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Chess 27 Aug 1959, Thu The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Chess
The Guardian, Chess, Thursday, August 27, 1959, Greater London, England Problem No. 539 by J. E. Driver...
Posted by Bobby Fischer's True History on Monday, May 16, 2022
Problem No. 539 by J. E. Driver (Kettering)
Black (13)
White (9)
White mates in two moves.
FEN 3N2Qb/2p2p1r/7p/2Pkp2N/q7/nP1BBP2/p1p5/rbK5 w - - 0 1
Solution: 1. Qe8 Qxe8 2. Be4#
PSYCHOLOGY IN THE OPENING
Some openings are favoured because they suit players with particular styles, and one obvious example is the French Defence, which usually leads to involved positional manoeuvring in which patience is at a premium. If a census was taken, a connection could probably be found between French Defence enthusiasts and pipe sm*k*rs. In such an opening, even a slightly unsound gambit may serve the purpose of taking, the defender by surprise. The pawn sacrifice in the following game from the last Hungarian championship is one of the most promising possibilities available.
Ervin Haag (white) vs. Laszlo Barczay (black)
French Defense: Advance Variation, Main Line
1. The order of moves in this game is not to be recommended, for Black could here prevent White's formation of a centre by 4. … P-Q5; 5. PxP PxP; and if 6. Q-R4ch N-B3; 7. B-N5 B-Q2; 8. BxN BxB; 9. QxQP QxQ; 10. NxQ BxP. The position after White's 5th move is usually reached by 1. P-K4 P-K3; 2. P-Q4 P-Q4; 3. P-K5 P-QB4; 4. P-QB3 N-QB3; 5. N-B3.
2. White can also sacrifice his QP by 6. B-Q3 PxP; 7. PxP B-Q2; 8. O-O NxQP; 9. NxN QxN; 10. N-B3. This gambit introduced by Milner-Barry, has been little played. If Black captures the second pawn, White has a powerful attack by 10. … QxP; 11. R-K1 Q-Q3; 12. N-N5 BxN; 13. BxBch K-Q1; 14. Q-R4 N-K2 (14. … P-K4; 15. B-KB4); 15. B-KB4 Q-N3; 16. QR-B1 R-B1; 17. B-K3.
The best defence to the Milner-Barry Gambit is to decline the second pawn by 10. … Q-N3. A game, Horseman-Challis, London, 1952, was brilliantly won by White after 10. … Q-N3 with 11. P-QR4 P-QR4; 12. B-K3 QxP; 13. B-Q4 Q-N5; 14. N-N5 B-B3; 15. R-N1 Q-K2; 16. N-Q6ch K-Q1; 17. RxP BxR; 18. B-N6ch K-Q2; 19. B-N5ch B-B3; 20. BxBch KxB; 21. Q-B2ch KxB; 22. R-N1ch, Resigns. However, a better answer is 11. … P-QR3; 12. Q-N4 when White's attack is probably not quite value for a pawn.
3. Black needs to stop 7. P-QN4, and the best way to do so is 7. … P-B5; but the text-move is also often recommended.
4. The gambit is now a better proposition than in the main line, since Black's … P-QR4 is a weakness.
5. Not so good as 13. N-B3.
6. Too passive; he should get some play even at the cost of castling, by 14. … P-B3; 15. PxP PxP; 16. N-N5 BxN; 17. BxBch K-B2.
7. Foreshadowing a king's side attack in which Black's extra pawn has no significance.
8. Black is unable to find an adequate plan. His best chance is to give back the pawn by 20. … P-B4; 21. PxPe.p. BxBP; 22. BxN PxB; 23. QxNP Q-K1.
9. Desperation, but if 23. … Q-B2; 24. R-K3, followed by R-R3, and if then … P-R3; BxP.
10. Or 24. … PxP; 25. BxN RPxB; 26. QxPch K-R1; 27. R-Q4.
11. If 26. … P-K4; 27. BxR PxB; 28. R-N3ch K-R; 29. Q-B7, but 26. … Q-K2 would hold out longer.
12. After 29. … R-B1; 30. R-KN3 P-KN3; 31. P-R4. White quickly develops a new mating attack.
