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Chess 09 Apr 1960, Sat The Montreal Star (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) Newspapers.com
Let's Play Chess
Botvinnik Stages Comeback Draws Within Point of Tal
By William Oaker
World Chess Champion Mikhail Botvinnik shows promise of a spectacular comeback in his 24-game title bout with Mikhail Tal.
After trailing by a score of 5-2 after seven games, the champion suddenly won the eighth and ninth games to draw within one point of the challenger. The tenth game was a hard-fought draw.
Tal has run up against an opponent whom he is going to have great difficulty in defeating. We refer not to Botvinnik, but to Tal's own ego.
After winning the first game, Tal wisely decided to play it cozy and to hold the draw—to make Botvinnik come to him. After drawing the next four games, Botvinnik finally broke under to severe pressure of being forced into trying to win. He switched to a combinative style and took his chances. The result was two quick losses which saw Tal leading by a score of 5-2.
The eighth game, however, saw a strange switch. Tal suddenly changed his approach. Instead of sitting back and making Botvinnik come to him, he took the initiative into his own hands. He sacrificed a pawn for a wild and wooly position. Botvinnik survived the storm and emerged with a won end game.
In game nine Tal once again declined to play it safe. He sacrificed a piece unsoundly and although Botvinnik had a few uncomfortable moments, the champion managed to once again survive the storm, and emerge battered but victorious.
Game number 10 saw Tal settle down into the style which is certain to give Botvinnik the greatest trouble. He played it tight all the way, like a hockey team with two goal lead and only 10 minutes left in playing time. It paid off when Botvinnik lost a pawn, but managed to scrape through with a drawn ending.
The score after 10 rounds: Tal, 5½; Botvinnik 4½.
Tal should beat Botvinnik because he is a little the better at tactics and is able to keep a clearer head during complications. Also, Botvinnik will probably begin to tire as the match goes on. But, we must emphasize that he is only a little better. He is not so much better than he can simply walk all over the champion, as he tried during the eighth and ninth games. For his sake we hope he can keep his ego under control. For Botvinnik's sake, we hope he can't.
Bobby Fischer
Brooklyn boy wonder Bobby Fischer, is busy proving that he is a grandmaster in every sense of the word.
After seven rounds in the Mar del Plata tourney, he is in a close second place with a score of 6-1, and has already dumped two leading grandmasters Fridrik Olafsson and Eric Eliskases.
Leading the tourney is Russian Grandmaster Boris Spassky with 6½-½. Fischer and Spassky have not met in the event as yet.
FEN r1bq3k/ppp3pp/6B1/8/3PP3/8/PbP3PP/R3QRK1 w - - 0 1
Solution: 1. Qh4 Qg8 2. Rf8 Bxd4+ 3. Qh1 h6 4. Rxg8+ Kxg8 5. Qd8#
This is a very instructive position. If you failed to solve it perhaps one hint will show you the way. It is an example of taking advantage of a back rank weakness. Now, have another go at it before looking at the solution.
The key move for white is 1. Q-R4!
Black cannot play 1. … QxQ because of 2. R-B8 checkmate. White is also threatening 2. QxRP checkmate. There is only one black defence. 1. … Q-N1 2. R-B8!
Another crushing move. This time the threat is 3. QxRP checkmate, since the black queen in pinned. Also black cannot play 2. … QxR, because the queen would no longer be guarding the rook pawn and hence the mate. The only other move is 2. … P-R3 whereupon he would be mated by 3. RxQ check, KxR; 4. Q-Q8 checkmate.
