Moir Turns on the Heat
Though J. A. (Jimmy) Moir never won a New Zealand Championship he went close to it more than once. He was the eight times champion of the Auckland club and many of his victories were brilliantly conceived. After a retirement of fifteen years he returned to competitive chess three years ago with third place in the New Zealand Championship and a win in the Auckland Club event. That he can still throw a subtle Rook is amply demonstrated in the following game played in the recent Remuera Club Championship.
Dallow, A B - Moir, J A
Remuera Club Championship 1947
Notes by A L Fletcher 1.d4 d5 2.c3 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.Bf4 Nd7 5.Nbd2 Ngf6 6.e3 O-O 7.Bd3 Nh5 8.Bg3 This is where White starts skidding. Since he cannot avoid the exchange of his bishop he should leave it where it is and the recapturing Pawn will stop Black's projected ...e5 (8.O-O was therefire indicated ) 8...Nxg3 9.fxg3 But this error leaves him with a game as good as lost. Taking "towards the centre" is right nine times out of ten - and this isn't the tenth time. 9...e5 10.Nxe5 Bxe5 Realising that the Knight will be more useful that the Bishop in the following play. 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Nf3 Ng4 Bang goes the Pawn stranded by White's ill-advised 9th move. 13.Qd2 Nxe3 14.Kf2 Ng4+ 15.Kg1 c6 16.Bc2 Giving Black a free hand. (16.Re1 was clearly best, and if 16...Qb6+ 17.Kf1 getting off the dangerous diagonal ( not 17.Nd4? c5 etc. ) ) 16...Qb6+ 17.Nd4 Bd7 18.h3 Ne5 19.b3 c5 20.Ne2 Bc6! 21.Kh2 Rae8 22.Rae1 Re7 23.Qh6?
Moves are clickable
A luxury he cannot afford. Aggression is called for in a big way and he could have tried (23.Nf4 for spirited resistance. Eg 23...Rfe8 24.Re2 (preparing Rhe1) 24...g5!? 25.Rxe5 (forced) ( Note from a computer in 2019, actually not forced as 25.Rhe1 gxf4 26.Qxf4 f6 27.Qxf6 Qc7 28.Qg5+ Kh8 29.Qf6+ is a perpetual ) 25...Rxe5 (best) 26.Nd3 with chances ) 23...Rfe8 24.Qf4 d4 Threatening to become personal with not only ...d3 but also ...Nf3+ followed by Rxe2+ picking up the Bishop. White's reply looks after this, but Black has another and prettier line. 25.Qd2 d3! 26.Bxd3 c4! 27.Bc2 Nf3+ 28.gxf3 Qf2# 0-1