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Goodbye Prince by Michael Khodarkovsky

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Goodbye Prince by Michael Khodarkovsky Grandmaster Leonid Alexandrovich Shamkovich (1923-2005) Goodbye Prince by Michael Khodarkovsky t was just a few months ago that we der Alekhine, not Ispoke on the phone, and Leonid was to play in the Gru- still optimistic and passionate about enfeld Defense on his analytical work, saying that he was move seven, (Nf3) continuing to analyze recently played in order to avoid games and following all theoretical being pinned by innovations being played by the top Bg4. It was Sham- players in the world. Less than a year kovich who radi- ago he was inducted into the Chess cally changed the Hall of Fame, and he was very pleased direction of this to know that his achievements as a theory by recom- player and theoretician were appreci- mending and em- ated by the chess community. ploying 7 Nf3 and He came to the United States in 1976 8 Rb1. Since then, by way of Israel, emigrating from the this system’s pop- former Soviet Union because he “could ularity has grown not tolerate the anti-Semitism in the as the best play- GM Shamkovich at home, 2005. Soviet Union anymore.” At 51, when he ers in the world, Photo by Fedor Khrapatin decided to emigrate to Israel, many of including Garry Kasparov, successfully conveyed to me his great displeasure his colleagues were surprised that he utilize this strategy in games to this with the title. Leonid wanted his made such a bold decision. Many of day. Leonid’s tireless analytical work games and his analysis to be remem- them preferred to find a warm place inspired many young players. bered as ones made by an artist and in collaboration with Soviet authori- lover of chess, and not associated with ties in order to receive comparatively A REAL ARTIST the word “terrorist.” Those who knew decent pension plans. Garry Kasparov recalls being only 9 Leonid simply could not associate him years old when he was enormously with that word. He was a most good- ANOTHER PATH impressed by a debate between Leonid But Leonid chose another path: He hearted, kind and soft-spoken man, and Alexander Nikitin. He writes, who was named by his colleagues and emigrated and continued playing “how poor the state of chess would be friends “The Prince” because of his chess, writing theoretical articles and if the real artist, like Shamkovich, did politeness and good manners, like the books, and enriching chess theory for not spend countless hours trying to aristocrats of the nineteenth century. the benefit of his contemporaries and connect the zenith of Tal’s genius with future generations. He left behind his the true essence of chess.” He was born on June 1, 1923 in the victories in the Russian Championship In all of his chess analysis, Shamko- city of Taganrog, in the southern part in 1954 and 1957, the Moscow Cham- vich was a maximalist, looking for new of Russia, to a Jewish family. His grand- pionship in 1963 and six participations approaches, methods and ideas, which father was a prominent doctor in this in the prestigious finals of the Soviet have always been related to complica- region and his father was a lawyer and Championships along with great grand- tions and risks. He appreciated games writer. His family was evacuated to the masters such as Mikhail Tal, Leonid that were filled with nontrivial combi- Republic of Georgia during WWII Stein, David Bronstein, Viktor Korch- nations, witty plans and sharp theoret- where he began to play chess, and noi, Efim Geller, and others. ical lines. When going over his own after WWII ended he attended Lenin- Despite others’ beliefs that he was games, Leonid was always critical of grad’s Polytechnical Institute, where over the hill, Leonid won the Israeli errors and missteps, which sometimes he studied theoretical physics. His championship in 1974 and the U.S. occurred. Being so critical of himself, love for chess completely turned him Open in 1976 and 1977, sharing first he was also critical but very objective toward pursuing a career as a profes- place in the latter with his former about the games of other players. Many sional chess player, and he ended up compatriot Anatoly Lein. He repre- of the books and articles he wrote con- dedicating his entire life to it, up until sented the United States in the 1979 tained deep, thorough analysis that he April 22, 2005. Interzonal and was a member of the did without the help of a computer Those most close to Leonid Shamko- U.S. team at the 1980 Olympiad. He chess database. Leonid was one of the vich pay their respects to him and say won many international tournaments, last chess knights, whose precision in “Goodbye Friend, Goodbye Maestro, but he was also known as a brilliant analysis could be compared with pow- Goodbye Prince.” theoretician, whose paradoxical in- erful computer engines of our time. ventions stunned his opponents and As an illustration of his artistry in fascinated colleagues and fans. Be- MASTERFUL CONTRIBUTIONS chess, I have selected two games, which cause of his creative mind and superb Leonid Shamkovich desired to be Leonid would have loved to present analytical skills, Leonid was invited by remembered for the masterful analyti- himself. One of them he contributed ex-World Champion Mikhail Tal (1965) cal and theoretical contributions he to my book, The Gruenfeld Defence, made to the game of chess. Many times and Grandmaster Leonid Stein (1972) Revealed and the other, he considered in our private conversations Shamko- to assist them in the role of a coach. one of the best of his career. Both vich relayed to me his hope of being Shamkovich has been considered games are enriched with Leonid’s remembered as an artist, whose work one of the leading theoreticians dur- own annotations. benefited the chess community, a com- ing his career. He used his knowledge munity he loved. One of his many GRUENFELD DEFENSE [D85] to fashion many new ideas. For in- books was The Chess Terrorist’s Hand- W: J. Fedorowicz stance, chess players for many years book, and on countless occasions he B : L. Shamkovich religiously followed advice of Alexan- New York, 1996 8 Chess Life—July 2005 480 1 d4 Nf6 2rsnlwqk+-tr is trying to limit the power of the Nxd4 Nf6 5r+-wqkvl-tr Nf3 g6 3 c4 fianchetto bishop, but Black has an Nc3 d6 6 g4 a6 Bg7 4 Nc3 d5 zpp+-zppvlp outstanding counter argument 15 … 7 g5 Nfd7 8+l+n+pzpp 5 cxd5 Nxd5 -+-+-+p+ g5! (previous Be3 b5 Black is psn-zp-+-+ 6 e4 Nxc3 7+-zp-+-+- diagram) 16 -+-trk+-tr planning 9 …+p+-zpPzP- bxc3 c5 8 Be3 -+-zPP+-+ Bh3 White, in zp-+-+ptRp Bb7 or 9 … b4, -+-sNP+-+ (diagram) +-zP-vLN+- his turn, pre- which is the An alternative pared to meet -+-+p+-+ most active con- zP-sN-vL-+- 8 Rb1, prevent- P+-+-zPPzP 16 … gxf4 with wq-zpPsn-+- tinuation. 9 a3 -zPP+-+-zP ing the bishop’s tR-+QmKL+R Bxd7+! Rxd7 18 -zpP+-zp-+ Nb6 10 Rg1 zP-+QmKLtR- development after 8 Be3 Bxf4. 16 … e6 +-+-vL-+L N8d7 11 f4 after 12 … e5 became more 17 Rg1 If 17 P+-wQ-zP-zP Bb7 12 f5 e5 popular in recent years, but Black has dxe6, then 17 … (diagram) sufficient resources for counterplay Nxe5. 17 … +-tR-mK-+- The text position back then consid- with 8 … 0-0 9 Be2 Qa5. 8 … Bg4!? gxf4 18 Rxg7 after 18 … Nxe5 ered as the only theoretical line based Shamkovich considered that this move Nxe5! (diagram) on the assumption of Black’s counter- gives Black better chances than 8 … “My opponent likely calculated the play after 13 Nb3 Rc8. But in this game 0-0, in view of the possibility like 9 Qd2 following line: 18 … fxe3 19 Qxe3 only, Shamkovich demonstrated an excep- Bg4 10 Rc1 Bxf3 and then for example, 19 … b3+ 20 Kf1 tionally brave and fantastic sacrifice. 11 gxf3 Nc6 12 rsn-+k+-tr b2 21 Re1 Qb4 22 dxe6! b1Q 23 Rxb1 Later, analyzing this game for his book h4! The text zpp+-zppvlp Qxb1+ 24 Kg2 Qb7+ 25 Kg3 with Sicilian: … e6 and … d6 systems Garry move is played -+-+-+p+ unclear game. But I surprised him Kasparov wrote: “This is beautiful and with the idea of with my last move. Now not only is the complicated.” 13 Ne6!! “This crude exchanging the wq-zp-+-+- knight a threatening fork on “f3”, but invasion of Black’s camp by the knight black bishop in -+-zPP+-+ rook on “d8” is doing its job as well, was familiar to me from other Sicilian order to intensi- +-zP-vLl+- thanks to move 13 … Rd8.” (L. Sham- systems. After some thought, I decided fy pressure on P+-wQ-zPPzP kovich) 19 Ke2? Correct was 19 Kf1, to pull the trigger now. I wasn’t sure White’s center. +-tR-mKL+R although after 19 … Qa3! 20 Bxf4 it was an origi- 9 Rc1 Qa5 10 Qxh3+ 21 Ke2 nal idea, but the r+-+q+-tr Qd2 Bxf3 after 10 … Bxf3 Qf3+ 22 Kf1 -+-+k+-tr surprised look (diagram) Qd3+! Black is zp-+-+ptRp on Benko’s face +l+-mk-vlP This is better better anyway. -+-+p+-+ suggested that it psn-zppsnP+ than 10 … 0-0 r+-+k+-tr The text move wq-zprsn-+- might be.” (L. +p+-zp-+Q 11 Ng5! with a zp-+nzppvlp allows Black to Shamkovich) 13 -+-+P+-+ better game for demonstrate an -zpP+-+-+ … fxe6 14 Qh5+ -+-+-+p+ +-+-zp-+L zP-+-vL-+- White, as was wqpzpP+-+- elegant but de- g6? Correct was played by Por- cisive tactical PwQ-+KzP-zP 14 … Ke7.
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