The mice that roared
NEW ZEALAND was represented at the Chess Olympiad in Haifa, Israel, by, perhaps on paper not our strongest team, but certainly one with determination and fighting spirit. The result was New Zealand had our best ever placing, and results like taking one and a half points from England mean that any future Kiwi team will be watched very carefully.
We finished in 21st place of the 48 countries competing and our 27 points left us 10 behind the winners, USA. Second was the Dutch team, which had been at the front all the way, and the bronze medals were carried off by England - no, in fact, due to a mix up, they were given silver instead at the prize giving!
The players were:
Board 1 M. Chandler (Wellington); Board 2, E. Green
(Auckland) Player/Captain;
board 3, V. Small ( Christchurch); board 4, R. Smith
(Auckland); board 5, L.
Cornford ( Gisborne); board 6, W. Leonhardt (Auckland)
Player/Manager.
The Olympiad is played over four boards so, each round, two of the team would stand down.
Vernon Small played very good chess and narrowly missed out on a board prize. One of his most interesting games from the event was a draw with R. Beyen of the Belgian Squad
Small, Vernon - Beyen, Roland - Haifa 1976
1.e4 The man's move 1...e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.c3 O-O 6.d4 Bb6 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 exd4?! A theoretical novelty, not given a mention in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings 9.e5 g5 10.Bg3 Ne4 11.cxd4 d5 12.exd6 Nxg3
Moves are clickable
13.dxc7! Qf6 14.hxg3 Bg4 15.Nc3 Bxf3 Bad is (15...Nxd4 16.Nd5! Eg 16...Nxf3+ 17.gxf3 Qxf3 18.Qxf3 Bxf3 19.Nxb6 axb6 20.Bd7! and wins the exchange. ) 16.Qxf3 Qxf3 17.gxf3 Nxd4 From now on the game seems to waltz from one dilemma to another with White seemingly gaining an overwhelming position. But Black defends brilliantly, thrusting forward again after each knockback. Small's problem here is how to defend both his f and c pawn. 18.Rfd1 Ne6 (18...Nxf3+ 19.Kg2 -- ( and 19...Nd4 20.Bd7 ) ( or 19...Ne5 20.Nd5 are both winning for White. ) ) 19.Nd5 Bxc7 20.Bd7 Be5 21.Re1 Black seems to be in trouble. If, say (21.Re1 Bg7 22.Rad1 gives White a bind. But the resourceful Belgian has yet another defence. ) 21...Nd4! The bishop is indirectly defended and Small is forced to cover both the Nxf3+ and Nc2 threat. He had of course foreseen... 22.Re4! Rfd8 By side-stepping (22...Nxf3+? 23.Kg2 ) ( or 22...f5? 23.Ne7+ Beyen sets yet another teaser. How do the white pieces untangle themselves? ) 23.Kg2 Attacks the bishop! 23...f6 Vernon looked to be in a spot of trouble here, but the old brain was working at full capacity by this stage and he found a final finesse. 24.Rd1! Rxd7 25.Rxe5 Kf7 26.Re4 1/2-1/2
And they decided to split the point here.
When asked to describe Small's play Bill Hartston instantly replied: "neo-Gothic"!