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Shelby Lyman: On ChessOn Paul KeresThe recent death of Paul Keres has removed from the chess scene one of the great virtuosos of modern chess. His celebrated precocity (self-taught at age four), his rare love of the game, and his four decades of sustained achievement mark him as one of the great chess heroes of all time.Though he never became the challenger for the world championship, his near misses in everv worldfrom willevery championship cycle 1948 through 1965 remain part of his legend. He was either second or tied for second in the candidates tournaments of 1953, 1956. 1959 and 1962.Keres’ remarkable calmness and good sportsmanship in defeat were matched by his impressive objectivity and lucidity as an analyst. For several years, tens of thousands of American chessplayers have enjoyed and learned from the clear and logical presentations of this SovietBLACKFILIPHONO90o■■■■■■■■Xax[HUJN NIfj|§h*1m(JL■NX H*IXL1eOR ON OB O K KB KN KRKERESWHITEWhite to playTV ScoutReportsBy DICK KLEINERA couple of the young black women who are starring in series, have usedtheir vacations to good purpose.Bernadette Stanis of “Good Times” toured college campuses with a dance program.And Berlinda Tolbert of“The Jeffersons’’ spent hergrandmaster in the pages of “Chess Life and Review.” And they have perhaps been astonished and chastened by Paul’s own personal modesty, as revealed in these writings.Keres' most disappointing moment and worst blunder occurred in his game with Bilek in the 1956 candidates tournament at Goetborg, Sweden (see Diagram One).Here a point would have put him into a first-place tie with Smyslov, with oneround to play.Indeed. Paul could have won in the diagrammed position by playing 1. Q-B6 with the threat of 2. RxN!, QxR; and 3. Q-R8 mate. After the reply 1. . .NxB, he would still have won with 2. QxN, R-Kl; 3. Q-B7, etc. Instead he made the fateful error 1. K-R2?? and lost after 1. . R-B5; 2. Q-B6,NxB, etc. (if 3. QxN, then 3. . Q-B5 check, etc.).A grievous moment for anyone, though Keres always rebounded from such mishaps.In early 1975, Keres, at the age of 59, swept the annual international tournament at Tallinn, Estonia (his native land). This tournament was one of the strongest of the year, as would doubtessly testify Boris Spassky, who finished third.A typical example of Keres’ still clear and powerful sytle was seen in his game with Rantanen, from Finland.BLACKKERESHO NO BO O8UJ•■■1 O'VY'Nxn81m■1 BX NX HXI□DOQR QN QB Q K KB KN KRRANTANENWHITEBlack to playIn Diagram Two, Keres played the trenchant 1. . .R-K3, the firststep in an inevitable king-side smash. Rantanen, hopefully, wentfor material with 2. RxB. But after 2. . .NxN check; 3. PxN, B-R6; (threatening 4. . .Q-N4 check and mate), white’s 4 . N-K3 w as inadequate in the face of Keres’ simple 4. . .NxR (see Diagram Three).BLACKKERESBO NO 90 O XX NX HXQR QN QB QKB KN KRRANTANENWHITEWhite resignsFor 5. QxN would drop a bishop to black by 5. . Q-N4 check and 6. . QxB.Behind in material afterall and with a bad position, Rantanen resigned.It is hard and painful to believe that Paul Keres is gone. Our perennial heir apparent to the worldchampionship was always so brilliant, always so young and always a contender./VIONTGO/l/lEIIrYour televisionset may be fine..._____• i.:___-couldbevour
Newspaper Details
Glens Falls Post Star
Glens Falls, New York, US
Sat, Jun 28, 1975
Page 32
Full Page
Clipped by
Los A.
CA, USA 03 Jan 2023
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