ETCETERA: CHESS

THERE ARE two legitimate ways to win a chess game: you may secure an advantage by accurate play in the early stages, then nurture it through to victory in the end-game; or you may secure a clear disadvantage, then infuriate your opponent so much by your refusal to let it get any worse that he ultimately self-destructs. Here is a classic example by a master of the second method.

White: Emanuel Lasker

Black: Siegbert Tarrasch

Berlin 1916

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4 5.f3

Although no other player seems to have tried this move, it is a curiously simple way to obtain a poor position very quickly. Either 5.e5 or 5.exd5 would be normal.

5...h6 6.Bxf6

Other bishop moves lose the e-pawn.

6...Qxf6 7.Ne2 dxe4 8.fxe4 e5!

With 9.d5 now met by Bc5, Black already stands considerably better.

9.a3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Nc6 11.Qd3 Bg4 12.d5 Nb8 13.h3

Consolidating his disadvantage rather than rushing to the brink of disaster with 13.Qb5+ Nd7 14.Qxb7 0-0.

13...Bxe2 14.Bxe2 Nd7 15.Qe3 0-0 16.Rf1 Qh4+ 17.g3 Qe7 18.c4 Qc5 19.Qxc5 Nxc5

With White's Q-side majority useless and his bishop little better than a pawn, Black has everything he could wish for.

20.Bd3 Rad8 21.Kd2 Rd6 22.Ke3 g6 23.g4 Kg7 24.Rab1 Rf6 25.Rb5 b6 26.Rbb1 Rxf1 27.Rxf1 Rd8 28.h4!

The only way to counter Black's plan of Rd6 and Rf6, with Rf4, Kf6 and Kg5 to follow if White avoids the rook exchange.

28...Rd6 29.g5! hxg5 30.hxg5 f6 31.Rg1! fxg5 32.Rxg5 (See diagram.)

Now Black saw that after 32...Kf6 33.Rg1 it is not easy to make progress, since g5 is met by Rf1+ with Rf5 to follow. So he plays what he should have done last move.

32...Nd7 33.c5! bxc5 34.Bb5! Kf6 35.Rg1 Nf8 36.a4 Rb6 37.Kd3 Nh7 38.Kc4 Ng5 39.Rg4 Nf7 40.Kxc5 Nh6 41.Rg1 g5

Finally the pawn advances, but it has all taken too long to arrange.

42.a5 Rd6 43.Be2 Kg6 44.c4 Ng8 45.Bg4 Ne7 46.Be6 Ra6 47.Kb5 Rd6 48.Rb1! a6+ 49.Kc5

The threat of Rb7 is now decisive.

49...Rxe6 50.dxe6 g4 51.Rf1 Kh5 52.Rf7 g3 53. Rxe7 resigns.