Solitaire Chess / Instruction

A Little Tal
Few players in the history of chess could delight the public more
than the Magician from Riga. A perfect example is this miniature
from 1964.
By BRUCE PANDOLFINI

ITS TIME FOR A LITTLE MIKHAIL TAL. 3. Nc3 Par Score 6 Naturally, Tal bites the bullet. Without
In the grand scheme of things, even though his words, he announces: Go ahead, take my
This is a main line, but White has many
lifetime rating may not be very high compared pawn!
to some of the recent giants of the chessboard, options on this third move. Accept full credit for
either 3. Nf3, 3. c4, 3. c3, 3. f4, 3. f3, or 3. Bc4. 6. Qxb2
few players in the history of chess could delight
the public more than the Magician from Riga. 3. d6 And so Tringov does take the pawn.


Time and again he would sacrifice one piece
Black guards against e4-e5 advances, while 7. Rb1 Par Score 6
after the other, sound or unsound, and some-
opening a line for the queen-bishop to
how pull off a grand attack plan that mystify- No other move makes any sense. Tal pro-
develop.


ingly scores. Such is the case with Tals game ceeds to gain time against the black queen.
against Georgi Tringov (Black) at the 1964 4. Nf3 Par Score 6
7. Qa3
Interzonal in Amsterdam. Computers may find Once again White has reasonable alterna-
refutations, but for chess fans, the enchant- tives. Accept full credit for either 4. f4, 4. Bc4, This of course is Blacks only safe square for
ment of Tals surprise moves will always be 4. Be2, 4. Be3, 4. Bg5, 4. g3, or even 4. Nge2. the queen.


there. A true miniature, the game began:
4. c6 8. Bc4 Par Score 6

MODERN DEFENSE (B06)
Mikhail Tal
Georgi Tringov
Amsterdam Interzonal, 1964
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7
Now ensure that the above position is set up
on your chessboard. As you play through the
remaining moves in this game, use a piece of
paper to cover the article, exposing Whites next
move only after trying to guess it. If you guess
correctly, give yourself the par score. Sometimes
points are also awarded for second-best moves,
and there may be bonus pointsor deductions
for other moves and variations. Note that


means that Whites move is on the next line.


This move does a few things. While guarding
both d5 and b5, it clears the square c7 for the
black queen and supports, if the opportunity
arises, a timely ... b7-b5 thrust, which may put
pressure against the white king-pawn by
menacing a further advance, ... b5-b4.


5. Bg5 Par Score 6
A Tal-like development. Nevertheless, accept
full credit for 5. Be3, 5. Be2, or 5. a4.
5. Qb6
Black gets active, with an immediate attack
to the white b-pawn. Is it a poisoned pawn?
In seeing this game, one cant help but be
reminded of the Tringov-Fischer poison
pawn Sicilian game from Havanas Capablanca
Memorial of a year later, which charmingly
went: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4
Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd2 Qxb2
9. Rb1 Qa3 10. e5 dxe5 11. fxe5 Nfd7 12. Bc4
Bb4 13. Rb3 Qa5 14. 0-0 0-0 15. Nxe6 fxe6
16. Bxe6+ Kh8 17. Rxf8+ Bxf8 18. Qf4 Nc6
19. Qf7 Qc5+ 20. Kh1 Nf6 21. Bxc8 Nxe5 22.
Qe6 Neg4 (0-1). Clearly differentbut not
unrelated.


6. Qd2 Par Score 7
Tal aims full force at the black king. Time
for Tringov to watch out.
8. Qa5
Black tries to get his queen back in defensive
position. From a5, it observes Whites fifth
rank, while keeping an eye on a possible retreat
along the a5-d8 diagonal. Another plausible
move was 8. ... Nd7.


9. 0-0 Par Score 6
Tal is now ready for business. One can only
wonder what surprises he has for us.
9. e6
Fearful of an attack along the c4-f7 diagonal,
Tringov blocks the line. Perhaps he can play
an eventual ... d6-d5. A big problem is the
sudden weakness to his dark squares. No doubt,
Tal was very aware of it.


10. Rfe1 Par Score 6
One last developing move. Accept 1 bonus
point if you realized that Whites last move
ruled out 10. ... d5 because of 11. exd5 cxd5,
and White can capture the d5-pawn for free
because of the e-file pin.
10. a6

44 February 2017 | Chess Life

 Solitaire Chess / Instruction

PROBLEM I PROBLEM II PROBLEM III

ABCs of Chess Mating net Mating net Mating net

These problems are all related to key

positions in this months game. In each
case, Black is to move. The answers can
be found in Solutions on page 71.

February Exercise: Whatever you

learn, try teaching it to someone
else. This will force you to think
about what youve been doing
from another perspective, which
should serve to increase your PROBLEM IV PROBLEM V PROBLEM VI
Mating net Mating net Mating net
overall knowledge of the subject.
Besides, as you try explaining what
youve absorbed to others, you
may find you dont really know it
so well. Youll be compelled to
revisit the material, reinforcing
what you already grasp to compre-
hend more of what you dont. But
better than everything is this: youll
be increasing the planets love for
your favorite game.

This strengthens the possible advance ... b7- Now Tal threatens mate at d8. Add 1 bonus find an attribution to it relating to Tal in any
b5, but its not clear what Black has time for. point for realizing that 14. ... Bf6 would fail to of the big databases): 1. e4 d6 2. d4 g6 3. Nf3
His king is still in the center, and the center either 15. Nxe5 or even 15. Bxe5. Bg7 4. Bc4 Nd7 5. Bxf7+ Kxf7 6. Ng5+ Kf6 7.
may open quite soon. 14. Nd7 Qf3 mate. Add 1 bonus point if you can find
11. Bf4 Par Score 7 where and when the game was purportedly
Black closes the d-file, but it sets up the classic played (let us know at letters@uschess.org!).
Tal zeroes in on the weakened d6-pawn. case of obstructing the queen-bishop. The
11. e5 square e6 is not adequately guarded, and this
signals Blacks doom.
Go away bishop! But, to be sure, its not that
15. Bxf7+ Par Score 9
simple. This advance allows the opening of the
d-file, and it also clears the diagonal for the c4- Another shot from the blue, well, at least
bishop. That could be bad news (for Black). along the light squares.
12. dxe5 Par Score 6 15. Kxf7
This opens the d-file. Add 1 bonus point if you analyzed that 15. ...
12. dxe5 Kd8 would also be terrible, since White would
follow with 16. Ng5.
And this threatens the f4-bishop. Where
16. Ng5+ Par Score 6
will White move his bishop to?
13. Qd6 Par Score 10 Here comes Tal for the kill.   
16. Ke8 
 
Why move the bishop when you can move

 

the queen? Its moves like this that make Tal Blacks only move. Nothing to think about,
Tal. The f4-bishop is hanging. The white knight other than resigning. Total Score Approx. Rating
is hanging. Without an evaluative engine, who 95+ 2400+
17. Qe6+ Par Score 6
knows whats going on? (The engine does confirm
81-94 2200-2399
Tal played the best move. ~ed.) And this concludes the festivities. Obviously,
66-80 2000-2199
13. Qxc3 17. ... Kf8 permits 18. Qf7 mate; but not much
better is 17. ... Kd8, when 18. Nf7+ Kc7 19. 51-65 1800-1999
Black decides to gobble the free knight. Give Qd6 is also mate (1 bonus point). 36-50 1600-1799
yourself 2 bonus points if you planned to answer 21-35 1400-1599
13. ... exf4 by 14. Nd5!, when 14. ... cxd5 is met 17. Black resigned
06-20 1200-1399
by 15. exd5+. Tal reportedly played the following opening 0-05 under 1200
14. Red1 Par Score 7 trap in an exhibition (though frankly I cant

www.uschess.org 45