June 28, 1959 Chess Chats by George Koltanowski, Press-Democrat, Santa Rosa, California

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Chess Chats 28 Jun 1959, Sun The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California) Newspapers.com

Chess Chats by George Koltanowski
International Chess Master

FRENCH RENAISSANCE
Tournaments during the past year have lowered the reputation of the Sicilian Defense, but enhanced that of the French. It is curious that whereas the world champion, Botvinnik, who used to be the lone protagonist of the French has practically abandoned it, several other strong masters now adopt it regularly.
One reply which used to be greatly feared is 3. N-Q2, with which Keres obtained many successes before the war; but it is now recognized as giving Black plenty of chances. The following game by the winner at Hastings is a typical example; Uhlmann, incidentally plays nothing else but the French in reply to 1.P-K4.

Leonard William Barden vs Wolfgang Uhlmann
Hastings (1958/59), Hastings ENG, rd 8, Jan-06
French Defense: Tarrasch. Closed Variation (C05) 0-1

(a) 3. P-QB4; 4. KPxP KPxP; 5. KN-B3 N-KB3; 6 B-N5ch B-Q2; 7. Q-K2ch B-K2; 8. PxP 0-0; has also been shown, by a number of master games, to be sufficient to equalize.
(b) This is the usual line of play nowadays; Black eliminates White's spearhead and prepares to free his game completely by an eventual …P-K4.
(c) The other main idea for White is 12. B-Q2 0-0; 13. B-B3, so as to restrict Black's chance of achieving …P-K4. But after 13. B-Q2; the line is harmless.
(d) Better was 13. B-K3.
(e) Gets more play with 19. N-K5.
(f) 24. P-N3, would lead to immediate defeat by 24. QxP; 25. QxB N-K4.
(g) The final mistake. But White is lost anyway.

Played in Romania, 1948.

Eugen Rusenescu (white) vs. Andriolu (black)
Queen's Gambit Declined: Vienna Variation, Quiet Variation

Descriptive 1. P-Q4 P-Q4 2. N-KB3 N-KB3 3. P-B4 P-K3 4. N-B3 PxP 5. P-K3 P-B4 6. BxP P-QR3 7. O-O N-B3 8. Q-K2 P-QN4 9. B-N3 B-N2 10. R-Q1 Q-N3 11. P-Q5 PxP 12. P-K4 PxP 13. NxP NxN 14. QxNch N-K2 15. Q-Q3 B-B1 16. N-K5 B-K3 17. Q-KB3 R-Q1 18. QxPch BxQ 19. BxB mate

Algebraic 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e3 c5 6. Bxc4 a6 7. 0-0 Nc6 8. Qe2 b5 9. Bb3 Bb7 10. Rd1 Qb6 11. d5 exd5 12. e4 dxe4 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Qxe4+ Ne7 15. Qd3 Bc8 16. Ne5 Be6 17. Qf3 Rd8 18. Qxf7+ Bxf7 19. Bxf7#

(a) Better is P-B4 immediately.
(b) Does not care for the pawn, as he fears the better development of the White pieces.
(c) Well played.
(d) As good as forced. If 12. …P-Q5; 13. P-K5 N-Q2; 14. P-K6, etc.
(e) Threatens mate in one (Q-Q7).
(f) If 16. … P-B5; 17. Q-B3, etc.
(g) Black was lost anyway. Now follows a cute finish.