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.

  7.    MY GAMES WITH LILIENTHAL

                        by Albert S. Pinkus
                                                                                                                CHESS REVIEW FEBRUARY 1946

19 B-B5        Q-R2

19 BxN?       . . . .

Here I miss my way. The correct plan was 20 R-QBl in order to force a decision in the center. If 20 R-QBl, PxP; 21 B-Q2, O-O; 22 Q-N4 with good chances.
After the less exact text, Black even obtains a slight initiative.

20. . . .         PxB
21 Q-N4      PxP
  22 BxP        Q-Q2
23 KR-Q1   O-O
  24 P-KR4    R-B1
    25 P-R5       B-KB4
26NxB          RxN
    27 P-KN3     KR-B1
     28 K-N2        R-QB5
    29 P-N3        QR-B1
30 P-R4         . . . .

A last try to obtain some attack, but Black defends carefully and the position soon drifts into drawish channels.

30 . . . .         RxR   
 31 RxR        R-B1
32 RxRch    QxR
33 PxP         PxP   
 34 Q-K2       Q-B3
 35 Q-Q3       Q-K1
 36 P-N4        B-N4
 37 Q-B2        P-N3
   38 PxP         Drawn

    Pinkus shared with Steiner the glory of being undefeated in both rounds. He drew both games with Grandmaster Lilienthal.-Ed.

Ruy Lopez

A. S. Pinkus           A. Lilienthal
 White                  Black   

1 P-K4 . . . .

Surprise is always a strong psychological weapon, even (or especially?!) In chess, and I was therefore tempted to play 1 P-Q4 rather than my favorite Ruy Lopez. I felt that Lilienthal was all set for a "Lopez" and might have prepared a new line of play. However, in going over some of the games In the recent USSR Championship, I found that Black had had great difficulty in finding a good defense to the “Lopez.” Hence my decision to see what Lilienthal could accomplish against 1 P-K4.

1. . . .           P_K4
  2 N-KB3    N-QB3
  3 B-N5       P-QR3
4 B-R4       N-B3  
5 O-O        NxP    

The Tarrasch Defense is enjoying a great revival in European chess circles. American players generally favor the close variation beginning with 5 ... B-K2.

6 P-Q4          P-QN4
7 B-N3          P-Q4    
8 PxP            B-K3    
9 P-B3          B-K2   
10 QN-Q2     N-B4    

Lilienthal varies from the more customary 10 ... O-O. His move is not new: I believe it was tried as early as 1896. In My Chess Career, Capablanca discusses the move at great length, and in his notes to the game Capablanca-Chajes
(New York, 1915), proves rather conclusively that Black cannot play 11 ... P-Q5 in reply to l1 B-B2. I was familiar with this analysis, and I imagine that Lilienthal likewise knew the possible pitfalls.

11 B-B2     . . . .

11. . . .       B-N5

Although Black's plan Is to force …P-Q5, the immediate push would lead to sharp play highly unfavorable for Black:
I 11 ... P-Q5: 12 N-K4. P-Q6; 13 NxN,PxB; 14 QxQch, RxQ; 15 NxB, PxN; 16 B-K3 and the Black Pawn at QB7 falls.

II 11 ... P-Q5; 12 N-K4. PxP; 13 NxN, BxN; 14 B-K4, Q-Q2; 15 Q-B2, B-Q4; 16 BxB (simplest), QxB; 17 QxP with an excellent game.

II 11 ... P-Q5; 12 N-K4, PxP; 13 NxN, BxN; 14 B-K4, Q-Q2; I5 PxP with the better game (Capablanca-Chajes, New York, 1915).

12 R-K1       Q-Q2

While working on the analysis of this game, it occurred to me that Black can play 12 ... P-Q5-and perhaps "get away with it." The fact that Black's Queen Bishop Is now at KN5 makes all the difference. Hence the move 12 ... P-Q5 deserves careful study.

13 N-B1       R-Q1
14 P-KR3     B-B4
15 N-N3       B-N3
16 N-Q4       NxN   
17 PxN         N-K3
   18 B-K3       P-QB4

This must he played at once, as White is on the point of exchanging with 19 BxB and then taking the open Queen Bishop file with. 20 QR-B1, after which Black's Queen's Bishop Pawn would be a serious weakness.
 

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     

QUEEN’S PAWN OPENING
(Bogolyubov Variation)

A. Lilienthal       A.S. Pinkus
White            Black   

1 P-Q4       N-KB3
2 P-QB4     P-K3    
3 N-KB3      . . . .     

Here I expected the normal 3 N-QB3, against which I Intended to play Nimzovich's move 3 ... B-N5. Evidently Lilienthal has too great a respect for this line, as he did not allow me to play it. Against the text•move Black has a choice between:

3 ... P-QN3 (Queen's Indian Defense) a rather drawish line which favors White.
3 ... P-B4; 4 P-Q5, P-QN4 (Blumenfeld Counter Gambit) a difficult line which is also In White's favor.
3 ... P-Q4 (Queen's Gambit) drawish but inclining in White's favor.
3 ... B-N5ch (Bogolyubov's Variation) a little•known line which is also in White's favor.

I therefore decided on 3 ... B-N5ch as a gamble In the hope that Lilienthal might not be too familiar with this variation.
Incidentally, Lilienthal has to his credit very fine wins against Keres and Botvinnik in the 3 ... P-QN3 variation. Recollection of such games is very discouraging!

    3. . . .          B-N5ch  
4 B-Q2       B-K2  
5 N-B3        P-Q4
   6 Q-B2!      QN-Q2

By now I had decided that my opening gamble was turning out unfavorably. Castling King-side does not look very promising, as White can build up an overwhelming attack. Therefore, after a 20 minute study of the possibilities I decided on the text as a preparation for Queen-side castling. I naturally expected White to castle on that wing.

7 P-K4          PxKP
8 NxP           P-B3
    9 O-O-O      P -QN3
10 B-Q3         B-N2   
11 B-B3         NxN     
12 BxN           N-B3   
13 B-Q3         Q-B2  

White's position still looks imposing but Black's game Is solid.

14 Q-K2        O-O-O
15 KR-K1      KR-K1
16 N-K5         B-Q3    
17 B-B2         P-B4!   

The freeing maneuver.

18 PxP       BxBP
  19 P-B4     RxRch
20 RxR      R-Q1
21 RxRch   KxR  
22 P-B5     PxP   
    23 BxP      P-KR3

24 P-KN3     Q-K2

Intending ... N-K1 and ... P-B3 with some prospects or an attack. If 25 Q-Qlch, K-Kl! (not 25 ... K-B2?; 26 NxP! and If Black accepts the Knight sacrifice, there follows 27 B-K5ch and 28 Q-R4 mate); 26 Q-R4ch, K-B1 Now White cannot play 27 QxP? because at 27 ... B-K6ch winning a piece (White's King cannot go to a white square because or
... B-B6ch or ... B-K5ch winning the Queen).

25 B-B2      Drawn

Here Lilienthal cabled an offer of a draw, and I saw no reason to refuse, as White still stands better. Continuing to play to the score was or no use, as the match was already lost, and I might even have been In danger of losing the half point which was offered.