsen would play playa MILES: a move like that, it's ridiculous. Well, why not push my my luck? His only plan is Ng5 to get some play. Let Let'ss stop it with h4. I still can can'tt be be better, but if he plays many more moves moves '

4

'

abc

a

d

e

f

9 9

h

can't play al because he has MILES: Now /I can'f Qb7+. Qbl+. The obvious move is Bxf4, but after Qd5+, Qc4 he has Qf3+ winning my bishop. If this were a study the solution would be d5. Wait, I think it is the solution! d5, what does he play? It interferes with his queen on the diagonal. He can't take on a6 a6, because I recapture with check. II'm seriously threatening to m play d6 attacking the knight, or just just going to dl and d8. dB. If he plays Qxd5+, I take his queen, he plays Nxd5 and I play Ba5. Then he can't stop my a-pawn; he plays f3, I play al, we both queen and then I play Qf8+ QfB+ winning his queen. That That'ss beautiful. This is wonderful. ,

'

'

133 133

61 d5. d5. 61

And this was the decisive move. Larsen had to retreat to attempt to stop the a-pawn but the blockade was only a-pawn, temporary. ,

61 .•• . . . Nxd5 62 a7 Qg8 63 Qa6+ Nb6+ 64 Kb4 Qe6 65 Kb5. Finally the king joins in to support the attack. Black can no longer resist. After 65 ... . . . Na8 White wins simply with 66 Qxe6+ Kxe6 67 Kc6 f3 68 Be1 Bel followed by Kb7 and Kxa8. Black's king can hold White in temporarily by following to c8, but with the white bishop at g3, Black quickly runs out of moves. Larsen tries to bluff his way out.

65 ••. . . . f3 66 Qxb6 resigns. After 66 ... . . . Qxb6+ 67 Kxb6 both sides obtain new queens, but White has Qf8+ winning at the end.

Game 36: Lothar Schmid - Jan Hein Donner English Opening Schmid's first game in defence of his Master Game title was a fine scrap. Donner acquired a perfectly wretched position in the middlegame, but defended ingeniously. A strange pawn structure virtually cut the board in two, but the Dutch grandmaster managed to work a rook round the right side to aid his king. Complications continued into the endgame, but finally a perpetual check brought the game to a fair end. e4 d6 d6 2 2 c4. c4. 11 e4

134

A very unusual move which soon leads the game away from the Pirc Defence into English Opening terr!tory. territory. . . . c5 c5 3 3 Ne2 Ne2 e5. e5. 22 ...

We are now back in one of Schmid's favourite opening lines, as we know from game 27, but this time he is playing for more than a draw.

4 d3 Nc6 5 Nbc3 g6 6 g3 Bg7 7 Bg2 Nge7 8 0-0 0-0 9 9 a3 a3 a6 a6 10 10 Rb1 Rbl Rb8 Rb8 11 11 b4 b4 cxb4 cxb4 80-00-0 12 axb4 b5 13 cxbS axb5 14 h3. 12 axb4 b5 13 cxb5 axb5 14 h3. DONNER: That is a funny move. The position is completely symmetrical and he tries to lose a move. So far I have only copied his moves. Shall I play h6 or is it time for an independent move? Well, I'm getting a little fed up with this. I think I now play my own game. 14 ... . . . Be6 Be6 15 15 Nd5. Nd5. 14

Now Black cannot play 15 ... . . . Nxd5 NxdS without losing a piece to 16 exd5. For that reason 14 ... . . . f5 was a better way to break the symmetry.

15 ... . . . Qd7 16 Kh2 Bxd5 17 exd5 Nd4 18 Nxd4 exd4. exd4. 18 Nxd4 88 7

i

6

5

i

4

3

6

2 i

a a b b cc

d

e

f

9g

h

SCHMID: What aa funny pawn formation at SCHMID: now. It's another another type of of game the centre now. So who's halma perhaps. So than chess, it's halma better: the white bishop bishop on c7 c1 or black better: on e7? I/ prefer prefer the the white position knight on slightly. I/ am the the first first one one who who gets gets the the slightly. open file. open 19 19 Ral. Ra1.

8 8

7 6

5 4

3

DONNER: It/t seems that my judgment judgment was DONNER: He'ss obviously obviously wrong in this position. He better. His His bishop bishop on on g2 is is stronger stronger than than better. go my knight. knight. I/ can can'tt keep keep it it at at el. e7. I/ must must go my to b6 b6 perhaps, perhaps, then then I/ have have aa threat threat to to go to to to '

2 1

'

a4 a4 and and c3. c3.

abc d e 9 h abcdefgh

SCHMID: He He threatens threatens now now Rh2+ Rh2+ and and my my SCHMID: queen would would be be lost. lost. II'm sorry to to be be so queen m sorry short of of time, time, there there are are so many so many short possibilities either either to to exchange exchange queens queens or or possibilities even to to put put something something in in between between on on f5. f5. even Rf5 would would be be interesting, interesting, he he cannot cannot take take it, it, Rf5 should mate mate him him on on g7. g7. He He could could take take on on I/ should f6, then then I/ could could sacrifice sacrifice a queen: queen: RxfS, Rxf6, f6, Rh2+; Kxh2, Kxh2, Qxg4; Qxg4; Rxf7 Rxf7 and and I'm I'm Rh2+; fB, or even threatening Rxb6 and mate on f8, a7 with Ra6 to to a? with another another mating mating attack. attack. This This Ra6 would be be nice nice for White, but but he he has has other other could retreat better defences. Maybe he could with his his queen queen to to c8, cB, attacking attacking my my rook rook on on with a6. a6. I/ could could even even then sacrifice sacrifice this rook with h5, h5, and and if if he he takes takes it it then then hxg6, hxg6, and and if if with he takes takes with with the the h-pawn h-pawn then then Bg7+, Bg7 +, Kg8, KgB, he So many Rh5 and and mates him. him. So many lines, lines, Rh5 however I'm I'm not not sure sure this is is correct. correct. I/ have have however to play simply, otherwise my time will not be enough. enough. I/ see see aa line line which which seems seems to to be be be easy. easy. '

19 19 .. .... Nc8 NcB 20 20 Bf4 Bf4 Nb6 Nb6 21 21 Ra6 Ra6 Be5 Be5 22 22 Bh6 Bh6 Rfc8. RfcB.

Schmid now now turns turns his his attention attention to to the the Schmid K K-side and prepares prepares aa massive massive attack attack on on -side and that wing. wing. that

23 f4 f4 Bf6 Bf6 24 24 f5 f5 Be5 Be5 25 25 Qg4 Qg4 Rc7 Rc7 26 26 h4 h4 Kh8 KhB 23 27 Kh3. Kh3. 27 is really really aa desperate desperate DONNER: This This is DONNER: position. I/ will be be crushed if I/ don don'tt find position. anything. Perhaps Perhaps I/ have have aa little little joke joke here. here. I/ anything. to g8 gB and II'm threatening can play the rook to m threatening at f5. Then he has to play f6 and to take at position. I'm no doubt still that closes the position. lost but but I/ have have small small drawing drawing chances. chances. lost '

'

27 .. .. .. RgB RgB 28 2B f6 f6 Rb8 RbB 29 29 Be4 Be4 Rc2. Rc2. 27

30 Qxd7 Qxd7 Nxd7 Nxd7 31 31 Bg7+ Bg7 + Kg8 KgB 32 32 Ra7 Ra7 RdB. RdB. 30

SCHMID: My problem is now that my SCHMID: pawn on on f6 f6 which which is is so strong, strong, is is also also a pawn little weak. weak. His His minor minor pieces pieces are are attacking attacking little this pawn pawn and and bind bind my my pieces pieces to to cover cover it. it. I/ this win a pawn pawn by by Rb7, Rb7, but but he he has has counter counter can win can 135 135

chances; he can attack my g3 pawn by Re2 and Re3. Otherwise he seems able to free himself by h5. I think better is to continue my attack, h5 myself. He cannot take it or my rook will get the f5 square.

The white king cannot go to b2 without allowing Nxd3+, so Black's Black s rook can check d, c2 and c3. for ever on c1,

33 h5 Re2 34 hxg6 hxg6 35 Kh4.

Game 37:

DONNER: I/ don't see any chances for me to attack the king any more. I must give the check. Jf he plays g4 and Kg5 I'm completely lost.

Jan Hein Donner - Tony Miles Nimzo-lndian Defence Nimzo-Indian

35 ••• . . . Rh2+ 36 Kg4 Rh7.

A A nice defence, threatening Rxg7 followed by fS+. f5+. White cannot make progress with 37 KgS, Kg5, because 37 ... . . . RhS+ Rh5+ forces it back again. Schmid decides to allow Donner his trick. 37 Rb7 Rxg7 38 fxg7 f5+ 39 Bxi5 Bxf5 gxf5 40 Rxf5 Bxg7 41 Rg5 Ne5+. Black is in begins his

a nasty pin, but this check escape from trouble.

42 Kf5 Rf8+ 43 Ke4 Nf7 44 Rf5 Re8+ 45 Kf3 Ne5+. SCHMID: Both my king and the pawn on d3 are attacked, but just one move will be all right. He has no check which will bring me into trouble. 46 Ke2. Ke2. 46

DONNER: Now I/ have the chances. Do I play for a win? Yes, I'll I ll play Bh6. '

46 •. •. •. Bh6 47 Rf6.

This strong defence had been overlooked by Donner. 47 ... . . . Ng4+ is met by 48 Re6. Now Black saves the game by constructing a perpetual check. 47 47 50 50

. . . ••• Kc2 Kc2

136

Be3 48 48 Rxd6 Rxd6 Rf8 Rf8 49 49 Kdl Kdl Rfl Rf1 + + Be3 Rc1+ drawn. Rcl + drawn.

'

A good slugging draw. Miles, perhaps unwisely, chose an opening variation which has long been a favourite of Donner's. The Dutchman had, in fact, played the first twenty moves in an earlier game. Miles found it hard to create active play and sacrificed two pawns to that end. This led to an interesting dynamic equality, with Donner returning the material to free his king from danger. 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e3 0-0 1 5 Bd3 d5 6 Nf3 c5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 a3 Bxc3 9 bxc3 dxc4 10 Bxc4 Qc7. This is one of the oldest main lines of the Nimzo-Indian. Nimzo-lndian. In compensation for giving up the bishop pair, Black frees his game with eS e5 and obtains some pressure down the c-file. c-file. the

11 Bd3 e5 12 Qc2 Re8 13 dxe5 Nxe5 14 Nxe5 Qxe5 15 f3 Bd7 16 a4 Rad8. Now White tries to get his central pawns moving, while Black would like to organise some play against the split Q-side pawns. 17 Rel Bc6 18 e4 Nd5 19 Bd2 Nf4 20 Bfl.

• . _.t __

21 21 Be3. Be3 .

s

88

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7 6

r

~~ "m~

5

II ~f""~

~ ~- 0~n~ -~-

4

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3

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i

-

,

but but that that looks looks too slow. slow. II think think II should should

play like like Larsen. Larsen. play

-~a

2

MILES: He's He's going going to play g3 g3 so I'd like to to play to MILES: undermine it to get some play. play. h5 and and h4 h4 to get undermine only other thing thing is a natural idea; the only be to try and and double on on the d-file d-fi/e, would be

21 . . h5. 21 .••• hS.

-~

DONNER: That is is a very good good move. move. DONNER: should have played played g3 g3 Perhaps I should have lost a tempo immediately. Perhaps I have already with Be3. Be3. Well, II must advance with already

h a b c d e abcdefgh 9

my K-side K-side pawns. pawns. my MILES: I've I've been been wanting to play the the to play MILES: Nimzo-Indian for for some some time time but but everyone everyone Nimzo-lndian avoids itit these these days, days, they they always always play play avoids Queen's Indians Indians instead. instead. At At least least I've I've got got aa Queen's s main-line position. position. The trouble trouble is is he he's main-line been playing so quickly. playing so quickly. II have have aa feeling been it's the the sort sort of of position position he's he's very very used used to. to. it's to advance Now the the problem problem is is he he wants wants to advance Now the K-side K-side with with g3 g3 and and f4, f4, very slowly slowly on the on probably. At At the the moment moment both both moves moves probably. with gain gain of of tempo tempo because because they hit hit come with come so what about my knight knight and and queen, queen, so about my regrouping this this knight? knight? II put put it it on on eS, e6, that that'ss regrouping nice central central square; square; it it controls controls f4, d4 and and aa nice defends the the pawn pawn on on c5. c5. defends

22 g3. g3. 22 MILES: Well, I didn't scare him. him. If II play play MILES: h5, I must must play play h4. h4. h5, 22 . . h4. 22 .... h4.

'

'

20 . . Ne6. 20 ...• Ne6.

DONNER: DONNER: That That is is aa remarkable remarkable move. move. II had this position several times have have had this position several times already. The Dutch Dutch player player Sosonko Sosonko played played already. which is is aa pawn pawn sacrifice. sacrifice. It It seems seems he he c4, which c4, isn't afraid of this position, I have the two isn't afraid of this position. I have the two bishops but but it's it's true true his his knight knight is is very very bishops active. active. He He's going attack on the to me s going to attack me on the K -side Who's coming K-side. coming first first there? there? II must must me put play g3 g3 and and f4, f4, but but first first let let me put my my play bishop on e3. bishop on e3.

DONNER: Can Can II take it? Looks Looks silly silly, but but it's DONNER: moves you you have to look always these silly moves No, if I take, he he plays Qf6; I can't do at. No, must protect protect the pawn. pawn. that so II must ,

23 Bf2 Bf2 Ng5 NgS 24 Bg2 Bg2 Qe6. Qe6. 23 Continuing his his policy policy of active K-side play, play, Continuing Miles gives gives up up his his c-pawn. c-pawn. A A brave brave Miles decision, but but the the alternative alternative was was to to allow allow decision, white pawns to to start start rolling with with f4. the white

25 Bxc5 BxcS Nh3+ 26 26 Bxh3 Bxh3 Qxh3 Qxh3 27 Qg2 Qg2 Qxg2+ 28 28 Kxg2 Rd2+ Rd2+ 29 29 Kh3. Qxg2+ Despite the the queen queen exchange. exchange, Black's Despite initiative continues, continues, but he he is still aa pawn pawn initiative behind. behind.

'

.

137 137

wrong square, he wants to escape with his king there. Maybe he can even take the second pawn on a7. But I think I must play Re5 to keep my initiative.

88 7 6

m

30 ••• . . . ReS. Re5. 30

5 4

a

DONNER: I/ can't believe that this is really an attack. I take at a7. Is it dangerous? Is there Rh5+? Rh5 + ? No, my king is very well placed as a matter of fact.

a

3

2

31 Bxa7 RhS+ Rh5+ 32 Kg4 Rh6 33 Bd4.

1

a bc d e 9 h abcdefgh

MILES: I/ had aa. clear line of play if he went back, but now he comes forward. Can he really do this? I must take on g3; can he take with the pawn? I have lines like Re5; Be3, Rh5 +; Kg4, I can even play something Rh5+; like Bd7+ then, after Kxh5, I have Rh2+; Kg5, f6+; Kg6, Be8+; Kf5, Bd7+; then if he goes to f4, I have g5 mate, but he could all come to g6 and I only have a draw. It /t'ss all very interesting though. Anyway I must take on g3. '

29 ••. . . . hxg3. DONNER: Now I'm definitely better. How shall I take back? If I take with the king, he plays Rd3 and the pawn on f3 is pinned. There are dangerous moments when he checks me me with with the the other other rook rook after after Re6 Re6 or or checks Re5. Okay, let him chase my king, it becomes better and better probably.

30 hxg3. MILES: There must be something for me here. The only trouble is the black squares, I haven't anything to control them with. Re5 looks the most dangerous, hits his bishop. If he goes to e3, I can check on h5; I get many threats. Maybe e3 is the

138

MILES: That's a good solid move. Now one of my ideas was to play Rg2 to try and get the g-pawn back, but it's not so wonderful. I still have chances of trying to create a mating net, maybe later by Rd3 to cut off his flight square, but I must have something to control the black squares. His Bd4 isn't active; I have another free move. . . . f6. f6. 33 ...

DONNER: Now it's becoming dangerous really. Kf4, Rd3, g4, Rh3, that is very unpleasant. I must do something immediately because he's threatening to mate me now. His bishop is very strong. I must change a pair of rooks. Radl. 34 Rad1.

MILES: That's annoying, I can never cut off his flight square with Rd3 now. I could bail out and get his a-pawn back, but I think I can get more than this out of it. I ought to settle something on the K-side. How's How s Rg2? Threatens Rg6+; should get the pawn back. '

34 .•• . . . Rg2. DONNER: I'm two pawns up, up but I'm I m going to lose both of them. afraid I'm them Well, I see a small chance. ,

'

.

35 Kf4. Kf4. 35

MILES: I/ can take on a4 with tempo any time but I've got to win one of those K-side pawns to be really safe. K-side safe. I think it must be g5 +, getting the pawn g5+, immediately. I think he's given up trying to he s letting me out with a win; he's a draw.

bishop the chance to change diagonals and avoid exchange. 8 Bf4 Nbd7 9 Nf3 Nf8 10 h3 Ng6 11 Bh2 Bd6 12 Bxd6 Qxd6 13 Bxg6 fxg6.

'

35 ••• . . . gS+ g5+ 36 Ke3 Rxg3 37 Rg1 Rgl Rxg1 Rxgl 38 Rxg1 Rxgl Bxa4. DONNER: It's hopelessly drawn, but you can play. I can never lose.

88 7

1

6 5

e5. 39 eS.

This wins a pawn for Donner, but indeed the resulting ending is hopelessly drawn. White's king can never join in and Black establishes a permanent blockade. 39 ••• . . . fxeS fxe5 40 RxgS+ Rxg5+ Kf7 41 BxeS Bxe5 Rh3 42 Kf2 Kf2 Bc6 Bc6 43 43 f4 f4 Ke6 Ke6 44 44 Ke2 Ke2 Be4 Be4 42 45 Bd4 BfS Bf5 Draw agreed.

4

3 2

a

a b b c c a

d

e

f

g 9

h

After 46 Rg7 Rh7 White has nothing to do.

Game 38: Bent Larsen •- Lothar Schmid Queen's Gambit Declined

A tense struggle developed from the opening with the kings castled on opposite sides of the board. Schmid handled his position with great subtlety and appeared to have a good game. Then he blundered, overlooking a tactical possibility which let Larsen's pieces in d~cisively. decisively. d5 3 d4 Nf6 4 cxdS cxd5 exdS 11 c4 e6 2 Nc3 dS 5 BgS Be7 6 e3 c6 7 Bd3 h6.

Donner was to play the theoretically recommended 7 ... . . . Ne4 in game 39 against Larsen. Schmid's Schmid s move gives the '

LARSEN: I/ want to fo play Ne5. I could also play Qb3 so that his bishop has to stay home for a moment. Ne5 is nice because it forces him to play g5. He cannot play Bf5 because of g4. Ne5 looks natural, but I hate making natural moves. Ne5. 14 NeS.

SCHMID: That attacks my pawn. Bf5 would be a mistake because of g4. The only move is g5, but I think it is sufficient. 14 ••• . . . gS. g5. LARSEN: I/ could still castle K-side and later maybe f4. No, I think I have to castle Q-side The queen can go to c2 or d3; that Q-side. stops his bishop from going to f5. If I go to c2, then afterwards my rook on d1 dl indirectly threatens his queen. Also I like it because he gets the f-file and I like to protect f2. .

139 139

lS Qc2 0-0 16 16 0-0-0. 15Qc2

LARSEN: /I have to start attacking. Rg1 Rg1, but a problem because if I play Rdg1 then h3 is protected; sometimes it could be important, there's also a flight square for my king. There There'ss probably something wrong with it. I must make the ,

which rook? That That'ss '

SCHMID: /I have to develop first my bishop and then ask his knight what he wants to do there on e5, by retreating my own knight to d7. Then the decision for him will not be so easy. 16 .... 18 f4. . . Be6 17 g4 Nd7 18

Taking advantage of aa tactical idea in order to defend his knight. 18 .... . . gxf4 19 Ng6 Rf6 20 Nxf4 Re8.

LARSEN: Oh that is annoying, he wins some kind of tempo because when he he'ss attacking the pawn. This plays Bf7 later he

'

natural move.

Rhg1. 23 Rhgl. SCHMID: He wants to attack with g5 and so on. However my position looks rather solid, all the pieces are well placed. Let's be consistent. 23 23 .. .... a4.

'

is difficult, I don't like it too much. I can

play Rg1, he plays Bf7, and in some cases he plays g5 afterwards. I can protect e3, but still in some cases I play Rg1 and g5, my rook takes on g5 and then the other rook is unprotected on e1 so he can take on f4. That was a strong move he made. I have to protect e3 at once, Qd2; I don't like to go away from that diagonal but it'ss good to get away from a white maybe it square where it can be attacked by the bishop.

LARSEN: Normally one shouldn't take notice of such moves as long as they contain no direct threats, but maybe I can take with the knight, knight takes knight, pawn takes. He probably plays Ra8; even if n~body gets mated I then get an endgame nobody With some weak pawns. I don don'tt like that. I with think I have to play g5. '

gS hxg5 hxgS 25 2S Rxg5 RxgS axb3 26 axb3 Bf5. BfS. 24 g5

'

Both attacks are gathering momentum now. White is ready to add to his g-file pressure, while Black keeps the move

21 Qd2.

Qa3+ in reserve.

SCHMID: Now he threatens to push his pawns against my king, but I shall have a lot of counterplay at the queen's wing because his queen is a little bit exposed on d2. I play Nb6 and I shall have a threat to go to c4.

27 Nh5 NhS Rf7.

21 .... . . Nb6. Nb6.

LARSEN: /I cannot allow Nc4, so I have no choice. After b3 his knight is a little mi~placed except for sacrifices. My king is misplaced Itttle open, but there is nothing else. a little

as.

22 b3 a5. 140 140

28 ... g6. 28...

1

88

LARSEN: What's happening? He should have checked me and exchanged queens. What's happening now? I take on f5 and that gives me the square c2 for my king. I don't see what he can do. Yes, this is fantastic. Three moves ago I thought I was in trouble. Rxf5, he takes, I take and check with the queen. Wonderful.

7 6 5 4

3

a

2

R1xf5. 29 RhfS.

a a bc

d

e

ff

9 g

h

LARSEN: He didn't play Qa3+; he could have forced the exchange of queens, but· but of course he likes to keep that threat. Now Nxg7 is no good; he checks with the queen, exchanges queens, he takes my knight, I take his bishop and then he takes the pawn on e3 and I get a difficult ending; three weak pawns, not nice. Rdg1 Rdgl I don't think creates many threats. I think I must play Rf1; Rfl; it's it s nice to attack that bishop and indirectly attack the rook which is defending everything. I think I am okay now. now. '

Rfl. 28 Rf1.

SCHMID: He did not get into my trap to take the g-pawn. Now this is dangerous. He threatens to take my bishop and I should do something against it. The solid way is perhaps Qa3+, this forces the queen exchange, then I c;over cover my bishop. Or I can retreat immediately Bg6 and if he takes my rook, king takes; his knight could go back to f4 and the whole position is about even. But why not play g6? If he +, Qb2, exchange plays Ng3, then Qa3 Qa3+, queens, then Bd3. This would be very good for Black.

SCHMID: Oh my goodness, I made a blunder. I see it now. This move g6 was terribly bad; I should have checked on a3. Now suddenly he threatens to mate me and wins the queen after all. I could resign immediately. Well, he did it cleverly; myself, I was a fool to play that way. Okay I have to take and playa play a few more moves only.

29 .•. . . . RxfS Rxf5 30 Rxi5 Rxf5 Qa3+ 31 Kc2 gxf5 Qg2+. 32 32Qg2+. This killing check is the point of Larsen's little combination. The queen penetrates to g7. The end is easy and quick.

32 ... + Ke6 34 QeS+. . . . Kf7 33 Qg7 Qg7+ Qe5+. Now 34 ... . . . Kf7 35 Qf6+ KgB Kg8 36 Qg7 is mate, while 34 ... . . . Kd7 loses the rook ~fter after 35 Nf6+.

Black resigned.

Game 39: Bent Larsen - Jan Hein Donner Queen's Gambit DeClined Declined Larsen has a very subtle appreciation of small endgame advantages, but this time

141

he went straight from the opening into an ending where he appeared to have nothing at all. Donner looked bored for aa long time, and even seemed not aa little irritated that Larsen was continuing with his winning attempts. The Dane, however, had an idea in mind, which he delayed until Donner was short of time. The Dutchman defended wrongly, and Larsen scored aa surprising victory. 1 c4 e6 2 Nc3 d5 3 d4 Nf6 4 cxd5 exd5 1 5 Bg5 c6 6 e3 Be7 7 Bd3 Ne4 B Bxe7 Qxe7 9 Qc2 Bf5. 8

Note that White was threatening Nxd5 as well as capturing on e4. 10 13

Nge2 Nd7 11 Ng3 Nxg3 12 hxg3 Bxd3 Qxd3 g6.

Donner's sensible plan of exchanging pieces has left him with near equality. White's main plan lies in the advance of his Q-side pawns to provoke weaknesses. 14b4a6 14 b4 a6 15 a4.

significant happened, except for the exchange of one pair of rooks. Larsen tried several feints, hoping to confuse Donner, or at least give him something som~thing to think about. Only at move 75 did his plan begin to become clear. + Kf6 33 Kf3 Rh7 34 Rbb1 Rbbl Rde7 35 Rbg1 Rbg1+ KfB 36 as a5 Rd7 37 Ke2 Rde7 38 Kd3 Rd7

39 Rf1 Rfl Ke6 40 Rhg1 Rhgl Rdg7 41 Rxg7 Rxg7 42 Rh1 Rhl Rf7 43 Rh6+ Rf6 44 Rh4 Rf7 45 Rh6+ Rf6 46 Rh2 Rf7 47 Kc4 Kf6

48 51 54 57 60 63 66 69 72

Rh1 + Kf6 Rhl Re7 49 Kd3 Kg5 50 Rg1 Rg1+ RgB Rg8 Rh7 52 RbB Rd7 53 Ke2 Rh7 Kf3 Rh3+ 55 Kf4 Rh4+ 56 Kg3 Rh7 RfB+ Rf8+ Kg5 58 Kg2 Re7 59 Kf3 Kg6 RdB Kf6 61 Rd6+ Kg5 62 RdB Kf6 RhB Kg6 64 Rh1 Rhl Kg5 65 Rf1 Rfl Kf6 Ke2 Kg5 67 Kd3 Kg4 68 Rf2 Kg5 Rg2+ Kf6 KfB 70 Rh2 Kg5 71 Rg2+ Kf6 Re2 Kg5 73 Re1 Rel Kf6 74 Rb1 Rbl Rd7 75 Kc4.

8

White can continue to leave the b-pawn unprotected. Qxb4 is always met by Rb1, Rbl, regaining the b7-pawn. 15 1B 18 21

.••• . . Nf6 16 Rbl Rb1 Ne4 17 Nxe4 dxe4 Qc3 0-0 19 0-0 RfdB 20 Qc5 Qxc5 bxc5 Rd7 22 g4.

A good move, discouraging Black from playing h5 and f5; both white g-pawns are now working, but his advantage is very small.

22 25 2B 28 31

••• . . . ReB Re8 23 Rb3 Kg7 24 Kh2 g5 Kg3 Kg6 26 f3 exf3 27 gxf3 h5 gxh5+ Kxh5 29 Rfb1 Rfbl Ree7 30 f4 f5 Rh1 + Kg6 32 fxg5 Kxg5. Rh1+

And this is where Larsen began his war of attrition. For the next forty moves nothing 142

1

a a b b cc

d

e

f

9 g

h

DONNER: For the last forty moves he has done absolutely nothing. He has played his rook to all possible squares and his king to c4, d3, e2, f3 and even at one moment f4. Now he has come back again just trying to

find the best position for his pieces. I think d5. If I he has reached it now. The threat is dS. take that with the pawn he plays Kd4 and he has an excellent position because of the check at b6. I must fight against dS d5 by playing the rook to e7. el. . . . Re7. 75 •••

LARSEN: I/ must protect e3 with my rook. It's funny how in these long games you suddenly think of something that happened a long time ago. If my pawn had not gone from a4 to as, a5, I could now have the threat to play the king to b4, as a5 and b6. Well, I think he would then play his pawn to as. a5. No regrets, my pawn is one step closer to queening, that's a5 that s why it went to as so long ago. '

76 Rb3. Rb3. 76

DONNER: I'm in a kind of zugzwang now; when I go away with the rook along the seventh rank, he plays dS; d5; and the king can t go to e6. I must play KgS. can't Kg5. '

76 •.• KgS. 76... Kg5. LARSEN: Well I guess it's now now or never. I was hoping he would be more in time pressure, but he still has 20 minutes. I don't think I can improve my position. It would be too much to go back with Kd3, and dS d5 is really very interesting. I must do it, it's the only chance. d5. 77 dS.

DONNER: At last the game is reaching its climax. Now I must be very accurate. The idea is to check and then take the pawn. I see no other move. T! ••• ... Re4+ 78 Kd3 adS. cxd5. 77

LARSEN: I/ don't know if this is a win, but at least I can say I got this far.

79 Rxb7 Rc4 80 Rc7. DONNER: Now I/ wish my king was at f6. Then it is a dead draw. But I can play f4 and exchange an important pawn. It's It s very dangerous because he plays Rc8, Red, I take on e3 and he plays c6. That looks very dangerous. I must go back. '

. . . Kf6. 80 •••

In fact fact this this was was the the moment moment when when Donner Donner In panicked. After 80 ... . . . f4 81 Rc8 fxe3 82 c6 c6 Black Black has has still still time time to to return: return: 82 82 ... . . . Kf6 83 c7 Ke7 and the king is close enough to stop the pawn.

LARSEN: Now c6 is nothing. If I play Rc6+ and take the pawn on a6 then I have gained a tempo, but in the meantime he has improved his king position. But I think it's the only move. 81 ReS Rc6+ Ke5 82 82 Rxa6 Rxa6 Rxc5 Rxc5 83 83 Ra8. Ra8. 81 + KeS

DONNER: Aye, aye! That is very painful; that is horrible. Now he's threatening a6 and a7. I should have changed that last pawn there at e3; I regret now that I played Kf6 instead of f4. Am I losing? There's only one way, I must go with the king to the pawn. pawn. 83 ••• . . . Kd6 Kd6 84 84 a6 a6 Kc7. Kc7. 83

LARSEN: What's happening? I thought he would play RaS. Ra5. No, It's It s the same of course, exactly the same. What is now a7, al, Kb7? I get some winning chances maybe. No, there's only one move; that's Rf8. The rook has to go away, so why not threaten the pawn? '

85 Rf8. Rf8. 85

DONNER: This position is desperate, because the pawn ending is lost. My two pawns lose against his one because his 143

king is nearer. Well, I must do a move. . . . Ra5. Rd5. 85 •••

. . . c6. With the move centre with 6 ... played, Schmid gives up his Rawn pawn occupation of the centre in return for piece activity.

LARSEN: What's happening? I thought he would play Kb6, but it was probably a win anyway. I would have won both f5 and d5 and his king would have been cut off. But it s easy. now it's easy, a7, he takes, I check him, then his king is on a7 after the exchange of rooks, I play Kd4, he plays King b something, I take on d5, then go to e5 and I take on f5. Then I win with my last pawn. No trouble.

Black must keep dS d5 and e4 under controi control to prevent the white centre pawns expanding. This queen move prepares a later Rd8 and Qe6, maintaining Black's hold. Miles reacts immediately by chasing the powerful bishop.

86 a7 Kb7 87 a8(Q)+. 86a7Kb7 a8(Q) + .

12 Ne3 Be4 13 Ne5.

'

DONNER: Yes, Ves, I/ am horribly swindled here. He wins the pawn ending with a whole pawn down. This is hopeless. Black resigned. After 87 ... . . . Rxa8 88 Rxa8 Kxa8 89 Kd4 the

white king takes both black pawns.

7 Na3 Nc6 Nc6 8 Nxc4 Be6 Be6 9 b3 b3 Bd5 Bd5 Bb2a5 Rcl Qc8. QcB. 10 Bb2 as 11 Rc1

88 7

6 5 4

Game 40: 40: Game

Tony Miles - Lothar Schmid Neo-Gruhfeld Defence Neo-Gruiifeld

3

2

3

1

1

This game was played at the same time as Larsen-Donner. While that game looked so drawish, there remained chances for Schmid to force a play-off for the group: if he beat Miles, then all players would end level on 1% IVi points. This accounts for Schmid's play around move 30. He suddenly lashed out and opened the game, when passive defence was called for. This brave winning try, however, was thoroughly punished by Miles's attack. 11 g3 d5 2 Nf3 g6 3 c4 Nf6 4 Bg2 Bg7 5d4 0-0 6 6 0-0 0-0 dxc4. dxc4. d4 0-0 5 The main main alternative alternative is is to to hold hold firm firm in in the the The 144 144

a b b cc a

d

e

f

g 9

h

SCHMID: Now immediately complications. Rd8 would be fine, but he Nxe5, dxe5, RdB could play better; Nxe5, Bxe4. No, I think it's not in my style. I'll exchange bishops. 13 ••• . . . Bxg2 14 Kxg2 Nb4. MILES: He ran away. Well, a3, where's he going next? If he goes to a6, I have Ne5-c4 with the double threat of Nb6 and Nxa5; that looks as if it wins a pawn. So he has to go to d5; I take it and play e4; I've I ve got a wonderful space advantage. He can never '

take the knight on eS; b6 and e5; he goes to 66 his knight's stupid. This looks very nice. 15 a3 a3 Nbd5 Nbd5 16 16 NxdS Nxd5 Nxd5 Nxd5 17 17 e4. e4. 15

SCHMID: There are two moves: moves: 66 b6 or or f6 with the knight. I like it better that the knight will defend the king's wing and at the same time attack his pawn on e4. Then we have this typical position where he has one more line of space, four against three. This is certainly an advantage for him, but Black's position is very solid. I do not have any weaknesses and I think this game should should not be too bad. bad. 17 ... . . . Nf6. Nf6. 17

For the next dozen moves, Miles slowly built up his position, but Schmid refused to give ground. Black must always keep aa firm hold on d5 to prevent White breaking through on that square, but Schmid patiently defended with pawns on e6 and c6. 18 Qe2 e6 19 Rfd1 Rfdl Qd8 20 a4 e6 c6 21 Ba3 ReB Re8 22 Qf3 Qc7 Qe7 23 Ne4 Nc4 Red8. White can win material here with

24 Bd6 Rxd6 25 Nxd6 Qxd6 26 e5 Qd5 27 exf6 Qxf3+ 28 Kxf3 KxfB Bxf6. Miles rejected this line, since the final position offers White no evident winning plan. Better to keep the tension and wait. 24 Be5 Bc5 Ra6 25 h3 Ne8 NeS 26 Qe3 b6 27 Ba3 Qb7 28 Kh2 Raa8.

MILES: I/ have to find a plan in this position. I stand clearly better, but what should I do? The thematic break is d5, dS, but it's not so easy to get enough pieces defending that square. At the moment I even have problems protecting my pawn on d4. The correct plan has got to be overprotecting the d-pawn. I must double

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. . . h5. 29 •••

MILES: He wants to fo play Kh7, Bh6; if h4, I just play g4, it's a weakness. He's welcome to play all of those. It just looks weakening. I don't don t want to spend any time on this. Just double rooks. '

30 Red1. Rcdl. 30

SCHMID: I'm not very happy with my own plan. It is so difficult to play well in such a cramped position. Perhaps I should play Rac8. Otherwise I have the possibility bS, 65, and the rook covers the pawn on as. a5. All these moves are not very nice. In fact, it's better to continue with my plan. 30 ••• . . . Kh7. Kh7. 30

MILES: I/ want to put some more pieces on dS. c/5. Qf3 looks the next one, then maybe I'll I ll '

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bring my bishop from c1 c7 to fo g5. That might be inconvenient. Also Qf3 gives e3 for the knight. I'm going to get d5 and smash him.

31 Qf3. SCHMID: Now he gives me the chance to get that square d5 myself, if I risk f5. I shall have a chance to get all these white squares, d5, e4 and still a little pressure on d4. The risk is that he will come to the open e-file with his rooks. It's It s difficult to a see·ojf I will have good defence. see if '

e6 natural, then the other rook to e6, threatening his knight, Nd5 must be best, but then I can just play Rxg7+, Kxg7; Ne5 threatening Rxg6+; his only defence is Nf6, then Be7 is slaughter. I haven't got much time, but Re7 has got to be a massacre. ,

35 Re7 Rc7. Schmid surrenders a pawn, pawn in the hope of lessening the force of Miles's attack, attack but even after the rook exchange, exchange enough white pieces remain near the black king. ,

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. . . f5. 31 •.•

36 Rxc7 Nxc7 37 Qxc6 Nd5 38 Re6 f4.

MILES: He's going berserk. I can take it, he's got to take with the e-pawn, and what about the e-file? Playa Play a rook to the e-file, any rook. I've got penetration squares on I ve e6 and e7. How can he defend the weaknesses on c6, b6, g6 and the seventh rank?

A desperate try to create some attacking chances, but to no avail. White can play 39 Rxg6, but Miles finds something even stronger.

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39 Ne5 fxg3+ 40 fxg3 h4 41 Rxg6 Qc7.

32exf5exf5 32 exf5 exf5 33 Re3.

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SCHMID: That's it. I do have now all these white squares, d5 and e4, and pressure against d4, but he has squares which are even weaker than this. The question is whether I have enough possibilities to defend. I'm afraid I'm wrong here. Perhaps I should try to get all my pieces on the eighth rank to defend.

7

33 ... . . . Rac8 34 Rde1 Rdel Qb8. MILES: Okay let's start analysing some lines. Do I go to e6 or e7? Re6 attacks c6, it's nice. Re7 is always nice, then I put the other one on e6. Maybe that should decide for me. Let's see; Re7, if he plays Rc7, I can just take it and win a pawn immediately if there's nothing better. So Nf6 looks

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And now the coup de grace.

42 Rh6+! Bxh6 43 Qg6+ Kh8 44 Qxh6+ Kg8 KgB 45 Qg5+ resigns. After 45 ... . . . Kh7 46 Qg6+ Kh8 47 Nf7+ the queen is lost, while 45 .... 45.. . . Kh8 allows 46 Qxd8+ Qxd8 47 Nf7+ winning a piece.

The Final

Game 41:

Nigel Short - Tony Miles Sicilian Defence

Nigel's path to the final had been an astounding success, but he would be the first to admit that luck had travelled with him. After all, Gligoric and Byrne had both made uncharacteristic blunders, while Hort had been within the narrowest margin of victory. There is, however, no detraction from the quality qualify of Nigel's play in this final game. He outplays his powerful opponent in aa highly mature, positional style; aa wonderful performance by one who had not yet reached his sixteenth birthday. 1 e4 c5 c5 22 Nf3 d6 3 Bb5+ Bd7. 1

develop attacking chances against the king. By exchanging queens. queens, Black removes this danger. 14 Qxc4 Rxc4 15 Ne3 Rc7 16 Bd2 d5 Racl Nb8 18 h4 Rxc1 Rxcl 19 NcS. 17 Rac1 19 Rxcl Rxc1 Nc6. White retains more territory, but his central pawns are blocked on the same coloured squares as his bishop. This results in certain weaknesses on the white squares which Black can hope eventually to exploit by getting his knights to c4 or d3. Meanwhile, White puts his faith in a general K-side pawn advance. 20 h5 Kfl Nc7 22 Ke2 Rc8 h5 h6 21 Kf1 23 Kd3 Kf8.

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Varying from the 33 ... . . . Nd7 which Byrne had played (game 32). Bxd7 + Nxd7 5 0-0 Ngf6 6 Qe2 e6 4 Bxd7+ 7 1. c3 Be7 8 d4 0-0 9 Rdl Rd1 Rc8. White has established an advantage in space, thanks to his advanced centre pawns, but Black has no weaknesses. With his next move. move, Short tries to increase his command of the board and drive Black further back. 10 e5 Ne8 11 Nbd2 cxd4 12 cxd4 Qc7 Nf1 Qc4. 13 Nfl

White hoped to use his extra space to

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SHORT: I've got a nice bind on the K-side; I'd like like to gain a bit more space by playing I'd f4 and g4, preparing f5 or g5. Obviously the thing to do is get my knight on f3 out of the way. I'll play it to g1 gl and it can come to e2; that should hold the centre while I get started on the K-side. 24 Ng1. Ngl.

or some terrible weakness in his K-side. My d isn't isn t doing much so I'll just play rook on c1 Rg1 threatening g5. Rgl '

28 Rg1. Rgl. MILES: g5 is a serious threat here. I haven't really any play on the Q-side. The only try is Na4; of course he won't play b3 because he gets mated after Nb4+ Nb4+ and Nb2, Nb2 but he just plays Nd1. Ndl. I don't get very far. Well, it kicks his knight backwards and stops it supporting f5. But then I've I ve got to stop g5, that's the big threat here. I think I'll have to play Rh8 to stop it. It's getting uncomfortable. ,

MILES: That's a good move. I wonder if I should ever have allowed him to get his pawn to h5. That bind on the K-side is going to be a nuisance. It's terribly difficult to create play on the Q-side. Bringing my king to the centre doesn't seem quite right yet, because I might need it on the K-side when he starts advancing there. That knight on c7; is it going to a6 or a8? a8 ad to b6 then a4 or c4, that's a good circuit to be on. Na8 contains the accidental threat of Nb4+, but unfortunately Ne2 stops it. . . . Na8 25 Ne2 Nb6 26 f4. 24 •••

MILES: I/ can't really advance anywhere on the K-side, it's too weakening. I should simplify somehow, exchange rooks on the c-file may well be best. c-file best But I don't know, I m not going to get more than a draw if 1. I'm I do that. He's a good blitz player, I don't really want a play-off. I should bring my king to d7 so I can then bring the rook over to defend if I need it. Also it defends e6 which is probably attacked soon. .

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. . . Ke8. 26 •••

28 ••• . . . Na4 29 Nd1 Ndl Rh8. RhB.

SHORT: Now's /Vow's my chance. I can't play g5, but I can play f5 with the idea of just playing Nf4, threatening to exchange on e6 and go Ng6; then I've I ve got a tremendous position. '

30 fS f5 Nb6 31 Nf4 Rf8 32 Ne3 Re8 Rc8 33 fxe6 + fxe6 34 Ng6. fxe6+

The knight has reached its desirable Rfl residence and now White threatens Rf1 and Rf7. 34 ••• . . . Ke8 35 Rf1 Rfl Nd7 36 Ng2. This knight threat is 37 passivity.

follows its broth~r's brother's path; the N2f4, reducing Black to total

36 •. •. •. BgS Bg5 37 N2f4 Bxf4 38 Rxf4.

Miles was soon to regret his decision not to play for a draw at this stage. His po·sition position rapidly deteriorates as the white K-side pawns advance. K-side advance .

Xl g4 Kd7. 27 SHORT: I/ want wanf to fo threaten either f5 or g5. g5 will nearly always create a passed pawn 148

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moves his king to eB, e8, Nd6 is mate. Well, gS g5 threatens g6 or gxh6. This looks really good.

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