Chess
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Britain's most original player explains his global philosophy.
White: M J Basman
Black: Stefan Djuric
Islington Open 1993
1. h3
I call this the 'Global Opening'. You can play it, as I have done for the past few years, with either colour against anything.
1 . . . b6 2. c4
Let me explain the Tao of Chess. 1. h3 poses a question: Will you occupy the centre or not? After 1 . . . e5 or d5, I continue 2. a3, giving my opponent freedom to contrinue his self-expression. But if he evades the issue with a move such as b6, I revert to a more conventional style.
2 . . . c5 3. Nc3 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. d3 Nc6 6. e4
It's all part of the feminine side of the Tao: 1. h3 waits for a response, then c4, d3 and e4 negates his b6. Negation is a feminine characteristic.
6 . . . d6 7. g4
This makes h3 look useful, though I could also have played quietly with Be2 and 0-0.
7 . . . e6 8. Bg2 Ne5
He is trying to dominate the Black squares, so I must fight. My reply shows another use for 1. h3.
9. Nh2 g5 10. Nf1 Bb7 11. Ng3 Ng6 12. Nh5 Be5 13. Qa4+]
On playing this move, I had a sensation that everything was in place for the Global Immortal Game. Since Qd7 loses the g- pawn, he must move his king.
13 . . . Kf8 14. Ne2 Nh4 15. 0-0 Nxg2 16. Kxg2 d5 17. cxd5 exd5 18. Bxg5]
More flashy and more effective than 18. f4.
18 . . . Qxg5 19. f4 Qe7 20. fxe5 Rd8 (see diagram)
I must admit my next move was based on a miscalculation, but it didn't matter.
21. Rxf7+] Kxf7
After 21 . . . Qxf7 22. Rf1 Black's unco-ordinated rooks are no match for the white queen.
22. Rf1+ Ke6]
I had been counting on 22 . . . Kg6 23. Nef4+ Kh6 24. exd5 when Qxe5 is met by 25. h4] with the deadly threat of g5+. Now he threatens Kxe5 and an escape to the Q-side.
23. Rf5] Qc7 24. Nhf4+ Ke7 25. Nc3]
He can hardly move anything. 25 . . . dxe4 loses to 26. Qc4] threatening mate on e6 or f7.
25 . . . Nh6 26. Rf6 Nf7
He could have fought harder with 26 . . . dxe4 since Qc4 would no longer threaten mate on f7.
27. Nfxd5+ Rxd5 28. Nxd5+ Bxd5 29. exd5
Now Qxe5 loses to Re6+. He finds another way to lose quickly, but the white centre pawns are too much to cope with in any case.
29 . . . Nxe5? 30. d6+ Qxd6 31. Rxd6 Kxd6 32. Qxa7 Nd7 and Black resigned at move 40.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments