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Shelby Lxntan on ( hessPressure causes simple errorsNo result can ever be taken for grant-ed in chess. The best player in the world courts disaster and can lose to the worst if he makes one sufficiently weak’wmove. Vulnerability to serious error is so widespread that even players of world championship caliber have overlooked simple mates when under extreme pressure.Diagram 1Our first position (Diagram 1) is to be found in the repertoire of many experienced amateur players. White has a quick checkmate after a double rook sacrifice. What is the mating procedure? Answer: 1) R-R8 check. KxR;2 R-Rl check. K-Nl; 3) R-R8 check. KxR: 4) Q-Rl check. K-Nl: 51 Q-R7mate.There are many known examples ofthis type.Doubtlessly the Malaysian player Li^n Tan is not unfamiliar with the sacrifice of the two rooks. Yet he missed the win and the glorv in the followingposition (Diagram 2) reached againstDiagram 2 Ex-world champion Vassily Smyslovin the 1973 Brazil Interzonal.True, the position has its own unique twist but Tan will probably kick himself the rest of his days for missing the opportunity to so dramatically polish off his famous opponent.Let’s take the situation step by step and follow the hypothetical winning sequence, ingloriouslv missed by Tan (He played R-R7.) The first moves feature the sacrifice of the two rooks, i.e. 1)R-R8 check. BxR; 2) RxB check. KxR; 3) Q-R6 check. K-NlDiagram 3and our third position is reached.Now one move and one move onlv wins. It is not 4) N-N5 . . . threateningQ-R7 check and Q-R8 mate. N-N5would lose after . , . P-K3. which would provide an escape square at K2 for the black king. The winning move would have been 4) P-K6. unblocking the diagonal of the queen bishop and threatening mate with the queen at both N7 and R8. Both . . . RxB and P-B3 fail toBxQ. KxB; 41 NxP (discovered cheekl wins the rook.As you can see. being a grandmaster is not insurance against drastic overstop the mate since 51 N -No is unanswerable.Diagram 4So that you can more fully appreciate the effect of game conditions on mental function. Diagram 4 presents a position in which the late Leonid Stein has justplayed R-N2. allowing an instantbreakthrough by white. The game was lost whatever black did but it was probably not Stein's choice to lose so41rabruptly.The winning move by white is 11 QxP check!! If. . . PxQ; 2) R-K8 checkmate. Heights, III. 60006.sights.LYMAMSM“Lnlike life, chess allows again with an absolutelytion.”Address your questions in care of this column to Paddock Publications, P.O. Box 280. Arlingtonvou to startfresh posi-If• • •B-Q2 2) QxB check, QxQ: 31Dioqrom 1HI \lt; kx6 n6 86X 8X NX XXQR QN QB Q K KB KN KR% HITEHew does whtte force mote*Dioqrom 3 HLVCkSmvslov8$ N6 86X 8X NX XXQR QN QB Q K KB KNTan \* HITEFrom here, it's easier.Copyright 1973 by Shelby LvmanOtogrom 2BL UKSmyslov• ••x6 n6 ad 6 x ax nx xxiQR QN QB Q K KB KN KRTan«IIITKBrat the wcrtd champion Tan didn't(Dioqrom 4KL UJkSteinx6 n6 86 6 x sx nx xxiQR QN QB Q K KB KN KRHuderferT. HITEWhite has a one move smasher
Newspaper Details
Wheeling Herald
Wheeling, Illinois, US
Fri, Sep 14, 1973
Page 57
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Los A.
CA, USA 26 Dec 2022
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