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Chess 09 Apr 1959, Thu The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Chess
The Guardian, Chess, Thursday, April 09, 1959, Greater London, England Problem No. 520 by A. H. Goulty (Bowdon) White...
Posted by Bobby Fischer's True History on Sunday, May 8, 2022
Problem No. 520 by A. H. Goulty (Bowdon)
Black (3)
White (7)
White mates in three moves.
FEN 3K4/B4p2/8/5P2/p3k1P1/4B3/B6Q/8 w - - 0 1
Solution: 1. Qf4+ Kd3 2. Qc4#
Struggle for initiative
In many master games the greater part of each side's thinking time is taken up in the few moves after the opening, and there is a rush later on to reach the time control at move 40. This is not, usually, because of bad clock management or pure accident. The vital struggle in a game is often for the initiative; it is an easier task for a master with positional and combinative techniques at his finger-tips to exploit an advantage than to create it. The following Russian championship encounter is one such instance; the concluding moves were made in time pressure but, judged by grandmaster standards, the game is over at move 20.
Efim Geller vs Paul Keres
USSR Championship (1959), Tbilisi URS, rd 2, Jan-11
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal. Bronstein (Byrne) Variation (E45) 1-0
1. The best chance of retaining the initiative against 4. … P-QN3. If instead 5. B-Q3 B-N2; 6. N-B3 N-K5; 7. Castles P-KB4; 8. Q-B2 BxN; 9. PxB Castles (Uhlmann-Botvinnik, Munich, 1958) when Black's position is very solid.
2. Bronstein's move 5. … B-N2 gives White a clear initiative after 6. P-QR3 B-K2 (6. … BxNch; 7. NxB, and Black has no compensation for White's two bishops); 7. P-Q5.
3. In several games of the 1957 world title match, 6. P-QR3 BxNch; 7. NxB P-Q4 proved satisfactory for Black; the text is a sharper idea, typical of Geller's aggressive style.
4. Keres also fights for the initiative: 6. … P-B4 gives White the upper hand in the centre after 7. P-Q5 PxP; 8. PxP BxB; 9. KxB P-Q3; 10. P-K4. Black now hopes for 7. B-Q3 P-R5; 8. N-K2 P-R6; with a good game.
5. This is too passive. Geller recommends 7. … B-Q3; 8. KN-K4 NxN; 9. NxN B-K2; 10. P-KN3 P-Q4.
6. Preparing for … P-Q4, which if played at once would be met by 9. Q-R4ch N-B3; 10. PxP PxP; 11. B-N5 with great advantage for White.
7. Exchanges ease Black's inferiority in development. More aggressive and better is 11. Castles.
8. Avoiding a profound trap which was the point of White's choice on move 10. If 14. … QxNP (14. … QxRP; 15. B-B3 N-Q1; 16. BxB NxB; 17. RxP is very strong: 15. P-K4 R-Q1; 16. P-Q5 PxP; 17. RxN BxR; 18. Q-B3 B-N2; 19. B-B3 winning the queen.
9. Even a grandmaster is not immune from the psychological quirk which makes a player overconfident once he has equalised from a difficult position. Much better is 18. … R-QB1 or 18. … N-N3.
10. Normally two united rooks outweigh a queen and pawn: but here the decisive factor is the exposed position of Black's king. Better, therefore, is 19. P-QB3.
11. Or 21. … K-N2; 24. Q-KB3 R-Q2; 25. NxP.
12. In the ensuing play Black's king and rooks, although mutually supporting, are curiously helpless against the advancing pawns.
13. Still quicker is 36. Q-R7ch KxP; 37. Q-Q4ch winning a rook after 37. … K-B2; 38. Q-KB4ch or 37. … K-K2; 38. Q-K3ch
14. If 38. … K-B2; 39. Q-K7ch or 38. … K-Q2; 39. Q-Q4ch
Pritchard Beats Off Crepinsek 09 Apr 1959, Thu The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
PRITCHARD BEATS OFF CREPINSEK
Chess at Bognor
From our Chess Correspondent
Bognor Regis, April 8.
Karaklaic continues to hold his lead in the Stevenson memorial chess tournament here. In the seventh round to-day he had a quiet game with Wood. The British player played a variation of the English Opening in which the queens were exchanged at a very early stage, and a draw was agreed after 37 moves.
The most exciting game was that between Pritchard and Crepinsek, who adopted the Sicilian Defence and started a powerful king's side attack in the middle game. However, Pritchard succeeded in beating this off, and when the game was adjourned he had the advantage of two pieces against rook and pawns with good winning chances.
Wade defeated Green in a game which is likely to have a vital bearing on the Southern Counties' championship. He outplayed Green in a complicated middle game and won a pawn. The advantage proved sufficient. Mardle joined Wood in second place by a comfortable win over Surmstom. The leading results of round seven were:
Wood ½, 4. Karaklaic ½;
Hammond 1, Lloyd 0;
Mardle 1, Surmston 0;
Reuben 0, Hindle 1;
Reuser 0, Gereben 1;
Green 0, Wade 1:
Cafferty ½, Mrs Pritchard ½;
Inwood 0, Kings 1;
Matchett 1, Wells 0;
Clough ½ May ½.
The game between Pritchard and Crepinsek was adjourned. Results of adjourned games from round six were: Hindle 0, Wood 1; Wade ½, Hammond ½ Gilbertson 0, Green 1.
The leading scores after seven rounds are Karaklaic 6 points, Mardle and Wood 5½, Crepinsek 5 and 1 adjourned. Gereben, Hammond, Hindle, and Wade 5.
Dour Struggles At Bognor 10 Apr 1959, Fri The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
DOUR STRUGGLES AT BOGNOR
Chess tournament
From a Chess Correspondent
Bognor Regis, Thursday.
The chief characteristic of the leading games in the eighth round of the Stevenson memorial chess tournament here to-day was dourness rather than excitement. Mardle played the Sicilian Defence against Karaklaic and won a pawn in the early middle-game, though the presence of bishops of opposite colours pointed to a draw. However, the players did not seem content with this and both strove hard to win. Karaklaic offered a second pawn to expose the enemy king to attack, and when the game was adjourned the position was critical for both sides.
Gereben, too, had a hard struggle with Crepinsek and both players ran into time-trouble towards the end of the session. In a very complicated situation Gereben surprised his opponent by several tactical blows which netted material. The game was adjourned in a position which is easily won for him.
The game between Wood and Pritchard was also adjourned. Neither could penetrate the other's defences in a close positional struggle, and the ending which has now been reached looks likely to be drawn. Wade made no headway against Matchett and eventually lost a pawn, after which he had to be content to draw by repetition of moves. The leading results of round eight:
Hindle ½, Hammond ½;
Wade ½, Matchett ½;
Mrs Pritchard 1, Kings 0;
Furmston 0, Cafferty 1;
May 1, Smith 0;
Evans 0, Hollis 1;
Reuben 0, Clough 1;
Reuser 0, Green 1;
Lloyd 1, Dean 0.
The following games were adjourned:
Karakliac v. Mardle, Wood v. Pritchard, Gereben v. Crepinsek. The results of an adjourned game from round seven: Pritchard 1, Crepsinek 0.
The leading scores are: Karakliac 6 points and one adjourned, Mardle, Pritchard, and Wood 5½ and one adjourned. Cafferty, Hammond, Hindle, Mrs. Pritchard, and Wade 5½. Crepinsek and Gereben 5 and one adjourned.
A Tense Chess Struggle 11 Apr 1959, Sat The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
A TENSE CHESS STRUGGLE
Mardle now level
From a Chess Correspondent
Bognor Regis, Friday.
A tense struggle for the lead has now developed in the Stevenson memorial chess tournament. In the ninth and penultimate round to-day Karaklaic again drew level with Mardle, against whom he had lost his adjourned game earlier in the day. However, the position is further complicated by the fact that Wood now has two games unfinished and can still draw level or even pass them.
Karaklaic's win to-day was due to his excellent endgame technique. Hammond enterprisingly sacrificed a knight for three pawns, but afterwards failed to make good his chances and was rapidly outplayed in the ending, finally being mated on the sixty-second move.
Mardle and Pritchard tried hard to breach each other's defences. The latter offered a pawn for an attack, whereupon Mardle retaliated by giving up the exchange for a second pawn. A draw was agreed when it became clear that neither could make further progress.
Wood played the King's Indian Defence against Gereben, and both players attacked on opposite wings. When the pawn position became completely blocked and a draw seemed certain, Gereben sacrificed a piece for two pawns in a last attempt to win. In the adjourned position Wood seems to have the better chances. Both Cafferty and Wade improved their chances. The former had a comfortable win over Hindle, but Wade had a harder time in defeating Mrs Pritchard. The leading results of round nine were:
Mardle ½, Pritchard ½;
Hammond 0, Karaklaic 1;
Wade l, Mrs Pritchard 0;
Cafferty 1, Hindle 0;
Matchett 0, May 1;
Hollis ½, Lloyd ½;
Crepinsek 1, Clough 0;
Green 1, Furmston 0;
The game between Gereben and Wood was adjourned.
Results of adjourned games from round eight: Karaklaic 0, Mardle 1; Gereben 1, Crepinsek 0; Wood v. Pritchard is adjourned.
The leading scores are; Karalaic and Mardle 7 points, Cafferty and Wade 6½. Gereben and Pritchard 6 and one adjourned. Crepinsek, Green, and May 6, Wood 5½ and two adjourned.
Mardle Ties With Gereben For Chess Title 13 Apr 1959, Mon The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Mardle ties with Gereben for chess title
By a Chess Correspondent
In the Stevenson Memorial chess tournament, which ended at Bognor Regis on Saturday, there was a tie for first place between Mardle and Gereben. Both scored eight points. Karaklaic finished third, half a point behind.
Mardle thoroughly deserved his success as he defeated both his main rivals and played throughout the whole tournament with great determination and courage. Gereben, too, was the acme of persistence and this quality finally brought him no less than eight victories. On the other hand, Karaklaic, who had started so well, lost his form in the second week, while Wood, who was equal with Mardle after eight rounds, tired at the end and lost his last two games.
In the tenth and last round Mardle had a comfortable win over May who, apart from being outclassed was careless too. He quickly lost the initiative and became saddled with a bad bishop and this disadvantage proved decisive in the end game. Gereben defeated Cafferty in excellent style; he adopted the Sicilian Defence and exploited his opponent's passive play to build up a winning King's Side attack.
Meanwhile, Karaklaic could make no impression on Wade, who had played a variation of the Grunfeld Defence which led to many exchanges. Karaklaic did exert some pressure, but Wade countered correctly and a draw was agreed when an ending of bishops of opposite colours was reached.
The Southern Counties' title went to Pritchard, who was most fortunate in that Green made a terrible mistake when winning easily against him. The tie between Wade and Pritchard was split on the Sonnenborn system, which takes into account the different opponents they have met.
Results of Round 10:
Karaklaic ½, Wade ½;
Cafferty 0, Gereben 1;
May 0, Mardle 1;
Wood 0, Crepinsek 1;
Pritchard 1, Green 0;
Mrs. Pritchard ½, Hammond ½;
Hindle ½, Hollis ½;
Lloyd ½, Gilbertson ½;
Results of adjourned games: Round 8, Wood 1. Pritchard 0, Round 5 Gretchen 1, Wood 0.
Final scores Gereben and Mardle 8;
Karaklaic 7½
Crepinsek, Pritchard, and Wade 7;
Cafferty and Wood 6½;
Green, Hammond, Hilton, Hindle, Hollis, Lloyd, Matchett, Mr & Mrs. Pritchard, Rhodes, and Wells, 6. Durao, Colbertson, Pratten, Springgay, and Tanfield 5½; Clough, Courtney, [illegible], Furmston, Hempson, Inwood, and King 5. Bean, Meade, Reuben, Reuser, Smith, Sunnocks, Padeillo, and Wilkinson 4½; Ward, Clarke, Goulding-Brown, Jiggins, and Miss Tannier 4; Ansell, Ayriss, Henshaw, Love, Martis, and Waston 3½, Exell, Henson, James, and Mellor 3; Gunnell and Napier 2½.
