Etcetera: Chess

I believe that at the Academy Awards ceremonies in Hollywood, they sometimes award one of their kitsch statuettes to an elder statesman or woman of the filmic genre just to mark the fact that few people realised they were still alive. Well, in the chess world, such a lifetime-achievement award is long overdue to David Bronstein, veteran of a grand battle for the world title in 1951, whose perennial wizardry frequently reminds us to be grateful that he is still with us - even if, as in this game, his genius is confined to events such as the London League.

White: Malcolm Pein

Black: David Bronstein

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Nge2 e5 7.Bg5

Playing 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.Nd5 Nxd5 10.cxd5 c6 11.Nc3 would have been both unsporting and stronger than the text.

7...c6 8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.0-0-0 Qa5 10.Bh6

I have always felt it unwise to offer this exchange of bishops without first taking the precaution of closing the centre with d5.

10...b5 11.Bxg7 Kxg7 12.Ng3 b4 13.Nb1

White must now have been expecting some such nonsense as 13...Qxa2 14.Qxb4, or 13...exd4 14.Qxd4 Qxa2 15.Qd6, but Bronstein trusts his positional sense.

13...exd4 14.Qxd4 Qg5+!? 15.Nd2 Ne5!?

This is pure bluff, as White can now play 16.Qxd6! when the threat of 17.f4 Qxf4 18.Ne2 Qg5 19.h4, winning the knight on e5, leaves Black insufficient compensation for his pawn - but White believes him.

16.Ne2 c5!

Now 17.Qxd6 is met by Nxc4.

17.h4 Qxg2!

The desperado queen sells her life dear. Now 18.Bxg2 cxd4 19.Nxd4 will lose to Nd3+ and Nf2.

18.Qxe5 Qxh1 19.Qg3 Nh5! 20.Qf2 Kg8!

Superb nonchalance in the face of an apparent threat to trap the black queen.

21.f4 Bg4 22.Bg2 (See diagram.)

White's 21.f4 closed the gate to prevent the queen's escape after 22...Qh2 23.Rh1. Fear not; old Bronners has it under control.

22...Nxf4!!

Bravo! 23.Rxh1 is met by Nd3+, and 23.Nxf4 by Qxd1 mate.

23.Qxf4 Qxg2 24.Rg1 Qxe2 25.Rxg4 Rae8 26.h5 Re5 White resigned.

Not bad for a 74-year-old.