Australian Beer and Chess

I’ve never been to Australia but I just know I’d like it out there.

I’ve never yet met an Australian lad I did not trust, like and get on
with. An Australian Red Hot Pawn member sent me this picture.

I requested more information and was duly sent this
photograph of the above picture in it’s natural setting.

The setting is the bar in the Parkview Hotel in Orange, New South Wales.

Desperate to improve my game I just had to try a Victoria Bitter.

So off to my local Australian bar called....The OZ Bar.

And I played a game of chess drinking the stuff.

....I got hammered.

Bill Lombardy, who was Fischer’s second in the 1972 match v Spassky passed away
in October this year aged 80. I thought I’d do this piece to remind or inform some of
you that the ‘Spassky Connection’ began 12 years earlier at Leningrad in the year 1960.

Bill on the cover of the September 1960 ‘Chess Review.’

Lombardy earned his place on the cover due to his board one performance at the
then recent 1960 World Student Team Championship which was won by the USA.

Bill was also the top scorer on Board 1 with a score of 12 pts from 13 games.

We have to remember that back in the 1960’s the USSR dominated everything that was
chess and this result taking place on Mother Russia’s home turf did not go down too well.

Lombardy beat Spassky in their individual game. and according to Andrew Soltis in
his book ‘Soviet Chess 1917-1991.’ Spassky was ‘punished’ for the next few years by
having numerous requests to play chess abroad knocked back. The most noticeable of
these being Hasting 1962-63 when Smyslov was sent in his place as a late replacement.

B. Spassky - W. Lombardy, Leningrad 1960

The two players cheerfully analysing the game.

It was possibly this picture being passed around the corridors of
power showing a smiling Spassky that upset the powers that be

It’s OK to lose but one must not be seen beaming with joy about it.

Bill Lombardy played a huge part behind the scenes to make sure the
’72 match went ahead. He gave very little away in interviews when
asked about the match. The most noticeable recent statement from him
was he did not like the way he was portrayed in the film ‘Pawn Sacrifice.’

A final reminder just how big that match was regarding the media.

The Los Angeles Times, Friday 1st September 1972. The bugging being
denied refers to the Watergate Scandal which brought down a President.

We end with four fairly easy Bill Lombardy attacks for you to wrap up.

(1) W. Lombardy - A. Kolarov, Sweden 1956


White to play

(2) W. Lombardy - W. Heidenfeld, Munich Olympiad 1958


White to play

(3) H. Keto- W. Lombardy, Leningrad 1960


Black to play

(4) W. Lombardy - N. Spiridonov, Krakow 1964


White to play.


I can name the source where I got an idea for one of my games on here.

Chernev’s ‘1000 Best Short Games of Chess.’ game No. 68.

Schuster - Carls, Bremen 1914.

It is not a very common trick, a lot of people seem to know of it but few get the
chance to play it. Luckily for me I managed to pull off such a stunt a few days ago.

jcspessanha - greenpawn RHP 2017

A return to this popular feature where we see moves containing some brilliant idea
or motive but was never played because either the player missed it or their opponent,
in this case Blackburne saw through it and in a way robbed us of a delightful moment.

J. Blackburne - S. Winawer, Berlin 1881

Time passes and 126 years later two RHP player decide that this Unheard Melody
deserves to be heard and so they treat us to their version of ‘The Dueling Banjoes.’

mikenay - Wiabj RHP 2007

The Bill Lombardy Solutions

(1) W. Lombardy - A. Kolarov, Sweden 1956


1. Qxg7+ Qxg7 2.Rxf8 mate.

(2) W. Lombardy - W. Heidenfeld, Munich Olympiad 1958


1. h3+ Kh8 2.Be5+ mate next move.

(3) H. Keto - W. Lombardy, Leningrad 1960


1....Rf1+ mate next move no matter what White plays.

(4) W. Lombardy - N. Spiridonov, Krakow 1964


1.Rh5+ Kxh5 2.Rxh7 mate.

I pulled off the same trick in 1994 OTB

G. Chandler - G. Barnton, Grangemouth Allegro 1994


1. Rxh5+ Kxh5 2.Rh7 mate.

The thread accompanying this blog is Thread 175091