One of our greatest and earliest world champions was Emanuel Lasker, who held the title for an amazing 27 years. His view on chess was that it was a fight, with the outcome of the game uncertain until the strongest player eventually prevailed. Many games are like this, with mistakes being made by both players, but those are frequently the most instructive.
Consider the following which was sent in to me by the winner.
Roman Zadvorny - Ethan Pang
Dulwich College vs Westminster Under School – Board 2
ESCC Repechage Rapid, 29.04.2025
1.c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.e3 e6 6.Nge2 Nge7 7.0-0 d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.d4 cxd4 10.exd4 0-0 The Symmetrical English can lead to quite dull positions, but as White still has the advantage of the first move he can choose to vary things first, and this is now what happens.
11.h3 Be6 12. Be3 Nf5 13. Rc1 Re8 14.Qd2 Qd7?! Perhaps better was 14…h5 to cement the position of the black knight on f5. White could now play 15.g4, but then 15…..Nh4 16.Bh1 Bxg4 17.hxg4 Qxg4+ 18.Kh2 Qh5 19.Kg1 Qg4+ 20.Kh2 Qh5 leads to a draw. If White tries to vary by 21.Kg3, then 21…Ne7 leads to a winning attack for Black. However, Roman is not happy with a draw, so maintains the tension.
15.Kh2 h5 16.Nf4 Ncxd4 17.Ncxd5 Nxe3? Ethan makes a mistake, leaving White with a much better position. Instead 17…Rad8 maintained the balance.
18.fxe3 Nc6 19.Nxe6 Qxe6 20.Nc7 Qe5 21.Nxe8?! This is OK, but I would have preferred 21.Nxa8 Rxa8 22.Qd7 Rf8 23.Qxb7, with a winning advantage. Perhaps Roman was afraid of 21…h4, but then 22.Qd7 is easily winning.
21….Rxe8 22.Qd5 Qe7 23.b3?! Better was 23.Qb3, with a clear advantage.
23….h4? Instead 23…Be5 gives Black some counter-chances. White has to be careful because of his weak black squares. A possible continuation is 24.Qc4 Nd8 25.h4 Qd6 26.Rcd1! Bxg3+ 27.Kh3 Qc7 28.Qxc7 Bxc7 29.Rd7 Rxe3+ 30.Rf3 Rxf3+ 31.Bxf3 Bb6 32.Bxb7, when White still maintains his advantage, but note how his kingside has been put under tremendous pressure.
24.gxh4! Rd8 25.Qe4 Qc7+ 26.Kh1 Rd2 27.Rc2 Even stronger was 27.Rcd1, because if 27…Rxa2? then 28.Qe8+ Kh7 29.Rxf7+ Qg3 30.Rxg7+ Kxg7 31.Rd7+ Kf6 32.Rf7#.
27….Rd8 28.Qg4 Qe7 29.Bxc6 bxc6 30. Rcf2 Rf8 31.h5 g5 32.h4 Qxe3 33.Qxg5?! When you are winning it is important not to give your opponent any counter-chances. Here 33.hxg5 is clearly winning, and leaves no swindling possibilities for Black along the g-file.
33…..Qh3+ 34.Kg1 Kh8 35.Qf4 Not yet a mistake, but 35.Rd1 Rg8 36.Rd8 Bf8 37.Rxf8! Rxf8 38.Qh6+ Kg8 39.Rg2+ is an easy win. At this stage I suspect time shortage was beginning to be a factor.
35….Rg8 36.Rh2? A bad error. Instead 36.Rg2 was essential, and after 36…c5 then 37.Rf3 Qe6 38.Kh1, and White is safe. Note that 37…Bd4+ fails to 38.Qxd4+ cxd4 39.Rxh3.
36….Be5+ 37.Kh1 Qxh2+ 38.Kxh2 Bxf4+ 39.Rxf4 Re8 40.Ra4 Re7 So the smoke has cleared, and White has to win the game all over again. It is very important here for White maintain his focus after the disappointment of the last few moves, and it is good to see that Roman manages to retain his composure.
41.Kg3 Kg7 42.Kg4 c5 43.Ra5 Rc7 44.Kg5 f6+?! This weakens Black’s position, and makes things easier for White. However, even after the better 44…c4 45.bxc4 Rxc4 46.h6+ Kg8 47.Rxa7 Rc5+ 48.Kg4 Rc4+ 49.Kf5 Rxh4 50.Ra6 White maintains a winning advantage. I now give the rest of the game with no further comment, as Roman efficiently winds things up.
45.Kf5 c4 46.bxc4 Rxc4 47.Rxa7+Kh6 48.Kxf6 Rxh4 49.Ra8 Kh7 50.Kg5 Rh1 51.Ra7+ Kg8 52.a4 Rh2 53.a5 Rh1 54.a6 Ra1 55.Kg6 Kf8 56.Ra8+ Ke7 57.a7 Rg1+ 58.Kh7 Ra1 59.Rg8 1-0
A fascinating game which was a real battle, and illustrates Lasker’s belief extremely well.
This victory helped Dulwich College to qualify for the final of the National Schools Chess Championships, and I wish them every success.
If you have played any exciting games as a youngster that you would like to have published in my column please send them to me at plittl@hotmail.com. I cannot promise that they will appear, but I will give them every consideration.