|
|||||
|
|
|||||
|
Chessville
Advertise to Single insert:
|
Robert "Bob"
Wade Robert (‘Bob’) Wade made his mark as a successful chess player, author and trainer, the last named activity culminating in his appointment as chief chess coach to the British Chess Federation (recently renamed the English Chess Federation). Wade was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, and began a career in the scientific civil service. He first won the national championship of New Zealand in 1944. A second victory in 1945 led to an invitation as a Commonwealth champion to the British Championships of 1946. He had a poor result there but felt he could do better with more application and took a break from his job to travel and play chess in international tournaments. After a brief return to work in New Zealand, winning the New Zealand Chess Championship for the third time in 1948, Wade traveled to Europe to further his chess career, soon settling in England. In the developing but still meagre chess scene of the 1950s and 1960s, he was undoubtedly Britain’s most active international player. He represented his adopted country in no fewer than six Chess Olympiads (Amsterdam 1954, Moscow 1956, Munich 1958, Leipzig 1960, Varna 1962 and Skopje 1972). He also represented his native New Zealand in the 1970 Chess Olympiad at Siegen in Western Germany. His best results in international chess were 5th prize at Venice in 1950 and again fifth prize a quarter of a century later in the masters’ section of the Capablanca Memorial at Cienfuegos, Cuba in 1975. Wade established something of a reputation as a giant killer, notching the scalps of such prominent grandmasters and world title contenders as Viktor Korchnoi, Pal Benkö, Lajos Portisch, Wolfgang Uhlmann and Fridrik Olafsson. In match play, Wade’s most notable performance was a drawn 1950 contest against the West German grandmaster-to-be Lothar Schmid. The run of play was remarkable in that, although the final outcome was a tie, no single game in the match ended as a draw. Wade won the British Championship for the first time at Chester in 1952 and repeated this feat at Coventry 18 years later in the days when all the leading players would still turn out for the championship, including myself, Hartston, Penrose (see game) as well as Botterill and the visiting Australian master Max Fuller. Still an active player in his late 80s, Wade was able to play at a high level, as evidenced by his draw against ex-Kiwi Grandmaster Murray Chandler in the Queenstown Chess International 2006 when Wade was looking forward to his 85th birthday. However, it is as an organiser and coach that Wade is best remembered. Active in the world chess federation, FIDE, Wade was part of the committee that drew up the first official rules of the game and he sat on the committee that decided on the original holders of the International Master and Grandmaster titles (his own IM title was awarded in 1950). He also helped decide the arrangements for the first World Championship Interzonals and the Candidates’ Tournament held at Budapest in 1950. He attended the first FIDE world championship match between the incumbent Botvinnik and the challenger Bronstein held at Moscow in 1951, deputizing for the FIDE president Folke Rogard of Sweden whenever he could not be present.
Wade was struck by the phenomenal ability of USSR training methods to produce seemingly endless legions of world class Grandmasters. He took it upon himself to distil the essence of Soviet methods and to implement what he could in the UK environment. As part of this strategy, he developed a TV format to promote chess with the popular magician David Nixon. He also persuaded the firm Batsford to inaugurate a long-standing programme of chess publications, many concentrating on mainstream theory which had been ignored by previous generations of British chess talents. He instituted regular adult chess classes at Morley College, tirelessly visited schools around the UK and also participated in numerous training tournaments where his experience could be imparted first hand to up-and-coming British hopefuls. With a growing reputation as a chess coach and author, he helped Bobby Fischer prepare for his 1972 World Championship match with Boris Spassky by collating a special book of Spassky’s games. When Wade settled here, the UK chess scene was composed of cheerful amateurs. Twenty years later, an explosion in chess strength was apparent: England’s first Grandmasters qualified in the 1970s and the English team came second to the USSR in two chess Olympiads of the 1980s. This progress was due in no small part to Wade’s vision and efforts. He was awarded an OBE for services to chess in 1979. The following game was decisive for Wade's victory in the 1970 British Championship: White: Jonathan Penrose (TEN
TIMES BRITISH CHAMPION)
Robert Wade vs Victor
Korchnoi Queen's Gambit Declined 1 d4 d5 2 c4 dxc4 3 Nc3 Trying to steer the game into channels that I hoped Korchnoi would not know too well as I had no particular ideas for maintaining the initiative in the main line 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 e3 e6 5 Bxc4 c5. 3…Nc6 Unexpected. The only satisfaction was that Korchnoi had taken 35 minutes to find this not specially impressive move, If, as is usually recommended, Korchnoi had played 3…e5 I would have played 4 e3 exd4, as in Labourdonnais—MacDonnell, 17th game, 1834, but would have expected 5--- Bb4+, as in Stahlberg- Gligorić 1949 match, of which I had some knowledge. Black’s best move seems to be 3…a6 and only after 4 a4 to play…e5. Whether after 3…a6 I would have played the gambit continuation 4 e4 (b5) I cannot answer: it is a question of nerves at the moment of decision. 4 Nf3 I spent a lot of time (more than half an hour) considering 4 d5 Na5 5 Qa4+ c6 6 b4, Black’s best reply may be 6…b5!? 7 Qxa5 Qxa5 8 bxa5 b4 9 N(c3) moves cxd5. This apparently, as I found out later, has been played by Tchigorin. 4…Nf6 After this move Korchnoi had taken 65 minutes and though he had seen a long way into the position the loss of time proved a subsequent handicap. 5 e4 Bg4 6 d5 Probably the third best move. The most interesting is 6 Bxc4 and if 6…Bxf3 7 gxf3. After 7 ---Nxd4 8 e5 is unpleasant; while 7…Qxd4 leads into horrible complications after 8 Qb3 Ne5 9 Qxb7 Nxf3+ 10 Ke2 Qxc4+ 11 Kxf3 Rd8; but somewhat favourable for White after 12 Nb5. The natural move is 6 Be3. 6…Ne5 7 Bxc4 Nxc4 8 Qa4+ Nd7 8…c6 9 Qxc4 cxd5 10 Nxd5 Nxd5 11 Ne5 is good for White. 9 Qxc4 e5 10 Bg5 Played in order to make development of the black queen on the king’s wing-- in order to exploit forthcoming doubled bishop’s pawns-- more difficult. 10…f6 11 Be3 Bxf3 12 gxf3 Bd6 13 Nb5 The beginning of a series of ineffective moves, Correct seems to be 13 0-0-0 followed by Kb1, Ne2, h4, f4, or some similar activity. 13…Nb6 14 Bxb6 Qb3 is a more normal choice. 14…axb6 15 Rc1 Even now 15 0-0-0 followed by Kb1 would be preferable. My constant problem now is how to cope with the eventual doubling of the black rooks on the king’s bishop’s file followed by f5 and how defend f3 and f2 or find counter-chances. 15…0-0 16 Rg1 Useless. Better immediately Nxd6, followed by Ke2, 16…Rf7 17 Nxd6 Qxd6 I expected 17…cxd6 keeping the Queen for f6 after f5. The text move gives me some chances of opening up the game with threats to the black king if the black queen moves. 18 Ke2 Rd8 19 Rgd1 Rdd7 20 Rd3 f5 21 Ra3 fxe4 Allows me to neutralize the f-file. Somewhat better is 21--- g6, though I imagine that by keeping an eye on the black king’s pawn I can keep the black pieces in check. 22 fxe4 Rf8 22--- Qf6 23 Ra8+ gains a vital tempo.23 Rcc3 Rdf7 24 Rf3 h5 Seemingly optimistic perhaps hoping for a position with the white king at f3 and the black queen at g5; ---h6 is safer. 25 Rxf7 Rxf7 26 Rf3 Rxf3 27 Kxf3 Kh7 28 Ke2 h4 Apparently still trying to win. 29 Qc3 Qe7 30 Qf3 g6 31 Qg4 Already aiming for Qe6 with visions of winning. 31...Kg7
32 Qe6 Qf6 32…Qxe6 gives Black a lost pawn ending. Best is 32…Qg5 and If 33 h3 Qf4, with good drawing chances. The move played should cost Korchnoi the game. He had under 2 minutes in order to complete the time control at the 40th. 33 Qxf6+ Kxf6 34 Kf3 Kg5 35 a4 Kh5 36 b4 Is this to be tragedy or comedy? 36 h3 would win for me, e.g. 36…g5 37 b3 g4+ 38 hxg4+ Kg5 39 b4 b5 40 a5 h3 41 Kg3 h2 42 f4!! Or 36…Kg5 37 Ke3 followed by f4. I did not see all this and played the text seeing the winning possibility that came off, as well as being fully aware of a drawing resource for Korchnoi, 36…Kg5 36… b5 37 axb5 b6 would draw. In fact without care I could readily lose. Best would be 38 h3 g5 39 Ke3 g4 40 f4!
37 b5 Kh5 38 a5 After the forced 38…bxa5 39 b6 evolves a passed pawn. 1-0
Victor Korchnoi - Robert
Wade Sicilian Defence by transposition 1 g3 c5 2 Nf3 g6 3 Bg2 Bg7 4 d4 cxd4 5 Nxd4 Nc6 6 Nb3 Nf6 7 e4 0-0 8 Nc3 d6 The game has reached a variation of the Dragon countered by a king’s side fianchetto in which the white king’s knight has dropped back to b3 instead of the more usual Nde2. Korchnoi now tries to build up a central bind. 9 Nd5 Now I had to tackle my opponent’s appetite for space involving the future of my rooks and queen’s bishop. I rejected after lot of wasted thought 9…a5 (10 a4 gaining companion squares at b5 and b6). Finally it was a toss-up between 9…Nxd5 10 exd5 Ne5 and the plan adopted, which seemed more in line with the strategic problems but had tactical risks. 9…b6!? Not overlooking 10 Nxf6+ Bxf6 11 e5, as I intended, then 11…Nxe5 12 Bxa8 Bg4 with compensation for the equivalent of the pawn sacrificed. My justification for 9 ...b6 which creates a blatant weakness along the g2-a8 diagonal lay in the variation 10 Nxf6+ Bxf6 11 e5 Nxe5 12 Bxa8 Bg4 with what seemed about sufficient play to compensate the loss of exchange for a pawn. I basked in my tactical cleverness for some years. Early in November 1967 1 was seated in the audience at Sousse (Tunisia) watching the 16th round games of the Interzonal. At one point Korchnoi, who playing Matanović, turned in his chair and looking around sought and caught my eye for a second or so before applying himself again to the position. I looked to see it - it was identical with our 1963 position after 9 Nd5! As one would expect, Matanović continued sanely with 9...e6 10 Nxf6+ Bxf6 11 0-0 Qc7 12 Bf4 Rd8 13 Qc1 a5 14 a4 e5 and drew after 30 moves. That Sousse evening Korchnoi told me of his finding the zwischenzug 12 f4! (instead of 12 Bxa8) which refutes my tactical justification of 9...b6. One’s aspirations to immortality are thus eroded. Why did I even consider such a fantasy as 9...b6? I tracked it down to a British Championship game at Aberystwyth 1955 which I won with black after 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 g6 5 Nc3 Bg7 6 Be3 Nf6 7 Nb3 0-0 8 Be2 b6 9 f4 Bb7 10 f3 e5 0-1 in 20 moves. 9…Nxd5 is also playable. 10 0-0 Ba6 11 Re1 Rc8 12 c3 Ne5
But this knight’s projected tour is not in accordance with the position’s needs; Nd3 is not a serious threat as White has Bf1. Perhaps better is 12…e6 13 Nxf6+ Bxf6 and if 14 Nd4, intending 15 Qa4, then 14…Nxd4 15 cxd4 Qd7, holding up this and e5. Another line is 14 Bh6 Re8 15 Nd4 and if…Nxd4 16 cxd4 Qd7 17 e5 Be7? 18 d5. If 12…Qd7 - connecting the rooks - then 13 Bg5 is unpleasant. 13 Nb4 Angling for tactical weaknesses along the long white diagonal based on the advance f4 and e5. Yet simply 13 Nd4 may have been stronger. 13…Bb7 14 Nd4 Qd7 Preparing to face the onslaught. The prelude to a very ambitious, very speculative, piece sacrifice designed to coax Korchnoi into weakening his king-position. I wondered for many years how far my “control” of the ensuing tactical melee was influenced by extra sensory perception - the vibes radiating from one’s opponent. Surely I did not have boldness to conceive on such a grandiose scale. Many a master has hurriedly tried to erase his train of thought, afraid that he will transmit his sudden awareness of an error, to an opponent tuned into the same wavelength. But who has won a game and given the credit to vibes? 15 f4 Nc4 16 e5 If instead 16 b3 e5 17 Ndc2 exf4 with lively complications. When I played 9…b6 I envisaged the need to have pieces lined up on the white king’s position to discourage the advance of the king’s-side pawns. The test was at hand. 16…dxe5 17 fxe5
What to do? If 17…Bxg2 18 exf6 wins a piece. If 17…Ng4 18 e6 or 17…Ne8 18 e6 fxe6 19 Bh3 or 17…Nd5 18 e6 also. I looked at 17…Nxe5 as one of the two principal lines to investigate, hoping to be able to exploit the pin along the queen’s file. 17…Bxg2 18 exf6 Ba8! White will need to exercise great care to contain the threats stemming from the black queen/bishop battery on the long diagonal. 19 fxg7 Rfd8
For the piece sacrificed all I can clearly show are mating possibilities along the long diagonal, a better development and difficulties for Korchnoi’s king to gain shelter. On my reckoning the position was precariously balanced. I was, however, glad to see Tal having a long hard look at the position and not his usual cursory glance. Korchnoi steadily in the next three or four moves worked his way into horrible time-trouble. 20 b3 If 20 Rf1 e5 21 Bg5 exd4 22 Bxd8 Qb7. One must expect Korchnoi still to be trying to win and avoiding drawish variations. In answer to the attack on the knight it is possible that I can also play Na5 but why sacrifice to open up the white king and then move pieces away from it. 20…Qh3 21 Qe2 Ne5 Threatening both ...Rxd4 and Rxc3, with mating possibilities. 22 Bf4 There seemed to be nothing lasting about 22…Rxd4 23 Bxe5 Re4 24 Qf2 e.g. 24...Rxe1+ 25 Rxe1 f6 26 Nd3. The text move threatens e5. Possibly White’s best is to force draw by 23 Ne6! The move he plays is a serious fault. 23 Qd2 Only expecting the response ...e5. Possible also was 23 Nf3, Bxf3 24 Qxf3 Qxh2+ 25 Kf1 Qh5. In this position one can see that without a white bishop protecting g3 Black has Rxc3, (1) threatening…Rxg3+ and (2) with the knight at d4 then loose.23…g5 For if 24 Bxg5 Rxc3! threatening... Rxg3+ destroys White’s position. 24 Re2 Instead, if 24 Bxg5, Rxc3 25 Be3 Rxd4 with a massacre, or 24 Bxg5 Rxc3 25 Bf4 Rxd4 etc. Another set of complications results from 24 Be5 Rxc3 25 Nf5 Rxg3+ followed by Rxd2. White cannot try to catch up on development by 24 Be5 Rxc3 25 Rac1 as the straightforward 25…Rxc1 26 Rxc1 Nxe5 is a knock-out, e.g. 27 Nf5 Nf3+. 24…gxf4 25 Qxf4 e5 26 Qf5? 26.Qf1 fights. 26...exd4? Careless and the first sign of fatigue. A quick further look and I should have at least seen and investigated 26...Rxc3 (with the idea of ...Rxg3) forcing 27 Nd3 Rxd4. 27 Rf1 Rc7 28 cxd4 On 28 Nd3 Black could play Bg2, forcing 29 Rxg2, when Qxg2+ leaves Black the exchange up without complications.
28…Re7 Here 28…Bg2 wins similarly to the previous note. Korchnoi now had a minute or two to reach his 40th move, while I had at least 20 minutes. 29 Nd3 Be4 Still …Bg2. 30 Qg5 f6 31 Rxf6 Nxf6 32.Qxf6 Qe6 33 Qf4 At this stage I was suffering excessively from fatigue. As an illustration I now spent 5 minutes considering seriously 33…Rxd4 before I saw that White replied Qf8 mate! The most sensible move would be 33…Kxg7 33…Rde8
There is an argument for ...Kxg7, e.g. 34 Qg5+ Kh3 35 Ne5 Rxd4. Anatomy of Murder by Robert Traver. The night before - after my midnight stroll along the Malecon - I sat up in bed reading this book and couldn’t put it down until I finished it at 5 a.m. As usual I got up for breakfast. Now even though I had 30 minutes for seven moves - Korchnoi had much less - a terrible state of fatigue caught up with me partly through lack of sleep and partly a reaction to the intense concentration (and of course some excitement) of the past four hours. 34.Ne5 Threat rook takes bishop. Well, let’s move it. 34 Ne5 Good is now 34…Bd5 and if 35 Ng6 Qxg6 37 Rxe7 Qb1+ 38 Kf2 Qc2+ 39 Kf1 Qg2+ and captures the rook with check. Barcza suggested …Ba8. 34…Bg6?? Throwing away the win. This slap-happy response gives up the prospect of victory. Instead 34…Ba8! and if 35 Ng6 - watch that mate at f8 - 35…Qxg6 (also 35 ...hxg6 36 Rxe6 Rxe6) 36 Rxe7 Qb1+! 37 Kf2 Qc2+ 38 Kf1 Qg2+ wins easily. 35.Nxg6 Perceiving if 35 Qxe2 36 Qf8+ mates! A swoop of an eagle. So it seemed. The capture came quickly and emphatically. I saw both 35…Qxg6 36 Rxe7 Rxe7?? 37 Qf8 mate and 35…hxg6 36 Rxe6. I believe I entered a state of shock. 35…hxg6?? Five of my last valuable minutes went absorbing the shock. I certainly did not recover as I missed that 35…Qxg6 36 Rxe7 Qb1+ 37 Kg2 Qc2+ drew, failing to see that 38 Kh3 allows …Qc8+ followed by Rxe7. The next nine moves form part of an undignified time-scramble by both players. 36 Rxe6 Rxe6 37 Kg2 Kxg7 38 d5! When playing chess one must live only in the present. Positions past winning or losing, comfortable or difficult, must be put out of mind. Korchnoi skilfully uses his advanced pawn, active queen and possibility of bringing his king to attack Black’s g-pawn or threaten mate, to deprive his opponent of the ability to double rooks on the d-pawn. 38...Re4 39.Qc7+ R8e7 40 Qc6 Re2+ 41.Kh3 Kh7 42 d6 Rg7 43 Qd5 Re8 44 Kg4 Rd8 Now we wrote the score sheet up to date, finding that we had made four moves extra! Korchnoi sealed. 45 Kg5 Rgd7 46 g4 a5 47 Qe6 Rxd6 48 Qf7+ Kh8 49 Kh6 g5+ 50 Kxg5 Rg8+ 51 Kh5 Rgd8 52 g5 R8d7 53 Qe8+ Kg7 54 a4 Rd2 55 Qe5+ Kg8 56 Qe6+ Kh8 57 Qe8+ Kg7 58 h4 R2d6
| ||||
This championship
inspired Wade to write his first major book, a detailed account of the
championship games co-authored by another British champion and International
Master, William Winter (the book is still in print: see
