R A D I O M A T C H R E V I E W E D - Kupchik vs. Makogonov

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.

9. Abraham Kupchik vs. Vladimir Makogonov

Game 1 notes by Fred Reinfeld Game 2 notes by Miguel Czerniak

CHESS REVIEW APRIL 1946

The Knight prepares to replace his colleague at KN3. The demolition of White's position proceeds inexorably.

29 N-N2       Q-KB2
30 P-R4        N-K2
31 N-R4        N-N3
32 NxN           . . . .

Or 32 NxB, QxN followed by….B-B5 or ... N-B5 with an irresistible bind on the position

32 . . . .         BxN
      33 R-K1        R-KB1!
   34 N-Q2       Q-B4!
35 K-N2        B-N5
   36 R-K2        P-R5!

The blows come thick and fast from all sides.

    37 K-R2     B-Q3ch
38 K-N1      B-N6
39 Q-N2     Q-Q6!

Black threatens 40 ... P-R6 with crushing effect.

40 N-B1 . . . .

If 40 K-Bl, B-R4 and White has no moves.

40 . . . . P-R6

White resigns. He loses the exchange and is left with a hopeless position.

(Kupchik suffered in his first game from lack of practice and unfamiliarity with the styles of the Russian players. In the second game he held on with the bulldog tenacity for which he is famous, adding a precious half-point to the American score.-Ed.)

Catalan System
(Notes by Fred Reinfeld)

A. Kupchik V. Makogonov
White Black

1 P-Q4         N-KB3
2 N-KB3      P-Q4
3 P-B4         P-K3
4 N-B3         B-K2
5 P-KN3        . . . .

The usual move isB-N5, lending to the orthodox varieties of the Queen's Gambit Declined. The text is played with a view to transposing into the most favorable variation of Reti's Opening, namely a line of play in which Black's QB Is often hemmed in for a long time. By way of illustration, see the game between Bondarevsky and Steiner in this match.

5 . . . . QN-Q2
6 PxP? . . . .

But this is the move that spoils the game for White. It puts an end to the pressure which his fianchettoed KB is to exert in the center, as the Pawn position will no longer be fluid. In addition, it opens valuable lines for Black: the King file for his Rooks and the diagonal for his Queen's Bishop.

The logical course for White is 6 BN2,
O-O (if 6 ... PxP; 7 Q-R4 etc.); 7
O-O or 7 Q-Q3.

6 . . . . PxP

Now Black has a very promising position.

7 B-N2         P-B3
8 O-O          O-O
9 Q-Q3        R-K1

10 P-KR3 . . . .

The first of a series of waiting moves that are difficult to understand. White should free his game with P-K4, even at the cost of burdening himself with an isolated QP.

The immediate 10 P-K4, PxP; 11 NxP could be answered disagreeably by 11 .. NxN; 12 QxN,. B-B3 gaining time for attacking the isolated QP.

However , White should have played 10 N-Q2, followed by 11 P-K4. The resulting isolated QP would have been a far lesser evil than what later happens to White.

10. . . . B-Q3

Training the Bishop on White’s weakened King•side and at the same time restraining White playing P~K4.

11 N-Q2 N-N3

So that If 12 P-K4, PxP: 13 KNxP, B-KB4 and White's game is very uncomfortable.

12 R-K1 B-K3
13 N-B1 . . . .

White's game now becomes so cramped that he was probably better off with a last attempt at P-K4 here.

13. . . .             Q-Q2
   14 P-KN4        P-KR4
15 P-B3           N-R2
    16 P-N3           P-KB4!

A position made to order for Makogonov, who is both methodical and enterprising, Black naturally plays to open more attacking lines.

17 P-N5           P-B5!
18 P-KR4        B-KB4
19 Q-Q1          B-QN5
20 Q-Q2          N-KBl
21 P-R3           B-Q3
22 N-Q1          N- N3

Now Black wins a valuable Pawn, and still continues his hammer•blows at White's position.

23 P-K4            PxPe.p.
24 N (Q1)xP     NxP
25 Q-KB2         NxB
26 NxN              RxR
27 NxR              R-K1
28 B-K3            N-B1

Game 1 in viewer Game 2 in viewer

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

(The notes to this game are based on the comments appearing in a Book on the Radio Match published in Chile.-Ed.)

QUEEN'S PAWN OPENING
(Notes by Miguel Czerniak)

V. Makogonov A. Kupchik
White Black

1 P-Q4              N-KB3
2 N-KB3           P-Q4
3 B-B4              P-K3

What little analysis exists on this infrequently seen opening system, tells us that 3 ... P-B4 is the most enterprising reply. The line selected by Kupchik is unpretentious but solid

4 P-K3 B-Q3
5 B-N3 . . . .

In the 17th game of the Alekhine-Euwe match, after 1 P-Q4, P-Q4; 2 N-KB3, N-KB3; 3 P-K3. B-B4; 4 B-Q3, Black played 4 ... P-K3! so as to gain a powerful foothold in the center after the exchange of Bishops. By the same token, White should have played 5 P-K3 in the present game.

5 . . . .           N-K5
6 B-Q3        P-QN3
7 P-B4        O-O
8 N-B3        B-N2
9 Q-B2        P-KB4
10 BxB           . . . .

If 10 O-O, BxB; 11 RPxB, N-Q2 followed by ... P-B3 and.. Q-B3 with a good game for Black.

10 . . . . QxB
11 O-O P-B3

There is no time to prevent N-K5, for 11 ...N- Q2? 12 N-QN5, Q-B3; 13 PxP winning a pawn.

12 N-K5          NxN
13 QxN            N-Q2
14 NxN             . . . .

Or 14 P-B4,N-B3 etc. After the text simplification, the most that White can hope for is restricting the hostile Bishop’s sphere of action.

14 . . . .             QxN
    15 P-B5           P-QN4
    15 P-QR4        P-QR3
17 P-B4             . . . .

Both payers have attained their goals. White has the better game without having to fear a counterattack: Black has no winning hopes, but his position is eminently defensible.

17. . . .           QR-N1
18 KR-B1     Q-QB2
19 Q-K1        B-B1
20 P-QN4     Q-K2
21 R-B2        R-N2
22 R-R3        R-QB2
23 PxP          RPxP
24 R(2)-R2   B-N2
25 B-K2        R(2)-B1
26 Q-R1       R-QB2

Doubling and tripling on the open file cannot help White to secure a real advantage.

27 P-N3        Q-B3
28 R-R7        Q-K2
29 K-B2         R-Q2
   30 K-K1         R-QB2
31 K-Q2        R-N1
   32 K-B3        R-KB1
33 B-Q3        R-N1
34 R(7)-R5   Q-Q2
35 P-R3        R-KB1
    36 P-N4        R(2)-B1
   37 R-R7        R-QB2
38 P-N5        R-N1
39 P-R4        R-K1
40 P-R5        R-N1

White's only hope is that Black will blunder. But Kupcbik refuses to oblige.

41 P-R6        P-N3
42 R(2)-R5   K-B2
43 Q-KB1     B-B1
44 RxR         QxR
45 Q-QR1     K-K2
46 R-R7        R-N2
47 R-R8        R-N1
48 R-R2        K-Q2
49 B-K2        K-Q1
50 R-R7        R-N2
51 R-R8        K-K2
52 Q-R5       Q-Q2
53 K-Q2       R-B2
54 K-Kl         R-N2
55 K-B2        R-B2
56 K-N3        R-N2
57 K-R4        R-B2
58 Q-R1        K-B2
59 K-N3        K-K2
60 K-B2        K-B2
61 B-Q1        K-K2
62 K-K2        K-B2
63 K-Q2        K-K2
64 K-B2        K-B2
65 K-N1        K-K2
66 R-N8         . . . .

66 . . . . K-B2

The last chance for complications was 66 ... R-R2: 67 QxR!, QxQ: 68 RxB, Q-R6; 69 R-B7ch, K-Ql; 70 RxRP and Black can doubtless draw by perpetual check.

67 Q-R8        K-K2
68 R-N5        R-N2
69 B-K2        RxR
70 PxR          Q-N2
71 Q-R5        B-Q2
72 Q-R1        K-Q1
   73 Q-R7       Drawn