CHESS
Great tradition
Raymond Keene
THIS week I conclude my four-week survey of the best of current UK chess publishing. There is little doubt in my mind that Dr John Nunn, having more or less given up his active chess career among the world's elite, has now graduated to become the most authoritative book writer on the game. A steady stream of literature both from his own specialist company, Gambit Publishing, and occasionally from other publishing houses such as Robinson and Everyman has established Nunn as a consistently lucid and painstaking author. More or less everything he writes is checked by computer analysis, so that there is a guarantee of accuracy as well as entertainment.
Among those books in the past which I have admired most are collections of anno- tated games produced by the duo of Tartakower (the grandmaster) and Du Mont (the chess journalist). Their seminal work was 500 Master Games of Chess, but they also produced sequels including books of short games. To my mind the best way for most players to improve is to study complete games by the experts with good explanatory notes. Tartakower and Du Mont achieved this and now Nunn is following in their foot- steps. This week's two games are taken from Nunn's anthology of brief wins, and it is notable that a quick victory can be achieved by active defence just as much as by persis- tent attack. The first game shows precise defence triumphing while in the second the momentum of the attack breaks through in spectacular fashion.
Timman–Polugaevsky: Tilburg 1983; Nimzo- Indian Defence
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 BM 4 e3 c5 5 Bd3 0-0 6 a3 Bxc3+ 7 bxc3 Nc6 8 Ne2 b6 9 e4 Nell 10 0-0 Bab 11 f4 Na5 12 f5 f613 Nf4 cxd4 14 Qh5 exf5 15 exf5 White plays for mate but this is too ambitious. He should have continued 15 Qx(.5 Nd6 16 Qd5+ Nf7 17 cxd4 Rc8, when White's active pieces give him fair compensation for the coming loss of the c-pawn. 15 ...Nd6l Cool defence, clearing e8 for the black queen. Occupying this square will not only force White to spend a tempo avoiding the queen exchange but the action of Black's queen along the e-file will provide counterplay. 16 Rf3 Qe8 17 Ng6 Bxc4 The cavalry (clergy actually) arrives just in time; Black is threatening 18 Bxd3 19 Rxd3 Rel mate, so White has to interrupt his attack. 18 Bf4 18 Bxc4+ Naxc4 19 cxd4 Nxf5 20 QxfS hxg6 leaves White with little to show for the two pawns. 18 ...Bxd3 Now the bishop bears down on the g6-square and the attack collapses. 19 11113 The last desperate chance, as 19 Bxd6 hxg6 and 19 Rxd3 NxfS are easily winning for Black. 19 ...WS Not 19 ... h6 20 Rxd3 and White is suddenly better. 20 Qxh7+ White finally breaks through to h7, but the cost has been too high. 20 ...K17 21 Rg3 Ne4 22 Ne5+ Ke6 White resigns White will be at least a piece and two pawns down.
Shabalov–Stefansson: Winnipeg 1997; Nimzo-Indian Defence 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e3 0-0 5 Bd3 d5 6 ND c5 7 0.0 Nc6 8 a3 Bxc3 9 bxc3 Qc7 10 h3 dxc4
11 Bxc4 b6 11 ... e5 12 Bat transposes to a main line, but Black pursues an independent course.
12 Qe2 Removing the queen from the potentially dangerous d-file and preparing e4. 12 ... Bb7 12 Rd8 13 e4 ocd4 14 e5 Ne8 15 Bg5 gives White a dangerous initiative for the pawn. 13 e4 cxd4 14 e5 Na5 This is obviously hazardous, but the real mistake only comes later. 15 exth Qxc4 16 Qe5 Qd3 Black is taking too many risks. 16 ... Qd5 17 Qg3 g6 is better. 17 Nh4 Be4
17 ...g6 is ugly, but essential. 18 Bh6!! It is not often that a piece is developed in such spectacu- lar style. White threatens Bxg7 and cuts out the defence 18 ...g6. Not 18 fx,g7 Rfc8 when the kingside attack is blocked. 18 ...gxh6 19 Rfdl Qc4 White wins after 19 ...Nc4 20 Qf4 or 19 ...Qc2 20 Racl. 20 Rxd4 Qxc3 21 Radl Kh8 Or 21 ...Bg6 22 Qf4 Kh8 23 Qxh6 Rg8 24 Nxg6+ mating after 24 ...Rxg6 25 Rd8+ or 24 ... fxg6 25 Qxh7+. 22 Qxe4 Threatening 23 Qxa8. 22 ...Qxa3 23 NI3 Nb3 24 R4d3 Black resigns Black cannot prevent 25 Qe3, attacking h3 and h6.
The notes above are based on those by John Nunn in 101 Brilliant Chess Miniatures, published by Gambit Publications (£13.99).
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