Steinitz began the era of scientific play, as his games and writings demonstrated that games were won or lost for objective reasons. Here he provides a (then startling) example of the proper use two Bishops against a Bishop and Knight.
Rosenthal – Steinitz Vienna, 1873 C46 THREE KNIGHTS GAME
In playing over these old games, it is best not to ask too many questions about the defender’s play — the gap between master and amateur was often enormous — but relax and enjoy the tragicomic plight of the White King, as he is driven across the board and mated with his pieces still at home.
White’s set-up (known as the Kieseritsky Gambit) is acceptable — he can recover either the g5 or f5 pawn — but he should now play 6. d4, to answer 6. ... d6 with 7. Nd3.
The 2008 Los Angeles Open, held at the LAX Hilton from October 31 to November 2, ended in a 4-way tie at 4-1 among GMs Rogelio Antonio and Melisket Khachiyan, IM Entico Sevillano, and master Jeol Banawa. Only Banawa suffered a defeat, losing to Antonio in round 2. In the Amateur (U2000) section, Bobby Hall took clear first with 4½-½. Both sections of the 40-player Halloween Scholastics produced perfect scores, with Ishan Bose-Pine taking the Open and Ankur Gupta the Reserve. Dan Alvira swept the Hexes with 3-0. Complete standings are available at westernchess.com.
Despite a disappointing turnout, the 2008 Los Angeles Open attracted a powerful field of two GMs and three IMs. After two rounds, the five were tied for first at 2-0. Complete standings will be available throughout the weekend at westernchess.com.
White sacrifices a piece to open the central files against the uncastled Black King, and despite his seemingly adequate development and counterattacking chances Black comes out a tempo short in one of the finest combinations on record, known as the “Evergreen Game.”
A temporary piece sacrifice to exploit the exposed position of the Black King. But this is not without risk, as Black now obtains an open g-file for counterplay.
17. ... gxf6 18. exf6 Rg8 19. Rad1!
Offering a second piece, and far stronger than the defensive 19. Be4.
19. ... Qxf3
(Diagram) 20. Rxe7+ Nxe7
Black cannot escape with 20. ... Kd8, in view of 21. Rxd7+! Kc8 22. Rd8+ Kxd8 (or 22. ... Rxd8 23. gxf3) 23. Be2+, winning.
Turnout at the Westwood Fall Open (LACC, October 12) was a slightly disappointing 35. Top-rated IM Enrico Sevillano took clear first with 4.5 out of 5, followed stepson John Daniel Bryant with 4 and Joel Banawa (3.5). Juan Paul Rodriguez scored 4.5 to take clear first in the Reserve (U1800).
(Photos: The decisive last-round games on boards 1 and 2 – Sevillano faces Tatev Abrahamyan, while Bryant battles IM Andranik Matikozyan.)
Prize winners:
Open: 1st: IM Enrico Sevillano, 4.5/5; 2nd: John Daniel Bryant, 4; 3rd: Joel Banawa, 3.5; U2200: Show Kitagami, Garnik Baghdasaryan, 3; U2000: David Cody Oldham, Austin Hughes, 3.
Reserve: 1st: Juan Paul Rodriguez, 4.5/5; 2nd/U16000/U1400-unrated: Mitchell Jayson, Numen Adbul-Mujeeb, Shaunak P. Tivedi, 3.5; U1200: Jonah Blume-Kemkes, Yechiel Goldberger, 2.5.
Paul Morphy competed in only one tournament in his brief career, the First American Chess Congress in 1857. In the final round of this knock-out event, he defeated German master Louis Paulsen by a score of +5=2-1. In this game he demonstrates both his superior grasp of positional play — Black’s control of the center files makes a marked contrast to White’s flailing on the flanks — and his combinative ability, as he finishes the game with a startling Queen sacrifice.
Paulsen - Morphy New York, 1857 C48 FOUR KNIGHTS’ GAME
Rather than permit the “fork trick” 6. ... Nxe5 7. d4, Black sacrifices a pawn for rapid development.
7. Nxc6 dxc6 8. Bc4 b5 9. Be2
The seemingly more logical 9. Bb3 fails to 9. ... Bg4 10. Qe1 (or 10. Ne2 Rxe4, winning the pinned Knight) 10. ... b4, and if 11. Na4 Rxe4 traps the White Queen.
9. ... Nxe4 10. Nxe4 Rxe4 11. Bf3 Re6 12. c3?
If White were able to follow up with d2-d4 this would be a good move, but it can’t be done. He should reconcile himself to the modest 12. d3.
Threatens mate with 17. ... Qxf1+. White’s reply defends against this sacrifice, but allows another, which, however, Paulsen can hardly be blamed for missing. Relatively best was 17. Qd1.
17. Qa6
(Diagram)
17. ... Qxf3! 18. gxf3
Morphy took twelve minutes to decide on 17. .. Qxf3, an unusually long time for him. Paulsen, a notoriously slow player, thought for over an hour before capturing the Queen.
18. ... Rg6+ 19. Kh1 Bh3 20. Rd1
Black threatened 20. ... Bg2+ 21. Kg1 Bxf3 mate, and 20. Rg1 fails to 20. ... Rxg1+ 21. Kxg1 Re1+. The key line, which Paulsen probably missed on move 17, is 20. Qd3 (hoping to return the Queen with Qxg6) 20. ... f5!, and White is helpless.
