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the game, ability to calculate deeply, ure chess qualities (understanding of etc.) are not sufficient for success. One also needs to possess those qualities which are the guarantee of success in life and in other competitions: practical sharpness, the habit of quickly finding your bearings in a new situation, the ability to take a firm, quickly realisable decision in a compli cated position which does not lend itself to calculation, complete purposefulness towards your goal - to win or save yourself from defeat, composure and self-possession in a difficult position, and the avoidance of dizziness from success in a favourable position.I n chess literatu re, it is usual for games to be explained mainly in terms of the theoreti cal correctness of the contestants' play. However, such an explanation does not always give a true reflection of the course of the battle. An experienced player often chooses a particular continuation, not because he is sure that it is the best of all the possibilities, but exclusively on the basis that it gives the best practical chances.
Kmoch - N imzowitsch Bad N iendorf 1 927
There followed 44 ... b4 45 .i.a4 (bad is 45 cxb4 lLlxd4 46 bxa5+ lLlb5, when Black remains with two strong passed pawns). Now 45 .. . lLlxe5 46 .i.xd7 suggests itself. Weaker is 46 dxe5 .i.xa4 47 cxb4 .i.b3 48 bxa5 l:txa5, when Black retains an extra pawn and winning chances, despite the opposite-colour bishops.
[After 45 .. . lLlxe5 46 i..xd7 lLlxd7 4 7 cxb4 a4 Black wins without difficulty. But 46 cxb4! i..xa4 4 7 bxa5+ i..b3 48 i..xe5 l:xa5 49 cJi;f4
Practical Chances in a Chess Game
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79is possible, retaining real chances of saving the game - Dvoretsky.]
Instead of this, N imzowitsch (after 45 �a4) played 45 ... b3, when there followed 46 .i.xc6+ �xc6, and the position appears to be a dead draw: Black's passed a- and b pawns are easily stopped , and on the kings ide it is impossible to break throug h . The game continued : 4 7 g5 :a7 4 8 l:. b 2 . I n blocking the black pawns, i t would be dangerous to stick to purely waiting tactics. For example: 48 �f3 l:[b7 49 �g3 a4 50 .i.a3 b2! 51 l:txb2 l:tb3! 52 l:[xb3 cxb3 53 'iitf3 �b5 54 �e3 b2 55 �xb2 �c4 56 �d2 'iitb3, and Black wins the bishop.
48 ... l:tb7 49 �f4 [Nimzowitsch points out that after 49 �a3! he would hardly have been able to break through - Dvoretsky] 49 ... �c8. Apparently with the aim of trying to penetrate with the rook on the h-file; therefore it was natural for White to make the following reply, which Black provoked with the aim of diverting the white king from the queenside and carrying out his plan ned combination.
50�g3
50 ... l:tb41 With the aim of obtaining th ree
passed pawns, which will advance with gain of tempo in view of the position of the white rook on b2. Now it becomes clear why on
the preced ing moves Black did not advance his a5-pawn , which so suggested itself. 51 cxb4 a4 52 b5+ White gives up a pawn to open a path for his bishop; however, the rook and bishop prove to be helpless. 52 ... �xb5 53 �a3 c3 54 ::tb1 �c4 55 f4 �xd4 56 �f2 �c4 57 �e1 d4 58 �e2 �d5 59 �f3 �b7 60 l:te1 �c4+ 61 �f2 b2 62 f5 exf5 63 e6 �c6 White resigned .
The combination carried out in the game shows just how many dangers were lying in wait for White in this seemingly harmless position . Therefore N imzowitsch correctly decided that the continuation chosen by him would give the best practical chances.
Kmoch - Yates San Remo 1 930
By excellent play White has gained a decisive advantage. Now he should have continued simply 32 .l:t6xe5 dxe5 33 1:[xe5 [33 0,e7!? is simpler - Dvoretsky] , and if 33 .. . .1:.g5, then 34 0,e7 ! . In this case White's pawns on the queenside, although isolated and doubled , carry out their function per fectly well - they restrain the black pawns on the same wing , whereas on the kingside White can create two connected passed pawns. The win is achieved automatically. Instead of this simple continuation, which
does not allow Black any chances, White embarked on a combination. There followed : 32 CfJe7 �xe6 33 CfJxg8 �xc4! (White was obviously hoping for 33 .. . �xg8 34 f4). As a result of the combination White remained the exchange up, but Black obtained definite counter-chances, since on the queenside he had acquired mobile pawns, supported by his two bishops. In the end Black even won .
From this it can be concluded that, if you have a sufficient advantage, you should choose continuations where the win is achieved without counterplay for the opponent.
The following conclusion, which is not so absu rd , can also be drawn : if there is a choice between two continuations - one, giving a decisive positional advantage, with an equal balance of forces, and another, giving roughly the same advan tage but with unequal material (as in the given example: rook and knight against two bishops), it is better to choose the first continuation. With an equal balance of forces the methods of attack and defence have been better studied, and so here there may be fewer surprises.
Yates -Ahues Scarborough 1 930
White could have immediately decided the game with a simple combination: 41 CfJg6+ hxg6 (4 1 . . . lixg6 loses a piece) 42 'iWh4+ etc. Instead of this, probably without any thought, White played 41 CfJh5, which is seemingly also very strong.
The game continued 41 ... lie5! (4 1 . . . lixg3 42 i..xd4+ �e5 43 l:[xe5 etc. was bad for Black) 42 'it>h1 [the position would still have been won after 42 :e 1! - Dvoretsky]
42 ... �xc3! 43 l:[xe5 i..xe5. Now White has a queen for rook and minor piece, but his attack on the kingside has evaporated , whereas Black can develop active play. I n the e n d White even lost.
In connection with this example the follow ing general comment can be made. When an attack concludes with a gain of material, it is as yet too early to celebrate victory. Often in such cases the entire situation changes, and pieces, which earlier were systematically placed for the conducting of the attack, after the attain ing of the goal may now be misplaced, as play has switched to another part of the board, where the opponent has more forces or they are better placed. There fore you should be especially careful at critical moments, when win of material is possible, and carefully weigh up whether it is worth gaining a material advantage if this worsens your position.
I n the given example White did not notice an immediately winning continuation. But often a player deliberately avoids a simple and decisive continuation, since he wants to win 'brilliantly' .
There was a highly vexing occurrence in the following game.
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8 1Sergeev -Grigoriev Master Tournament, Moscow 1 932
In this position Black carried out an interest ing combination :
31 ... tiJ g 5 3 2 tiJxb7 f3 33 tiJxf3
The only way to avoid the loss of a piece or mate. [ This is not so: by continuing 33 tiJxdB fxg2 34 �xg2 :r:J.xdB 35 'ila3 White would have retained a perfectly good game -
Dvoretsky.]
33 ... tiJxf3+ 34 ..txf3 ..tc61 35 ..txc6 l:td3 36 'ili'b2
Now it only remained for Black to obtain a clearly winning position with the natural move 36 . . . tiJxc6, as Grigoriev would un doubtedly have played even in a lightning game. But here, to the general astonishment of the spectators, he stopped to think, and after some thought he unexpectedly played 36 .. :iVxg4+ . There followed 37 ..tg2 i1ff3 (Black was planning a 'pretty' mate by playing his knight to f4 or h4) 38 tiJc5 tiJf5 39 .l:!.e4 (Black had overlooked this refuta tion ) 39 .. :iIi'g5 40 tiJxd3, and White won . As a result of playing for brilliance, Black threw away a deserved win. This example should serve as a lesson to us all. The best continuation is the one which leads most
surely to the goal - to a win. It is expediency and the choice of the most economic methods for achieving the goal that constitute the inner beauty of chess. Doing things for effect - the result of a false understanding of beauty in chess - often produces poor results. In a winning position you should aim for simple, clear decisions, whereas in a lost or significantly inferior position, by con trast, you should aim to complicate the play. In a position where you are bound to lose after natural continuations, you should not be afraid to make sacrifices of material, it being important to obtain active counter-chances.
I n particular, it should be mentioned that one of the characteristic features of Alexan der Alekhine's play is that in inferior posi tions he does not allow his opponent to increase his advantage, but strives to disrupt the natu ral development of events and take the play along d ifferent lines, by going in for complications or sacrifices. This characteristic feature of Alekhine's play is especially memorable to me from the numerous (mainly friendly) games played with him, when he had not yet achieved the peak of his chess fame.
I n N imzowitsch's play it can also be noticed that he does not lose heart in lost positions and he often saves hopeless games, by finding some practical counter-chances. The following example is typical.
N imzowitsch - Euwe Carlsbad 1 929
Wh ite is doomed . His game is undeveloped . Black has a strong pawn on e3, which is threatening to queen . White cannot take the pawn , since if 23 l:txe3 there follows 23 .. .• xd4, winning a rook. 23 :txf7+ !txf7 24 .xc8 e2 is also bad . However, in this horrible position N imzowitsch d id not lose his composure, but played 23 liJc3 , placing his knight en prise.
If Euwe had reacted with care to the opponent's desperate try, he would, of course, have found the winning continua tion: 23 .. . 'iWxd4 24 l:taf1 'ii'e5+ 25 �h1 l:.c7 etc. But, not suspecting any danger, he made the obvious move 23 ... .l:1xc3? and after 24 l:.af1 e2 25 l:.xf7+ l:txf7 26 'ii'xf7+ �h6 27 .f8+ he was forced to resign. Some would say that N imzowitsch did not deserve to win . I cannot agree with this. Even the strongest master cannot take everything into account and so sometimes he ends up in an inferior or even lost position , not only against an equal opponent but also against a weaker one. It is obviously good not to lose heart in a difficult position and to find counter chances. In this case a mistake by the opponent is extremely probable: the
opponent, having gained a decisive ad vantage after a long and tiring struggle, will to a significant degree have already exhausted his strength and will be in a demobilised state, assuming that all the difficulties have been overcome. There fore it is wrong to talk about fortune and chance, when a lost game is saved. Fortune favours the strong!
By no means all top-class players invariably possess presence of mind, as it apparent from this example:
Em. Lasker - Janowski 7th match game 1 909
Janowski resigned in this position , about which Tarrasch justifiably commented : 'Ja nowski , emotionally depressed , laid down his arms too early, instead of making use of his last and by no means bad chance. By continuing 63 .. . c5 64 liJd5? (an obvious move with a seemingly unstoppable mate threat) 64 . . . l:.xf3+ 65 �xf3 �xe4+ 66 �xe4 he could have achieved a pretty stalemate. Of course, the opponent could have avoided this, by playing 64 l:.b7, but it is possible that in the heat of the battle he might not have noticed this stalemate.'
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83On the basis of my own experience, I have seen many times that, even in the seemingly most hopeless position, prac tical chances have been found. The following example is not without interest.
Orloy - Blumenfeld
Moscow Championship Semi-Final 1 932
Black's position is hopeless, since the strong c6-pawn is bound to decide the game. White made the spectacular move 36 lLlc4.
If Black takes the knight, he blocks the c-file for his rook and the c6-pawn promotes unhindered . Of course, Black could reply 36 .. . Uc3, but then White continues 37 ttJxa5 and the win becomes a matter of simple technique. [In fact after 37 .. . i..b4 38 ttJb7 it is not easy to win, as the white knight is badly placed - Dvoretsky.] 36 . . . .l:!.a4 37 ttJe5 or 37 ttJ b6 is also hopeless.
In both of these variations it is hard for White to go wrong ; everything is simple and clear. Therefore I decided to allow White to obtain a queen , merely to obtain some practical counter-chances. There followed: 36 ... l:!a2+ 37 �d1 i..b4 38 c7 dxc4 39 .l:!.b8 .
It would now seem to be time for Black to resign, since on his next move White will obtain a queen . However, Black has a latent
opportunity to make it harder for White to win .
3 9 .. . .l:!.d2+. No hope is offered b y 3 9 .. . c 3 40 c8'iV c2+ 41 'iVxc2 .l:!.xc2 42 �xc2, when White has a technically easy win.
40 �c1 ? After this natural reply it is doubtful whether White can win . He should not have feared the discovered check and played his king to e 1 , for example: 40 �e1 lixh2+ 4 1 �f1 c3 42 c8'iV c2 43 'iVh8+ �h6 44 J:r.c8 c1 'iV+ 45 .l:!.xc1 .:th 1 + 46 �g2 11xc1 47 'iVf6, and the win is assured . However, in order to decide on this continuation , it was necessary to see the complications arising after the natural reply.
40 . . . l:.e21
Perpetual check on the squares e1 and e2 is threatened . White is now forced to sacrifice the exchange.
41 l:txb4 axb4 42 c8'ii'. White has to give up the pawn , since if 42 e4 there follows 42 .. . .l:!.e 1 + , and Black gains a draw either by perpetual check, or by the pawn advance . . . b4-b3.
42 ... Uxe3 43 f4. Now Black forces a draw. White should have decided on 43 'iic5 Uxf3 44 'ii'xb4 h5 followed by . . . :f5; in this case he would have had winning chances, al though difficult to convert.
43 .. Jlc3+ 44 �b2 lIb3+ 45 �c2 .:tc3+ 46 �d2 .:td3+ 47 �e2 .:tc31 (47 .. . nxd4 48 'Wc5 was bad) 48 �d2 nd3+ 49 �c2 ':'c3+ 50 �d2 .:td3+ Draw.
I ndeed , White cannot achieve anything, for example: 5 1 �e2 l:tc3 52 'Wc5 .:tc2+ 53 �d 1 b3 54 d5 exd5 55 'Wxd5 ':xh2, and if 56 'Wxc4, then 56 .. . b2, while if 56 �c1 there follows 56 . . . :c2+ 57 �b1 c3! , and it is now White who has to seek a draw by perpetual check.
Whereas cool-headed conversion of an advantage in a winning position and presence of mind in a lost position are typical of most experienced players, comparatively more often one observes a weakening of attention and will to win in obviously drawn positions. I n his book on the 1 927 New York tournament, Alekhine criticised Rudolf Spielmann for the fact that in certain games he agreed a draw, al though he had practical chances, albeit minimal, of winning.
As confirmation that a tenacious striving for victory can have a favourable outcome even in a drawn position , I will give the following example.
Rotlewi - Fahrni Carlsbad 1 9 1 1
I t i s well known that the endgame with rook and knight against rook is drawn . The presence of the black pawn should not make any d ifference. Fahrni is an experi enced enough master to avoid doing any thing really stupid . It would appear that it is not worth wasting time by playing on. But Rotlewi decided to play on, since he saw a practical chance, provided precisely by the fact that Black had a pawn .
Later the position in the next diagram was reached .
Black made the natural move 79 ... a3, after which there followed a study-like finish: 80 �f7 Wh6 (if 80 .. J�h 1 , then 81 �d5! is decisive) 81 �g8! Black resigned. It is curious that, had it not been for Black's pawn , he could have saved himself by playing for stalemate with . . JIg 1 .
From all that has been said it would be incorrect to conclude that when playing you should hope for blunders by your opponent. The reader who has carefully thought about the given examples will see that practical chances can be created only as a result of a correct evaluation of the position and an estimation of its characteristic features.