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Chess 'hustlersIteachlessonBy SHELBY LYMANChess is a great leveler. Class, race, age and even sex may recede into relative insignificance as two personsengage over the chessboard.Yet, the juxtaposition of opposites sometimes leads toHUH.*Z4IUI91SXX NX 3X X 6 Nd Xdthe black queen pawn was pinned. What is black’s reply? Answer: 1 . . . PxN!. which simply wins a piece. For if 2. QxQ, . . . RxR mate follows. While 2. RxR allows . . . NxR defending the black queen.(Diagram 2)In 1958, Botvinnik, playing Smyalov played 1 . . . K-Q3? After white’s 2. R-N6 check, •!black played 7 . . . K-B4. He intends, now that his king is safe from checks by the rook, to push his pawns. But he had to resign after Smyslov's nexr move. What is it? Answer: 3. j K-Q3, threatening 4. P-N4 and checkmate.KR KN KB K Q QB QN QRxovia|| uidj6diq)the dramatization of psychological quirks, as ‘‘background’ differences assume central importance.For example, the impove-r i s h e d chess expert will “hustle” an eager and more affluent “patzer”. The expert will not only pick up a wager or two but will take pleasure in demonstrating a superiority over his higher status adversary who has wandered into his domain.Theon the otherpatzerhand, though he may lose money, will occasionally win a game and has many near(Diagram 2)BLACK »BotvinmkXb N5 6 X BX NX XXWWWv. iu ‘W'Tyf(Diagram 3)In this position fromthe(Diagram 3)BLACKFilipXd Nd SO d X SX NX XXQR QN QB Q K KB KN KRSmyslov* urnmisses which spur him on masochistically to new encounters with his nemesis.The person w'ho is hustled has a rare experience in his firsthand knowledge of a usually unapproachable chess talent. His familiarity teaches him or deludes him to think that he too would be a stone’c throw from greatness if ne | were to make the effort.Those not given to such extravagant pleasures may en- 6 joy a milder form of conceit, 5 i.e., second-guessing world champions. Here are foui po- 4 sitions in w'hich a famous 3champion “blunders.” Try your luck at seeing what they 2missed. l’ (Diagram 1)In 1886, the great Steinttz, playing Zuckertort, made themove 1) NxQBP?? thinkingQR QN QB Q K KB KN KRFt sc HerWHITE1959 Candidates Tournament, the young Fischer could have won a pawn. How'? Answer:1. Q-R5. Black’s . . . K-Nl does not work. Why? Answer: QxN! followed by a knightfork.(Diagram 4)Perhaps the worst blunder ot all is by Taimanov against Fischer in 1971. Here Taimanov played 1) FxP? ??? to t h e astonishment of all. What’s Fischer’s reply? An-su'er: Q-Q5 check (double attack). Taimanov resigned as he shamefacedly realized that Fischer would meet . . . R*B? with 2. R-R8 check which wins the rook.Lymanism If it is true, as Fischer has said, that with proper training he should be able to beat the Chinese at pmg pong because of his longer arms, then it is most likely also true that sitting closer to the board, they should win over him at chess.(Diagram 4)BLACKFischerXft Nb BO 6 X «X NX XXIQR QN QB Q K KB KN KRTaimofiovWHITE
Newspaper Details
Pomona Progress Bulletin
Pomona, California, US
Sun, Sep 30, 1973
Page 127
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