CHESS
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.There is an unhealthy mood of bravado laced with machismo running through modern Russian chess. In the old days, captures were met with the politeness of a recapture. And any player with pretensions to be considered a gentleman would retreat a piece that his opponent had attack. Such old formalities, however, are no longer observed, as the following game attests.
White: S Tiviakov
Black: S Beshukov
Russian Championship 1996
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.Be2 Qc7 8.a4 Nc6 9.0-0 Be7 10.f4 0-0 11.Kh1 Re8 12.Bf3 Rb8 13.g4 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 e5 15.fxe5 dxe5
We have seen all this often enough before. The bishop must now escape, but takes the chance to send the black rook home before doing so.
16.Ba7 Ra8 17.g5!
Vulgar, but effective. Now 17...Rxa7 18.gxf6 Bxf6 19.Nd5 brings Black severe problems.
17...Bb4
Not to be outdone in this game of "Chicken", Black also refuses to move his attacked piece. He will eliminate the white knight before it can reach d5.
18.gxf6 Bxc3 19.Qc1
Quite outrageous! White neither recaptures on c3 nor moves his own attacked piece. And all for a threat to force mate with 20.Qg5 g6 21.Qh6.
19...Bb4 20.Be3
Finally, four moves after being invited to leave, the bishop makes its exit.
20...Bf8 21.Bh6!
Having proven its immunity on one wing, the bishop tries its luck on the other. Now 21...gxh6 is met by 22.Rg1+ Kh8 23.Qd2 and the threat of Qg2 is fatal.
21...Qc6 22.Bxg7 Bxg7 23.fxg7 Be6
Black's king shelters behind the white pawn as his men arrange counterplay.
24.Rf2 a5 25.Qg5 Rad8 26.b3 Qc5 27.Raf1 Rd7 28.Bh5 Rc8 29.Qh6 Qc6 (see diagram) 30.Bg6!
White defends his e-pawn - but perhaps not quite in the way Black had envisaged. Now 30...hxg6 31.Qf8 or 30...fxg6 31.Rf8+ is the end. So Black resigned, thus confirming the truth of the old values: as soon as White actually defended an attacked man, his opponent gave up.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments