several annotated games . Here are some of them , with my notes .
First two typical Clarke endgames . It is hard to see where his opponents went wrong .
White : Trefor Thynne |
Black : Peter Clarke |
WECU |
Championship , |
Weymouth , |
1970 |
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1 d4 d5 2 c4 dxc4 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 e3 e6 5 Bxc4 c5 6 0 – 0 a6 7 dxc5 Bxc5 8 Qxd8 + Kxd8 9 a3 b5 10 Ba2 Bb7 11 b4 Bd6 12 Bb2 Ke7 13 Nbd2 Nbd7 14 Nb3 Rac8 15 Rac1 Bd5
To weaken the light squares .
16 Rxc8 Rxc8 17 Rc1 Rxc1 + 18 Nxc1 Bxa2 19 Nxa2 g6
To move the f6 knight without losing the g-pawn .
20 Bd4 Otherwise ... Nb6 eyeing c4 .
20 ... Ne4 21 Kf1 f5 22 Nc1 g5 ! 23 Nd3 g4 24 Nfe5 Bxe5 25 Bxe5 Nd2 + 26 Ke2 Nc4 27 Bb2 e5
Threatening ... e4 . 28 Bc1 e4 !
Normally , giving away f4 and d4 would be dangerous , but here the knight cannot easily reach d4 , and on f4 it can be challenged from g6 . Most important is Black ’ s light square grip which prevents any counterplay .
29 Nf4
29 Ne1 looks better , preserving his better minor piece .
29 ... Kd6 30 Kd1 Nde5 31 Ke2 Ng6 ! 32 Nh5 Ke5 33 Kd1 Nh4 34 Nf4 Kd6 35 Ke2 Ne5 ! 36 Bb2 Nd3 ! 37 Nxd3 exd3 + 38 Kxd3 Nxg2
Clarke has converted his advantage into a multitude of light-square paths into his opponents ’ position . In particular , the knight can win the h-pawn from f3 .
39 Bd4 Ne1 + 40 Kc3 Kd5 41 Bb6 h5 42 Bc7 Ke4 43 Bd6 h4 44 Kd2 Nd3 !
Changing tack . The a-pawn is the new target .
45 Ke2 h3 46 Bg3 Nb2 47 Bh4 Nc4 48 Bf6 Nxa3 49 Bb2 Nc2 50 Bc3 Nxe3 ! 0 – 1
51 fxe3 allows 51 ... g3 queening a pawn .
White : Peter Clarke |
Black : George Wheeler |
WECU |
Championship , |
Weymouth , |
1975 |
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1 c4 f5 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 g3 e5 4 Bg2 d6 5 d4 exd4 6 Qxd4 Nc6 7 Qd2 Be7 8 b3 0 – 0 9 Bb2 Rb8 10 Nh3 Ne5 11 Nf4 a6 12 Ncd5 Nxd5 13 Nxd5 Be6 14 Nxe7 + Qxe7 15 0 – 0 Qf7 16 e3 Qh5 17 Qd1 Qxd1 18 Rfxd1 Nd7 19 Rac1 a5 20 Bd4 b6 21 Bc6 Nc5 22 h4 Kf7 23 Kg2 Bd7 24 Bd5 + Be6 25 f3 Rfe8 26 Kf2 Re7 27 Rc3 Rbe8 28 Bc6 Bd7 29 Bxd7 Rxd7 30 Rc2 Rde7 31 Re2 Ne6 32 Ree1 Nd8 33 Bc3 Nc6 34 Rd5 Ne5 35 Bxe5 Rxe5
Now Clarke forces a weakness on the c-file .
36 f4 ! Rxd5 Retreat loses the f-pawn . 37 cxd5 Rc8 38 Rc1 Ke7 39 h5 !
With later possibilities of h6 , and making ... g6 , as defence of the f-pawn , difficult .
39 ... Kd7 40 Kf3 ! Re8 White threatened e4 , creating a kingside
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