From: nolan@tssi.com (Michael Nolan)
Subject: The Best of Hanon Russell, Part 4
Reply-To: nolan@tssi.com
Organization: Tailored Software Services, Inc.
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 04:36:09 GMT

[A double dose today from the material Hanon wrote in Jan-Mar that didn't get
posted correctly, plus a bonus--game 5 of the Botvinnik Autobiography, which 
wasn't in my archives so I assumed it never got posted and asked Hanon to send 
it to me for reposting.  Mike Nolan]

Botvinnik Autobiography, Game 5 -

Translated by Hanon W. Russell
Copyright 1988, 1991 by Hanon W. Russell
All Rights Reserved

No. 5  Two Knights' Defense
A. Perfilyev  M. Botvinnik
Category I Tournament
Leningrad, 1925

The Category I tournament continued, but this time it was necessary for my 
oppenent to win, and I was able to make use of this fact. Like many other 
first category players, Perfilyev was annoyed by the sight of an upstart 
greenhorn in his group.

1 e2-e4       e7-e5
2 Ng1-f3      Nb8-c6
3 Bf1-c4      Ng8-f6
4 d2-d4       e5xd4
5 0-0         Nf6xe4

Black also gets a completely satisfactory game after 5...Bc5, but the game 
continuation allows White only one continuation..

6 Rf1-e1      d7-d5
7 Bc4xd5      Qd8xd5
8 Nb1-c3      Qd5-d8

Equally good is 8...Qa5.

9 Re1xe4+     Bf8-e7
10 Nf3xd4     f7-f5

Now a position has arisen, in which, under normal circumstances (11 Rf4 
0-0 12 Nxc6 Qxd1+ 13 Nxd1 bc) White can hope for no more than a draw. I 
was convinced of this, since my friend Sergei Kaminer (later to become a 
well known composer of studies) played this line as Black and I had 
studied the resulting ending. Incidentally, this will be seen in game No. 
24 of this collection. White could not afford to go in for this line in 
this competition and seeks to sharpen the game at any cost.



11 Bc1-h6     ...

This move of Hartlaub was introduced in Tartakower's book "The Hypermodern 
Chess Game" which we had all studied to our benefit. Now the fight becomes 
quite intense, since on 11...0-0 12 Nxc6 bc 13 Rd4 White manages to avoid 
the endgame. Black accepts the challenge.

11 ...        f5xe4
12 Bh6xg7     Nc6xd4

On the natural 13 Bxh8 Nf3+ 14 gf Qxd1+ 15 Rxd1 ef 16 Nb5 Bd8 17 Be5 Bd7 
18 Nd4, White would have an extra pawn in the ending, but his winning 
chances would be minimal against the two Black Bishops. 
Therefore...attack!

13 Qd1-h5+    Ke8-d7
14 Bg7xd4     Rh8-f8
15 Ra1-d1     Be7-d6
16 Qh5-g4+    ...

Of course, it is not easy to continue the attack without the Rook, but if 
the fight is to continue, the enemy King must be forced to a more 
dangerous spot. 16 Nxe4 was worth consideration, threatening more pressure 
against d6.

16 ...        Kd7-e8
17 Qg4-h5+    ...

If White is hoping for perpetual check, he will be disappointed.

17 ...        Rf8-f7
18 Nc3-d5     Bc8-g4

This little combination diffuses White's tactics.

19 Qh5xg4     Bd6xh2+
20 Kg1xh2     Qd8xd5
21 Bd4-f6     ...

Obviously, after 21 Qg8+, White wins the Rook on a8, but loses both the 
Rook and Bishop.

21 ...        Qd5-c6
22 Bf6-h4     Ke8-f8
23 Qg4-g5     h7-h6
24 Qg5-e5     Kf8-g8

With the King out of danger, Black can breathe a sigh of relief.

25 Rd1-d5     Ra8-e8
26 Qe5-h5     Kg8-g7
27 Bh4-g3     Qc6-g6
28 Qh5-d1     c7-c6


29 Rd5-d6     Re8-e6

If now 30 Qd4+ then 30...Qf6 31 Qxf6+ Kxf6 32 Bh4+ Ke5! 33 Bg3+ Kf5.

30 Rd6-d8     c6-c5!

With the control of d4, Black brings his opponent's initiative to a halt.

31 Rd8-a8     ...

This was played in the heat of battle and only hastens defeat. Further 
resistance was to be offered by 31 Qd2.

31 ...   e4-e3

The tactical conclusion of the battle. After 32 fe Rxe3 33 Be1 Qe4 34 Bc3+ 
Rxc3 35 bc Qh4+ 36 Kg1 Re7 Black wins the Queen.

32 Qd1-d8     Qg6-h5+
33 Bg3-h4     ...

Or 33 Kg1 e2 34 Qh8+ Kg6 35 Rg8+ Kf5.

33 ...        Re6-e8!

Without this effective stroke, it would not be possible to refute White's 
plan. For example, 33...Kg6 34 Qg8+ Kf5 35 g4+!.

34 Qd8xe8     Qh5xh4+
35 Kh2-g1     e3xf2+
36 Kg1-f1     Qh4-c4+

White resigned. Perfilyev just missed qualifying. Model finished first, 
Zverev second and I shared third/fourth places with Venalein.


Date: Thu, 30 Jan 92 14:18:46 EDT
Subject: Survey: "Chess Life" March, 1992


                            CHESS LIFE
                            March 1992

Is American Grandmaster Joel Benjamin seeing red these days? Not 
really, but that is Joel photgraphed in an eye-catching but 
somewhat eerie reddish glow on the cover of the March issue of 
"Chess Life." The "new look" (or perhaps more accurately the 
"better look") official publication of the U.S. Chess Federation 
under the guidance of Glenn Petersen is slowly but surely 
smoothing the rough edges and evolving into a first-rate chess 
journal.

Soltis presents his usually entertaining column "Chess to Enjoy" 
which this month features a discussion of the en passant rule: 
"After you've seen [the en passant] moves made, even a visitor 
from Pluto should be able to figure out how chess is played. 
(Okay, a *smart* visitor from Pluto.)" Evans and Benko follow 
their regular top notch columns, and a shorter second instalment 
of the "Making It To Master" series by Alburt and Parr tantalize 
us with its last paragraph: "Think also about always remaining 
alert to winning tempos before undertaking decisive action and 
always entering *known* winning positions when opportunity 
beckons. These and other thoughts are the subject of next 
month's article on fixing what's broken in the average expert's 
endgame thinking."

As we pointed out in the review of last month's "Chess Life" the 
"Game of the Month" column has been revived, written this time 
around by American GM Michael Rohde. Perhaps giving the column 
his own imprimatur, or perhaps just linking two clearly related 
games (the Kasparov-Anand games from Tilburg), Rohde presents 
two games in this department, thus using a slightly different 
format than had previously been seen (one game usually, very 
detailed annotations).

The cover story is a feature about Joel Benjamin. Thomas Hailey 
details Benjamin's win in the 27th American Open, held over 
Thanksgiving Weekend in Los Angeles. The Winter Catalog occupies 
the center pages of this issue.

Once you make your way through the thousands of offerings, two 
nice items regarding Yugoslav tournaments are seen - Gelfand's 
victory in the Investbanka tournament and the Women's 
Interzonal, both played in the shadow of the Yugoslav civil war.

In our youth (yes, Virginia, even we had a childhood once!) we 
eagerly awaited the arrival each month of the premier American 
chess magazine. Then it was "Chess Review." Now it is "Chess 
Life" - and the feeling is returning.

Chess Life, the official publication of the U.S. Chess 
Federation, 186 Rt. 9W, New Windsor, NY 12550

Copyright 1992 Hanon W. Russell
All Rights Reserved

Date: Sat, 1 Feb 92 10:23:37 EDT
Subject: Botvinnik Autobiography, Game 7


Translation by Hanon W. Russell
Copyright 1988, 1991 by Hanon W. Russell
All Rights Reserved

No. 7  Queen's Gambit
J. R. Capablanca  M. Botvinnik
Simultaneous Exhibition
Leningrad, 1925

1 d2-d4       d7-d5
2 c2-c4       e7-e6
3 Nb1-c3      Ng8-f6
4 Bc1-g5      Nb8-d7
5 e2-e3       Bf8-b4

This line was, at that time, just becoming fashionable. I preferred it 
considering that it would give me a game versus Capablanca in the 
simultaneous exhibition which would get into less well known lines.

6 c4xd5       e6xd5
7 Qd1-b3      ...

Capablanca likes to make this move in the Queen's Gambit, although he 
himself has taught beginning chessplayers to first develop minor pieces. 
Therefore preferable is 7 Bd3.

7 ...         c7-c5
8 d4xc5       ...

There was no reason to exchange the central pawn on d4, losing control 
over c5.

8 ...         Qd8-a5
9 Bg5xf6      ...

A forced exchange (both 9...Ne4 and 9...Nxc5 were threatened) after which 
Black has an easy game.

9 ...         Nd7xf6
10 0-0-0      ...

Capablanca saw that he was playing a boy, a therefore risks the text. 
However, castling long in an open game without the Kingside being 
mobilized is more than just a little risky. It was necesary to clarify the 
situation by 10 a3.

10 ...        0-0
11 Ng1-f3     ...



It was, of course, impossible to win a center pawn, since after 11 Nxd5 
Nxd5 12 Qxd5 Be6 Black wins easily.

11 ...        Bc8-e6
12 Nf3-d4     Ra8-c8
13 c5-c6      ...

This natural attempt to close the c-file leads to an endgame in which 
Black has an extra pawn.

13 ...        Bb4xc3!

White cannot answer 14 bc since after 14...Ne4, his position is 
indefensible. He realized he had to give up a pawn.

14 Qb3xc3     Qa5xa2
15 Bf1-d3     b7xc6
16 Kc1-c2     c6-c5

Now if 17 Ra1, Black wins with 17...cd.

17 Nd4xe6     Qa2-a4+

A necessary subtlety. On 17...fe 18 Ra1, the operation necessary to save 
the Queen (18...d4) dissipates the advantage. Now it is a matter for the 
endgame which I foresaw back on the 13th move.

18 b2-b3      Qa4-a2+
19 Qc3-b2     Qa2xb2
20 Kc2xb2     f7xe6
21 f2-f3      ...

Otherwise there would follow 21...Ng4.

21 ...        Rc8-c7
22 Rd1-a1     c5-c4

Creating a passed pawn and stripping the White King's position.

23 b3xc4      d5xc4
24 Bd3-c2     Rf8-b8+
25 Kb2-c1     Nf6-d5
26 Rh1-e1     c4-c3

Black's main problem is to penetrate to the seventh with the Rooks.

27 Ra1-a3     Nd5-b4

Not possible was 27...Rb2 due to 28 Rxc3; now 28...Nxc2 29 Kxc2 Rb2+ is 
threatened.

28 Re1-e2     Rb8-d8



White is handcuffed. On 29 Bb3 there would follow 29...c2 30 Bxc2 Rdc8.

29 e3-e4      ...

29 ...        Rc7-c6

The decisive move. Here, the Rook is defended by the Knight and therefore 
on 30...Rd2 31 Rxc3 possible is 31...Rxe2. There is no defense to the 
Rook's invasion.

30 Re2-e3     Rd8-d2
31 Re3xc3     Rd2xc2+
32 Rc3xc2     Rc6xc2+

Here Capablanca pushed the pieces together (signifiying that White 
resigned) and went on. He did not have a happy look on his face. Because 
of this I tend to distrust any eyewitness accounts which tell of 
Capablanca extolling my chess abilities.


Date: Mon, 3 Feb 92 16:00:50 EDT
Subject: "Chess Chow" Volume II, Issue 1



                              CHESS CHOW
                        December-January 1992
                          Volume II, Issue 1

When we reviewed the first issue of "Chess Chow" back in the
Spring of '91, we were not, to say the least, impressed. Since
then, the staff of "Chess Chow" under the guidance of Editor
GM Joel Benjamin and Technical Editor IM Mark Ginsburg has
really gotten its act together. The issues through the end
of last year showed consistent improvement; the latest is the
best offering yet.

Although originally contemplated to be a monthly magazine, the
magazine went to bi-monthly publication several issues ago. The
number of pages was increased and we are now looking at an issue
with 48 pages of entertaining, informative and special chess
journalism.

Fresh from his clear first in the American Open held Thanksgiving
Weekend, Benjamin presents all his games from that tournament. Joel
is able to give the reader a real sense of experiencing the
highs and lows of each game; his annotations are breezy and witty.

Ginsburg struts his analytical stuff in two articles. In one, he takes
a look at critical lines of the Sicilian Dragon, Yugoslav Attack and
the Scheveningen, while in the other he continues his look at the
Gruenfeld Defense, Exchange Variation.

Other articles, whether tournament reports, special features or
fantasy interviews make it clear that these boys hold nothing
sacred. A fictitious interview with Gary Kasparov is intended to
be satirical response to the interview of the paranoid wunderkind
Gata Kamsky published last year in "Inside Chess." As high
quality satire, it doesn't quite make it, although its point is well taken.

All in all, "Chess Chow" has evolved from a slim monthly of haphazard
quality to a fount of unique bi-monthly  chess journalism certain
to please even the most staid readers; if you're not getting it
you're missing some great stuff.

Subscription information: Chess Chow, published bi-monthly, 115
West 75 St., Suite 2B, New York, NY 10023. 1-yr: $21

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