Chess 28 May 1959, Thu The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
The Guardian London, Greater London, England Thursday, May 28, 1959 Problem No. 527 by R. Hulme (Leamington Spa). White...
Posted by Bobby Fischer's True History on Friday, March 20, 2020
Problem No. 527 by R. Hulme (Leamington Spa). White mates in two moves.
FEN 8/8/8/8/2K5/2R3BB/3pk3/5N2 w - - 0 1
Solution: 1. Bg2 Kd1 2. Bf3#
Exchanging for the sake of it
One temptation which besets all of us in analysing a position is to work out variations involving captures and checks rather than quieter lines which give greater option. If you exchange pieces for the sake of it, you will usually find that you lose ground positionally in the process. The following game, won by the Australian champion at Sydney last year, is an elegant illustration of how to defeat an exchanger.
Lajos Steiner vs Emanuel Basta
28th Australian ch (1958), Sydney AUS, rd 2, Dec-30
Queen Pawn Game: Zukertort Variation (D02) 1-0
1. The game has arrived at a Dutch Defence position by an unusual sequence of moves. Black's bishop on Q3 (instead of the normal K2) has both advantages and drawbacks: it supports a king's side attack, but if it can be exchanged off by (say) an eventual B-KB4, the black squares become seriously weak.
2. A manoeuvre which is worth remembering for use against the Dutch: Black's “stone-wall” formation is broken up.
3. Here and on the next move, Black loses patience and makes the fatal simplifications referred to above. A good general principle in considering exchanges is to ask yourself which player will have more active pieces after the simplification has taken place. Here there is no doubt of the answer in view of Black's undeveloped queen's wing. Black ought to have followed another sound principle here: when in doubt, move your least active piece (in this case the QB and QR) to a better position. After 15 … B-Q2; 16. KPxP, KPxP; 17. PxP, BxB; 18. QxB, PxP; White would still have the advantage (19. Q-Q4 and if 19 … QxP; 20. QxPch. winning a pawn. while if 19 … B-B3; 20. B-B3, followed by QR-Q1 and Black's QB is very passive), but the open nature of the board would give Black some saving chances.
4. Exchanging the KB is almost always bad for Black in the Dutch.
5. Now if 16. … B-Q2; 17. Q-R3, followed by Q-Q6.
6. Stopping 19 … QxP because of 20. Q-K8 mate, and threatening 20. Q-B6, R-Kt-1; 21. Q-B7, R-R1; 22. Q-Q8ch.
7. Black's neglect of proper development has been drastically punished.
Zurich tournament
One of the most important tournaments of the year, involving five of the eight world title contenders, is now in progress in Zurich. After three rounds, the 16-year-old American champion Bobby Fischer shares the lead with Gligoric (Yugoslavia) with 2½, followed bv Barcza (Hungary), Keller (Switzerland), Unzicker (Germany), and Keres and Tal (Russia) 2. Tal lost in the first round to Bhend of Switzerland. Here is a game from Zurich.
Josef Kupper vs Mikhail Tal
Zuerich (1959), Zuerich SUI, rd 2, May-20
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf. Polugayevsky Variation (B96) 0-1
