R A D I O     M A T C H     R E V I E W E D

 The games of the U.S.A.- U.S.S.R Radio Match are re-
published with annotations b y the American players.
The second part of this series will appear next month.

  5.    MY GAMES WITH KOTOV

                        by Isaac Kashdan

CHESS REVIEW DECEMBER 1945

 33 Q-K2                      …..      

 Hoping to exchange and avert mating threats. 

33 …..                    Q-Q3
34 Q-Q1                 Q-B5
35 Kt-K2                Q-B7
36 Kt-B1                B-Q3 

  Here the game was adjourned. 

37 Q-K2??            ….. 

  A mental aberration. But anything can happen after some 15 hours of play the previous day. 

37 …..              Q-B5! 

  Simultaneously threatening mate and Knight. 

38 QxPch           ….. 

  Perhaps there is still a 50-50 chance . After all, Black has two squares to go and he might choose the wrong one. 

38…..            K-B1 

  White resigns; after 39 Q-B8ch, K-K2; 40 Q-Kt7ch. K-B3 his checks have petered out.

Lack of practice told severely against Kashdan, who is unrecognizable  in these games. Kotov, on the other hand, played steady, consistent chess, taking advantage of every opportunity-ED.

SICILIAN DEFENSE

I. Kashdan                A.  Kotov   

White                 Black    

1 P-K4               P-QB4
2 Kt-KB3           P-Q3    
3 P-Q4               PxP      
  4 KtxP                Kt-KB3
5 Kt-QB3          P-QR3
6 B-K2              Q-B2    
7 O-O                 P-K3   
8 P-B4               Kt-B3
9 K-R1                B-K2
10 B-B3              O-O   

  Reaching the normal position of the Scheveningen Variation. White’s overall plan is: 

·          To maintain control of the center, now in his possession.

·          To prevent…P-Q4 and any undue expansion by Black on the Queen’s wing.

·          To institute a vigorous advance on the King-side, beginning with P-KKt4. The measure of his success will depend on his ability to execute this. 

11 Kt –Kt3       ….. 

  The idea of the text move is to prevent Black from enforcing…P-Q4, for White’s Queen now bears down on that square, and also to avoid the exchange of knights. The latter thought is based on White’s intention to attack. For aggression generally calls for expendable force and reserve.

  However, the move has its drawbacks. For it enables Black to advance on the Queen-side.

  There are two alternative lines at White’s disposal. The first is 11 P-QR4 which temporarily stymies Black’s Queen-side ambitions at the expense of a slight weakening of White’s Queen-side Pawn structure. The other is the immediate 11 P-KKt4. This line seems to give White the proper timing for the assault. For it not only puts Black on the defensive but also prevents 11…P-QKt4 on account of the follow up 12 KtxKt, QxKt; 13 P-K5.

  I was under the impression, however, that I could obtain maximum development before undertaking positive action; whereas Black’s Queen-side push did nit seem to offer any serious problems.

11….            P-QKt4
12 B-K3      B-Kt2     
13 Q-K1      QR-B1   

  Not 13…Kt-QR4 (heading for B5) on account of 14 KtxKt, QxKt; 15 P-K5 and Black loses material. 

14 Q-B2       Kt-Q2
15 QR-Q1    Kt-R4

  It now develops that I could not complete my plan of 16 B-B1, hold the Queen-side intact and pursue the King-side assault. For the immediate threat of 15 ….P-Kt5 calls for a change in tactics. 

16  KtxKt       ……

 16 P-QR3 fails not so much on account of …KtxKt and the consequent doubled Pawns but because of  …Kt-B5; 17 B-B1, KtxRP. 

16…..                  QxKt
  17 P-QR3           P-Kt5
18 PxP                QxP
   19 B-B1              Kt-B4
20 P-K5            …… 

  Black’s Queen-side initiative has not only deferred White’s contemplated King-side advance, it has halted it in its tracks .Now the only chance for any play is a breakthrough in the center.

  The positional continuation, 20 R-Q4, Q-Kt3; 21 KR-Q1, KR-Q1 leaves White without a satisfactory  reply to the threat of … B-KB2 and…BxKt, which would unhinge support of the center.

20…..                 BxB
  21 QxB              Q-Kt1
22 Q-Kt3           PxP
23 PxP                …..

  The isolated Pawn has compensatory advantages in that it exerts a bind on Black’s position and controls important squares.

23……             P-B4!

  Fixing the isolated Pawn. For on 24 PxP e.p., QxQ, Black’s position is superior. 

24 R-Q4            ……

  The text move could almost be reached by the process of elimination. For instance, there is no point to say 24 P-KR4-5-6, for Black counters at the proper moment with …P-KKt3 and White’s RP becomes a target. Nor is the overprotection of the KP with 24 QR-K1-K2 and KR-K1 a delightful prospect. For Black can penetrate the Queen-file.  

    24….                KR-Q1
25 KR-Q1        RxR
  26 RxR             R- Q1

  Black pares down as he rates his endgame chances superior, mainly on account of the isolated Pawn.

27 Q-K3     Kt-Q2
28 Q-K2     Kt-B4  

  If 28…P-QR4; 29 R-Q1 and Black cannot continue with …QxKP on account of 30 RxKt; nor does 29…KtxP lead to anything after R-K1.

29 RxRch         …. 

  If 29 Q-K3, repeating the position, Black might play 29….P-QR4. But 29 Q-Q1 appears more forceful. 

29….          QxR
   30 B-K3    Q-Kt1

  Simultaneously attacking the King Pawn and the Queen’s Knight Pawn.

31 BxKt     BxB
    32 QxP      QxKP 

  Despite material equality Black’s chances are better. He can create mating threats and his center Pawns are free to advance.

The authoritative notes to the USA-USSR Radio Match games in this series were prepared exclusively for CHESS REVIEW by members of the United States team. 

CHESS REVIEW, NOVEMBER, 1945     

GRUNFELD DEFENSE
 

A. Kotov                    I. Kashdan

White                       Black 

1 P-Q4                 Kt-KB3
2 P-QB4               P-KKt3
3 Kt-QB3                P-Q4
4 Kt-B3                  B-Kt2
5 Q-Kt3                      …. 

  Sharpest. White’s pressure on the Queen’s Pawn prevents the liberating…P-B4 for some time to come. 

5 ….                 P-B3
6 B-B4             O-O
7 P-K3              PxP 

   A preconceived plan to give Black a measure of freedom and play for all of his forces at the expense of relinquishing the center. Another , more tedious development, is  7…P-K3, followed by…P-Kt3, the fianchetto of the QB and the eventual…..P-B4. This method does not give up the center. 

 8 BxP          QKt-Q2
9 O-O          Kt-Kt3
10 B-K2       B-K3      
11 Q-B2      QKt-Q4

   11…B-B5, with the idea of exchanging and simplifying has been tried here with varying success.

12 B-K5        B-B4
13 Q-Kt3      ……     

  Naturally not 13 P-K4, KtxKt ,etc. 

13……        Q-Kt3 

  Thus far it is Capablanca, Flohr, Semmering-Naden, 1937.  Modern Chess Openings appraises the chances as equal. 

14 Kt-Q2         ….. 

  So that if  14… QxQ; 15 KtxQ and the Knight may be posted at QB5 or QR5 with effect. 

14…..          QxQ 

  Furthering White’s prospects. Yet, it is difficult to form a constructive plan.  Temporizing with 14…QR-Q1 appears better. 

15  KtxQ    QR-Q1
16 Kt-R5     B-B1    
17 B-B3      P-R4      

 There is no real justification for this advance which is the prelude to some minor tactical threats which are easily parried. A policy of temporizing and swapping, placing the onus of forcing the issue on White, is in order. 17…Kt-K1 is a good start in this direction. 

18 P-KR3       Kt-R2
 19 B-R2         Kt-Kt4
20  B-Q1          ……

  White’s retreat is temporary and Black’s King’s Knight has not enhanced its own prospects. 

20 …..                P-QB4  

  The liberating move at the proper moment but ill-advised at present. For it results in a loosening up of Black’s position. 

21 B-QKt3    KtxKt
22 PxKt         P-Kt3 

   Now Black has little choice. For if on 22… PxP; 23 BPxP, White penetrates on the open Queen’s Bishop file. 

23  Kt-B6     R-Q2
   24 P-B3        B-QR3 

  In any event, Black’s position is difficult. But this aggravates his weakness by permitting the following move which removes Black’s best Bishop.  24 …B-Kt2 is met by 25 B-R4.

25  R-Kt8    RxKt
26 BxR         BxR  
  27 KxB         Kt-K3

  The deliberate dare to double his Pawns recoils on Black. 27 Kt-R2_B3, holding everything with grim determination, offers better chances. 

28 R-Kt1        PxP
   29 BPxP         R-Kt2
        30 B-Kt3        P-QKt4   

  Black’s Queen-side Pawn majority must be utilized to counteract White’s Bishops and his majority in the center. If this is not good enough, then nothing is. For on other lines, White decisively penetrates with his Rook on the open Queen’s Bishop file. 

31 R-B1       P-R4  
32 R-B8ch   K-R2
33 K-K2       P-R5  
34 BxKt        PxB   
35 R-QKt8    …..   

  Paring down to a Bishop ending with Black’s chronic structural weakness fore-shadowing the end. 

35….           RxR
  36  BxR       P-Kt5 

  36….P-Kt4 gives Black’s King more freedom. But the position is lost. Black’s Queen-side Pawns cannot be maintained. 

37 K-Q3       B-R3  
38 P-B4        P-Kt4
39 P-Kt4      RPxP
40 RPxP       PxP    
  41  PxP      Resigns

  I adjourned the game here, but soon convinced myself of the futility of further resistance. This is how I reasoned the position: 

  Black can hold out for a while, but with np hope of success. The winning process may be reduced to the following steps:

1. White plays K-B4, winning a pawn on the Queen-side;

2. White plays B-K5, reducing Black’s Bishop to immobility.

3. White plays his King to Q7, eventually forcing the win of the remaining Black Pawns.