David vs Goliath Chess (eBook)

Chapter Two:

When Titans Fall

1
Walter Grimshaw – Wilhelm Steinitz

London 1870

Scotch Game, Steinitz Variation C45

Few tournament players will recognize the name Walter Grimshaw. But every lover of composed problems certainly would.

His fame is secured by the “Grimshaw theme”: Black pieces are forced to interfere with one another and allow a mating move. Grimshaw is also credited with winning the first-ever problem solving tournament in Great Britain, in London in 1854.

But he was also a strong over-the-board player, as this game attests. It was apparently played at the celebrated London chess hangout Simpson’s Divan.

1 e4 e5 2 ♘f3 ♘c6 3 d4 exd4 4 ♘xd4 ♕h4

This last move was a Steinitz specialty that is periodically revived.

It violates general opening principles. But as 19th century players knew well, abstract notions about a position are always secondary to what’s happening on the board. In this case, Black’s threat of 5 ... ♕xe4+ takes center stage.

5 ♘b5!

Play actively! Grimshaw’s move ignored Black’s threat by making a bigger threat (6 ♘xc7+).

If White were following the general principles that Black violated, he would choose 5 ♘c3.

Then the 5 ... ♗b4 pin renews the ... ♕xe4+ threat. Black would stand well after 6 ♘b5? ♗a5.

Better is 6 ♗e2 ♕xe4 7 ♘b5 ♗xc3+ 8 bxc3 ♔d8, when Black has a better version of what happens in the game

Bear in mind that Steinitz was well aware of 5 ♘b5. Databases show that he eventually defended this position at least nine times. He scored seven wins and one draw, with only one loss.

5 ... ♕xe4+? 6 ♗e3

Today 6 ♗e2 is more popular. Steinitz liked to meet that with 6 ... ♗b4+ and, if 7 ♗d2, then 7 ... ♔d8.

6 ... ♗b4+ 7 ♘d2!

This is superior to 7 c3 because if Black defends c7 with 7 ... ♕e5?, he stumbles into 8 c3 and 9 ♘c4!.

Also 7 ... ♔d8? loses the bishop to 8 c3!, because 9 ♘xe4 is the main threat.

7 ... ♗xd2+ 8 ♕xd2 ♔d8

Steinitz is credited with saying that an extra pawn is worth a little trouble. But it’s hard to imagine how he thought he could complete development. He was betrayed by over-confidence in his own opening and chess philosophy.

9 0-0-0 ♕e6

This would have been the shortest loss by a world champion after 9 ... d6?? 10 ♘xc7! resigns.

Steinitz’s move protects the key d6 square and eyes ... ♕xa2. But White has been ignoring Black’s threats since 5 ♘b5! and he can continue to do so.

10 ♗f4! d6 11 ♗xd6!

White also wins after 11 ♘xc7 ♔xc7 12 ♗xd6+ (12 ... ♔b6 13 ♕c3! and 12 ... ♔d8 13 ♗f8+ and ♗xg7 or 13 ♗b5). But the text is more punishing.

11 ... cxd6 12 ♘xd6

Some computers prefer 12 ♕g5+ followed by ♖xd6+ or ♕xg7. The text allows Black to play a lost endgame after 12 ... ♔c7 13 ♗c4 ♕h6 14 ♘xf7 ♕xd2+.

12 ... ♕xa2

But Steinitz evidently wanted the game over. White can mate in nine moves with 13 ♘xc8+ or in six (if Black meets 13 ♘b5+ with 13 ... ♕d5).

13 ♘b5+! ♔e8 14 ♘c7+ ♔f8 15 ♕d6+ ♘ge7 16 ♕d8+! ♘xd8 17 ♖xd8 mate

This game was so embarrassing that in later years Steinitz repeatedly used his International Chess Magazine to deny that it happened. “Bogus manufactured forgery” were his words. However, eyewitnesses eventually stepped forward to say, yes, it occurred. They all saw a Goliath mated in 17 moves.

2
Milton Otteson – Bobby Fischer

Milwaukee 1957

Reti Opening A05

Bobby Fischer had already earned international fame with his “Game of the Century” in 1956. He was a month away from winning the US Open when he played this game in a holiday weekend tournament.

He began it impressively, outplaying his opponent in the opening, seizing a positional advantage by move 12 and then a slight material edge five moves later.

But Fischer’s Achilles heel was a tendency to relax when he felt his position was won. His opponent capitalized on this complacency.

1 ♘f3 ♘f6 2 g3 g6 3 b4 ♗g7 4 ♗b2 0-0 5 ♗g2 d6 6 d4 e5!

This is a good way of handling this and the similar positions with 3 b3. Black threatens to gain space and a small edge with 7 ... e4.

7 dxe5 ♘g4 8 ♘bd2

8 ... ♘c6!

Fischer’s choice is more ambitious than 8 ... ♘xe5 9 ♘xe5 dxe5 (or 8 ... dxe5 9 h3 e4 10 ♗xg7 exf3 11 ♘xf3). Fischer scored 6-1 in his other games in this tournament and was seeking more than equality in this one.

9 b5 ♘cxe5 10 ♘xe5 ♘xe5 11 0-0

His goal was to win the two-bishop edge with ... ♘f3+ followed by ... ♗xb2.

If White protects his b2-bishop, 11 ♖b1, he runs into other problems, such as 11 ... a6! 12 a4 axb5 13 axb5 ♕e8! (14 c4? ♘d3+).

11 ... ♘f3+! 12 ♗xf3! ♗xb2 13 ♖b1 ♗g7 14 ♘c4

Black would like to complete development quietly. But after 14 ... ♗e6 15 ♘a5! his queenside comes under fire.

14 ... ♗h3! 15 ♖e1 ♗c3

Black wants to convert the “2Bs” into a harder currency, the Exchange. He would also have good winning chances after 16 ♘d2 ♗e6 17 a4 d5 or 17 ♗xb7 ♖b8, for example.

16 ♗xb7!? ♗xe1 17 ♕xe1

Now 17 ♗xa8?? ♕xa8 loses a piece because of the threat of ... ♕g2 mate.

17 ... ♖b8 18 ♗f3 ♕g5 19 a4

Does a trade of bishops help White or Black? The answer is Black in variations such as 19 ... ♗g4 20 ♗xg4? ♕xg4.

But from now White has the good square c6 – and later d5 – for his bishop. Preserving material (19 ... ♗g4 20 ♗c6!) preserves his chances to make matters more double-edged.

19 ... ♕c5 20 ♘e3 ♗e6!

Black’s rooks can’t act like rooks and that means the extra Exchange isn’t significant yet. For example, 20 ... ♖fe8 21 ♘d5 ♔g7 looks right, to rule out ♘f6+ tricks.

But then 22 ♖b3! followed by 23 ♕a1+ or 23 ♖c3 is suddenly looking good for White.

21 c4! a6?

Not 21 ... ♗xc4?? 22 ♖c1! d5 23 ♗xd5. It’s not clear what Fischer had in mind since a pawn exchange on b5 will hand his opponent an outside passed pawn.

22 ♖d1 axb5 23 cxb5! ♗b3 24 ♖c1 ♕d4

Suddenly White is better. Or he would have been, if he had realized the value of his passed pawn.

With 25 ♗c6! it would threaten to advance to a6. For instance 25 ... f5 26 a5 f4 27 gxf4 ♖xf4 28 a6.

To play 25 ♗c6! he would have to see the tactics that protect the a-pawn.

They are 25 ... ♗xa4 26 ♖c4 ♕a7 27 ♕a1! and 25 ... ♕xa4 26 b6!, threatening ♗xa4 or bxc7.

Instead, he opted for another anti-Goliath strategy, making threats on the opposite wing.

25 ♖xc7!? ♕xa4 26 ♕c3

Now a capture on b5 permits 27 ♘g4! followed by ♘h6 mate or a strong ♘f6+. The position is getting murky.

26 ... ♗e6 27 ♗c6 ♖fc8

When his position declines, a Goliath sets traps.

This is a...