CHESS
Classics
Raymond Keene
Aknowledge of the classic games by grandmasters of the past is an essential part of the armoury of any strong player. This year's Watson, Farley and Williams GM tournament (category 11), also supported by the City of London Corporation, got under way last week in the splendid setting of the Guildhall in the City of London. In the very first round Julian Hodgson and Murray Chandler virtually re-enacted a curious scenario from one of the most famous encounters of the 1934 world championship between Alekhine and Bogolyubov.
Hodgson — Chandler: Watson, Farley and Williams; April 1990.
1 d4 e6 2 e4 d5 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 5 f4 c5 This is the Steinitz variation against the French De- fence. The battle lines are clearly drawn. White has an evident advantage in the centre and on the king side but Black has a more or less free hand on the queen's wing. 6 Nf3 Nc6 7 Be3 a6 8 Position after 17 bxa3 Qd2 b5 9 a3 Bb7 10 Qf2 Qa5 11 Rat A bizarre conception. Hodgson is the only player I know who would have the courage to play such a weird move. The idea is to be able to meet Black's threat of 11 . . . b4 with 12 axb4 since White's queen's rook is now protected. 11 . Qb6 12 Net b4 13 Nd2 The beginning of a tortuous defensive manoeuvre, the necessity for which indicates that Black has won the opening skir- mish. 13 . . . a5 14 Nb3 c4 15 Nd2 Ba6 16 c3 bxa3 17 bxa3 (Diagram) Here is the position which calls to mind a game from the Alekhine- Bogolyubov match of 1934. In the similar situation Alekhine described his bishop sacrifice as one of the rare 'original combinations'. 17 . . . Bxa3! This blow wins an important pawn for if 18 Rxa3 Qb2 19 Ra4 Bb5 and White must lose his rook. In view of the loss of this key pawn White must now play va banque against Black's king. 18 g4 Be7 An interesting idea at this point is the sacrifice 18 . . . NM 19 Rxa2 Nc2+ or 19 cxb4 axb4 with a rampant mass of pawns. 19 f5 Qd8 This commits Black to castling king side. Indeed, given the open 'b' file, castling on the queen side would also be perilous. 20 Bg2 Bh4 21 Ng3 0-0 22 Nf3 Rb8 23 0-0 Rb3 24 Bd2 Bc8 25 f6 Possibly premature. It would be more effec- tive, for reasons which will soon become appa- rent, to preface this thrust with 25 Khl . 25 . . . Bxg3 26 Qxg3 gxf6 27 exf6 Nxf6? After this White's attack plays itself. The best defence resides in 27 . . . Qxf6. Chandler doubtless re- jected this because of 28 Ne5 apparently winning material. In that case however Black has the startling riposte 28 . . . Nxd4! meeting 29 Rxf6 with 29 . . . Ne2+ or 29 cxd4 with 29 . . . Rxg3 30 Rxf6 Rxg2+. 28 Ng5 h6 29 Qh4 Nxg4 30 Qxg4 f5 31 Qh5 hxg5 32 Qg6+ Kh8 33 Bxg5 Qe8 34 Bf6+ Rxf6 35 Qxe8+ Black resigns.
Bogolyubov — Alekhine: 17th world cham- pionship match game; Kissenger 1934.
Here is the Alekhine game which so strikingly foreshadows Hodgson — Chandler. Alekhine launched out with 16 . . . Bxa3! A brilliant move. If instead 16 . . . c3 17 b4 or 16 . . . Qxb2 17 0-0 with compensation for the lost pawns. 17 0-0 There is no choice as 17 Rxa3 Qxb2 18 Ra5 Qb4+ 19 Bd2 c3 wins easily for Black. Alternatively 17 bxa3 Qc3+ is also decisive. 17 . . . Bxb2 18 Rael Bf5 19 g4 Be4 20 f5 Nb7 21 Nf4 0-0-0 This is the saving grace. The solidity of Black's queen side means that the black king can escape the danger zone. 22 Qg3 g5 23 fxg6 fxg6 24 Bdl Qc3 25 Ne6 Rde8 26 Rf6 Re7 27 Refl Rhe8 28 Nf4 Nd8 29 Qf2 Qa3 30 Bf3 Bxf3 31 Qxt3 g5 32 Net Re6 33 Rf5 Qd3 34 h4 Rg6 35 h5 Rge6 36 Qf2 c5 37 Rf3 Qc2 38 Qel Nc6 39 R1f2 Qe4 40 Ng3 Qxg4 41 Kg2 Bxd4 White resigns.
Leading scores after six rounds of the Watson, Farley and Williams tournament are: Larsen 5, Hodgson and Wolff (US) 4, Adams 31/2.
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