I see all the old classic are coming out - brilliant.
Surprised that some players may never have seen them before.
The Larsen-Spassky game is just magnificent.
Next time they met Larsen again played 1.b3 against Spassky,
this time they drew.
How about 'famous moves' that were never played.
Years ago I toyed with the idea of a book called: 'Unheard Melodies'
All the brilliant variations that never appeared in games because
they were either missed or prevented.
There are some utterly fantastic moves lying under the surface of
even the most blandest of games.
Sometimes they replaced the moves that were actually
played in the real game (Alekhine did this a few times).
This from the 'Melodramatic' category.
Capablanca - Janowski, Sans Sebastian 1911.
Black to play
Janowski's
simple win was 53...Qh1+ 53...NxB and 54...Qg2.
He missed it (53....Qe1+) and lost the game.
The consequences of this missed move, according to Edward Lasker, were.
Capablanca won the tournament and the Cuban government gave him
a cushy job for life in the diplomatic service.
Not having to work for a living is a certain bonus for a chess player.
If Capa had lost then Rubenstein would have won the tournament and
people where ready to back him for a match for the World Championship
against Emanuel Lasker.
A lot of people think Rubenstein who at his peak then would have won it.
Rubenstein never got a shot at the work title and his mental health suffered
thinking the fates was against him.
Capablanca never worked again.
All because of a missed move.