LIFE
Kxg2, although his position remains
uncomfortable after 24 ... Rg7. 24 ... Nxe1
Perhaps Gelfand overlooked this simple but
beautiful idea – White is two queens up but
mated by a lowly pawn after 25 cxd8Q g2 mate.
25 Qxe1 g2+ Again the most precise, even
better than 25 ... Qxc7 (which was also very
good for Black). 26 Kxg2 Rg7+ 27 Kh1 Bh3!!
The same theme, but in a stunning second
edition. 28 Bf1 Qd3 29 Nxe5 Bxf1 30 Qxf1
Qxc3 31 Rc1 Qxe5 32 c8Q Rxc8 33 Rxc8 Qe6
White resigns A fabulous game by Nakamura,
and a wonderful advertisement for Black’s
chances in this utterly chaotic variation.Last week I focused on the games and somewhat
tragic career of the ingenious David Bronstein.
Before his time the King’s Indian Defence was
viewed with a certain degree of suspicion, not
least because of the early and gigantic concessions
it makes to White in terms of occupation of
central terrain. It was Bronstein who resurrected
and then espoused that previously neglected
defence, paving the way for later practitioners,
such as Tal, Fischer and Kasparov. Nowadays,
the KID has become one of the main highways
of opening theory, along which both grandmaster
and neophyte may travel, secure in the
knowledge that the defence is essentially sound.
A new book, The King’s Indian Defence: Move by
Move (Everyman Chess) by Sam Collins brings
the theory of this opening fully up to date. Here is
a game with notes based on those from the book.
Gelfand-Nakamura; Bursa 2010; King’s Indian
Defence
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 0-0 6
Be2 e5 7 0-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 Nd2 Ne8 10 b4 f5 11
c5 Nf6 A direct approach, aiming to force f2-f3 so
that the kingside pawns can be set in motion. 11 ...
Kh8 is also possible. 12 f3 f4 13 Nc4 g5 14 a4 Ng6
15 Ba3 White can also play more directly with 15
cxd6 cxd6 16 Nb5. (diagram 1) 15 ... h5 Nakamura
crushed another expert of the Classical Variation,
Alexander Beliavsky, after 15 ... Rf7 16 a5 h5 17
b5 dxc5 18 b6 g4 19 bxc7 Rxc7 20 Nb5 g3 21 Nxc7
Nxe4 22 Ne6 Bxe6 23 dxe6 gxh2+ 24 Kxh2 Qh4+
25 Kg1 Ng3. 16 b5 dxc5 17 Bxc5 Rf7 18 a5 g4 19
b6 g3 20 Kh1 Bf8 A logical move – the c5-bishop
is perhaps White’s best piece and worth
exchanging, plus the second rank is cleared for
the black rook. 21 d6 21 Bg1 is very logical, when
Black can try 21 ... Nh4! and if 22 Re1, he has the
stunning 22 ... Nxg2!! 23 Kxg2 Rg7 24 Nxe5 gxh2+
25 Kh1 Nxe4! and White resigned in Roozmon-
Charbonneau, Montreal 2008. 21 ... axb6 22 Bg1
Nh4 23 Re1 A logical move, preparing to shore
up the kingside with Bf1, but also a big error. 23
hxg3 is better. (diagram 2) 23 ... Nxg2!! Exposing
the white king and setting off a stunning tactical
sequence. 24 dxc7 White should have tried 24
In Competition No. 3016 you were invited
to submit an extract from the diary of the
spouse of a high-profile political figure, liv-
ing or dead.
It was a neat idea on the part of David
Silverman to imagine Calpurnia’s journal in
the style of Bridget Jones’s Diary, but hard
to match the genius of the original. Also
eye-catching, in a patchy entry, were Philip
Machin (Diana Mosley) and Alan Millard
(Ri Sol-ju).
High fives to the winners below, who are
rewarded with £25. Adrian Fry takes £30.Dear Diary and Dear Donald’s people whose job
is to read Diary for Donald, Melania very happy
today as every day, not tiniest bit terrified. I love
him (this means Donald, Donald’s people) so
much. His uniquely oval mouth, blue eyes brim
full of egotistical fulfilment, that bigly face topped
with hair which only look like gold flavour spun
sugar but is absolutely real, no joking. I love his
tiny little hands poking and kneading where tiny
little hands never should. And above it all, that
voice, half wheedle, half bellow, like home-
shopping channel voice-over through bullhorn.
‘Fantastic!’ and ‘Amazing!’ it says over and over,
speaking of itself, of himself, for ever. Like God,
he is everywhere: White House, locker room,
television, Ivanka’s place. So I am never really
utterly alone, especially when at his side, with no
chance (fake news alert!) to plan escape from
gilded cage.
Adrian FryThe King, alas, is not the most generous of men. It
is true that he hath given me some pretty pieces of
jewellery, yet I was chagrined to learn of late that
they are but paste. Why, even my ladies-in-waiting
are richly bedecked with veritable rubies,
emeralds, and diamonds. I made so bold as to
draw this great disparity to the King’s attention,
but his reply was dismissive: ‘Our coffers are
empty, Madam, and gold does not grow on trees
— unless you count the Autumn leaves.’ He
guffawed heartily at his own witticism.
Now, however, I do believe that the King
intends to offer me the diamond necklace that I
crave, for this morning two gentlemen in his
service called on me. ‘Madam,’ they said. ‘We are
instructed by His Majesty to take the
measurements of thy neck.’ I smiled with delight.
Dear, thoughtful Henry!
Brian AllgarToday I told Winston millions rely on him, while he
relies on me. I support their support. Never has so
much been owed by so many to one poor woman.
He just laughed.
How glorious! I had his company this evening
and we enjoyed dinner together. I told him that this
was our finest hour. He just laughed.
I haven’t seen him for days and then he breezes
in late this evening. ‘I will have to seek you on the
landing grounds, in the trenches, in the streets and
on the beaches,’ I said. He just laughed.
At breakfast this morning he was his stubborn
self. ‘You never, never, never give in or admit
you’re wrong,’ I shouted, to his great amusement.PUZZLE NO. 475
White to play. This position is from Jobava-
Nepomniachtchi, FIDE World Cup, Tbilisi 2017.
Can you spot White’s winning coup? Answers
to me or via email to [email protected]
by Tuesday 26 September 2017. There is a prize
of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat.
Please include a postal address and allow six
weeks for prize delivery.
Last week’s solution 1 ... Rg1+
Last week’s winner Julian Pope,
South-West London
Chess
Bronstein’s legacy
Raymond Keene
Competition
Diary stories
Lucy Vickery
rDb1WgkD
Dp0WDrDW
W0W)WhWD
)WDW0WDp
WDNDP0Wh
DWHWDP0W
WDWDBDP)
$WDQ$WGKWDW4WDnD
DW1WDpip
WDWDpHpD
DWDW)WDW
W0W4WDWDDWDW!RDP
W)WDW)PD
$WDWDWIW
rDb1W4kD
0p0WDWgp
WDW0WhnD
DW)P0W0W
P)NDP0WD
GWHWDPDWWDWDBDP)
$WDQDRIW
Diagram 1Diagram 2