The Jack Rabbit Chess Report (November 15): Let the Games Begin

[Jack Rabbit]

Chess Olympics Begin in Dresden



The 38th Chess Olympiad began Thursday in Dresden.

There are 152 teams competing in the general competition and 112 in the women's event.

After three rounds, Armenia, the defending champion, is part of a nine-way tie for first. Russia, one of the perennial favorites who finished a disappoining sixth in Torino two years ago, is also among the nine as is Norway, which this year features a strong team headed by Magnus Carlsen, and Ukraine, which is headed by Vassily Ivanchuk and Sergey Karjakin.

In the women's competition, China, led by 14-year-old Hou Yifan, is expected to make a strong run for the gold medal. The Chinese ladies are currently one of six teams with a perfect score, as are Armenia, headed by Elena Danielian and Lilit Mkrtchian, and Georgia, featuring former women's world champion Maia Chiburdanidze and Nana Dzagnidze, the star of European women's team championship squad from Monte Carlo. Russia, led by reigning women's world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, suffered a minor setback today when the team drew with India.

The 11-round event runs through Tuesday, November 25.

Live coverage is at the official website. Games begin at 15:00 hrs Central European Time (6 am PST). Tuesday the 18th and Monday the 24th are rest days for the players.


Calendar

Topalov-Kamsky World Championship Semifinal Match, Lvov Bulgaria(?) 26 November-15 December. Eight Rounds. Winner will challenge Anand or Kramnik in 2009.

FIDE Grand Prix, Doha 13-29 December.

Hasting Chess Tournament 28 December 2008-5 January 2009.

Rilton Cup, Stockholm 28 December 2008-5 January 2009.

Corus Chess Tournament, Wijk aan Zee 16 January-1 February.

Gibraltar Chess Festival 27 January-5 February.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Games from not -so-recent events

Since this was a pretty dead weak in international chess with the run up to the Olympics in Dresden, you humble hare has is instead providing game from some of his favorite players of the past.

Please enjoy.

Your humble hare acknowledges the assistance of Fritz 6.0 on analysis.

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Chess Mérida, a true type font that can be downlaoded free here.

BLACK
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WHITE
White to move
(This position is a theoretical draw)

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Morphy - Schulten, New York, 1857

Paul Morphy, born in New Orleans, Louisianna, was head and shoulders above any other chess player up to his time. Some go so far as to credit him for being the first positional player, and that might depend on how one defines positional. Morphy did not develop the concrete positional principles of Steinitz, but his secret to success was being aware that one should do something to prepare for an attack, rather than just go whole hog into one from the starting position. For Morphy, this was the development of his pieces. Before attacking, Morphy would place his pieces near the center, castle his king into and then open the center. After that, he kicked ass and took names.

Morphy won the first great North American chess tournament, the First American Chess Congress, in November 1857 in New York. During the event, Morphy would also give simultaneous and blindfold exhibitions and play short, friedly matches. It is from one of thise matches that the following game is taken.

Following his vicotry in New York, Morphy went on a tour of Europe. There he met and crushed all of the top European players of the day except Howard Staunton, who found excuses not to play Morphy.



Paul Morphy
Painting by Eliot (1859) from Obscure.org (UK)


Paul Morphy - John Schulten
Match
New York, November 1857

Italian Royal Game: Classical Defense (Evans Gambit)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Bc5 6.0-0 d6 7.d4 exd4 8.cxd4 Bb6 9.Nc3 Bg4

• If 9...Na5 10.Bd3 Ne7 then:
• If 11.Bb2 0-0 12.d5 Ng6 13.Ne2 c5 14.Qd2 f6 15.Kh1 Bc7 16.Rac1 then:
• If 16...Rb8 17.Ng3 b5 18.Nf5 c4 then:
• 19.Be2 b4 20.Bd4 c3 21.Qd1 Bb6 22.g4 Ne5 23.Bxb6 Qxb6 Black still has the extra pawn (Zukertort-Dufresne, Berlin, 1870).
• 19.Bb1 b4 20.Bd4 Ba6 21.Rg1 c3 22.Qe1 Nf4 23.Bxa7 Rb7 Black still has the more active game (Steinitz-Maas, London, 1873).
• 16...a6 17.Ng3 Bd7 18.Nf5 b5 19.g4 b4 20.Rg1 b3 21.a3 Bb5 22.g5 Bxd3 23.Qxd3 Ne5 24.gxf6 Rxf6 25.Rxg7+ Kf8 26.Nxe5 Rxf5 27.Nd7+ Ke8 28.exf5 Black resigns (Zukertort-Knorre, Breslau, 1866).
• 11.e5 dxe5 12.dxe5 Bg4 13.Bg5 Nac6 14.Re1 0-0 15.Re4 Bf5 16.Qd2 Bxe4 17.Nxe4 Nd4 18.Nf6+ gxf6 19.Bxf6 Nxf3+ 20.gxf3 Qd4 21.Rf1 Black resigns (Blackburne-Steinkuehler, Simulx, Manchester, 1862).

10.Bb5 Bxf3

• 10...Kf8 11.Be3 Nge7 12.Be2 h6 13.d5 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Ne5 15.f4 Nd7 16.Kh1 Ng6 17.Rg1 Qf6 18.Qd2 Bxe3 19.fxe3 Nc5 20.Raf1 Re8 Black maintains the extra pawn (Mason-Blackburne, London, 1881).
• 10...Bd7 11.e5 dxe5 12.d5 Nd4 13.Bxd7+ Qxd7 14.Nxe5 Qf5 15.Qa4+ Kd8 16.Bg5+ Ne7 17.d6 cxd6 18.Nd5 gives White the more active game (Blackburne-Parminter, Bx, London, 1862).

11.gxf3 Kf8 12.Be3 Nce7!?

• 12...Nf6 13.a4 a6 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.a5 Ba7 16.Ne2 g5 17.Ng3 h5 18.Qc2 g4 19.Qxc6 h4 20.Nf5 gxf3 21.Rac1 Rg8+ 22.Kh1 Ng4 23.Bf4 Rb8 24.h3 Black resigns in the face of material loss (Fichtl-Dietze, IT, Prague, 1943).

13.Kh1

• The game is equal.
• 13.Na4 Ba5 14.Qb3 f5 15.Bd3 Rb8 is equal.

13...c6 14.Ba4?!

• White fails to find the best move. The Bishis of no use on a4, where it bites granite against Black's pawn chain.
• 14.Bd3 Ng6 15.Na4 Qf6 16.Nxb6 axb6 17.a4 N8e7 is equal.

BLACK: John Schulten
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WHITE: Paul Morphy
Position after 14.Bb5a4

14...d5!

• This is the best coninuation.

15.Rb1 Rb8 16.Qd3

• 16.Rg1 Ng6 17.Bb3 Ba5 18.Na4 b6 19.Rc1 N8e7 gives Black more freedom to go with his extra pawn.

16...Bc7 17.Rg1 Ng6 18.e5

• 18.Bg5 Qd6 19.Rg2 N8e7 20.Bb3 h6 21.Bc1 Qe6 gives Black more freedom.

18...Qh4 19.Bg5

• 19.Qf5 Bb6 20.a3 N8e7 21.Qd7 Qh5 22.Qg4 Qf5 gives black more freedom and an extra pawn.

19...Qh3 20.Ne2

• 20.Rg3 Qd7 21.Be3 N8e7 22.Bc2 c5 undermines White's center.

20...f6 21.Nf4 Nxf4 22.Bxf4 g5?

• Black misses the chance to open the center to his advantage.
• 22...fxe5 23.Bxe5 Bxe5 24.dxe5 Ne7 25.Qe3 b5 gives Black connected passed pawns.

23.Qa3+ Ke8

• 23...Kf7 24.e6+ Qxe6 25.Bxc7 Rc8 26.Rxb7 wins easily.

BLACK: John Schulten
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WHITE: Paul Morphy
Position after 23...Kf8e8

24.Rxb7!!

• The sacrifice allows White to penetrate Black's position for the Queen's wing.

24...Rxb7 25.Bxc6+ kf7 26.Bxd5+!

• White is in no hurry to capture the Rook. It's not going to run away.

26...Kg6

• If 26...Ke8 then White wins after 27.Bxb7 gxf4 28.Bc6+ Kf7 29.Bd5+ Ke8 30.Qa4+.

27.Qf8 Qd7 28.Bxb7 Bd8 29.exf6!

• After 29.Be4+ Kh5 30.Be3 h6 31.Bc6! Qf5 32.Qf7+ Kh4 33.Rg4+ Black can only postpone mate by sacrificing his Queen.

29...Bxf6

• 29...Qxb7 30.Rxg5#.
• After 29...h6 30.Be4+ Kh5 31.Rg3 gxf4 32.Qc5+ White soon delivers mate.

30.Be4+ Kh5 31.Be3 h6

• If 31...Qe6 32.Rg3 then:
• 32...Kh4 33.Qf7 Qc8 34.Bxg5+ Bxg5 35.Bf5 Qc1+ 36.Kg2 Nf6 37.Rh3#.
• 32...g4 33.Qc5+ Kh4 34.Bf5 Qf7 35.Rxg4+ Kh5 36.Bg6#.

32.Rg3 Bg7 33.Qf7+ Qxf7 34.Rh3# 1-0

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Tarrasch - Alekhine, Baden-Baden, 1925

Alexander Alekhine (1892-1946) was the greatest chess player of all time prior to the Cold War. He was not surpassed until Bobby Fischer reached the height of his powers.

Alekhine, born to the Russian aristocrisy in its twilight, played postal chess and competed in local tournaments as a child, Hewas only 21 when he tied for first in the Russian Championship of 1913. The following year, he competed in the great international tournament at St. Petersburg, where he finished in the top five, making him one of the original grandmasters of chess along with Dr. Emanuel Lasker, José Capablanca, Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch and Frank Marshall. Dr. Lasker, who won the event, was the world champion at time; Dr. Tarrasch and Marshall were both men he defeated in defense of his title; Capablanca would succeed him to the title in 1921; and Alkhine would succeed Capablanca in 1927.

Alekhine left Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution, finally settling in Paris. In the early twenties, he studied law at the Sorbonne, but failed to complete his doctoral dissortation. Nevetheless, after 1922, he styled himself as Dr. Alekhine, and no one called him on it.

Dr. Alekhine was not a pleasant man to know. After defeating Capablanca, who remained his strongest rival for years, Alekhine avoided granting a rematch. Instead, he defended his title twice against another Russian expatriot, Efim Bogolyubov, a fine but reckless attacker who had an overall record of over 60% in spite of minus scores against most of the top ranked players of the day. After eaily defeating Bogolyubov in 1929 and 1934, Alekhine lost his title to the perennial Dutch champion, Dr. Max Euwe, in 1935. Dr. Alekhine's defeat was blamed on his foundness for alcohol. Nevertheless, Alekhine sobered up, put himself on a rigrous schedule and won his title back from Euwe in 1937. Although he was no longer at the height of his powers, his famous will to win carried him through.

A controvesy that follwed Dr. Alekhine to his grave was whether or not he was a Nazi collaborator during World War II. Two vile anti-Semitic articles were published under his by-line during the war, but Alekhine denied writing them after the war. Years later, draft copies of the articles were found among Alekhine's effects.

Dr. Alekhine, by this time living in Lisbon, was beginning training to defend his title against the Soviet Champion, Mikhail Botvinnik, when he died suddenly in March, 1946 at the age of 53. He is the only man to die in possession of the world chess championship. The title remained vacant until Botvinnik won a tournament to determine the championship in 1948.



Dr. Alexander Alekhine and Friend
Photo: ChessBase.com

Resource: Alekhine, Alexander (Goldstein and du Mont, trans.) My Best Games of Chess: 1924-1937, London: G. Bell, 1939 reprinted by Dover publicas as My Best Games of Chess, 1908-1937 (Two Volumes Bound as One), 1985, pp.9-10.

Siegbert Tarrasch - Alexander Alekhine
Internatioal Tournament, Round 3
Baden-Baden, May 1925

Italian Royal Game: Neo-Classical Defense (Giucco Piano)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Bb6 5.d4 Qe7 6.0-0 Nf6 7.Re1 d6 8.a4

• 8.h3 0-0 9.Na3 Nd8 10.Bd3 c6 11.Nc4 Bc7 12.b3 b5 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Ba3 c5 15.Ne3 Ba5 16.Qc2 gives White more activity (Rossolimo-Muhring, Op, Hastings, 1948-49).

8...a6 9.h3 0-0 10.Bg5

• 10.b4 Kh8 11.Ba3 Ng8 12.b5 Na5 13.Nxe5 f6 14.Bxg8 fxe5 15.Ba2 exd4 16.Nd2 Bxh3 17.Nf3 Bg4 18.cxd4 axb5 19.Qd3 Bxf3 20.gxf3 Qg5+ 21.Kf1 Nc4 22.Bc1 Qh5 23.axb5 Rxf3 24.Bxc4 Rxa1 25.Qd1 Rxc1 White resigns (van Scheltinga-Euwe, Maastricht, 1946).

10...h6!?

• 10...Nd8 11.Bh4 c6 12.Nbd2 Bc7 13.d5 h6 14.g4 c5 15.Nf1 g6 16.Qd2 Kh7 17.Ng3 Rg8 18.g5 Ne8 19.Kh2 f6 20.gxf6 Nxf6 21.Bxf6 Qxf6 22.Re3 Nf7 23.Rg1 Bd7 gives Black a more active game (Leonhardt-Spielmann, IT, Ostend, 1907).

11.Be3

• The game is level.
• 11.Bh4 exd4 12.Nxd4 Ne5 13.Bb3 a5 14.Bc2 Re8 is equal.

11...Qd8!?

• This paradoxical move -- the most difficult of the game -- is very effective. The double idea is to prepare an eventual action in the middle -- starting by...exd4followed by...d5and, at the same time, free the e-file for the K's Rook (Dr. Alekhine).
• If 11...exd4 12.Bxd4 Ba7 13.Nbd2 then:
• 13...Ne5 14.Qb3 a5 15.Rad1 Rd8 16.Bd5 c6 remains equal.
• 13...Bd7?! 14.e5 dxe5 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.Bxe5 Bc6 gives White a more active game.

12.Bd3 Re8 13.Nbd2 Ba7

• 13...exd4 14.cxd4 Nb4 15.Bb1 c6 16.Nc4 Bc7 remains equal.

14.Qc2 exd4!


• See Dr. Alekhine's remarks in the previous note.

15.Nxd4 Ne5 16.Bf1
BLACK: Alexander Alekhine
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WHITE: Siegbert Tarrasch
Position after 16.Bd3f1

16...d5!


• After this, Black becomes at least as strong in the center as his opponent (Alekhine).
16...Qe7 17.a5 c5 18.N4b3 Rb8 19.c4 remains equal.

17.Rad1


• If 17.f4 Ng6 18.e5 Nh5 (given by Dr. Alekhine as the "tactical justification" for 16...d5) then 19.N2f3 Nhxf4 wins a pawn for Black.

17...c5 18.N4b3 Qc7 19.Bf4


• If 19.exd5 c4 20.Nd4 Nxd5 then:
• If 21.Ne4 Bd7 then:
• 22.b4 cxb3 23.Qxb3 Nxe3 24.Rxe3 Be6 remains equal.
• 22.b3 Rac8 23.b4 Nxe3 24.fxe3 b5 25.axb5 axb5gives Black a small advantage in space.
• 21.Qe4 Nxe3 22.Rxe3 Bd7 23.Qf4 Qd6 remains equal.

19...Nf3+ 20.Nxf3 Qxf4 21.exd5?


• Opening the center is to Black's advantage.
• If 21.e5 Bf5 then:
• If 22.Qd2 Qxd2 23.Rxd2 Ne4 then:
• After 24.Rdd1 Rad8 Black would exploit the advantage of the two Bishops (Dr. Alekhine).
• If 24.Rxd5? then 24...Be6 wins a piece.
• 22.Bd3 Ne4 23.c4 Rad8 24.cxd5 Rxd5 remains equal.

BLACK: Alexander Alekhine
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WHITE: Siegbert Tarrasch
Position after 21.ed5:p

21...Bf5!

• Black sacrifices a pawn for the initiative.
• An important intermmediate move, after which there is not a sufficient defense. Much less convincing would be 21...Bxh3 22.gxh3 Qxf3 23.Bg2 (Dr. Alekhine).

22.Bd3 Bxh3

• If 22...Rxe1+ 23.Rxe1 then:
• 23...Bxh3 24.Be4 Bd7 25.Nbd2 Re8 26.c4 Bb6 gives Black more activity.
• 23...Bxd3?! 24.Qxd3 c4 is equal.

23.gxh3 Qxf3 24.Rxe8+

• After the immediate 24.Bf1 and the following exchange of Rooks by Black he would, of course, have lost his only hpoe -- the passed pawn. But after the text move, Black forces the game by a mating attack (Dr. Alekhine).

24...Rxe8 25.Bf1

• More stubborn resistance follows 25.c4 Qxh3 26.Bf1 Qg4+ 27.Bg2 Re2 28.Qd3 h5.

25...Re5 26.c4

• 26.Kh2 Rg5 27.Rd3 Qf4+ 28.Rg3 Ne4 29.Kg1 Nxg3 leaves Black up by a Rook; any other move (including the text) allows mate.

26...Rg5+ 27.Kh2

• 27.Bg2 Qxg2#.

BLACK: Alexander Alekhine
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WHITE: Siegbert Tarrasch
Position after 27.Kg1h2

27...Ng4+!

• The Knight sacrifice puts an end to resistance.

28.hxg4

• 28.Kg1 Nxf2+ 29.Kh2 Qg3#.

28...Rxg4 0-1

• 29.Bh3 Rh4 30.Kg1 Rxh3 White mates on the next move.
• Dr. Tarrasch resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Menchik - Thomas, London, 1932

Vera Menchik, a British subject born in Imperial Russia, was head a shoulders above any other woman chess player up to her time. She was the first recognized women's world champion and played with modest success against men.

The men she defeated formed the mythical "Menchik Club." Here's how Sir George Thomas, one of the top British masters of the time, earned his membership.

Miss menchik was killed in a Nazi bombing raid on London in 1944 at the age of 38.



Vera Menchik playing in London, 1932
Seated next to her is the then-World Champion Dr. Alexander Alekhine
Photo: Chess History


Vera Menchik - Sir George Thomas
International Tournament, Round 4
London, February 1932

West India Game: King's Indian Defense (Sämisch Opening)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 e5

• 6...Nbd7 7.Nh3!? e5 8.d5 a5 9.Nf2 b6 10.Qd2 Nc5 11.Bg5 Bd7 12.g4 Qc8 13.h4 gives White the advantage in space (Nimzovich-Tartakover, IT, Karlsbad, 1929).

7.Nge2 b6!?

• In 1932, this set up was new. The text move has been seldom seen since this game, where it was a novelty.
• If 7...Nc6 8.Qd2 Nd7 then:
• If 9.d5 Ne7 10.g3 then:
• 10...a5 11.Bg2 b6 12.0-0 Nc5 13.b3 Bd7 14.Nc1 f5 15.Bh6 is equal (Sämisch-Yates, IT, Marienbad, 1925).
• 10...f5 11.Bg2 fxe4 12.fxe4 Nf6 13.h3 b6 14.b3 Kh8 15.g4 gives White the advantage in space (Botvinnik-Alatortsev, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1931).
• If 9.0-0-0 Nb6 10.b3 a5 11.dxe5 a4 12.Bxb6 then:
• 12...axb3 13.Be3 bxa2 14.Nxa2 Bxe5 15.Nec3 Be6 16.f4 Na5 17.Qc2 Bg7 18.Nd5 gives White an extra piece for a pawn (Dr. Euwe-Yates, IT, Hastings, 1931-32.).
• 12...cxb6 13.Nxa4 Nxe5 14.Nac3 Nc6 15.Qxd6 Qg5+ 16.f4 Qa5 17.Rd5 puts Black on the brink of elimination.
• Later in the thirties, 7...c6 was introduced and has by now become the main line to meet the Sämisch: 8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.0-0-0 when:
• If 9...a6 10.Kb1 b5 then:
• If 11.Nc1 then:
• If 11...exd4 12.Bxd4 Re8 13.Nb3 Bf8 then:
• If 14.c5 dxc5 15.Bxc5 Bg7 then:
• 16.Bd6 Nb6 17.Qf4 Nh5 18.Qc1 Be6 19.g4 Bxb3 20.axb3 Nf6 21.g5 Nfd7 22.h4 is equal (Rhode-Kurtz, Corres, 1999).
• 16.g4 a5 17.g5 a4 18.Nc1 Nd5 19.Bd4 Bxd4 20.Qxd4 N5b6 21.h4 Qe7 is equal (Reah-Smagin, Bundesliga 9293, Germany, 1992).
• 14.h4 b4 15.Ne2 c5 16.Be3 a5 17.h5 a4 18.Nbc1 Ne5 19.Bxc5 Nxc4 20.Qd4 Be6 21.Bxb4 Rb8 22.a3 Bg7 23.h6 Bh8 is equal (Sun Ainan-Qiao Lang. Chinese ChT, Suzhou, 2001).
• 11...Re8 12.d5 b4 13.N3e2 cxd5 14.cxd5 Nb6 15.Qxb4 Rb8 16.Nb3 Nfxd5 17.exd5 Nxd5 18.Qxb8 Nxe3 19.Kc1 Bh6 20.Rd2 Nc4 21.Nc3 Nxd2 22.Nxd2 d5 23.Be2 Qg5 24.Rd1 Qxg2 25.Nxd5 Qxe2 26.Nf6+ Kh8 27.Nxe8 Bxd2+ 28.Rxd2 Qc4+ draw (Khasin-Boleslavsky, Soviet Ch ½-Final, Gorky, 1954).
• 11.c5 b4 12.Na4 Qa5 13.Qc2 d5 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Nb6 Rb8 16.Nd4 Rxb6 17.cxb6 dxe4 18.Nxc6 Nxc6 19.Qxc6 exf3 20.b7 Bf5+ is equal (Gasanov-Agasiyev, Op, Baku, 2007).
• 9...Qa5 10.Kb1 a6 11.Nc1 Re8 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.g4 b5 14.Nb3 Qb4 15.Qd6 Qxd6 16.Rxd6 Nb8 17.Be2 Be6 18.Rhd1 Bf8 19.R6d2 Bb4 20.Nc5 Bxc5 21.Bxc5 gives White the advantage in space (Madsen-Doren, Corres, 1991).

8.Qd2

• White's plan is to castle long and attack on the kingside while weathering the storm on the Queen's wing.

8...Nc6

• 8...Ba6 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Qxd8 Rxd8 11.Nd5 Ne8 remains equal.

9.d5 Ne7 10.g4 Nd7?!

• 10...Ba6 11.Ng3 c6 12.dxc6 Nxc6 13.0-0-0 Ne8 14.Bg5 Qd7 remains equal.

• If 10...c6 11.dxc6 Nxc6 then:
• 12.g5 Ne8 13.h4 Be6 14.Nd5 Na5 15.Nec3gives White more space.
• 12.0-0-0 Ne8 13.Bg5 f6 14.Be3 Be6 15.Nd5 gives White the advantage in space.

11.Rg1

• White begins operations on the King's wing.
• To the same end and stronger is 11.h4! Ba6 12.Nb5 Bb7 13.h5 a6 14.Nbc3.

11...a5?

• 11...Bb7 12.Ng3 Rc8 13.h4 c6 14.dxc6 Nxc6 remains equal.

12.0-0-0 Nc5

• 12...Ba6 13.Ng3 Rc8 14.h4 c6 15.dxc6 Rxc6 16.Kb1 gives White the advantage in space.
• 12...Bb7 13.h4 Rc8 14.Ng3 c6 15.dxc6 Rxc6 16.h5 gives White the advantage in space.

13.Ng3 Bd7

• If 13...Bb7 14.h4 then:
• If 14...Rc8 15.h5 c6 then:
• If 16.dxc6 Bxc6 17.Qxd6 Qxd6 18.Rxd6 Rfd8 19.Nd5 then:
• 19...Nxd5 20.Rxd8+ Rxd8 21.exd5 gives White an extra pawn.
• If 19...Rxd6?? then 20.Nxe7+ Kf8 21.Nxc8 wins a piece.
• If 16.Bxc5!? bxc5 17.dxc6 Nxc6 18.Qxd6 Qxd6 19.Rxd6 gives White an advantage in space.
• 14...Qd7? 15.h5 Na4 16.Nb5 Nc5 17.Rh1 hampers Black's designs on the queenside and gives White excellent chances of breaking through on the opposite wing.

BLACK: Sir George Thomas
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WHITE: Vera Menchik
Position after 13...Bc8d7

14.h4!

• White initiates her attack on the kingside with a pawnstorm, a typical strategem in games where the Kings have castles to opposite sides.

14...a4 15.h5 Qb8

• Black's plan is to get his attack in before White does. Unfortunately, the math is still against him.

16.Bh6

• White removes a defender.

16...Qa7 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Nf5+!

• White removes yet another defender.

18...Nxf5

• If 18...Bxf5 19.gxf5 Kh8 20.Be2 b5 21.hxg6 fxg6 22.fxg6 then:
• 22...Rg8 23.g7+ Rxg7 24.Rxg7 Kxg7 25.Rh1 White brings her heavy pieces to the kingside and wins.
• 22...Rf4 23.Nxb5 Qb6 24.gxh7 Raf8 25.Rg3 leaves White three pawns to the good.().

19.gxf5 a3

• Black attacks the castle walls, but he's completely lost.

20.f6+! Kh8

• 20...Kxf6 21.Qg5+ Kg7 22.h6+ Kh8 23.Qf6+ Kg8 24.Qg7#.

21.Qh6!

• There are more threats here than simply mate on g7. Black is doomed.

21...axb2+

• 21...Nb3+ 22.Kb1 Rg8 23.hxg6 Rxg6 24.Rxg6 Rg8 25.Rxg8+ Kxg8 26.Qg7#.

22.Kb1 Rg8 23.hxg6 fxg6
BLACK: Sir George Thomas
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WHITE: Vera Menchik
Position after 23...fg6:p

24.Qxh7+!! 1-0

• A pretty Queen sacrifice finishes the game.
• After 24...Kxh7 25.Rh1+ White mates on the next move.
• Sir George resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Botvinnik - Tal, Moscow, 1960

Mikhail Tal, widely regarded as the twentieth century's greatest attacking genius, is one of the most popular chess players of all time. Affable and colorful, Tal lived a life he knew would be shortened by kidney disease to its fullest. When asked whether or not he played postal chess, he said I drink, smoke, gamble and chase girls, but postal chess is one vice I've never acquired. An intuitive player with a practical approach to the game, Tal was often criticized for reckless play (There are two kinds of sacrifices: sound ones and mine). Tal, on the other hand, felt a good move was any move that confounded his opponent.

Never did Tal confound an opponent so masterfully as he did to the usually unflappable world champion Mikhail Botvinnik in the title match of 1960, and in no individual game more than the one presented here. Tal won the match, 12½-8½, but Botvinnik reclaimed the world title in a rematch a year later.

Tal died in 1992 at the age of 55. The official cause of death was kidney failure, but those close to Tal said that, in fact, all of his vital organs failed at once.



Mikhail Tal
(1960)
Photo: ChessBase.com

Resource: Tal, Mikhail (Ken Neat, trans), The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal, London: Gloucester Publishers, 1997, pp. 187-200.

Mikahil Botvinnik - Mikahil Tal
Match for the World Title, Round 6
Moscow, 7 January 1960

West India Game: King's Indian Defense (Catalan Opening)

Although (winning the first match game) had given me a one-point advantage, the start of the match had not completely sasisfied me. In the last four games my opponent had been able to direct play along his favorite channels and had invariably held the initiative. To expect that I would be able to continue gaining draws after prolonged defense would have been highly fivolous. Therefore we decided at all costs to change the character of the play. -- Tal.

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3

• This was Botvinnik's favorite line to meet the King's Indian.

3...Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.d4 d6 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.0-0 e5 8.e4 c6

• If 8...exd4 9.Nxd4 Re8 10.h3 then:
• If 10...Nc5 11.Re1 a5 then:
• If 12.Qc2 c6 13.Be3 a4 14.Rab1 Qe7 15.Rbd1 then:
• 15...Nfd7 16.b4 axb3 17.axb3 Na6 18.Na2 Ndc5 19.b4 Nxe4 20.Bxe4 Qxe4 21.Bd2 Qxe1+ 22.Bxe1 Bxd4 23.Rxd4 Rxe1+ is equal (Padevsky-Kasparov, IT, Baku, 1980).
• 15.Qc2 a4 16.Red1 axb3 17.axb3 Qe7 18.f4 Ned7 19.Bf2 Nf8 20.b4 Nce6 21.Na4 Nxd4 22.Bxd4 Be6 23.Bxg7 Kxg7 24.b5 (Smejkal-Hausner, IT, Hradec Kralove, 1981).
• 15...Qc7 16.b4 axb3 17.axb3 Na6 18.Qd2 Nc5 19.Qc2 Na6 20.Na2 Nc5 21.Nc3 draw (Cvitan-Spraggett, It, Cannes, 1990).
• If 12.Rb1 c6 13.b3 Nfd7 14.Be3 Ne5 15.Re2 Qc7 16.Rd2 f6 17.f4 Nf7 18.Bf2 Bd7 19.a3 Ne6 20.Nde2 Nf8 21.Na4 Be6 22.Nd4 Bd7 23.Rc1 c5 24.Nb5 Bxb5 25.cxb5 gives White the advantage in space (Manninen-Saunders, Euro ChT, Pula, 1997).
• 10...a6 11.Re1 Rb8 12.Rb1 Ne5 13.b3 c5 14.Nc2 Nc6 15.a4 Be6 16.Re3 h5 17.Rd3 Qc8 18.Qf1 Nb4 19.Nxb4 cxb4 20.Na2 Bd7 21.Bb2 Nxe4 22.Bxg7 Kxg7 23.Nxb4 Bf5 24.Rbd1 gives White more activity (Nikolic-Nataf, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).

9.h3 Qb6

• 9...Re8 10.Re1 Qb6 11.d5 Nc5 12.Rb1 a5 13.Be3 Qc7 14.Nd2 Bd7 15.Bf1 Reb8 16.dxc6 Bxc6 17.Bg2 b6 18.b3 Qb7 19.Qc2 Rc8 20.a3 Ne6 21.Nd5 Nd4 22.Qd3 Nxd5 draw (Ivkov-Liberzon, IT, Amsterdam, 1969).
• 9...Qa5 10.Re1 exd4 11.Nxd4 Ne5 12.Bf1 Re8 13.Be3 Be6 14.Nxe6 Rxe6 15.Kg2 Rae8 16.Qd2 Ned7 17.f3 Nc5 18.Rab1 Qb4 19.Ne2 a5 20.Nf4 Qxd2+ 21.Bxd2 R6e7 22.Bxa5 Ra8 23.Bc3 Rxa2 24.Ra1 Rxa1 25.Rxa1 Ne8 26.Bxg7 Kxg7 27.b4 Nd7 28.Ne2 draw (Maherramzade-Magerramov, Op, Abu Dhabi, 2001).

10.d5

• If 10.Re1 exd4 11.Nxd4 Ne8 then:
• 12.Nb3 a5 13.Be3 Qb4 14.a3 Qxc4 15.Nd4 f6 16.Nd5 cxd5 17.Rc1 Qa2 18.b3 Nc5 19.e5 fxe5 20.Bxd5+ Kh8 gives Black an extra piece (Greenfeld-Candela, Euro ChT, Izmir, 2004).
• 12.Nf3 Ne5 13.Nxe5 dxe5 14.Qa4 Bf6 15.Be3 Qc7 16.Rac1 Ng7 17.h4 Rd8 18.b4 Ne6 19.Nd5 cxd5 20.cxd5 Qd7 21.Qxd7 Bxd7 22.dxe6 draw (Seres-Gladyszev, First Saturday, Budapest, 2001.03).

10...cxd5!?

• 10...Nc5 11.Re1 Bd7 12.Rb1 a5 13.Bf1 Qc7 14.a4 Na6 15.Be3 c5 16.Kh2 Rae8 17.Rc1 Nb4 18.b3 Kh8 19.Qd2 Ng8 20.Ng1 f5 21.exf5 gxf5 22.f4 e4 is equal (O'Kelly-Kavalek, IT, Caracas, 1970).

11.cxd5 Nc5 12.Ne1

• 12.Qe2 Bd7 13.Be3 Rfc8 14.Rfc1 a5 15.Nd2 Ne8 16.g4 Qd8 17.Nb5 b6 18.Na3 Rab8 19.b4 axb4 20.Nc2 Bf6 21.Nxb4 Bg5 22.Rab1 draw Rustemov-Korotylev, City Ch, Moscow, 1994).

12...Bd7!?

• This move was a novelty at the time the game was played. It's not quite good enough for equality.12...a5 13.Nd3 Nxd3 14.Qxd3 Qd8 15.Bg5 h6 16.Be3 b6 17.Qd2 Kh7 18.Rab1 Nd7 19.f4 f5 gives White the advatage in space (Petrosian-Shiyanovsky, IT, Kiev, 1957).

13.Nd3 Nxd3 14.Qxd3 Rfc8 15.Rb1

• 15.Qe2 a5 16.Be3 Qb4 17.Rfb1 a4 18.Bd2 Rc7 19.Bf1 Rac8 is equal (Ashley-Hoyos, Op, New York, 1989).

15...Nh5 16.Be3 Qb4 17.Qe2!?

• White attempts to improve over 30 years after the present game was played.
• 17.Qd1 Rc4 18.Kh2 Rac8 19.Bf3 Nf6 20.a3 Qa5 is equal (Panczyk-Wojtkiewicz, Czestochowa ch, Poland, 1992).

17...Rc4!?

• 17...f5 18.exf5 Bxf5 19.Rbc1 would be "positionally unjustified" (Tal).
• Nevertheless, better is 17...Rc7 18.Rfc1 b5 19.a3 Qb3 20.Bf3 Nf6 21.g4 when White's advantage is minimal.
• Black decides to advance...f5when it is more effective, and now the Knight sacrifice on f4 becomes more and more a reality. It was the aim of preparing the sacrifice that Black chose (17...Rc4), which seems completely natural -- the doubling of the Rooks on the c-file followed by play on the queenside. (Tal).

18.Rfc1

• If 18.Rbc1 b6 19.Bd2 Rac8 20.Nb1 Qc5 21.Na3 then:
• If 21...Rxc1 22.Rxc1 Qd4 23.Rxc8+ Bxc8 24.Bc3 then:
• 24...Nxg3 25.Qf3 Qxe4 26.Qxe4 Nxe4 27.Bxe4 gives White a material edge.
• 24...Qc5 25.Qc4 Bb7 26.Qxc5 dxc5 27.Nb5 Gives White more active pieces.
• 21...b5 22.Nxc4 bxc4 23.Rc3 Qa5 24.Rxc4 leaves White up by an exchange.

18...Rac8?

• Sixteen minutes were spent considering this obvious move. Black was weighing up whether or not the idea, carried out a little later, would work now. No, it does not work. (Tal).
• If 18...f5 19.Bd2 Nf6 20.b3 then:
• 20...Rc5 21.exf5 Bxf5 22.Ne4 Rxc1+ 23.Rxc1 Qa3 is equal.
• If 20...Rcc8 21.exf5 gxf5 then:
• 22.Rb2 Qd4 23.Rbc2 e4 24.Be3 Qd3 25.Qd2 is equal.
• 22.Ne4 Qa3 23.Nxf6+ Bxf6 24.Be3 b5 is equal.

19.Kh2

• 19.Bxa7 f5 20.a3 Qb3 21.Qd1 Qxd1+ 22.Rxd1 b5 23.Be3 gives White the better Bishop.

19...f5 20.exf5

• 20.Bxa7 fxe4 21.Bxe4 b6 22.Qe3 Rd4 is equal.

20...Bxf5 21.Ra1

BLACK: Mikhail Tal
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WHITE: Mikhail Botvinnik
Position after 21.Rb1a1

21...Nf4!?

• The controversy provoked by this move was, in my opinion, rather pointless. It is good in that all the other continuations are bad, and if the Knight sacrifice is bad, then a question mark should be attached not to Black's 21st move, but, say, to his 17th. All the same, after the Knight sacrifice Black's pieces (this applies especially to the recently "unemployed" Bishop at g7) become very active over the center over the entire center fo the board and White is obliged to switch to the comcrete analysis of numerous sharp variations. The acceptance of the sacrifice is forced. (Tal).
• 21...Nf6 22.g4 Bd7 23.g5 Nh5 24.a3 is equal.

22.gxf4!

• 22.Bxf4 exf4 23.g4 Bd7 24.Rab1 a5 25.a3 Qb6 is equal.

22...exf4 23.Bd2?

• White had been winning up to this move, but now he'll have to win all over again.
• In an article contemporary to the match, Grigory Goldberg, Botvinnik's second, claims White would have won here with 23.a3 Qb3 24.Bxa7. To this, Tal would have replied 24...Be5 with the threat of 25...f3+. Tal gives three possible White replies:
• If 25.Kg1 b6 26.Qd1 Qxb2 27.Ra2 Rxc3. Tal stops here, but play could continue:
• 28.Rxb2 Rxc1 29.Rd2 Rxd1+ 30.Rxd1 Ra8 31.Bxb6 Rxa3 32.Bd4 Bxd4 33.Rxd4 Bxh3 leaves Black two pawns up.
• 28.Rxc3 Qxc3 29.Bxb6 Rb8 30.Qd2 Qxd2 31.Rxd2 Rxb6 leaves Black a piece to the good.
• 25.Bf3 b6 26.Qd1 Qxb2 27.Ra2 Rxc3 then:
• If 28.Rxb2 Rxc1 then:
• If 29.Qe2 R8c3 Tal stopped and stated that Black had, at least for the moment, Black had enough active play to compensate for the material deficit. However, after 30.Rxb6 Rxa3 31.Rb8+ Kf7 32.Qb5 Kf6 White wins. Nevertheless, Tal was correct in going for the complications, since calculating all of this over the board to find the one narrow path to a win is taxing even to Botvinnik's analytical skills.
• If 29.Qd2? Be4! 30.Kg2 Bxf3+ 31.Kxf3 R8c3+ 32.Ke4 Rc4+ 33.Kf3 R1c3+ 34.Ke2 f3+ 35.Kd1 Bf4! wins the Queen.
• If 28.Rxc3 Qxc3 29.a4 Qc4 30.Qe2 Bd3 wins for Black.
• 25.f3 b6 then:
• If 26.Qd1 Qxb2 27.Ra2 Rxc3 then:
• If 28.Rxb2 Rxc1 29.Qd2 Bxb2 30.Qxb2 R1c2 31.Qd4 Re8 then:
• If 32.Qxf4 Ree2 33.Qg3 is equal.
• If 32.Qxb6 Ree2 33.Qg1 Be4 34.Kh1 Bxd5 35.Qb6 then:
• If 35...Re1+ 36.Kh2 Ree2 37.Qd8+ Kf7 38.Qd7+ then:
• 38...Kg8 39.Qd8+ Kf7 draws by repetition.
• 38...Re7? 39.Qxd6 Ree2 40.Qxd5+ Kg7 41.Qd4+ Kg8 42.Qg1 gives White a decisive material advantage.
• 35...Rxg2 36.Qd8+ Kf7 37.Qd7+ Kg8 38.Qd8+ draws by repetition.
• 28.Rxc3 Qxc3 29.Bxb6 Bc2 30.Qe2 Qb3 31.Qa6 Re8 Black wins the exchange.
• If 26.Qf2 then 26...Bd4 27.Qe2 Be3 with equality.

23...Qxb2!?

• If 23...Be5 24.Bf3 Qxb2 then:
• If 25.Nd1 Qa3 26.Rxc4 Rxc4 27.Qxc4 Qxf3 then:
• 28.Qb3 Qh5 29.Kg2 Bxa1 30.Bxf4 Be4+ leaves Black a pawn to the good with a fierce attack.
• If 28.Qb5 then after 28...Qxh3+ 29.Kg1 Qg4+ 30.Kf1 Bxa1 Black wins.
• 25.Rab1 Bxb1 26.Rxb1 Qa3 27.Rxb7 Rxc3 28.Bxc3 Qxc3 gives Black an extra pawn.

24.Rab1 f3 25.Rxb2?

• White finally throws away the game once and for all.
• If 25.Bxf3 Bxb1 26.Rxb1 Qc2 then:
• If 27.Bg4 Bxc3 28.Be6+ then:
• 28...Kh8 29.Bxc3+ Qxc3 30.Bxc8 Rxc8 31.Rxb7 is equal.
• If 28...Kg7? then 29.Bxc8 Rxc8 30.Rxb7+ gives White a strong initiative.
• 27.Rc1 Qb2 28.Rb1 draws.

25...fxe2 26.Rb3

• 26.Kg1 Bxc3 27.Rxc3 Rxc3 28.Bxc3 Rxc3 29.Rxe2 Bxh3 leaves White two pawns to the good.

26...Rd4 27.Be1

• 27.Bg5 Be5+ 28.f4 Rxf4 29.Kh1 Re4 30.Bd2 Rd4 Black has a very active position.

27...Be5+ 28.Kg1
BLACK: Mikhail Tal
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Mikhail Botvinnik
Position after 28.Kh2g1

28...Bf4!

• Black wins the exchange.
• If 28...Rxc3 29.Rbxc3 Rd1 30.Rc7 Bf4 31.Re7 Rxc1 then:
• 32.Rxe2 Bd3 33.Re6 Be5 34.f4 Rxe1+ 35.Kf2 Re2+ Black maintains the material advantage.
• 32.Re8+ Kf7 33.Rxe2 Bd3 34.Re6 Be5 35.f4 Rxe1+ Black holds on to the extra pawn and the initiative.

29.Nxe2 Rxc1 30.Nxd4 Rxe1+ 31.Bf1 Be4!

• Black must now win a pawn.

32.Ne2 Be5 33.f4 Bf6 34.Rxb7 Bxd5!

• Black takes the pawn.

35.Rc7

• If 35.Rxa7 then 35...Rxe2 36.Bxe2 Bd4+ wins the Rook.

35...Bxa2 36.Rxa7 Bc4 37.Ra8+ Kf7

• 37...Kg7 38.Re8 d5 39.Kf2 Bh4+ Black can advance the d-pawn.

38.Ra7+ Ke6 39.Ra3 d5 40.Kf2 Bh4+

• If 40...Rb1 41.Ra7 h5 then:
• If 42.Kg2 then after h4 43.Ra8 Bg7 44.Rg8 Kf6 45.Kf2 Rb2 Black will be able to advance the d-pawn.
• 42.Ra3 d4 43.f5+ Ke7 44.Ra4 Bh4+ 45.Kg2 Bd5+ gives Black a fierce initiative.

41.Kg2

• If 41.Kg1 then 41...d4 42.Nxd4+ Kd5 43.Nf3 Rxf1+ wins a piece.

41...Kd6 42.Ng3 Bxg3 43.Bxc4 dxc4

• 43...Bxf4 44.Kf2 Re4 45.Bf1 Ke5 46.Bg2 Rb4 gives Black two extra pawns.

44.Kxg3 Kd5 45.Ra7

• If 45.Ra5+ then after 45...Kd4 46.Ra7 Re3+ 47.Kg2 h5 48.Ra6 Ke4 Black maintains an extra pawn.

45...c3 46.Rc7 Kd4 0-1

• Tal judged that the c-pawn could not be stopped.
• If 47.Rd7+ (which Botvinnik actually sealed) then after 47...Kc4 48.Rc7+ Kd3 49.Rd7+ Kc2 50.Kf2 Re4 the kingside pawns fall and Black reaches the Lucena position.
• Mikhail Mosievich, the world champion, resigns without resuming play.