Another Spectacle

This was the only game to draw spectators away from Tisdall—Marchand. It provides eloquent support for Steinitz's doctrine that a game in which both sides play perfectly should end in a draw.

Buffalo Open, 1973.

White: P. Willis
Black: K. J. Iggers.

English Opening.

1. c4 c5; 2. Nc3 Nc6; 3. Nf3 f5; 4. d4 d6; 5. g3 Nf6; 6. Bg2 e5; 7. e3 e4; 8. Nd5.

Rather than save the Knight by moving it to an awkward square, White counterattacks.

8...Be7; 9. Ng5 O-O; 10. Qb3 cd.

This natural move is followed by an orgy of zwischenzugging.

11. Ne6 Na5; 12. N:e7+ Q:e7; 13. Qb4 B:e6; 14. Q:a5 B:c4; 15. Q:f5 de; 16. B:e3 Rad8; 17. Bd4 Qe6; 18. Q:e6+.

Trying to provoke an exchange of Queens.

18...Rfe8.

Black calmly completes his development at enormous material cost.

19. Q:c4+ d5; 20. Qc5 Ng4; 21. O-O Re6; 22. Bh3 Rg6; 23. Q:a7.

At this point an irregularity at move 18 was pointed out, and the game was restored to the diagrammed position.

18...B:e6; 19. O-O h6; 20. Rad1 B:a2; 21. B:a7 Ng4; 22. Bb6 Rde8; 23. R:d6 e3; 24. B:e3 N:e3; 25. fe R:f1+; 26. B:f1 R:e3; 27. Rd8+ Kf7; 28. Rd7+ Kg8; 29. Kf2 Rb3.

30. Bc4+ Kh7; 31. B:b3 B:b3; 32. R:b7 Bd5; 33. b4 B:b7; 34. h4 g5; 35. Ke3 gh; 36. gh h5; 37. Kf4 Bc6; 38. Kg5 Be8; 39. b5 B:b5; 40. Kh5 1/2:1/2.

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Col. G. L. Sicherman [ HOME | MAIL ]