March 11, 1956 The Press Democrat Chess Chats by George Koltanowski

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Chess Chats 11 Mar 1956, Sun The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California) Newspapers.com

Chess Chats by George Koltanowski Sunday, March 11, 1956 The Press Democrat Santa Rosa, California Problem No. 14 By...

Posted by Bobby Fischer's True History on Monday, February 3, 2020

Problem No. 14 By Mrs. Leah Colton, San Francisco
White to play and mate in two moves.
FEN 8/p7/B2K4/7N/4k3/6R1/3P4/8 w - - 0 1
Solution: 1. Rg2 Kf3 2. Bb7#

Played in Zurich recently. (Eight boards with clocks.)

Reti Opening

Mikhail Botvinnik (white) Henri Grob (black)
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense, Exchange Variation

Descriptive 1. N-KB3 N-KB3 2. P-B4 P-Q4 3. PxP NxP 4. P-K4 N-KB3 5. N-B3 P-K3 6. P-Q4 P-B4 7. P-Q5 P-QR3 8. B-KN5 Q-N3 9. BxN PxB 10. Q-Q2 P-KR4 11. B-K2 N-Q2 12. O-O P-R5 13. P-R4 B-R3 14. Q-B2 B-B5 15. P-R5 Q-B2 16. KR-Q1 N-K4 17. NxN BxN 18. P-R3 B-Q2 19. N-R4 BxN 20. RxB R-QB1 21. R-B4 QxP 22. P-QN4 Q-R6 23. RxP R-Q1 24. PxP B-Q3 25. RxB RxR 26. R-B8ch K-K2 27. Q-B7ch KxP 28. B-N4ch P-B4 29. BxPch K-K4 30. Q-B5ch Resigns

Algebraic 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. e4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. d4 c5 7. d5 a6 8. Bg5 Qb6 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Qd2 h5 11. Be2 Nd7 12. 0-0 h4 13. a4 Bh6 14. Qc2 Bf4 15. a5 Qc7 16. Rfd1 Ne5 17. Nxe5 Bxe5 18. h3 Bd7 19. Na4 Bxa4 20. Rxa4 Rc8 21. Rc4 Qxa5 22. b4 Qa3 23. Rxc5 Rd8 24. dxe6 Bd6 25. Rxd6 Rxd6 26. Rc8+ Ke7 27. Qc7+ Kxe6 28. Bg4+ f5 29. Bxf5+ Ke5 30. Qc5+ 1-0

(a) Typical Grob! Anything to get away from theoretical continuations, such as 2. … P-B4 or 2. … P-Q3. If this idea is healthy against the champion of the world is another matter.
(b) White has by far the better development.
(c) Never liked these kind of moves, where the opponent can play P-Q4.
(d) If 7. … PxP; then 8. P-K5 can be very unpleasant.
(e) Threatens P-K5.
(f) What's he got to lose? Black's game is broken up, so he tries for sharp counter-play. 12. … Q-B2 was better.
(g) Botvinnik prefers 18. … B-Q5 here.
(h) Nothing helps anymore.
(i) The beginning of the end.
(j) If 26. … R-Q1; 27. Q-B7, etc.

Klaus Viktor Darga vs Borislav Ivkov
Hastings (1955/56), Hastings ENG, rd 6, Jan-03
Spanish Game: Closed Variations. Center Attack (C84) 0-1

(a) Something new has been added to the Ruy Lopez for Black! Young Ivkov challenges White immediately. Should White taken en-passant? Then he has no free pawn. Not many players would have made the text-move, felling that the passed K's pawn can be harmful. It turns out to be a tame and lonesome pawn.
(b) This will give White a weak double-pawn on the Queen's side. B-Q2 is no good, as the pawn on KB4 must be saved too.
(c) Stops the return of the knight on Q4.
(d) Getting his heavy artillery on Q7 is not going to re-establish the equilibrium for White.
(e) Intends to keep the seventh row, even at the expense of a pawn.
(f) The young German champion is still under the impression that his rook on the seventh row is going to do wonders for him. Better here was: 25.RxRch, and fight it out that way. Black's game would then be preferable.
(g) That's it! After 26. RxN, K-B2, and the Rook is trapped. Thus White prefers to give a piece for a couple of pawns, hoping for the best. All it does is prolong the game for a few moves.
(h) Now go back and study up on Black's 11th move!

Paul Keres vs Vladas Mikenas
Parnu (1955), rd 2, Jul-15
Tarrasch Defense: Swedish Variation, Central Break (D33) 1-0

(a) Mikenas prefers the Tarrasch defense no matter what.
(b) The Swedish continuation. The pawn on Q4 remains weak.
(c) Avoids the pin on K-N5 if the usual K-B3 occurs.
(d) After that it goes fast downhill as Keres demonstrates with a few direct threats.
(e) Holds the BP and the Bishop.
(f) If 20. … QxB; 21. N-B6ch wins the Queen!
(g) A fine miniature game of Keres.