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Saturday, May 24, 1975Section(Diagram t)BLACKRAZUVAEV(Diagram 4) BLACKRAZUVAEV(Diagram 3) BLACKRAZUVAEV(Diagram 2)BLACKRAZUVAEVSMYSLOVWHITESMYSLOVWHITESMYSLOVWHITESMYSLOVWHITEWhite simplifiesSimplify again!and wins a pawn!Keep it simple with an eye on keeping advantageGreat players often have a genius for simplification. Jose Capablanca was astandout example. He would quicklytrade pieces, transpose to an endgame position with a slight advantage and mercilessly win. But though this endgame-oriented strategy was most remarkable, he would willingly simplify at anystage of a game, if he thought it advantageous. No position was so dear to him, no piece so prized, that he would not instantly liquidate for another, more practical advantage.Bobby Fischer, an ardent admirer of Capablanca, in his own way manifests the same ruthless logic. Anatoly Karpov, the new world champion, is not far behind. But many other great players are hardly slouches in that respect.An outstanding example is ex-world champion Vasily Smyslov, another lover of elegant simplicity and crystal logic.Our game today, between Smyslov andanother Soviet master, Razuvaev, is a typ-ShelbyonLyman chessWX.v.ical Smyslov product.Smyslov (White) obviously stands better. He (Diagram 1) is more developed and black’s weak kingside pawns are goodtargets. But how specifically is he to proceed?Here Smyslov chose 1. BxN! and after . . . RxB; 2. N-K4!, RxR check; 3. RxR, B-B5 (trying to hold the knight pawn); 4.P-KN3, B-K4 (drawing a bead on white’sown pawn); P-B3 . . . and black’s kingknight pawn cannot be defended. (Diagram 2)Smyslov has obviously employed the classical method. He has simplified into a new position in which a tenuous advantage has become a tangible one.Several moves later, White has won (Diagram 3), another pawn but black’s aggressive rook and bishops threaten adangerous counterattack.But Smyslov has another reduction exercise. He forced the position inDiagram Four by 1. R-B8 check, K-R2; 2. B-B5 check (Diagram 4), K-R3; and 3.R-B7 threatening 4. R-R7 mate.Razuvaev was forced to play 4 . . .R-Q2, which allowed 5. RxR, BxR; and 6. N-Q8!Another piece will be traded (if 6 . . . BxB; then 7. N-B7 check and 8. NxB). Faced with the unlovely prospect of a simple minor piece endgame, two pawns down, Razuvaev capitulated.Copyright 1975 by Shelby Lyman
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Elk Grove Village Herald
Elk Grove Village, Illinois, US
Sat, May 24, 1975
Page 45
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CA, USA 24 Dec 2022
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