A
Chess 13 Aug 1959, Thu The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Chess
Problem No. 537
By T. L. Lin (Singapore)
Black (11)
White (9)
White to play and force Black to give mate in two moves. In other, words, White wants to commit suicide and Black cannot stop him.
FEN 8/6p1/5prb/5Pp1/B3N1K1/3p2NR/2pB1Qp1/3knbR1 w - - 0 1 ??
Solution: 1. Qxe1#
Penrose beats a Russian
It is an event worth celebrating when a British player defeats a Russian master, and Penrose's win against Gurgenidze (seventh in last year's Russian championship) at Budapest was well merited. Penrose's style at its best has a flowing quality resembling that of the post-war Keres, in which tactical factors form part of the harmonious and continuing plan. The game also illustrates how to meet the strategy of concentrating the major pieces in the centre and then breaking out on the king's wing.
Jonathan Penrose (white) vs. Bukhuti Gurgenidze (black)
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense
1. This plan is too unambitious and gives White a powerful grip in the centre. If Black wants to make his K4 into a strongpoint, he should reply 6. … KN-K2; 7. P-Q4 N-N3; 8. P-Q4 O-O; 9. B-N3 B-N5.
2. Here, as in last week's game, Penrose introduces an original touch in the opening—he has shown that in several Ruy Lopez variations this plan is at least as good as the traditional R-N.
3. Black threatened 10. NxQP.
4. It is interesting to find a Russian master, presumably brought up in the Tchigorin tradition, adopting the hedgehog strategy characteristic of Steinitz. The alternative 10. … N-R4; 11. B-B2 P-QB4; 12. PxBP PxP; 13. B-K3 Q-B2 is better: Black's Q3 square is weakened, but he has more chance of successfully advancing his KBP than in the actual game.
5. A further error, since the king is poorly situated at KR2. Preferable is 12. … K-R1, so as to continue with … P-KB4 as soon as possible.
6. Black overlooks a tactical finesse and loses a pawn; better is 15. B-K3.
7. His original intention was 17. … P-K5, but then White replies 18. NxR KPxN; 19. NxB PxQ; 20. NxQ PxR(Q)ch; 21. RxQ, remaining a pawn up with a winning ending.
8. If 18. … R-KB1; 19. N-Q5 also wins material.
9. Here the bishops of opposite colours assist the attack, for the white coloured square around the black king are permanently weak.
10. A desperate trap (30. QxN QxNch, with a likely draw), but even after the better 29. … Q-Q3; 30 QxQ PxQ; 31. K-N2. White should win the ending by advancing his king to a dominating position on the central white squares.
11. A neat finish; if 30. … KxKBP; 31. B-B2 P-N5; 32. N-B5ch K-R2; 33. N-K7db.ch. K-R3; 34. Q-K3ch, and wins.
12. For if 32. … K-N2; 33. Q-N6ch K-B1; 34. Q-N8ch K-K2; 35. N-N6ch.
Mardle In The Lead 13 Aug 1959, Thu The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
MARDLE IN THE LEAD
Chess championship
From our Chess Correspondent
York, Wednesday.
Denis Mardle, aged 30, took the lead in the British Chess Championship here tonight by defeating Wood. Wood made an unsound piece sacrifice in the opening and Mardle consolidated his position and evaluated his material advantage in the ending.
The surprise of the third round was the defeat of the title-holder, Penrose, by Barden. Barden played the Ruy Lopez and the position was equal until Penrose overlooked a sacrifice of a rook for a knight, by which Barden obtained a fierce king's-side attack. Penrose defended well but missed a chance to reach a probably drawn ending and had his king driven into a checkmating net.
The other favourites all won comfortably enough. Golombek soon had the better game with his favourite Catalan Opening against Pritchard, who was left with hanging pawns in the centre. Golombek created further weaknesses and then broke through to win Pritchard's queen for bishop and rook. The local Yorkshire hope, Haygarth, defeated Wallis by systematically exploiting his advantage of a strong knight against an immobile bishop. Alexander beat Edwards by an incisive attack, Clarke dominated the centre with his two bishops against Freeman, and Milner-Barry, with an extra pawn in the ending, defeated Hilton.
Other results: Littlewood 0, Dr Aitken 1;
Naylor 0, Dr Fazekas 1;
Thomas 0, Hallmark 1;
Green 0, Cafferty 1;
Howson 1, Clough 0;
Wade 1, Fallone 0;
Soesan 0, Beaty 1;
Parr 0, Ellison 1. The games between Lloyd and Sergeant and Beach and Curtis were adjourned.
The leading scores are: Mardle 3, Dr Aitken, Barden, Dr Fazekas, Golombek, Hallmark, and Haygarth 2½.
'Inquests' Next Door 14 Aug 1959, Fri The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
“INQUESTS” NEXT DOOR
Chess players warned
Competitors at the British, Chess Federation congress at York were warned against talking while play was still in progress yesterday. Mr George Simmons, one of the joint controllers, told them:
“Once you have finished your games, if you want to talk it over and find where you went wrong do so in the analysis room. Remember other games are still in progress. If you persist, you will be asked to leave the hall for the rest of the session for the benefit of the other competitors.”
Mr Peter Shaw, the other controller, explained that the warning should not be misunderstood. The bad manners came only from a few competitors, who were so engrossed in the game they had played that “momentarily they forget to moderate their voices.”
[Report on page 5]
Chess Leader Defeated 14 Aug 1959, Fri The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
CHESS LEADER DEFEATED
Mardle outmanoeuvred
From our Chess Correspondent
York, Thursday.
The leader, Mardle, received his first defeat in the fourth round of the British chess championship to-day. He played an inferior variation of the Sicilian Defence against Dr Aitken and lost control of the centre. Dr Aitken steadily increased his pressure until Mardle had to give up rook for knight.
The young Yorkshire player Haygarth had the best win of the round, trapping Milner-Barry's king in the centre and driving it into the open by a fine sacrificial attack. Dr Fazekas, who played a passive form of the Queen's Pawn Opening against G. Golombek, was left with pawn weaknesses in the centre. Golombek steadily increased the pressure, gained a pawn, and simplified into a winning ending.
Barden soon had the better game with his King's Indian Defence against Hallmark, but at the critical moment missed a chance of a direct winning attack on the king. Hallmark then won a pawn and Barden's attempt at counterattack only brought him into an ending in which Hallmarks united passed pawns quickly advanced to queen.
Clarke defeated Lloyd by a well-conducted king's side attack, and although Beach held Penrose for time the champion finally broke through to win the exchange and the game. Other results:
Wood ½, Alexander ½;
Wade 0, Littlewood 1;
Pritchard l, Naylor 0;
Cafferty ½, Thomas ½;
Hilton 1, Freeman 0;
Clough 0, Sergeant 1;
Curtis 0, Parr 1;
Fallone 0, Soesan 1.
The games between Wallis and Howson, Beaty and Ellison, and Edward and Green were adjourned.
The leading scores are Dr. Aitken, Golombek, Hallmark, and Haygarth 3½, Clarke and Mardle 3.
Many Draws In York Chess 17 Aug 1959, Mon The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
MANY DRAWS IN YORK CHESS
Championship open
From our Chess Correspondent
York, Sunday.
The excellent chess of the previous round produced a reaction in yesterday's play in the British championship, and the leaders' games ended in a rash of short draws.
Golombek and Haygarth soon had a completely level position; Clarke, after having the edge against Barden's King's Indian Defence frittered away his advantage; and Penrose could not consolidate a slight initiative against Alexander. The fourth draw, between Aitken and Hallmark, was a hard-fought encounter in which Hallmark defended well against the Scottish master's king's side attack; but he left himself very short of time and accepted a draw by repetition of moves.
There are still five rounds to go, and the championship remains very open as most of the leaders have yet to meet. Eight and a half points is usually a winning score in this tournament, so that Golombek and Haygarth may try to consolidate in the second week by aiming at draws with the black pieces and reserving their major efforts for their games with white. The players with four points on the other hand need to keep winning to stay in the running for first prize and this should mean some exciting games in the next couple of rounds.
Other results:
Wood 1, Wallis 0;
Edwards 1, Freeman 0;
Beaty 1, Naylor 0;
Wade ½, Thomas ½;
Beach 1, Howson 0;
Clough 0, Ellison 1;
Curtis 0, Fallone 1;
The games between
Dr Fazekas and Sergeant,
Hilton and Mardle,
Pritchard and Cafferty,
Green and Lloyd and Soesan and Parr were adjourned.
Results of adjourned games:
Littlewood ½, Dr Fazekas ½;
Barden 1, Wood 0;
Sergeant 1, Beach 0;
Thomas 0, Hilton 1;
Beach ½, Edwards ½;
Parr 0, Green 1;
Ellison ½, Soesan ½;
Edwards ½, Green ½.
The leading scores are: Golombek and Haygarth 5; Clark 4½; Dr Aitken, Alexander, Barden, Hallmark, Littlewood, and Penrose 4.
Golombek In The Lead 18 Aug 1959, Tue The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
GOLOMBEK IN THE LEAD
Convincing chess
By our Chess Correspondent
York, Monday.
Golombek took a clear lead in the seventh round of the British chess championship by defeating Littlewood. Golombek has played the most convincing chess of all the competitors so far, but whether he goes on to win the tournament depends on his critical games later, in the week with Clarke and Penrose.
Littlewood chose Bird's Opening (1. P-KB4), which is rarely seen in tournament chess. He was outplayed in the middle game complications and Golombek dominated the central squares with his two bishops. Finally he invaded Littlewood's position with his queen and gained a decisive advantage of two extra pawns.
Haygarth sacrificed a pawn for a powerful attack against Clarke's Sicilian Defence. However, he mishandled it and Clarke consolidated his position sufficiently to force a draw by repetition of moves. Penrose gradually outplayed Hallmark in a King's Indian Defense; he penetrated with his rook on the queen's wing and transposed into a winning queen and pawn ending. Barden spoiled a level ending against Dr Aitken by a blunder which lost the exchange and the game.
The biggest surprise of the round was Alexander's loss to the Manchester player Hilton. Alexander won a pawn with his favourite Ruy Lopez, but he under-estimated the resulting counter attack and Hilton's pieces combined in a crushing onslaught on the king.
This game ended with a curious incident. Alexander, as a final trap, checked with his queen on a square where Hilton's queen could capture the checking piece for nothing. Hilton, absorbed in looking for the way of manoeuvring his king to safety, thought for a good five minutes before noticing the obvious winning move.
Other results:
Mardle 0, Dr. Fazekas 1;
Lloyd 0, Wood 1;
Sergeant 1, Pritchard 0;
Milner-Barry 1, Beach 0;
Ellison 0, Edwards 1;
Cafferty 1, Beaty 0;
Thomas 0, Green 1;
Wallis 0, Wade 1;
Naylor ½, Soesan ½;
Howson 0, Freeman 1;
Fallone 0, Parr 1;
Curtis ½, Clough ½.
Leading scores are: Golombek 6, Haygarth 5½, Dr Aitken, Clarke, and Penrose 5, Dr Fazekas, Hilton, Sergeant, and Wood 4½.
Golombek Well Ahead 19 Aug 1959, Wed The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
GOLOMBEK WELL AHEAD
Chess at York
From our Chess Correspondent
York, Tuesday.
Golombek further strengthened his position in the eighth round of the British chess championship to-day. He chose the Sicilian Defence against Dr Aitken, who handled the opening too passively. Golombek took the initiative, counter-attacked in the centre at the right moment, and simplified into a rook and pawns end game two pawns ahead. After the adjournment his accurate technique ensured him another important victory. Now he is a full point in front of Haygarth and looks set for his fourth championship.
His chief rivals all lost ground. Penrose had some pressure in a Ruy Lopez against Haygarth; he took control of the centre squares and penetrated with his rooks on the queen's wing. However, Haygarth defended stubbornly and, aided by an inaccuracy by Penrose, reached a drawn ending of major pieces.
The veteran Sergeant, aged 78, who first competed in the championship as long ago as 1907, put up another fine performance to-day by drawing with the black pieces against Clarke. Clarke played a simplifying variation of the Ruy Lopez in which the queens were exchanged at an early stage; Sergeant cleverly transposed into an ending of bishops of opposite colours, when the draw was already apparent.
The Manchester player Hilton was another who kept up his excellent form. He defeated Wood by a fierce king's side attack, culminating in an exchange sacrifice which drove Wood's king into the open.
Leading scores are Golombek 7, Haygarth 6, Clarke, Hilton, and Penrose 5½. Dr Aitken, Dr Fazekas, Milner-Barry, and Sergeant 5.
Other results: Dr Fazekas ½, Barden ½, Edwards 0, Milner-Barry 1; Cafferty ½, Alexander ½, Green 0, Mardle 1; Wade 1, Lloyd 0; Freeman ½, Beach ½, Beaty 0, Pritchard 1; Ellison 0, Thomas 1; Parr 1, Naylor 0; Clough 0, Wallis 1: Soesan 0, Curtis 1; Fallone 0, Howson 1. The game between Hallmark and Littlewood was adjourned.
Golombek Sustains First Defeat: Title Wide Open 20 Aug 1959, Thu The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Golombek sustains first defeat: title wide open
From our Chess Correspondent
York, Wednesday.
Golombek sustained his first defeat in the ninth round of the British chess championship to-day, and the title, which, had seemed safely delivered into his custody is now wide open between him and his two closest rivals, Haygarth and Penrose.
Haygarth joined Golombek in the lead by a model positional win against Hilton. He advanced his pawns on the queen's wing, tied Hilton's pieces down to defence, and steadily infiltrated with his own bishops. Haygarth may be the only unbeaten competitor at the end of the round, for Clarke handled the Caro-Kann Defence too passively against Milner-Barry.
At the first adjournment, indeed, Clarke was two pawns down with a hopeless position, but in the evening session Milner-Barry missed the most convincing line. He should still win with a pawn ahead, although the ending is now difficult. Sergeant kept up his fine form by drawing a rook and pawn ending against Dr Aitken, and Alexander and Mardle won by incisive attacks against Dr Fazekas and Hallmark respectively.
The leading scores are:
Golombek and Haygarth 7,
Penrose 6½,
Clarke 5½ and 1 adjourned. Dr Aitkin, Alexander, Barden, Cafferty, Hilton, Littlewood, Mardle, and Sergeant 5½. Milner-Barry 5 and 1 adjourned.
Other results Barden 1, Wade 0;
Wood 0, Cafferty 1;
Littlewood 1, Edwards 0;
Pritchard 1, Freeman 0;
Beach 0, Green 1;
Lloyd ½, Parr ½;
Thomas 1, Wallis 0;
Howson ½, Beaty ½;
Clough ½, Soesan ½;
Curtis 0, Ellison 1;
Naylor 0, Fallone 1.
Three Players Tie For Lead in Chess Tourney 21 Aug 1959, Fri The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Three players tie for lead in chess tourney
From our Chess Correspondent
York, Thursday.
With three players tied for the lead and one round to go there promises to be an exciting finish to the British chess championship. To-day the title holder Penrose caught up Golombek and Haygarth by defeating Milner-Barry in a masterly positional game. He created weaknesses in Milner-Barry's pawn positions and infiltrated with his pieces on the unguarded squares. Although Milner-Barry hastened the end by a blunder, Penrose had already established a winning rook and pawn ending.
Both Golombek and Haygarth had the black pieces and were content to draw comfortably. Cafferty and Haygarth had a level struggle in an English Opening, with Haygarth's initiative compensating for Cafferty's extra pawn. Clarke chose a simplifying variation of the Caro-Kann Defence against Golombek, but in spite of having two bishops in the ending he was unable to make progress.
Three players joined Clarke in fourth place. Littlewood defeated Mardle by an imaginative attack, Dr Aitken outplayed Pritchard and won the exchange, and Barden prevented the development of Hilton's queen's wing and invaded his opponents position with rooks and bishops. Sergeant continues to show splendid reserves of stamina for a man of 78, and he scored another well-merited draw against Alexander.
In the last round to-morrow, Haygarth will meet Littlewood, Golombek plays Barden, and Penrose will be paired with either Clarke or Dr Aitken. The situation is very open, and in the unlikely event of all three leaders losing we could have the unique occurrence of seven players tying for the championship.
The leading scores are: Golombek, Haygarth, and Penrose, 7½; Dr Aitken, Barden, Clarke, and Littlewood, 6½; Alexander, Cafferty, and Sergeant, 6.
Other results:
Dr. Fazekas ½, Wade ½;
Wood 0, Thomas 1; Green 0, Hallmark l;
Parr 0, Edwards 1;
Beaty 0, Lloyd 1;
Wallis 0, Ellison, 1;
Howson 1, Curtis 0;
Freeman ½, Fallone ½;
Naylor 0, Clough 1.
The games between Soesan and Beach, Freeman and Fallone, and Naylor and Clough were adjourned. Results of adjourned games:
Haygarth 1, Hilton 0;
Milner-Barry ½, Clarke ½;
Sergeant ½, Dr. Aitken ½,
Lloyd ½, Parr ½;
Thomas 1, Wallis 0;
Howson ½ Beaty ½,
Clough ½, Soesan ½;
Curtis 0, Ellison 1.
Triple Tie For Chess Title 22 Aug 1959, Sat The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Triple tie for chess title
PACIFIC ROUND
From our Chess Correspondent
York, Friday.
For the first time, the British1 Chess Championship ended in a triple tie here this afternoon. The last round proved unexpectedly pacific, in view of what was at stake: all three leaders had varying shades of advantage but none of them was really close to the win which would have meant an outright decision on the championship.
The play-off will probably be a double-round tournament held on weekends in November.
Barden mishandled the opening against Golombek's Nimzo-Indian Defence and Golombek playing forcefully, obtained a strong initiative. However, he let it slip by a couple of inaccuracies and Barden forced a draw by repetition of moves. Haygarth built up a strong centre against Littlewood, who fought back ingeniously on the king's wing and reached a level ending of queens and pawns.
Meanwhile, the King's Indian Defence between Clarke and Penrose had resulted in an almost completely blocked position. For some twenty minutes Haygarth and Penrose slowed down their moves and waited in case the other game should end decisively. Finally Penrose offered a draw to Clarke and immediately afterwards Littlewood gave perpetual check.
Haygarth's success
Haygarth has undoubtedly been the outstanding success of the tournament. He showed subtle skill in positional manoeuvring and thoroughly deserved to go through the entire event without defeat. Littlewood, too, made an excellent impression with his imaginative flair for combinations. Penrose and Golombek enhanced their reputations, Penrose by his splendid recovery, from a bad start and Golombek by his assured and profound strategy.
On the whole, the younger players came out on top in their battle with the older generation, for Alexander, Milner-Barry, and Wade all failed to reach the prize list. Other results were:
Cafferty ½, Dr Aitken ½;
Mardle ½, Alexander ½;
Hilton ½, Sergeant ½;
Milner-Barry ½, Thomas ½;
Edwards 0, Wade 1;
Ellison 0, Wood 1;
Soesan 0, Freeman 1;
Clough 0, Parr 1;
Beach 1, Naylor 0;
Fallone 0, Beaty 1;
Curtis 0, Wallis 1;
Hallmark 1, Dr Fazekas 0;
Pritchard 1, Lloyd 0;
Green 1, Howson 0.
Results of adjourned games:
Foesen ½, Beach ½;
Freeman ½, Fallone ½;
Naylor 0, Clough 1.
Final scores were:
Golombek, Haygarth, and Penrose 8;
Dr Aitken, Barden, Clarke, and Littlewood 7;
Alexander, Cafferty, Hallmark and Sergeant, 6½,
Hilton, Mardle, Milner-Barry, Pritchard, Thomas, and Wade 6;
Dr. Fazekas, Green, and Wood 5½;
Beach, Edwards, Freeman, Lloyd and Parr 5;
Beaty, Ellison, and Wallis 4½;
Howson 4;
Clough and Soesan 3½
Fallone and Naylor 2½;
Curtis 2.
Winners of other events were. — British ladies-championship: Mrs. R. M. Bruce (Plymouth), British boys (under 18) championship: M. Firth (Chadderton), K. M. Oliff (Basildon), and J. Lawrence (Birmingham) shared; British boys' (under 15) championship; D. I. W. Reynolds (Wallesey) and G. Chesters (Crewe) shared. British girls' championship: Miss R. Norbury (Liverpool).
