Draws the highest form of chess?

Press, 26 November 1987, Page 41

Draws the highest form of chess?

By MICHAEL ROCKS The gremlins have struck again. In last week’s column there appeared the following diagram from game five of the current world championship match:

What should have followed it was this: Karpov as White had just played 36 Bel. Kasparov continued 36 ... Qd7 37 Qxa6 Rai 38 Qxg6ch and resigned. However, Black could have saved the game by playing 36 ... Rai 37 Qc4 (not 37 Rxal? Qxg4 mate) Qxg4ch 38 Qxg4 hxg4ch 39 Rxg4 Kf7. Drawn games have a poor press. Far too often the result is reached without a fight — the players do not want to play chess, but score half a point. Wolfgang Heidenfeld in his book, “Draw!”, has chosen 64 games that are both well-fought and free from major error. These games, as Heidenfeld claims in his introduction, may constitute the highest form of chess. Where every brilliant attack finds an equally brilliant parry, where each "unexpected” combination is in fact expected and therefore met successfully, we have no victor and no vanquished. The following game, No. 41 in the book, was played in the 1958 Burewestnlk club championship. The notes are

based on those of Heidenfeld. QUEEN’S GAMBIT DECLINED White: Berezin Black: Zhuravlev 1. Nf3 Nc6 2. d 4 d 5 3. c 4 Bg4 ’ The Chigorin variation. 4. cxds Bxf3 5. gxf3 Qxds 6. e 3 e 6 This is how Chigorin himself treated the line. His great contemporary, Schiffers, preferred the immediate 6 ... e 5. Both are playable. 7. Nc3 Qhs 8. f 4 The exchange of Queens would be in White’s interest, for the more major pieces that come off the board, the stronger is the potential force of the pair of Bishops, especially after an eventual advance of the e-pawn has safeguarded squares d 5 and f 5 against occupation by a hostile Knight. But to bring this about is not easy. 8. ... Qh4 9. Bg2 .Nge7 10. Bd2 0-0-0 11. Rcl A logical attack aimed at the Black King position, which finds a surprising refutation, however. 11. ... g 5! 12. fxgs Qxgs 13. Bf 3 RgB 14. Ne 4 Qg6 15. Ncs Nds 16. Qb3 White seems to have a tremendous attack and it looks as though Black will have to give up the second Bishop too (16 ... Bxcs), after which White would have an excellent game. And a move like 16 ... Nb 6 is not feasible

because of 17 Nxb7. But Black does not like Knights without reason. 16. ... Qglch! An “earthquake” The sacrifice must be accepted, for after 17 Ke2 Nf4ch 18 ef4 Nxd4ch 19 Ke3 Nxb3, Black could open an antique shop with all the pieces he is going to win. 17. Rxgl Rxglch 18. Ke2 Nf4ch 19. exf4 Nxd4ch 20. Ke3 Nfsch! Now, on the other hand, 20 ... Nxb3 would be answered by 21 Nxb3, and Black is on the red side of the ledger. But who says he has to get the Queen back? 21. Ke2 Not 21 Ke4 Rd4ch 22 Kes Bg7 mate. 21. ... Nd4ch 22. Ke3 Drawn by perpetual check. Solution to previous problem: Key: 1 Rdl If 1 ... Kc 3 2 f 7 mate If 1 ... Ke3 2 Qgl mate If 1 ... Kes 2 d 4 mate If 1 ... Kcs 2 Qgl mate

The study today is another by Alexis Toitzky. Composed in 1908, White is to play and win.