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The Birth (or berth) of a Variation.

The Birth (or berth) of a Variation.

The Planet Greenpawn



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Just one puzzle to solve this week. It tripped me up when I first tried it.

A. Korobov - A. Volokitin, Ukraine 2001
  • 8
  • a
  • 7
  • b
  • 6
  • c
  • 5
  • d
  • 4
  • e
  • 3
  • f
  • 2
  • g
  • 1
  • h

Black to play and win. Solution at the bottom.
Clue
I cannot think of a good clue without giving the solution away.

green pawns

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A tale retold from ‘The Art of Checkmate’ by Renaud and Khan.

August 1939 and boarding the good ship Piriapolis at Antwerp are
groups of chess players of various nationalities on their way to play
in the 8th Chess Olympiad being held in Buenos Aries, Argentina.

Onboard are Alexander, Czerniak, Eliskases, Friedemann, Najdorf, Golombek
and a whole host of other players including one of the authors, Victor Khan.

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The Piriapolis (which was sunk by the Luftwaffe in June 1940)

Victor Khan writes that the score of a smashing Kotov win had just been
published. The variation Kotov used was not in the latest MCO (number 6).
At that time Modern Chess Openings was a must have chess players Bible
and Victor Khan writes that everyone onboard had a copy in their possession.

During the journey everyone was analysing the game in great depth.
Here is the original game and next I’ll give a sample of their analysis.

A. Kotov - M. Yudovich USSR Championship Leningrad 1939

  • 8
  • a
  • 7
  • b
  • 6
  • c
  • 5
  • d
  • 4
  • e
  • 3
  • f
  • 2
  • g
  • 1
  • h
1.d4Nf6
2.Nf3d5
3.c4e6
4.Bg5Bb4
5.Nc3dxc4
6.e4c5
7.Bxc4cxd4
8.Nxd4Qa5
9.Bxf6Bxc3
10.bxc3gxf6
11.O-ONd7
12.Kh1Nb6
13.Bb3Bd7
14.Qf3Ke7
15.Qe3Rac8
16.Rac1Nc4
17.Qe2Nb6
18.Qd3Rc5
19.c4Rhc8
20.f4Be8
21.e5fxe5
22.fxe5Rxe5
23.Rcd1Qc5
24.Qg3Re4
25.Rf5exf5
26.Nxf5Kf6
27.Rd6Kxf5
28.Qf3Rf4
29.Qh5Ke4
30.Bc2Ke3
31.Rd3Ke4
32.Rd2Ke3
33.Qe2

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      Sparing no expense in my research for Red Hot Pawn I bought an MCO 6
      for £2.00 and the line Kotov played is not in there. I already had an MCO 7
      (published in 1947) I cannot remember where or how I came by it but I can
      confirm that MCO 7 has the Kotov theoretical Novelty (a TN) he is proof.

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      ( A lot of you will not understand descriptive hieroglyphics but it’s there. Trust me.)

      Now we look at what the boys on the boat were having fun analysing..
      • 8
      • a
      • 7
      • b
      • 6
      • c
      • 5
      • d
      • 4
      • e
      • 3
      • f
      • 2
      • g
      • 1
      • h
      1.d4Nf6
      2.c4e6
      3.Nf3d5
      4.Bg5Bb4
      5.Nc3dxc4
      6.e4c5
      7.Bxc4cxd4
      8.Nxd4Qa5
      9.Bxf6Bxc3
      10.bxc3Qxc3
      11.Kf1Qxc4
      12.Kg1O-O
      13.Qg4g6
      14.Qf4Nd7
      15.e5Nxf6
      16.exf6Kh8
      17.Rc1Qd5
      18.Qh6Rg8
      19.Nf3Qh5
      20.Ng5Qxh6
      21.Nxf7

      0

          Finally I wonder if they looked at the Double Rook sac on the ship. (they must have.)

          • 8
          • a
          • 7
          • b
          • 6
          • c
          • 5
          • d
          • 4
          • e
          • 3
          • f
          • 2
          • g
          • 1
          • h
          1.d4d5
          2.Nf3Nf6
          3.c4e6
          4.Bg5Bb4
          5.Nc3dxc4
          6.e4c5
          7.Bxc4cxd4
          8.Nxd4Qa5
          9.Bxf6Bxc3
          10.bxc3Qxc3
          11.Qd2Qxa1
          12.Ke2Qxh1
          13.Nxe6Nc6
          14.Nxg7Kf8
          15.Qd6Kg8
          16.Qg3Kf8
          17.Nf5Nd4
          18.Kd2Nxf5
          19.exf5Be6
          20.Qg7Ke8
          21.Bb5Bd7
          22.Qxh8

          0

              green pawns

              A. Korobov - A. Volokitin, Ukraine 2001 (the solution)
              I’ll play a few moves before we get to the critical position.
              • 8
              • a
              • 7
              • b
              • 6
              • c
              • 5
              • d
              • 4
              • e
              • 3
              • f
              • 2
              • g
              • 1
              • h
              1.Rdxd6Nh5
              2.Qd5Be1
              3.a3Ng3
              4.hxg3fxg3
              5.Qe6Rf5
              6.Bh2Rh5
              7.Rd2Rxh2
              8.Kg1Bxd2

              -1


              The thread accompanying this blog is Thread 197129

              The Planet Greenpawn

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