Fifty Great Short Games ______

MIKHAIL C HIGORIN AND D AWID J ANOWSKY : Fifty Great Short Games ______

International Master Nikolay Minev

The Chess Library Seattle, Washington

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Mikhail Chigorin and Dawid Janowsky: Fifty Great Short Games 112 pages (with player, opening, event indices) ISBN-10: 0-9661889-5-0 ISBN-13: 978-0-9661889-5-0

CONTENTS ______Page Introduction…………………………...…...... …. 5 A00-A99…...……...………………………...... … 9 B00-B99………………………………….……………. 13 C00-C99………………………………………………. 20 D00-D99………………………………………………. 90 Indices….…….……...... …………………………. 110

3 "Chigorin's talent is enormous, and possibly he is a real genius. At times the depth of his ideas can be inaccessible to mere mortals." - Alexander Alekhine

"The grandiosity of Chigorin's ideas is enchanting: his every move breathes with creative force and an irresistible will to win." - Rudolph Spielmann

“When in form, Janowsky is one of the most feared opponents who can exist". - Raul Capablanca

“Janowsky was no chess scientist or theoretician... He had only two rules in chess: always attack; always get the two bishops ... His main strength ...was his extraordinary intuition, which gave him the exact feeling for what to do and how to do it.” - Ossip Bernstein

MIKHAIL CHIGORIN AND DAWID JANOWSKY

Their 50 Great Short Stories Selected and annotated by IM Nikolay Minev

About hundred years ago, in the end of 19 th and beginning of 20 th Century, Mikhail Chigorin (1850-1908) and Dawid Janowsky (1868-1927) were, without a doubt, two of world’s best chess players. Together with Marshall, they were considered among the most ardent practitioners of an active and predominantly tactical chess style. The collection of their short games presented in this book is bonanza for those who want to learn tactics. In these games, the student will find not only plenty of instructive tactics, but also lightning attack and ingenious defense, clever traps and interesting opening experiments. These deserve to be known by any chess player.

Mikhail Chigorin Chigorin was born in 1850 in Gatchina, Russia (near St. Petersburg) and learned the moves of chess late, at age 16. The game did not really capture his passion until in his twenties, and his first notable tournament result came in 1879 in winning the Russian Congress. His first international tournament was Berlin 1881, where he finished tied for third, behind Blackburne and Zukertort. His skill continued to develop, and toward the end of the 19th century, he was considered one of the world's top four or five players. His reputation as a match player was also strong.

He had very strong results against the best players of his day in tournaments at London 1883 (4th behind Zukertort, Steinitz and Blackburne), New York 1889 (=1st), Hastings 1895 (2nd, ahead of Lasker, Tarrasch and Steinitz), Budapest 1896 (=1st, and winner of the play-off match), Cologne in 1898 (=2nd), Vienna 1898, London 1899, Monte Carlo 1901 (=3rd after Janowski and Schlecter), Lodz 1906 (2nd to Rubinstein), and Nuremburg 1906. He twice played matches against Steinitz for the World Championship (in 1889 and 1892), but lost both, although his lifetime score against Steinitz was quite close.

He was the first Russian to devote his life to the game professionally , and was considered the founder of the Russian (and later Soviet) "school" of chess. He worked tirelessly to promote the game in Russia. He edited (and sponsored) the early chess magazine, Shakmatny Listok, gave many lectures, wrote magazine articles and chess columns, and founded a chess club in Saint Petersburg.

Chigorin was tactically sharp and highly skilled in gambit lines. He had a profound and imaginative approach to chess that emphasized play for the initiative. He is remembered for several distinctive opening lines that bear his name. Steinitz referred to him as "a genius of practical play."

He died in 1908 at Lublin, Poland at the age of 57.

Dawid Janowsky

Janowsky was born slightly later than Chigorin, in 1868, in Volkovysk, Poland. He relocated to Paris in 1890, and shortly thereafter began his chess career, finishing tied for 6th in his first international tournament, Leipzig 1894. His strength continued to improve until he reached his peak during the period 1898-1905, when he was undoubtedly among the

6 world's top five players and a regular prize winner in tournaments. He was one of only two masters to beat the first four world champions (Steinitz, Lasker, Capablanca and Alekhine).

His finest tournament results were Nuremberg 1896 (5th), Vienna 1898 (3rd), London 1899 (=2nd behind Lasker), Monte Carlo 1901 (1st ahead of Schlecter and Chigorin), Hannover 1902 (1st), Monte Carlo 1902 (3rd), Cambridge Springs 1904 (=2nd with Lasker, behind Marshall), Barmen 1905 (=1st), Ostend 1905 (=2nd), Scheveningen 1913 (2nd behind Alekhine), New York 1916 (2nd behind Capablanca), Atlantic City 1921 (1st), and Lake Hopatcong 1923 (3rd).

He was less successful as a match player, probably because he failed to adapt his style to the weaknesses of his opponent. He played in a single World Championship match in 1910, but was dominated by Lasker, scoring only 3 draws in the 11 game match.

Janowsky was known for quick, energetic play, a fighting spirit, and sharp tactics. He greatly preferred to attack, and detested the endgame. Probably because of these considerations, most of his games were decisive, with only about 20% of them ending in a draw. He sometimes lost in positions that were objectively equal, because of pressing too hard to win. He was considered an original talent, with impressive tactical and positional intuition.

He died of tuberculosis in 1927 at Hyeres, France, where he had traveled to participate in a tournament.

International Master Nikolay Minev

8 ______[1] Janowsky D. – Michel W. A45 Semmering 1926 ______

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5

This original move was first introduced by Janowsky and played by him in several tournament games.

2…d5

Common is 2…Ne4.

3.e3 e6 4.Bd3 c5 5.c3 Nbd7 6.f4!?

This is a Dutch-Stonewall with reverse colors. This opening structure is favorable both because White has an extra tempo, but also because the “bad” Dutch Queen Bishop is already developed actively on g5, outside the pawn barricade.

6…Qb6 7.Qc2 c4?!

Better is 7…Ne4 at once, or the simple 7…h6 8.Bh4 Be7 (7… Bd6!?).

8.Be2 Ne4 9.Bh4 f5 10.Nf3 Qa5 11.Ne5 b5

11…Nxe5!?

12.Nd2

9 Unclear is 12.Bh5+ g6 13.Nxg6 N7f6!

12…Nxd2??

13.Bh5+ g6 14.Nxg6 Nb6 15.Ne5# 1-0

______[2] Janowsky D. – Saemisch F. A46 Marienbad 1925 ______

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 c5 4.e3 Nc6

Interesting is 4…Qb6!? According to Parma, the position after 5.Nbd2 Qxb2 6.Bd3 d5 7.c4 Qc3 7.Ke2!? Nbd7 8.Qa4 is

10 unclear. In my opinion White has enough compensation for sacrificed pawn.

5.Nbd2 b6

12…d5!?

6.c3 Bb7 7.Bd3 cxd4?!

Opening the e-file is in White’s favor. A better try is 7…Be7.

8.exd4 Be7 9.Nc4! O-O 10.Qe2 Qc7 11.h4! h6

12.Qd2! Ng4

In case of 12…hxg5 13.hxg5 Rfd8 14.gxf6 Bxf6 15.Qe3, when White increases the pressure without having made any sacrifices (Alekhine).

13.Bf4 d6 14.Ne3 Nxe3?

11 Necessary was 14…f5, and if 15.d5 Ne5, and the position is still playable (Alekhine).

15.Qxe3

Now the sacrifice on h6 is looming.

15…h5 16.Rh3 e5 17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.Nxe5 dxe5 19.Bxe5 Bd6

This allows an exceptionally spectacular finish, but the alternative 19…Qc6 20.Rg3! is likewise grim.

20.Qh6!!

For if 20…gxh6 21.Rg3#. It is recorded that before he resigned Saemisch turned to the audience and cried out loudly: “From where came this Queen?”. Clearly Janowsky’s last move came as a complete surprise to him. However, he is not the first or only player who was surprised by such an unexpected tactical strike by the Queen.

12 ______[3] Chigorin M. – Skipworth A. B00 London 1883 ______

1.e4 e6 2.d4 b6 3.Bd3 Bb7 4.Nh3!?

An interesting forgotten idea. From here, in comparison with the usual 4.Nf3, the Knight can jump not only to g5, but also to f4. This means that White will have more attacking options.

4…Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Qe2 h6?

6…d5!?

13.c4! Bxc4?

This loses immediately. However, also after 13…c6 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.c4! Black’s position collapses.

14.Bxc4 dxc4 15.Qf3! c6 16.Ng6+ 1-0

______[4] Janowsky D. – Delmar E. B00 Cambridge Springs 1904 ______

1.d4 b6 2.e4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.Be3 g6 5.Nd2 Bg7 6.Ngf3 Ne7 7.Qe2 d6

This strange system of development was popular in 19th Century.

8.h4!

White is well ahead in development, hence, it is time for action (Janowsky).

8…h5 9.Ng5 Nd7 10.O-O-O e5?

In an effort to find counter play, Black should try 10…c5 instead.

11.Bc4 Rf8

If 11…d5, then 12.exd5 Bxd5 13.Bxd5 Nxd5 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Bd4 f6 16.Bxe5 fxe5 17.Ne6 etc. (Janowsky).

12.Qf3 Nf6 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Bb5+ Bc6

Not 14…c6?? 15.Nc4. In case of 14…Nd7, 15.Nh7 Rg8 16. Bc4 is possible.

15.Nc4 Qc8?

Overlooking White’s tactical blow. Correct is 15…Qb8.

16.Bxc6+ Nxc6

17.Rd6! Ng4 18.Rhd1!

But not 18.Rxc6? Qd7.

15 18…Nd4 19.Bxd4 exd4 20.e5! Nxe5

If 20…Bxe5 21.Qe4.

21.Qe4 cxd6 22.Nxd6+ Kd7 23.Nxc8 Raxc8 24.Qb7+Kd6 25.Rxd4# 1-0

______[5] Chigorin M. – Clemenz H. B24 St. Petersburg 1880 ______

Notes by Chigorin, except as noted

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 Nf6

After 3.g3 Anderssen liked to continue 3…d6, followed by e7- e5 and Nge7. His idea was to limit, at least temporarily, the strength of the Bishop on g2. It is a good idea, but it is not easy to assess which pawn move is better for Black, e7-e5 or e7-e6.

4.Bg2 e6 5.d3 Be7

Worse is 5…d5 because of 6.exd5 exd5 7.Bg5 d4 8.Qe2+.

6.f4 d6 7.Nge2 O-O 8.O-O Qc7?! 9.b3 a6 10.a4 e5?

After this move, Black will be without enough counter play. Correct is 10…b6, followed by 11…Bb7.

16 11.f5 Bd7 12.Kh1 Nd4 13.Bg5 Nxe2

A weak move. Better is the immediate 13…b5 (Minev).

14.Qxe2 Bc6 15.g4 b5 16.Bd2 b4

Suicidal. Closing the position only helps White’s attack on the Kingside (Minev).

17.Nd1 Nd7 18.g5

I think that already Black is lost.

18…f6 19.g6! h6

If 19…hxg6 then 20.fxg6 Rfd8 21.Qh5 Nf8 22.Bh3 Be8 23. Bf5, followed by Rf1-Rf3-Rh3. The position arising in the game is very original. Over the next five moves White builds a decisive attack that Black is powerless to prevent!

20.Qh5 Nb6 21.Ne3 Ra7 22.Ng4 Bd8 23.Rf3 Be8 24.Rg3

1-0

There is no defense against the threat 25.Bxh6 gxh6 26.Nxh6+ Kg7 27.Nf7 with imminent mate.

______[6] Janowsky D. – von Popiel I. B72 Hannover 1902 ______

Notes by Janowsky, except as noted

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 g6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bg7 6.Be3 d6 7.Be2 Nf6 8.h3

Avoiding some simplifications that are possible after 8.Qd2.

8…O-O 9.Qd2 a6

Preparing for a counterattack with the b-pawn (Janowsky). Black’s best continuation is 9…d5! 10.exd5 Nb4 (Minev).

10.Rd1 Bd7 11.O-O Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Bc6 13.Qe3 b5 14.Bf3

The threat was 14…b4.

14…Qc7 15.Rfe1 Rfe8

16.e5! dxe5

If 16…Nd7, then 17.e6, or if 16…Bxf3 then the beautiful variation that follows is even more unfavorable to Black: 17. exf6! Bxd1 18.fxg7 Bxc2 19.Nd5 Qd7 20.Qxe7! Rxe7 21. Nxe7+ Qxe7 22.Rxe7 etc.

17.Bxe5 Qb7 18.Bxf6 Bxf3?

If Popiel was able to predict my 20 th move, surely he would have preferred to take the other Bishop (Janowsky). After 18…exf6? 19.Qxe8+! Rxe8 20.Rxe8+ Bf8 21.Bxc6 Qxc6 22. Rdd8 White wins, and after 18…Bxf6 19.Nd5! White has the advantage (Minev).

19.Bxg7 Bxd1

20.Bh6! Bxc2 21.Qe5 1-0

Because of 21…f6 22.Qe6+ Kh8 23.Qf7 Rg8 24.Rxe7 etc.

______[7] Chigorin M. – Olland A. C00 Hannover 1902 ______

1.e4 e6 2.Qe2!?