Classic

London chess fans are about to enjoy a great treat. The London Chess Classic will run from the 10-14 December with a tremendous line-up: Viswanathan Anand, fresh from his title challenge against Magnus Carlsen in Sochi; former world champion Vladimir Kramnik; world no. 2 Fabiano Caruana; as well as grandmasters Anish Giri, Hikaru Nakamura and Britain’s no. 1, Michael Adams. The venue, as usual, is London’s Olympia (www.londonchessclassic.com).

London has been the scene of outstanding chess ever since the celebrated André Danican Philidor moved here during the late 18th century and dazzled London audiences with his displays of blindfold chess. Another frequent visitor to London was the Danish grandmaster Bent Larsen who himself came close to winning the world championship. One of his exploits from a London tournament is given in this week’s puzzle. Meanwhile, Everyman Chess have published a fine collection of Larsen’s best games, written by the prolific Cyrus Lakdawala. This is of particular importance since Larsen’s own published collection only went up to 1969, and his long-promised second volume of masterpieces never appeared. The comments to this iconoclastic victory are based on those by Lakdawala.

Taimanov-Larsen: Vinkovci 1970; Queen’s Gambit Declined

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 c5 5 dxc5 0-0 6 Bf4 Bxc5 7 Nf3 Nc6 8 e3 d5 9 a3 Qa5 10 Rc1 Via a Nimzo-Indian the game has transposed to a main line (with 5 Bf4) of the Queen’s Gambit Declined. 10 … Be7 11 Be2 dxc4 12 Bxc4 Nd5 13 Bxd5 exd5 14 Qb3 g5 (see diagram 1) Here we see Larsen’s genius as his mind convulses forth an aberrant yet potent idea. 15 Bg3 The g5-pawn is taboo: 15 Bxg5?? (15 Nxg5?? d4! is the same trick) 15 … Bxg5 16 Nxg5 d4! and the double attack wins a piece.