R A D I O     M A T C H     R E V I E W E D

 

 The games of the U.S.A.- U.S.S.R Radio Match are re-
published with annotations b y the American players.
The second part of this series will appear next month.

 3.    MY GAMES WITH BOLESLAVSKY

                        by Reuben Fine

CHESS REVIEW NOVEMBER 1945

34 P-B5                    . . . .

Almost wins. 34 Kt-Q5. KtxKt; 35 BxKt, QxP; 36 QxP, Q-B3 is another line where Black escapes by a hair.

  There was, however, an alternative which might have worked out better than the variation I chose: 34 P-R4 (to prevent ... P- Kt4 after P-B5). If then 34…QxP, not 35 P-B5, Kt~R2, but simply 35 RxP! and Black will have to fight hard to defend himself. But it would require a great deal of painstaking analysis to demonstrate a forced win. Certainly, in time pressure, the text looked Just as good; in fact, it does compel Black to defend perfectly for a long time, but it so happens that there is always one move just good enough to hold the game.  

34 . . . .                 Kt-R2
35 Q-Kt4             P-Kt4
36 Kt-Q5             Q-Q1
 

On 36 ... QxP; 37 P-R4 opens the Kt file immediately. 

37 P-R4                RxP
38 B-K3                
. . . .

To open the Kt file. On 38 R-Q3, RxP;
39 R-KKt3, B-K4! is sufficient.

38 . . . .                PxP
39 B-R6            BxKt

Forced. 

40 BxBch          K-R1 

Here the game was adjourned, Despite exhaustive study, I was unable to find any willing continuation.

41 B-B1              . . . .

 

 Everything else fails by a narrow margin. On  41 Q-R5, Kt-B3; 42 BxBch. KxB; 43 QKt6ch;  K-B1! (not –43 … K-Rl;  44 B-B7) is sufficient. 41 Q-Kt6 is met by 41 ... R-Kt1, threatening ... Q-B3.   Most interesting is 41 R-K6, BxB; 42 R(Ql)-K-1! (not 42 RxB, R-Kt2; 43 R-Kt6, RxR; 44 PxR, Q-Kt4!), but here too, 42 ...R-Ktl;  ,43 RxB, R-KKt2; 44 R-Kt6, QKt4!! is enough. And in all these variations, if Black gets to the endgame unmolested, he is two  Pawns ahead and should win. 

41 . . . .                RKt5

  Only. On 41…. R-QB7; 42 Q-K4 wins at once. 

42 Q-R5              B-K4
43 K-R1               . . . .  

The tempting 43 B-R6 is met by 43 …Kt-B3! 

43 . . . .               RQ5 

  Boleslavsky defends superbly.

 

44 RxR                 PxR
  45 B-KB4             . . . .
 

Another crisis in a game of crises. The threat is of course RxB. 

  45 . . . .               P-Q6 

Again best. If instead 45, .. R-K2?; 46 B-Kt5, Q-Kl; 47 B-B6ch! decides, while if 45 ... R-KKt2; 46 B-R6, R-Kt6; 47 R-QKt1, R-R6ch; 48 K-Kt2, R-Kt6ch; 49 K-B1, Q-QB1; 50 R-Kt7!  B-Kt2!; 51 Q-B7, Q-Bl (extraordinary that Black has no checks); 52 BxBch,  RxB; 53 QxQch, KtxQ; 54 R-Kt8 and wins a piece or the exchange, with a probable endgame win. 

46 P-B6                . . . .

Enforced liquidation.  46 RxB, PxR; 47 BxPch, R-Kt2; 48 Q-B7, Q-KB1 fails because of Black's QP. 

46…..                P-Q7
47 BxP               QxP

48 R-QB1        Q-B1
49 QxP            . . . .   

To threaten Q-R3. But the defense has become easy. 

49 . . . .             R-QB2!
50 R-KKt1      R-KKt2

51
RxR            . . . .       

Or 51. R-Ktl, Q-BI.
Drawn. A fascinating game.


Isaac Boleslavsky            Reuben Fine

 In the first game, Boleslavsky defends a desperate position with resourceful tenacity. The return encounter sees Fine losing virtually in the opening stage. – Ed.

 

KING’S INDIAN DEFENSE

     R.Fine                  Boleslavsky

  White                  Black     

1 P-Q4               Kt-KB3

2 P-QB4                P-Q3

  The Old Indian, or Tchigorin Defense, which Boleslavsky is quite fond of. 

3 P-KKt3                . . . .

  To transform to the regular King's Indian. 3 Kt-QB3. P-K4; 4 PxP, PxP; 5 QxQ ch, tried in some Soviet tournaments does not look good.  

 3 . . . .                   P-KKt3
4 B-Kt2               B-Kt2   
5 P-K4                  . . . .     

  5 Kt-KB3, to hold….P-K4 off for a few moves, may be better.

5 . . . .                 O-O
6 Kt-K2             P-K4
7 O-O                . . . .   

7 . . . .       PxP

This move took me by surprise. Black cannot afford to give up the center In this variation unless he can obtain adequate counterplay against the KP or the QBP. From now on the struggle is between White's attempt to develop normally and

take advantage of his superior Pawn position, and Black's efforts to maintain enough  tactical threats  to spoil White’s plans. 

8 KtxP                    KtB3 

  First disruption  : White cannot play his QKt out to B3 because of ….KtxKP. 

9 Kt-B2               . . . .    

At this point I must confess that an overdose of  simultaneous exhibitions and an underdose of serious tournament chess in the past few years combined to make me overconfident. In such positions it is essential to balance White's developmental possibilities against Black’s interruptions and only serious practice against first class opposition can provide the necessary judgment. 9 KtxKt looked very tempting but after 9 ... PxKt; 10 P-K5, PxP; 11 BxP, B-R6! Black seems to get out. 

9 . . . .              B-K3
10 Kt-K3          . . . .   
 

Since White's QKt has to go to R3 anyhow later, I could just as well have played 
10 QKt-R3 at once; the Kt is uncomfortable at K3.
 

10 . . . .              Kt-K4
11 Kt-R3            . . . .
 

On 11 Q-B2, or 11 Q-K2, KKt-Kt5 again follows, with serious threats all over. 

        11 . . . .                  Kt(B3)-Kt5
12 Kt-Q5               . . . .     

To avoid exchanges. On 12 KtxKt. KtxKt;
13 R-Kt1, P-KB4 Black’s initiative is very strong.
 

  12 . . . .              P-QB3
13 Kt-B4          B-B1 

The Pawn is immune because Black’s KKt is loose. 

14 B-Q2          . . . .

 

 

 

 

 


 

White maintains the better Pawn position but the price is awkward development. 

   14 . . . .              P-KB4
15 Q-Kt3          PxP   
  16 BxP              Kt-B3
17 B-Kt2           . . . .  

White still has most of the pressure; If his Knights were better placed, he would have a won game. 

17. . . .           Q-B2
18 QR-Q1      . . . .

  To keep an eye on the QP; 18 QR-K1 was a good alternative. 

  18 . . . .                     B-Kt5
19 P-B3                  B-B4
   20 B-Kt4                Kt-B2 

Not 20…QR-Q1?; 21 BxP and P-B5 ch. 

21 P-Kt4          . . . .

The capture of the QP now is not advantageous; there would follow 21 BxP, KtxB; 22 RxKt, P-KKt4; 23  P-B55 ch, K-Rl; 24 Kt-K6, BxKt; 25 RxB (or 25 QxB, Q-R4). Kt-Q4 and Black's pieces are all ideally placed-the extra Pawn is worthless.

21 . . . .               B-Q2 

A fantastically complicated position. All along there are tantalizing alternatives, many of which seem to win. but none have subsequently been confirmed by exact analysis. 

22 Kt-B2       . . . .

Aiming for K6. On 22 P-Kt5, Kt-Kl (threatening ... KtxKtP) 23 P-R4 is met by 23 ... Q-Kt3ch. If then 24 P-B5, PxP; 25RxB, PxBch;  26 K-Rl. PxKt and we must conclude that the attack is not worth apiece.

22  . . . .          P-QR4 

An energetic counter-attack. 

23 B-K1               P-R5
24 Q-Kt4         P-QKt4! 

He is determined to obtain some real counterplay  against White's Q-side. It was impossible here to foresee whether the subsequent weakening of the Pawns could be tolerated by Black or not; that  Boleslavsky chose the line anyhow is indicative of his style and temperament. 

25 PxP        Q-Kt3ch
26 B-B2              P-B4
 

The point. Black regains the Pawn and can apply pressure along the QKt file. 

27 KR-K1        KR-Kt1
28 Q-Q2         BxQKtP
 

With excellent judgment. On 28 ... QxP; 29 B-BI, QxP; 30 B-B4 is extremely difficult to meet. 

29 P-Kt5            . . . .

Obviously White's course must be a K·side attack. 

29 . . . .              KtxP
30 KtxP             . . . .

30 Kt-Q5 fails against 30 KtxKt; 31 QxKtch, Kt-B2; 32 R-K7, B-Kl, From here on the game is full of such intriguing combinations which fail by one move. 

30 . . . .           PxKt
31 QxKt         B-K1
32 P-B4         R-R2 

The sacrifice of the exchange is not advisable. On 32 ... QxP there would follow 33 BxR, RxB; 34 RxP! 

33 Kt-K3          B-B2

 


The authoritative notes to the USA-USSR Radio Match games in this series were prepared exclusively for CHESS REVIEW by members of the United States team. 

 

CHESS REVIEW, NOVEMBER, 1945     


RUY LOPEZ

I. Boleslavsky             R.Fine     

    White                    Black

1 P-K4                   P-K4   
    2 Kt-KB3              Kt-QB3  
  3 B-Kt5                 P-QR3
4 B-R4                  B-Q3  
5 P-B4                   B-Q2  
   6  Kt-B3                P-KKt3

   A risky defense, which I adopted chiefly because of the score.

7 P-Q4                 PxP
8 KtxP             B-Kt2
9 KtxKt              ……
 

  With a view to the subsequent advance of the BP. 9 B-K3 is a good alternative. 

9…..              PxKt?

  After this Black gets much of the worse of it. 9….BxKt was essential, with fair prospects. 

10 O-O               Kt-K2   

11 P-B5!                       …. 

This seems to win by force, and refute Black’s opening completely.

11 …..                     Kt-B1 

11 ... PxP; 12 B-K3 is no better. 

12 B-K3                O-O
13 Q-Q2                Q-K2  

 

 

 

Desperately trying to get some air. 

14 QR-Q1            B-K1
15  P-B4                P-B4
 

To allow P-B5 would have been suicidal. 

16 KPxP               KtPxP
17 KR-K1                ….. ..

Black has freed his game slightly, but the Kt and QR are still badly misplaced. 

17…..                    PxP
18 Q-KB2             …...  

Simplest and best.

18…….            Kt-Q3
19 QBxP           Q-Q1
20 B-Q4                ….
 

  Threatening B-K5.

20…..                  BxB
21 QxB              Q-B3 

The endgame offers some hope although it is theoretically lost.

22 B-Kt3ch              …..

Not 22 QxQ, RxQ; 23 R-K7, R-B2; 24 B-Kt3, K-B1! 

22 . . . .                   K-R1
23 QxQch               RxQ
24 R-K7             R-QB1
 

The Pawn itself is of little importance, but there is no good way to give it up. 

25 R(1)-K1         B-Kt3 

The best drawing chance is all ending with R and B vs. R  and B. On 25.,.B-B 2; 26 BxB, RxB; 27 RxR, KtxR; 28 R-K7, K-Kt2;  29 Kt-R4 maintains the Rook on the seventh, which is enough to will. 

26 R(1)-K6            RxR 

Or 26 ... R(3)-Bl; 27 R-K5.

27 BxR                R-K1 

If 27 ... R-QKtl;  23 P-Kt3 follows. 

28 RxRch                BxR
29 Kt-R4               ……. 

 

 

Fixing the Q·side Pawns once and for all. Black, has not managed to get a drawable endgame, and with the bad Pawns on the Q-side the remainder is relatively simple. 

29 ….              K-Kt2
30
Kt-B5       P-QR4
31 K-B2            B-B2


Hoping for ... Kt-K5ch: ,32 KtxKt, BxB. 

32 BxB                 KxB
33 P-QKt3         P-R4
34 P-Kt3             K-K2
35 K-K3          Kt_Kt4
36 Kt-Kt7           P-B4 

A last gasp. 

37 KtxRP         K-Q3
38 Kt-B4ch      K-Q4
39 K-Q3         Kt-Q3
40 KtxKt         ……..
 

Surprising but accurate. 

40 ..…              PxKt

41 P-QR3          ….

The sealed move, which was radioed "open for my inspection." Against a careless continuation such as 41 K-K3, K-B3; 42 K-B3, P-Q4 Black may very well draw, but after the text the Q·side Pawns will be liquidated and White will win on the K-side.  

41 . . . .                      Resigns. 

 

I have lost such games only to the very  greatest masters.


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