LEGENDS OF CHESS THIS SATURDAY

As part of our Legends of Chess series, we celebrate this weekend the German master Max Lange (1832 - 1899) who was said to be one of the top ten players in the 1860s (roughly a FIDE 2530 level). Lange was not only a player but also an editor of the German Chess Newsletter from 1854 to 1864, and organizer of the 9th Westdeutscher Schachbund (West German Chess League) at Leipzig in 1894. Lange has been etched into chess literature by his popularization of the line: 1.e4 e5; 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 ed 5.0-0 Bc5 6.e5 what we call the Max Lange Attack. Lange also published Lehrbuch des Schachspiel (Textbook of Chess Games) Halle, 1856 and Handbuch der Schachaufgaben (Handbook of Chess Problems) Leipzig, 1862. So one might say that Lange was an all-around intellectual of chess. Lange's kind of chess is action-packed, full of sparks and dares, an inspiration for players to prepare an idea at home and come to the tournament and test it, as wild as it may be, in the midst and rigor of a rated chess game. You don't have to play the Max Lange Attack in this tournament, but you do have the chance to play out your own attack lines to spring on your opponents during the course of the day and see what happens!

Check out some examples in the spirit of the Max Lange Attack:

Paul Morphy vs Amateur, New Orleans, 1858 ECO C55

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Ng5 d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.O-O Be7 8.Nxf7 Kxf7 9.Qf3+ Ke6 10.Nc3 dxc3 11.Re1+ Ne5 12.Bf4 Bf6 13.Bxe5 Bxe5 14.Rxe5+ Kxe5 15.Re1+ Kd4 16.Bxd5 Re8 17.Qd3+ Kc5 18.b4+ Kxb4 19.Qd4+ Ka5 20.Qxc3+ Ka4 21.Qb3+ Ka5 22.Qa3+ Kb6 23.Rb1# 1-0

And now, Steinitz performs a relentless king-side assault, in the spirit of the Max Lange Attack, which leads to checkmate!
Steinitz vs Meitner, Venna, 1860 ECO C55
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. O-O Nf6 6. e5 d5
7. exf6 dxc4 8. Re1+ Be6 9. Ng5 Qd5 10. Nc3 Qf5 11. g4 Qxf6
12. Nd5 Qd8 13. Rxe6+ fxe6 14. Nxe6 Qd7 15. Qe2 Be7 16. Ndxc7+
Kf7 17. Qxc4 Ne5 18. Qb3 Qd6 19. f4 Nxg4 20. Ng5+ Kg6 21. Qd3+
Kh5 22. Qh3+ Kg6 23. Qxg4 Qb6 24. Nge6+ Kf6 25. Qg5+ Kf7
26. Qxg7# 1-0

Paulsen vs MacKenzie, London 1863 ECO: C55 
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Bc5 6. e5 d5 7. exf6 dxc4 8. fxg7 Rg8 9. Bg5 Qd6 10. Nbd2 Bf5 11. Re1+ Kd7 12. Nxc4 Qd5 13. Nce5+ Kc8 14. c4 Qd6 15. Nxc6 Qxc6 16. Nxd4 Bxd4 17. Qxd4 b6 18. b4 Qg6 19. Bf4 Be6 20. Qe5 Kb7 21. Qxc7+ Ka6 22. b5+ Ka5 23. Bd2+ Ka4 24. Qd6 a5 25. bxa6 1-0

And finally, a brief encounter between 2 New Zealanders . . .

Anthony Ker (2353) vs Nicholas Croad (2069) Christchurch, NZ  2002              ECO: C55
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. O-O Bc5 6. e5 d5
7. exf6 dxc4 8. fxg7 Rg8 9. Re1+ Be7 10. Bg5 Be6 11. Bxe7 Kxe7
12. Re4 d3 13. Nc3 Rxg7 14. cxd3 Qxd3 15. Nd5+ Kd6 16. Nf4
Qxd1+ 17. Rxd1+ Kc5 18. Rxe6 1-0
This kind of chess tunes the chess player into the notion of "timing..." one can even give up a whole piece, for the advancement of an attack which leads to checkmate!  We all understand this in theory; now the Boylston Chess Club gives you the opportunity to put theory into practice!  That's the real skill; and the satisfaction of such a chess game in emmense.

So come and play this 4 Round Swiss in 3 sections: Open, U1950 and U1650. Regisration starts at 9:15 am and goes to 9:55. Rounds scheduled for 10:00 am; 12:40 pm 3:00 pm and 5:15 pm. [Check details on the Calender of Events: "Boylston Chess Club Home Page"]

Bring your enthusiasm, your ideas and your home preparation, for both White and Black and put your ideas into play.  Discover the possibilities!

Crystal Clarity in Action

So see you all this Saturday, December 15, 2012, for one wild tournament!