MARK RUBERY CHESS

The acclaimed chess author and grandmaster, Genna Sosonko, in his researches gained access to KGB files that shed new light on former world champion, Mikhail Botvinnik. The following piece has some local interest.

At the 1964 Olympiad in Tel Aviv the Soviet team was due to play South Africa in the semi-final. The USSR did not have diplomatic relations with that country at the time, and South Africa and Rhodesia were at the top of the list of countries that were the targets of the fiercest attacks in the Soviet press. Alexander Kotov, the team captain, was even considering the possibility of a boycott of this match by the Soviet grandmasters, especially as there were already precedents of this kind and the place in the final was already guaranteed. ‘If you make this decision,’ stated Botvinnik bluntly at a team meeting, without looking at Kotov, ‘I will go out to the playing hall alone.’

Thus the South African team faced the might of Russia with each Springbok crossing swords with a legend:

Dreyer 0-1 Petrosian, Kirby 0-1 Botvinnik, Isaacson 0-1 Spassky, Friedgood 0-1 Stein

This was the second Olympiad that Dave Isaacson was attending and his game against the future world champion, whilst one-sided, would have been an unforgettable experience.

Isaacson,Dave - Spassky,Boris V [C29]

Olympiad XVI prel Tel Aviv (3), 1964

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4

5.d3 Nxc3 6.bxc3 d4 7.Nf3 dxc3 8.Be2 Nc6 9.d4 Bg4 10.Be3 Be7 11.0–0 Nb4 12.Bc4 Be6 13.Bxe6 fxe6 14.Ne1 Nd5 15.Qd3 Qd7 16.Rb1 0–0–0 17.Nf3 Rdf8 18.Rb3 Qc6 19.Rfb1 b6 20.Bc1 Rf5 21.Ba3 Bxa3 22.Rxa3 a5 23.Qa6+ Kd7 24.Qb5 Rhf8 25.Qxc6+ Kxc6 26.Rab3 a4 27.Rb5 g5 28.h3 h5 29.h4 gxh4 30.Kh2 Rxf3 31.gxf3 Rxf3! (This exchange sacrifice takes advantage of White’s weak pawns and tangled rooks) 32.Kg2

Rf4 33.R5b4 Nxb4 34.Rxb4 Kd5 35.Rxa4 Rxd4 36.Ra7 Rd2+ 37.Kh3 c5 38.Rb7 Rxc2 39.Rxb6 35…Rh2+! (A stylish way to finish the game) 40.Kxh2 c2 0–1

Alonzo Morphy, father of the legendary Paul, met a most unusual end when he was killed by a collision with a hat. A cut above the eye from a Panama hat worn by a friend led to congestion of the brain, ultimately causing his untimely end.