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Chess Chats 12 Jul 1959, Sun The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California) Newspapers.com
Chess Chats by George Koltanowski
International Chess Master
The Press Democrat Chess Chats by George Koltanowski, Sunday, July 12, 1959, Santa Rosa, California Problem No....
Posted by Bobby Fischer's True History on Tuesday, March 22, 2022
Problem No. 188
White to play and mate in two moves.
FEN 6n1/4p3/4PpKp/2pPRp1P/2Qb1k2/4R1Nb/4PNp1/6B1 w - - 0 1
Solution: 1. Nge4 fxe5 2. Rf3#
CHECK AND DOUBLE-CHECK:
To play correspondence chess without the latest on the openings is rather a waste of stamps. But you must treat the book as a slave, not a master. Treat its analysis as a starting-point for your own. Or at least check for a possible error. How could there ever possibly be a book on the chess openings without errors be it English, German or even Russian? And we don't mean misprints just errors.
Take the case of X. Playing Black in a King's Gambit Declined, he played into Column 17, p. 67 of the 9th, edition of M.C.O.
The first nine moves are:
1. P-K4 P-K4
2. P-KB4 B-B4
3. N-KB3 P-Q3
4. N-B3 N-KB3
5. B-B4 N-KB3
6. P-Q3 B-KN5
7. N-QR4 BxN
8. QxB N-Q5
9. Q-N3 PxP;
Move Omitted
Here X noticed that at 10 white had the possibility of QxNP; but as M.C.O. and Barden's “Guide” both omitted it he gave it only a cursory examination at move 6 (the crisis; assuming that such an obvious move must have a refutation if it were omitted).
But why was it omitted? It was omitted, as X found out too late, because all writers on the opening, to save time, follow predecessors to a limited extent, and as grandmaster Reuben Fine, in “Practical Chess Openings” (published in 1948 and now in most respects obsolete) had mentioned 10. QxNP but had given it query, because of 10. … R-KBl; 11. K-Q1 P-N4; with advantage to black. Fine gave further moves but they are all beside the point, as 11. K-Ql is silly. X opponent played: 10. QxNP R-KBl; 11. NxB, PxN; 12. BxP, offering the exchange and because of White's B-KN5 Black has a losing position. If 12. … NxPch, then 13. K-Ql (better than Q2.) Fine's line in P.C.O. was based on a game Enive-Fine, New York. 1940. Fine was Black, and he was just dead lucky that Enive didn't see the right play. So take my advice and check even the safest of lines.
Enive (white) vs. Reuben Fine (black)
Russian Game: Kaufmann Attack
(a) Currently 3. P-Q4 is regarded as giving better chances for the initiative.
(b) Kaufman's variation which is now rarely seen. Like all little-played openings, its sting lies in its surprise.
(c) Sounder is … B-K2.
(d) After this loss of time, Black's troubles increase. 6. … NxN: 7. PxN P-OB3 with equal position.
(e) White is way ahead in development.
(f) In 12. … B-QN5; 13. P-QR3.
(g) After 13. … B-K3; 14. PxQP gives White an easy game.
(h) If 15. … QxP; 16. Q-N4ch etc.
(i) Again if 22. … QxB; 23. RxRch, BxR; 24. Q-N4ch.
(j) Loses at once.
(k) A pretty finish. If 27. … QxQ; 28. RxB mate.
