Shades of the Past
by Philip Hair
The following game was published in the New Zealand Chess Gazette of May 1st, 1938, under the above title, as the game was already some years old at the time. The title is even more appropriate now that another 82 years have passed. It is January 6th, 1932, and the last round of the New Zealand Championship is underway in Napier. Our focus is the game between W.J. Fairburn (White) and C.J.S. Purdy (Black). Not much is known about Fairburn; he competed in several New Zealand Chess Congresses in the 1920s and 1930s, often in the Championship (although on occasion he failed to qualify and played in what was known as the Consolation Tournament). He normally finished in the bottom half of the Championship, and his last New Zealand Championship was Timaru 1940/41. In contrast, C.J.S. Purdy is well known. He was a noted Australian chess player and writer, who gained the I.M. title and was also a grandmaster in correspondence chess. He won the World Correspondence Chess Championship in the early 1950s. Prior to the last round, Purdy was on 10 points from 12 games and Fairburn was on 5 points. Purdy needed to win this last game to gain the title of New Zealand Champion or at least tie for the title. Prior to 1934, any player (from any country) could win the NZ Championship title and several Australians did. So let’s look at how the game unfolded.
Fairburn - Purdy
NZ Championship 1932
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 c5 Purdy springs a surprise as early as the 2nd move; we are already getting well off the beaten track. This line is the Krause Variation of the Queen’s Pawn Game (also known as the Accelerated Tarrasch). It was analysed by the Danish player Orla Krause in the 1920s. Paul van der Sterren, in Fundamental Chess Openings, considers that with this second move, Black is ready to take the initiative. He is confronting White with the choice of either playing sharply or risking becoming submissive. For example, moves such as 3.e3 or 3.c3, although reasonable, are unlikely to lead to an opening advantage for White. Van der Sterren considers that White’s best chances are either with 3.c4 (aiming to enter the Queen’s Gambit) or the unclear 3.dxc5. Fairburn opts for the latter. 3.dxc5 The Gazette’s verdict on this move is: "Satisfactory, though not often played." 3...e6 Alternatives are (3...Qa5+ 4.Nbd2 Qxc5 5.e3 Nc6 6.a3 when White is slightly better, according to Euwe, or ) (3...Nf6 4.c4 e6 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Be3 Na6 7.g3 Bxc5 8.Bxc5 Nxc5 9.Bg2 O-O 10.O-O Bf5 11.Nc3 Re8 12.Nd4 Bg6 which led to a White advantage in Alekhine vs Kaufman, Odessa 1919. ) 4.b4 The Gazette states: "4.e4 is better". Van der Sterren also gives 4.e4 as the likely continuation. With the move played, the game resembles a reversed Queen’s Gambit Accepted (QGA) where White is attempting to remain a pawn up. In the QGA, Black cannot hang onto the gambit pawn without disadvantage. However, in the Reversed QGA, will the same apply? 4...a5 5.c3 b6 6.a4 Fairburn prepares to give back the pawn in exchange for a gain in space and a passed pawn on the queen’s side. 6...bxc5 (6...axb4 would be interesting, as after 7.cxb4 bxc5 8.b5 both sides have connected passed pawns. ) 7.b5 Nf6 8.Bg5 Nbd7 9.e3 h6 10.Bh4 Bb7 So far both players have developed logically. White has more space but Black is ahead in development. Probably best now is 11.Bd3 or 11.Nbd2, but Fairburn decides to attack Black’s centre while still undeveloped. It looks risky, but certainly sharpens the game. 11.c4 g5 The Gazette disapproves of Black’s last move: "This seems very doubtful." However, Fritz considers that it is Black’s best option. Black breaks the pin and activates his position. 12.Bg3 Bg7 13.Ra3 A cautious move. The Gazette comments: "Out of line of fire of the Bishops." Fritz gives the line (13.Nbd2 h5 14.cxd5 h4 15.dxe6 hxg3 16.exd7+ Nxd7 17.fxg3 g4 18.Nh4 Bxa1 19.Qxa1 Rh5 20.Be2 Ne5 when White has two pawns for the exchange but Black is very active; this seems to validate Fairburn’s caution. ) 13...Ne4 14.Nbd2 f5 This looks aggressive but may not be the strongest. Fritz prefers (14...Bc3 15.Bd3 Bb4 16.Ra2 Nxd2 17.Nxd2 dxc4 18.Bxc4 Bxg2 with advantage to Black. ) 15.Nxe4 dxe4 (15...fxe4 is a valid alternative: 16.Nd2 h5 17.h4 g4 18.Be2 O-O 19.O-O d4 and Black is slightly better. In fact Fritz now advocates that White should give up a piece for 3 pawns by 20.Bxg4 hxg4 21.Qxg4 Qe8 22.Nxe4 ) 16.Nd2 O-O The Gazette explains: "To avoid Qh5+". Also possible was 16…h5. 17.Bd6!
Moves are clickable
The exclamation mark is awarded by the Gazette, which further comments: "Not waiting to be shut in by …e5. The Bishop proves most irritating to Black’s game." 17...Re8 18.Be2 Gazette: "Bound for h5." 18...e5 19.Nb3 Qb6 20.Ra2 Rac8 21.Rd2 Nf6 The Gazette considers Black’s last move to be inaccurate: "The Bishop should be driven off by …Re6 and …Bf8." 22.Qa1 Fritz considers (22.Bh5 to be strongest; after 22...Nxh5 23.Qxh5 White has pressure, e.g. 23...Red8 24.Bxc5 Qf6 25.Rxd8+ Qxd8 26.O-O and, with Rd1 to follow, White has a sizeable advantage. ) 22...Nh7 The Gazette advises: "Better to go back to d7." 23.O-O Re6 24.Rfd1 g4 25.Qc3 Black has too many weak points to defend. 25...Ba8 26.Qxa5 Qxa5 27.Nxa5 Nf8 28.Nb3 (28.b6! is stronger, e.g. 28...Ree8 29.b7 Bxb7 30.Nxb7 Ne6 and Black is simply a piece down with no compensation. However, Fairburn’s choice does not weaken his position and he keeps up the pressure, steadily gaining ground while maintaining a significant advantage. ) 28...Nd7 29.a5 Kf7 30.b6 Bf8 31.Bc7 Nb8
Black has been reduced to abject passivity. 32.Bxb8 Rxb8 33.Rd7+ Ke8 If 33…Be7 or 33…Re7, then 34.Nxc5. 34.Rc7 Bd6 35.Nxc5 Rg6 36.Na6! The exclamation mark is awarded by the Gazette, which adds: "Nicely played." 36...Bxc7 37.Nxc7+ Ke7 38.Nxa8 Rxa8 39.Rd5 Rxa5!? Again, the "!?" is bestowed by the Gazette, which states: "Desperation, but (39...Re6 40.Bd1 leaves only a lingering death." ) 40.Rxa5 Rxb6 41.Rxe5+ Kf6 42.Rb5 Ra6 43.c5 Ra2 44.Rb6+ Ke5 45.Bf1 Rc2 46.c6 h5 47.g3 Rc5 48.Rb5 1-0
A well-deserved win by Fairburn. Purdy may have missed some chances at move 14, but Fairburn then played consistently well to keep up the pressure on Black’s position and steadily increased his advantage. Purdy finished third in the Championship with 10 points from 13 games and Fairburn finished eighth, with 6 points.