Attack

This was the watchword of Grandmaster Dragoljub Velimirovic, one of the leading players of the former Yugoslavia. I first encountered Velimirovic when he represented Yugoslavia on top board in the Students’ Team Championship of Harrachov 1967. He already enjoyed a reputation as a ferociously aggressive player, and he went on to win both individual and team silver medals at the Nice Olympiad of 1974. His forte was to invent sharp attacking lines against one of Black’s most popular defences, the Sicilian. Indeed he expended so much energy looking for ways to demolish it that he probably held himself back — in particular when he played as Black and had to face his own favourite opening move 1e4. Velimirovic outlived Yugoslavia, the country he represented for so many years, but in May of this year, at the age of 72, he pushed his final pawn. This week is a tribute to his powers of attack.
 
Velimirovic-Ivanovic: Budva 1981
 
Here 22 Nxf5 gxf5 23 Qxf5 is possible but then Black defends with 23 … Qe6. Velimirovic keeps his knight on g7 to aid his assault on the black king. 22 Rxf5 gxf5 23 Qxf5 Rd8 This loses. Black had to try 23 … Kg8 when 24 Qxd7 is met by 24 … Qc8. Instead 23 … Kg8 24 b3 Qf7 25 0-0-0 gives White promising play despite being a rook down as 25 … Bxg7 26 Rxd6 is very strong and meanwhile White plans Rg1 and g6. 24 b3 Qd5 25 Rd1 Qh1+ 26 Kd2 Qxh2+ 27 Kc1 Bxg7 28 Rxd6 Bf8 29 g6+ Black resigns
 
Velimirovic-Ljubojevic: Yugoslavia 1972
 
White starts with a typical Sicilian sacrifice. 12 Nd5 Nxd5 13 exd5 Bxg5 14 Rxe6+ fxe6 15 Nxe6 Qa5 16 Qh5+ g6 17 Qxg5 White has shown excellent judgment. Despite being a rook up, Black’s position is hard, if not impossible, to defend. 17 … Rg8 18 Rd2 Nf8 The best chance was 18 … Kf7 19 Re2 Nf6 20 Qh6 and now the cold-blooded 20 … Ke7 with unclear play. 19 Nxf8 Qd8 20 Nxh7 Qxg5 21 fxg5 Kf7 22 Nf6 The rook, knight and three pawns easily outgun Black’s two rooks. The knight on f6 is almost worth a rook on its own. 22 … Rh8 23 g3 Bc8 24 h4 Bf5 25 Bxf5 gxf5 26 h5 Ra7 27 Rf2 Black resigns
 
Remarkably, controversy has broken out ahead of the Chess Olympiad in the city of Tromsø, Norway. Norway requires foreign visitors from some countries to apply for entry visas, but its government has not set up consulates in many of these places, with the result that some players will have to travel to a different country in order to be allowed to compete in the land of trolls and fjords. The World Chess Federation has complained to Norway’s prime minister.