isolanis.com » Whole Chess Games http://isolanis.com Net home of the Isolanis Chess Club Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:35:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 The Shredder Schroeder Game http://isolanis.com/2008/02/the-shredder-schroeder-game/ http://isolanis.com/2008/02/the-shredder-schroeder-game/#comments Tue, 12 Feb 2008 02:22:07 +0000 Schroeder http://isolanis.com/2008/02/the-shredder-schroeder-game/  

by James Schroeder

My first Brilliancy. Julius Geodman – James Schroeder; Ohio Championship 1949

[Click HERE for game board.]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Qc2? c5 6. dxc5 Nc6 7. Nf3 Bxc5 8. a3 b6 9. Be2 d5 10. O-O dxc4 11. Bxc4 Bb7 12. b4 Bd6 13. Rd1 Qe7 14. Ba2 Ne5 15. Nd4 Ng6 16. Bb2 Bxh2+ 17. Kxh2 Ng4+ 18. Kg1 Qh4 19. e4 Qh2+ 20. Kf1 Nf4 21. Ke1 Nxg2+ 22. Kd2 Qf4+ 23. Kd3 Nxf2+ 24. Ke2 Ng4 25. Qd2 Qf2+ 26. Kd3 Ne5+ 27. Kc2 Ne3+ 28. Kb1 Nxd1 29. Qxd1 Rfd8 — I was disappointed that the Black King got away, but watch what happens. 30. Nce2 Bxe4+ 31. Kc1 Rac8+ 32. Bc3 Rxd4 33. Qxd4 Qxd4 34. Nxd4 Rxc3+ 35. Kb2 Rc8 36. Nb5 Nd3+ 37. Kb3 Bd5+ 38. Ka4 Nb2 checkmate

Al Horowitz published that game in Chess Review and called me Shredder Schroeder, which added a great amount to my results, as my opponents feared me. Actually, I was not a good attacking player, but nobody could miss that one.

Selected from Confidential Chess Lessons — © Copyright 1990 James Schroeder

Click HERE for CCL subscriptions and books for sale from James Schroeder.

]]> http://isolanis.com/2008/02/the-shredder-schroeder-game/feed/ 0 Robert Burnt, New Yonkers Times–Game of the Week: “Vich-slapped!” http://isolanis.com/2008/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-vich-slapped/ http://isolanis.com/2008/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-vich-slapped/#comments Sat, 05 Jan 2008 05:33:57 +0000 Robert Burnt http://isolanis.com/2008/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-vich-slapped/ Aaron Isayevich Nimzovich (1886-1935) is considered, along with Breyer and Reti, to be a founding father of the Hypermodern School. A preeminent theoretician, Nimzovich was also a potential challenger for the World Championship title: in 1926 Capablanca accepted his match offer, though Nimzovich was unable to raise the necessary funding. Nimzovich was from the beginning an irascible maverick. Smarting from a Tarrasch critique of his play in 1904, he undertook a lengthy reexamination of the classical dogma, which led to the publication of his classic works Die Blockade and Mein System (both 1925). From 1922 until his death, Nimzovich lived in a single rented room in Copenhagen. His unsociable nature and sometimes outlandish behavior at one tournament caused the entire body of players to register a protest against him (he was reportedly doing calisthenics on stage.) On another occasion, after losing to weaker player, he climbed atop the table and roared: “Gegen diesen Idoten muss ich verlieren!” (“That I should lose to this idiot!”) Seymon Zinovievich Alapin (1856-1923) was another theoretician and opening analyst of note. The moves: 1. e4 e5 2.Ne2 … still bear his name. He achieved some tournament success, but was no match for Nimzovich in the game below, where Nimzo shows that the lessons of Morphy and the Romantics were not lost on him.

[Click HERE for floating game board.]

Nimzovich/Alapin: Riga, 1913; French Defense: 1. e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3. Nc3 (Nimzovich deviates from his usual 3.e5, a Steinitz move he revitalized around 1911 and was central to his theory of blockade.) Nf6 4.ed Nd5 5.Nf3 c5 6.Nd5 Qd5 7.Be3 cd 8.Nd4 a6 9.Be2 Qg2 10.Bf3 Qg6 11.Qd2 e5 12.0-0-0 (An offer á la Morphy: White’s tremendous lead in development is already decisive.) ed 13.Bd4 Nc6 14.Bf6! (The beginning of a startling combo. Black is smashed in four moves!)Qf6 15.Rhe1+ Be7 16.Bc6+ Kf8 17.Qd8+ Bd8 18.Re8++ Yassir! A “Vich-slappin’”of the first order!

]]> http://isolanis.com/2008/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-vich-slapped/feed/ 0 Robert Burnt, New Yonkers Times–Game Of The Week: Dr. Strangelove http://isolanis.com/2007/03/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-dr-strangelove/ http://isolanis.com/2007/03/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-dr-strangelove/#comments Sat, 10 Mar 2007 05:26:28 +0000 Robert Burnt http://isolanis.com/2007/03/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-dr-strangelove/
From behind the Iron Curtain and out of the deep freezer of the Cold War emerged a cold-blooded chess assassin, a man of iron will, iron discipline, iron technique: Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik, World Champion 1948-1957, 1958-1960, and 1961-61, dominated the chess world after WWII in a way that no doubt made his political and ideological mentor, Josef Stalin, proud as a Triple Crown owner. Botvinnik had officially challenged champion Alexander Alekhine shortly after the end of WWII; with the latter’s death in 1946, newly-formed FIDE organized the Hague-Moscow match-tournament. Botvinnik won decisively, and became the first FIDE World Champion. Arguably, no other champion fought so hard, or against such formidable opposition, as Botvinnik during his tenures as champ. In 1951, he drew a title defense against Bronstein, and in 1954 did the same against Smyslov. Then came the astonishing rounds of defeats and title reclamations: losing the crown to Smyslov in 1957 and regaining it in the return match of ’58; losing it to Tal in 1959 and taking it back in 1960. After losing the title a third time to Petrosian in 1962, along with the right to an automatic rematch, Botvinnik finally withdrew from the World Championship chase, and retired from competitive chess in 1970. Described as aloof, humorless, and suspicious, Botvinnik seemed to be an iconic product of Stalin’s Soviet Union. The game below comes from late in his career. Watch him drop a “Big One” in the win column by nuking Lajos Portisch clean off the board.

[Click HERE for floating game board.]

Botvinnik/Portisch: English Opening; Monte Carlo, 1968 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. cd Nd5 5.Bg2 (Botvinnik: “White’s plan will now be based on pressure along the h1-a8 diagonal, and along one of the files…”) Be6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7.0-0 Nb6 8.d3 (Botvinnik: “Opening ‘trouble-makers’ might have been attracted by something like 8.d4 ed 9. Nb5, or first 8. a4″) Be7 9.a3 a5 10.Be3 0-0 11.Na4 (Botvinnik: “A standard manoeuvre in such positions, which has the aim of opening the c file, and also occupying c5 with a minor piece…However, Black had a more energetic reply in 11. …Nd5.”) Na4 12.Qa4 Bd5 13.Rfc1 Re8 14.Rc2 Bf8 15.Rac1 Nb8 (Botvinnik: “Black’s intention of playing 16. …c6, completely cutting short White’s activity on the half-open c file is laudable, but the consequences of this tactical operation were not calculated with sufficient accuracy.”) 16.Rc7 Bc6 17.R1c6! (Botvinnik: “This is what Portisch underestimated! …the main point is that White sacrifices the exchange…so as to eliminate the enemy bishop, covering the weakness of the white squares…”) bc 18.Rf7! (Botvinnik: “The second sacrifice cannot be accepted: 18. …Kf7 19.Qc4+ Kg6 20.Qg4+ Kf7 21. Ng5+ and Black has to give up his Queen, since otherwise he is mated.”) h6 19.Rb7 Qc8 20.Qc4+ Kh8 21.Nh4! (Botvinnik: “…White can ignore the threat to his rook, since he is playing for mate.) Qb7 22.Ng6+ Kh7 23.Be4 Bd6 24.Ne5+ g6 25.Bg6+ Kg7 26.Bh6+! 1-0 (Botvinnik: “On 26. …Kh6 there follows 27. Qh4+ Kg7 28. Qh7+ Kf6 29. Ng4+ Ke6 30. Qb7.”)
]]> http://isolanis.com/2007/03/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-dr-strangelove/feed/ 1 Robert Burnt, New Yonkers Times–Game Of The Week: Euwe Fervor http://isolanis.com/2007/02/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-euwe-fervour/ http://isolanis.com/2007/02/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-euwe-fervour/#comments Sat, 17 Feb 2007 12:58:12 +0000 Robert Burnt http://isolanis.com/2007/02/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-euwe-fervour/  

He was the fifth World Champion, and though he held the title for barely two years, his achievement of defeating Alexander Alekhine in 1935 is still regarded as one of the great long shot victories in all of sports. Machgielis “Max” Euwe (pronounced “ervor” as in “fervor”) was never a chess “professional.” Having obtained a doctorate in mathematics in 1926, his chief means of support was as an academic, and chess was only a hobby. But what a hobbyist he was! Euwe started playing at age four, became the Dutch National Champion at age 20, and World Champion at age 34! He was president of FIDE from 1970–1978, and had the burdensome tasks of overseeing the controversial Fischer/Spassky 1972 match and the Karpov/Korchnoi 1978 match. Despite his reputation as the consummate gentleman, Max could take down the game’s big boys with the ferocity of a tiger! The game below comes from the famous 1953 Zurich International Chess Tournament. Although finishing second to last against luminaries such as Smyslov, Bronstein, Keres, Najdorf, and Reshevesky, his round two thumping of Yefim Geller created sufficient Euwe Fervor to earn a brilliancy prize!

[Click HERE for floating game board.]

Geller/Euwe: Nimzoindian Defense, Zurich Candidates’ Tournament, 1953. 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. a3 Bc3+ 6. bxc b6 7. Bd3 Bb7 8. f3 Nc69. Ne2 0-0 10. 0-0 Na5 . (Keene:”After the text, it is clear that Black will win White’s c pawn, but at the cost of allowing a storm to burst over his king.”) 11. e4 Ne8 12. Ng3 cd 13. cd Rc8 14. f4 Nxc4 15. f5 f6 16. Rf4 (D. Bronstein: “White’s attack has become rather threatening. …Euwe, however is not easily flustered. Remember…he played more than seventy games with Alekhine…” ) b5 17. Rh4 Qb6 18. e5 Nxe5 19. fe Nxd3 20.Qxd3 Qxe6 (if 20. …g6, then the storm bursts 21. Bh6 Ng7 22. Bxg7 Kxg7 23. Nf5+ gxf 24. Qxf5 Rh8 25. Rg4+ Kf8 Qxf6+) 21. Qh7+ Kf7 22. Bh6 Rh8! (Bronstein: “If Black’s 16th was the beginning of his strategic counterattack, then this rook sacrifice is it’s fundamental stroke…”) 23. Qh8 Rc2 24. Rc1? (Analysts have long debated whether 24. d5 was sufficient to save White. Dreyer’s line 24. d5 Qb6+ 25. Kh1 Qf2 26. Rg1 Bd5 27. Re4 Be4 28. Ne4 Qh4 shows White is cooked no matter what.) Rg2 25. Kf1 Qb3 26. Ke1 Qf3 0-1

]]> http://isolanis.com/2007/02/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-euwe-fervour/feed/ 0 Robert Burnt, New Yonkers Times–Game Of The Week: In Memory of Bronstein http://isolanis.com/2007/02/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-in-memory-of-bronstein/ http://isolanis.com/2007/02/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-in-memory-of-bronstein/#comments Fri, 09 Feb 2007 04:11:26 +0000 Robert Burnt http://isolanis.com/2007/02/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-in-memory-of-bronstein/ “I was 22 then and the youngest in the team. When, on the eve of the match (USSR vs. USA, Moscow, 1946–Ed.), the strategical battle plan was being decided upon, the first to speak was the elder, M. M. Botvinnik.

“Looking steadily at me, he pronnounced in a clear and imposing tone: ‘I hope that everyone understands the crucial nature of this match and that no one will play the reckless King’s Gambit.’

“…at the time, in 1946, I loved the King’s Gambit with all my heart…. But the word of an older man is law. And I chose the solid Ruy Lopez.” (200 Open Games, Bronstein, Dover, 1973). In the game in question Bronstein faced Olaf Ulvestad, 12 years his elder, and went on to lose “rather wretchedly.”

“No, it is no mere coincidence that people say you should choose your opening according to your nature.”

Bronstein’s praise of the King’s Gambit was high. “If one was to pick out only one variation from the multifarious King’s Gambit:

  1. e4 e5
  2. f4 ef
  3. Nf3 g5
  4. Bc4 g4
  5. 0-0 gf
  6. Qxf3 Qf6
  7. e5 Qxe5
  8. Bxf7+ Kxf7
  9. d4!

game link

that in itself would be sufficient to earn for the opening the eternal gratitude of chess-players.” He remained devoted to the opening throughout his career. Here he is, 22 years after the aforementioned loss to Ulvestad, laying the lumber to the legendary Tal.

Bronstein passed away in December 2006. Farewell to this great attacker.

[Click HERE for floating game board.]

Bronstein/Tal, Riga, 1968,

1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. d3 Nf6 5. dxe4 Nxe4 6. Nf3 Bc5 7. Qe2
Bf5 8. Nc3 Qe7 9. Be3 Nxc3 10. Bxc5 Nxe2 11. Bxe7 Nxf4 12. Ba3 Nd7
13. O-O-O Be4 14. Ng5 Bxd5 15. g3 Bxh1 16. gxf4 c5 17. Bc4 Bc6 18. Nxf7
b5 19. Nd6+ Ke7 20. Nxb5 Rhf8 21. Nd4 Bg2 22. Ne6 Rf5 23. Rg1 Be4
24. Nc7 Rd8 25. Rxg7+ Kf6 26. Rf7+ Kg6 27. Re7 Nf6 28. Ne6 Rc8 29. b3
Rh5 30. Ng5 Bd5 31. Bd3+ Kh6 32. Bb2 c4 33. Bf5 c3 34. Bxc8 cxb2+
35. Kxb2 Rxh2 36. Rxa7 Rf2 37. Ra4 Kg6 38. Rd4 h5 39. a4 h4 40. a5 Bg2
41. a6 Nh5 42. Bb7 Nxf4 43. Rxf4 1-0

]]> http://isolanis.com/2007/02/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-in-memory-of-bronstein/feed/ 1 Robert Burnt, New Yonkers Times–Game Of The Week: Dark Matter http://isolanis.com/2007/02/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-dark-matter/ http://isolanis.com/2007/02/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-dark-matter/#comments Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:49:54 +0000 Robert Burnt http://isolanis.com/2007/02/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-dark-matter/ The Schwarzschild Singularity, that numerical pit where zero and infinity are indistinguishable, implied by General Relativity–first rejected but later grudgingly accepted by Einstein–remains the enigmatic belly of the beasts known as Black Holes, arguably the most mystifying phenomena in the universe. If nature abhors numerical infinities, it evidently makes an exception for the unviewable inner workings of these black monsters, where space, time, and the known laws of physics are crushed out of existence.

In the game below, White attempts to step over the Event Horizon of the Black Hole domain, only to be sucked in by the irrefutable gravity of the a8 square. This game, at 124 moves, is the longest ever played in a world championship match and the only one to end in stalemate.

[Click HERE for floating game board.]

World Championship, Baguio City, 1978, game five.

Korchnoi-Karpov

1. c4 Nf6 2. d4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Nge2 d5 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Nxc3
cxd4 8. exd4 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nc6 10. Be3 O-O 11. O-O b6 12. Qd3 Bb7 13.
Rad1 h6 14. f3 Ne7 15. Bf2 Nfd5 16. Ba2 Nf4 17. Qd2 Nfg6 18. Bb1 Qd7
19. h4 Rfd8 20. h5 Nf8 21. Bh4 f6 22. Ne4 Nd5 23. g4 Rac8 24. Bg3 Ba6
25. Rfe1 Rc6 26. Rc1 Ne7 27. Rxc6 Qxc6 28. Ba2 Qd7 29. Nd6 Bb7 30. Nxb7
Qxb7 31. Qe3 Kh8 32. Rc1 Nd5 33. Qe4 Qd7 34. Bb1 Qb5 35. b4 Qd7 36. Qd3
Qe7 37. Kf2 f5 38. gxf5 exf5 39. Re1 Qf6 40. Be5 Qh4+ 41. Bg3 Qf6 42.
Rh1 Nh7 43. Be5 Qg5 44. Qxf5 Qd2+ 45. Kg3 Nhf6 46. Rg1 Re8 47. Be4 Ne7
48. Qh3 Rc8 49. Kh4 Rc1 50. Qg3 Rxg1 51. Qxg1 Kg8 52. Qg3 Kf7 53. Bg6+
Ke6 54. Qh3+ Kd5 55. Be4+ Nxe4 56. fxe4+ Kxe4 57. Qg4+ Kd3 58. Qf3+ Qe3
59. Kg4 Qxf3+ 60. Kxf3 g6 61. Bd6 Nf5 62. Kf4 Nh4 63. Kg4 gxh5+ 64.
Kxh4 Kxd4 65. Bb8 a5 66. Bd6 Kc4 67. Kxh5 a4 68. Kxh6 Kb3 69. b5 Kc4
70. Kg5 Kxb5 71. Kf5 Ka6 72. Ke6 Ka7 73. Kd7 Kb7 74. Be7 Ka7 75. Kc7
Ka8 76. Bd6 Ka7 77. Kc8 Ka6 78. Kb8 b5 79. Bb4 Kb6 80. Kc8 Kc6 81. Kd8
Kd5 82. Ke7 Ke5 83. Kf7 Kd5 84. Kf6 Kd4 85. Ke6 Ke4 86. Bf8 Kd4 87. Kd6
Ke4 88. Bg7 Kf4 89. Ke6 Kf3 90. Ke5 Kg4 91. Bf6 Kh5 92. Kf5 Kh6 93. Bd4
Kh7 94. Kf6 Kh6 95. Be3+ Kh5 96. Kf5 Kh4 97. Bd2 Kg3 98. Bg5 Kf3 99.
Bf4 Kg2 100. Bd6 Kf3 101. Bh2 Kg2 102. Bc7 Kf3 103. Bd6 Ke3 104. Ke5
Kf3 105. Kd5 Kg4 106. Kc5 Kf5 107. Kxb5 Ke6 108. Kc6 Kf6 109. Kd7 Kf7
110. Be7 Kg8 111. Ke6 Kg7 112. Bc5 Kg8 113. Kf6 Kh7 114. Kf7 Kh8 115.
Bd4+ Kh7 116. Bb2 Kh6 117. Kg8 Kg6 118. Bg7 Kf5 119. Kf7 Kg5 120. Bb2
Kh6 121. Bc1+ Kh7 122. Bd2 Kh8 123. Bc3+ Kh7 124. Bg7 1/2-1/2

]]> http://isolanis.com/2007/02/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-dark-matter/feed/ 0 Robert Burnt, New Yonkers Times–Game Of The Week: “In this corner…” http://isolanis.com/2007/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-in-this-corner/ http://isolanis.com/2007/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-in-this-corner/#comments Sat, 20 Jan 2007 00:58:03 +0000 Robert Burnt http://isolanis.com/2007/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-in-this-corner/ At the arena, nothing thrills like the stunning knock-out punch. So in chess, to Hastings 1895 looks the rank and file chess player for good old-fashioned slugfests par excellence. In the match-up below, William “Stinkin’ Bill” Steinitz lands the big shot on Kurt von Bardeleben, then batters him along the ropes, driving him into his own corner where he finally resigns. No doubt Kurt was wearing dark glasses at the post fight interview.

[Click HERE for floating game board.]

Hastings
1895

White: Steinitz

Black: von Bardeleben
1.e4 e5

2.Nf3 Nc6

3.Bc4 Bc5

4.c3 Nf6

5.d4 exd4

6.cxd4 Bb4+

7.Nc3 d5

8.exd5 Nxd5

9.O-O Be6

10.Bg5 Be7

11.Bxd5 Bxd5

12.Nxd5 Qxd5

13.Bxe7 Nxe7

14.Re1 f6

15.Qe2 Qd7

16.Rac1 c6

17.d5 cxd5

18.Nd4 Kf7

19.Ne6 Rhc8

20.Qg4 g6

21.Ng5+ Ke8

22.Rxe7+ Kf8

23.Rf7+ Kg8

24.Rg7+ Kh8

25.Rxh7+ 1–0

]]> http://isolanis.com/2007/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-in-this-corner/feed/ 0 Short Story: Beginner’s Luck http://isolanis.com/2007/01/short-story-beginners-luck/ http://isolanis.com/2007/01/short-story-beginners-luck/#comments Sat, 13 Jan 2007 20:46:20 +0000 Schroeder http://isolanis.com/2007/01/short-story-beginners-luck/

[Click HERE for floating game board.]

Copyright © 2006 James Schroeder

It was a beautiful spring morning about to turn into a sunny afternoon, for which Southern California was famous. Twenty years later Harry would remember it nostalgically as “the good old days”.

It was a Saturday, a day off from work. Having very little money and nothing to do, Harry decided to go to the YMCA and see if there were any checker players there.

He went up the steps and into the building and discovered some persons playing contract bridge, but no checker players.

Then he saw the sign: “SIMULTANEOUS CHESS EXHIBITION / 1:00 P.M. / Auditorium / U.S. Chess Master, Reuben Fine”.

Harry didn’t know anything about chess but thought: “Where there’s chess players there could be checker players.”

So he went downstairs to the auditorium and walked into a room with long tables arranged in a rectangle and fifty boards and sets in place.

As Harry stood there a man approached and said: “Hi! I’m Herman Steiner, did you want to play? It’s only five dollars.”

“I don’t know how to play chess,” said Harry.

The man did not appear distressed by this negative reply. Instead, his face lit up and he said: “I’ll show you! Come over here.”

They went to a board where Herman first named all the pieces and then explained chess notation.

The setting of this story is more than sixty years ago, and English Descriptive Notation was almost always used. “Algebraic” was considered a foreign abberration.

Herman then started with the pawns. “The pawn moves forward and cannot move backward, but it captures diagonally.”

He then demonstrated the pawn moves, moving all sixteen of them one or two squares.

Herman then grabbed a white pawn and said: “This is pawn to king four.” He then grabbed a black pawn and said: “This is also pawn to king four, because you count from the side whose piece is moved. And this is pawn to king bishop four,” said Herman, followed by: “This is pawn takes pawn.”

“There is another rule about pawns,” said Herman. “It’s called capturing en passant.”

Herman then demonstrated en passant captures in other places in order to make it perfectly clear.

“I think I understand,” said Harry, but before Herman could say anything more they were interrupted by an announcement: “Fine is here!”

The players went to their respective boards and Herman ran off to introduce the master to the audience.

Another man approached Harry and said: “Hi! I’m George Koltanowski. We have only forty-six players, why don’t you play? It’s only five dollars.” “I don’t have five dollars,” said Harry. “Well, said George, “we paid Fine for playing fifty games, so you can play for free!”

“I really don’t know how to play,” said Harry. “Herman Steiner just began teaching me today.”

Mistaking this for the typical modesty of a beginner, George said, “You can have the white pieces, it won’t cost you anything!”, as he grabbed Harry’s arm and practically pushed him into a chair.

All Harry knew about chess was: White moves first and the pawns move forward, but capture diagonolly. And don’t forget the en passant rule!

So Harry played 1 P-K4, because that’s what Herman had played.

Fine came to Harry’s board and did NOT play 1 … P-K4, as Harry had expected, but played 1 … N-KB3.

This meant nothing to Harry, but he assumed that if he played 2 P-K5, he could then capture the knight on his next move.

But Fine played 2 … N-Q4. “that’s certainly strange,” thought Harry. He then considered possible pawn moves and decided that 3 P-Q4 looked nicest, because of the symmetry.

After everyone had settled, Herman walked around the tables and observed the games. He was surprised to see Harry sitting at a board and noticed that 1 P-K4 N-KB3; 2 P-K5 N-Q4; 3 P-Q4 had been played. “So!,” he thought, “Harry lied to me and he really does know how to play chess. Not a very good joke, but harmless.”

Fine quickly played 3 … N-QB3 and Herman winced. “That’s a mistake,” he thought.

Harry played 4 P-QB4, threatening pawn takes knight, and maintaining the neat appearance of his position.

Fine astonished Harry by playing 4 … N-N3. “Backwards!,” thought Harry. “Well, I may as well play 5 P-Q5, attacking the other knight, but I’m darned if I can guess where it will go.”

When Fine came to Harry’s board he stopped and realized that he had played too fast and had blundered earlier.

“Oh, well,” he thought, shrugged his shoulders and played 5 … NxKP.

Herman was right behind Fine and also saw that Harry could win a piece in a few moves.

“Darn!,” thought Harry. “Now I’m going to lose.” He was thinking of checkers, where you win by capturing all your opponent’s pieces.

By applying some heavy thought, Harry decided he knew how knights moved and captured! Therefore, Fine must be threatening 6 … NxBP. EITHER knight takes bishop pawn. Harry was pleased with himself at this intelligence, so he played 6 P-B5, not only saving his pawn from being captured, but threatening 7 pawn takes knight.

“Fine’s in trouble!,” someone said, and there was a rush of spectators to Harry’s board.

Some of them thought Fine was winning because he was a pawn ahead and also ahead in development: two knights to nothing.

When Fine stopped at the board and saw that the move he anticipated had been played by Harry, he quickly played 6 … N/N3-B5. Harry saw that he could play 7 pawn to queen knight three attacking a knight, or 7 pawn to king bishop four, attacking the other knight. As usual, his choice was determined by symmetry, and he played 7 P-B4.

When Fine stopped at Harry’s board and saw the move he had expected he smiled broadly, stuck out his hand, and said: “I resign!”

Harry shook hands with Fine and stood up, in a daze.

More spectators rushed to Harry’s board to see how he had defeated the master in less than ten moves!

Strangers congratulated Harry, pounded him on the back, and shook his hand.

Herman was so stupefied that, for one of the few times in his life, he was speechless!

Eventually Herman found his voice and said, accusingly: “I thought you didn’t know how to play chess.”

“I only know what you told me,” said Harry. “You’re a great teacher!”

(Apparently those moves were played in the game, Harry Borochow – Reuben Fine, Pasadena 1932 International Tournament, which continued, 7 … P-K3; 8 Q-Q4 Q-R5ch; 9 P-KN3 Q-R3; 10 N-QB3 Black resigns.)

Sol Rogovin, the chess club champion, had not been able to play in the simultaneous, but when he arrived to watch the games he was told the stunning news of Harry’s victory.

“Hi!, I’m Sol Rogovin,” he said to Harry, “let’s play a game.” Harry protested, but Sol insisted and dragged Harry to a table away from the simultaneous games.

Harry had white again and played 1 P-K4. Sol responded 1 … P-QB4 and Harry played 2 P-QN4. He was taken aback when Sol played 2 … PxP, and still being confused played 3 P-QR3. Sol played 3 … NQB3 and Harry recalled how the pawn captures and played 4 PxP. Sol played 4 … N-B3 and Harry saw a chance to attack a knight and played 5 P-N5. there followed a sequence of Harry chasing the knights with pawns: 5 .. N-Q5; 6 P-QB3 N-K3; 7 P-K5 N-Q4; 8 P-QB4 N/4-B5; 9 P-N3 N-N3; 10 P-B4.

Herman had wandered over and was astonished to see that Harry was going to win a piece. “He must be a foreign master,” thought Herman.

Sol saw that he had to lose a piece and played 10 … N/N3xBP and after 11 PxN NxP; 12 P-Q4 N-N3; 13 P-R4 P-K3; 14 P-R5, he played 14 … BN5ch. Of course that meant nothing to Harry so he played 15 PxN. “You’re in check,” said Sol, but Harry didn’t move and had a blank expression on his face.

Herman realized that he had been wrong and Harry didn’t know anything about chess except how the pawns move. So he said: “Harry, I know you don’t want to leave when you’re winning, but didn’t you say you couldn’t stay long?” Harry took the hint and said: “I forgot. Excuse me, but I have an appointment,” and swiftly departed.

Herman sat down and finished the game in masterly fashion: 15 B-Q2 BxBch; 16 NxB N-K2; 17 N-K4 N-B4; 18 P-R6 P-KN3; 19 N-B6ch K-B1; 20 N-B3 P-Q3; 21 N-N5 PxP; 22 PxP QxQch; 23 RxQ K-K2; 24 R-R3 P-N3; 25 B-N2 R-QN1; 26 N/5xRP Black resigns. (That was Frank Marshall – H. Rogosin, Marshall Chess Club Championship, 1940.)

After that auspicious start, did Harry become an International Master, or at least a U.S. Master? NO! Never again did he play chess, because it was too easy! Not at all like checkers, which was very difficult and complicated.

]]> http://isolanis.com/2007/01/short-story-beginners-luck/feed/ 0 Robert Burnt, New Yonkers Times–Game Of The Week: The Greatest Game Ever Played http://isolanis.com/2007/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-the-greatest-game-ever-played/ http://isolanis.com/2007/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-the-greatest-game-ever-played/#comments Fri, 12 Jan 2007 23:01:56 +0000 Robert Burnt http://isolanis.com/2007/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-the-greatest-game-ever-played/ This game, published in “Developments in the King’s Gambit 1980–88″ (Quadrant Marketing Ltd. 1988) features perhaps the most ferocious opening line in chess. The Muzio is Muzio enough, but the sac on move eight in this line takes chess opening aggression to new heights. Look now upon such contest as has a permanent place in the annals of chess literature.

[Click for floating game board.]

O’Kelly Memorial (Postal), 1987

Lebedev/Normant

  1. e4 e5
  2. f4 ef
  3. Nf3 g5
  4. Bc4 g4
  5. 0-0 gf
  6. Qxf3 Qf6
  7. e5 Qxe5
  8. Bxf7 Kxf7
  9. d4 Qxd4
  10. Be3 Qf6
  11. Bxf4 Bg7
  12. Qh5+ Qg6
  13. Bxc7+ Nf6
  14. Qd5+ Kf8
  15. Bd6+ Ke8
  16. Re1+ Kd8
  17. Qe5

1–0

]]> http://isolanis.com/2007/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-the-greatest-game-ever-played/feed/ 1 Robert Burnt, New Yonkers Times–Game Of The Week: Belgian Cheese Tart http://isolanis.com/2007/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-belgian-cheese-tart/ http://isolanis.com/2007/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-belgian-cheese-tart/#comments Sat, 06 Jan 2007 19:33:19 +0000 Robert Burnt http://isolanis.com/2007/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-belgian-cheese-tart/ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cheese, sugar and lemon juice until the mixture is light and fluffy. >Add the eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat until very smooth after the last addition. >Stir in the cream and pour mixture into [...]]]> >Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cheese, sugar and lemon juice until the mixture is light and fluffy.

>Add the eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat until very smooth after the last addition.

>Stir in the cream and pour mixture into the prepared crust. Brush the top of the tart with an egg and 1 TBLS of confectioners sugar.

>Bake for 25 minutes or until set. Cool to room temperature and then chill before serving.

If that sounds like too much trouble, just follow the thirteen steps given below.

Belgian Championship
Liege, Belgium,1934
White: Feuer
Black: O’Kelly de Galway
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.Bxc6+ bxc6 6.d4 f6 7.Nc3 Rb8 8.Qd3 Ne7 9.Be3 Rxb2 10.dxe5 fxe5 11.Nxe5 dxe5 12.Qxd8+ Kxd8 13.O-O-O+ 1-0

[Click for floating game board.]

]]> http://isolanis.com/2007/01/robert-burnt-new-yonkers-times-game-of-the-week-belgian-cheese-tart/feed/ 0