But LCCC had a successful Kid's Night on May 13th and also is running our annual Fischer Random 960 tournament. To learn more about this type of chess, search Fischer Random 960 on this blog search engine. It has been covered many times before.
Right now Don Mason is alone in 1st place with 2 points out of 2. Ken Tack and Charlie Shoulders are tied for second with 1.5 points.
The 3rd round will be this Monday. Stop by the club to watch the action, or play as we have several players that attend that did not get in the tournament.
Here is an interesting game from the British Championship in 1964!
Haygarth, playing Black trails Littlewood, playing White by a full point here in Round 5 of the tournament. Littlewood to this point has blitzed a very tough tournament field with a 4 - 0 score!
Haygarth goes on to win this tournament and this game was the pivotal moment.
Littlewood finds a beautiful combination to secure a winning position in this game. But having done the heavy lifting to get to that point, he inexplicably threw it all away.
All I can say is .....been there ......done that!
Haygarth, in a little bit of a hurry to reach the 1st time control at 40 moves misses 40. ....c4! to keep a very slight edge in the position. The text move give Littlewood a full pawn positional advantage (+1) which he uses wisely. An eye for tactics is a Littlewood specialty, as the two text moves for White are deadly if Black doesn't get his King out of the way of the upcoming pin.
 |
| Black to move |
40. ..... Ne6?
41. Qd3! Kh8
42. Ne7 Nf8?
Another slight blunder by Black. 42. .....c4 was still better for Black for a little counter-play.
43. Rd1! Rxh5??
Again 43. .......c4 is still better than snatching the pawn on h5 (+1.4), but White at this point is probably going to win anyway (now +5.5).
44. Qf3! Rg5
45. Qa8 .........
White will win a piece and Black is only left with a desperate looking perpetual check trick for a draw.
45. ...... Kh7
46. Qxf8 Rxg2+
47. Kf1 ? ...........
Littlewood is seeing ghosts and drifting into chess blindness as Haygarth did missing c4 for several moves. Oh the pressure of tournament chess and finishing a win you know is just ahead for you.
There is no perpetual check after 47. Kxg2, Qg4+ 48. Kf2, Qf4+ 49. Ke2 and the King heads to a check-free zone on the Queen-side.
47. ..... Rg1+
48. Kf2 Rg2+
49. Kf3??? .........
Unbelievable! Taking the rook still wins of course. Now Black checkmates!
49. ......... Qg4+
50. Ke3 Qe2+
51. Kf4 g5+
52. Kf5 Rf2 ++
Littlewood fades after this devastating loss. While Haygarth is unstoppable after this escape in this game and wins the tournament. Luck is also a part of chess success.
Been there - done that on both sides of this tournament equation.
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