Solitaire Chess
Who ’ s Giving the Exhibition ?
By Bruce Pandolfini
Two amateur heads can be better than one master .
In most simultaneous exhibitions the exhibitor , usually a strong player , takes the white pieces , hoping to make up for playing against a bunch of opponents . But now and then the exhibitor may take black on some of the boards , or all of them , which surely makes it a bit harder for the exhibitor . Moreover , most of the time , the exhibitor faces just one player per board . At other times , however , several players may form a consulting team and work as a unit at a particular board , which , depending on how well the amateurs function as a team , may or may not be an advantage . In the following game , both anomalies take place . The master ( Isaac Kashdan ) starts with Black and his opponents ( two amateurs ) consult against him on the white side . As we shall soon see , this time around the outcome turns out favorably for the amateurs and not so nicely for the master :
French Defense , Tarrasch Variation ( C06 ) McKee and Thompson Isaac Kashdan Simultaneous Exhibition 1932
1 . d4 d5 2 . Nf3 Nf6 3 . e3 e6 4 . Bd3 c5 5 . c3 Nc6 6 . Nbd2 Be7 7 . 0-0 0-0 8 . e4 cxd4 9 . e5 Nd7 10 . cxd4 f5 11 . exf6 Nxf6
r + lwq-trk + zpp + -vl-zpp - + n + psn- + + - + p + - + - - + -zP- + - + + - + L + N + - PzP-sN-zPPzP tR-vLQ + RmK-
Your starting position
Now make sure you have the above position 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 White ’ s next move only after trying to guess it . If you guess correctly , give yourself the par score . Sometimes points are also rewarded for second-best moves , and there may be bonus points — or deductions — for other moves and variations . Note that ** means that the note to Black ’ s move is over and White ’ s move is in the next line .**
12 . Nb3 Par Score 5
White probably played this move to open a path for the queen-bishop , but in doing so also eyes the c5-square .
12 . … Bd6
Black wants to advance the e-pawn . That will free his pieces , though it means taking on an isolated d-pawn after d4xe5 .**
13 . Re1 Par Score 5 White clamps down on e5 .
13 . … Qc7 Black renews his “ threat .”**
14 . Qe2 Par Score 5
White does some more clamping down . Their idea ( McKee and Thompson ) is to keep the e6-pawn backward while setting up for Nf3-e5 at the right moment .
14 . … Bd7
If 14 . ... Nb4 , then 15 . Bb1 , after which the advance a2-a3 drives the knight back .**
15 . Bd2 Par Score 5
This completes development and clears c1 for their rook . Receive full credit for 15 . Bg5 , with the idea of Bg5-h4-g3 , trading dark-square bishops .
15 . … Rae8
Award yourself 2 bonus points for calculating 15 . ... Nb4 16 . Rac1 Nxd3 17 . Rxc7 Nxe1 18 . Rxd7 Nxf3 + 19 . gxf3 Nxd7 20 . Qxe6 + Rf7 21 . Qxd6 emerging with material advantage . With his rook move Kashdan renews the idea of e6-e5 .**
16 . Rac1 Par Score 5
The Allies counter by pinning the knight .
16 . … Bc8
Black anticipates the entry of a white knight at c5 or e5 .**
17 . Ne5 Par Score 5
The Allies calmly improve their position . The knight can hardly be removed for if 17 . ... Bxe5 ( 17 . ... Nxe5 ? 18 . Rxc7 ) 18 . dxe5 Nd7 the black knight is displaced , inviting attack . That proceeds by 19 . Qh5 g6 ( 19 . ... h6 20 . Bxh6 ) 20 . Bxg6 hxg6 21 . Qxg6 + Kh8 22 . Rc3 , followed by a possible Rc3-h3 . Add 2 bonus points if you saw the general outline .
17 . … Qb6
White ’ s last move weakened the defense of his d4-pawn , so Kashdan takes the opportunity to unpin the c6-knight .**
18 . Be3 Par Score 5
White defends d4 while setting up a discovery on the queen , in the event of ... N ( B ) xe5 , dxe5 . Accept 1 bonus point if you so perceived the possibility .
18 . … a5
Black is thinking of advancing on the knight by a5-a4 . But in the process b5 is weakened and the knight has a good square to go to anyway .**
19 . Nc5 Par Score 5
The white knight moves onto a good square , the secondary outpost .
19 . … Qc7
He ’ s not ready to yield his dark-square bishop ( 19 . ... Bxc5 ) and taking 19 . ... Nxe5 20 . dxe5 Bxe5 runs into 21 . Nd7 ( 1 bonus point ). Meanwhile , the queen has nothing further to do on b6 , so Kashdan redeploys .**
16 Chess Life — July 2012 uschess . org