Knight time runs out
A RARE incident occurred during the Nottinghamshire chess congress in the game between Dave Rumens and Simon Webb. Both were in the "10 minute rule", and in the time scramble Webb started picking off Rumen's few surviving pawns. Rumens, flustered, made an unintentional but illegal move and was left with his king, two knights and 1½ minutes to force mate against king and rook's pawn!
Despite having the pawn favourably blockaded on the sixth, the ending was too much for Rumens and eventually (about two minutes later) the game was declared drawn. How to win this exacting ending plus many others, is explained in Batsford's newest edition to their specialist endgames series, Knight and Pawn Endgames by Yuri Averbach and Vitaly Chekhover.
Another new book which has just appeared is The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings Volume D edited by A. Matanovic and published by B. T. Batsford. It covers all the openings arising after 1.d4 d5 and also the Gruenfeld Defence l.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5. Among the team of authors are the present world champion and four ex-champions, in addition to many current top Grandmasters. Of the present candidates Hort, Korchnoi, Petrosian, Larsen and Polugayevsky have contributed.
The after effects of the New Zealand Olympiad team's overseas visit are still being felt in Britain, and the British Chess Magazine has kindly given me permission to reproduce a game partly annotated by a particular Kiwi who has now returned to New Zealand after harassing a particular BCM columnist.
Honfi, K. - Vadasz, L. - Budapest 1976
This was the noblest Robatsch of them all. (Notes by Shakespeare, Hartston and V. Small).
1.e4
g6
2.h4
d5
But, soft, what light, through yonder window breaks?
It matters not what move he makes.
3.h5
dxe4
4.hxg6
There is a willow grows aslant a brook,
But h-file looks much better for my rook.
4...fxg6
5.Nc3
Nf6
6.Nh3
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
More like a six-foot snow-drift by your play.
6...Nc6
7.Ng5
Double, double, toil and trouble.
Now his e-pawn's vulnerubble.
7...Bf5
8.Bb5
Bg7
9.Rh4
Though this be madness there is method in it,
I'll pile up on his e-pawn; then I'll win it.
9...h6
10.Ngxe4
Nxe4
11.Nxe4
Qd5
Moves are clickable
Age cannot wither her nor custom stale.
That queen of his looks positively male.
12.Bxc6+
0! that this too too solid flesh would melt.
To bishop c4. Queen e5 is dealt; (If queen takes c4, knight d6 is felt.)
(12.Bc4
Qe5
(12...Qxc4
13.Nd6+
) ) 12...Qxc6
13.d3
If music be the food of love, play on.
I'm better now. Eh! where's me h-pawn gone??
13...O-O-O
14.Qe2
g5
15.Rh1
When I have seen by Time's fell hand defaced.
Methinks that rook on h4 was misplaced.
15...Bxe4
16.Qxe4
But I might see young Cupid's fiery shaft!
Oh no I won't; oh Christ, that move was daft.
16...Qxc2
Now is the winter of our discontent.
We've lost a pawn, it's left a nasty dent. Creative passions ne'er were more misspent.
With play like this I'll never pay the rent.
White Resigns.
When beggars die, there are no comets seen.
He should have studied Botterill and Keene.
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