Timman's Triumphs: My 100 Best Games

INTRODUCTION

In August 2018, I started making a selection of 100 of my best games for this book. As I had expected, it was a difficult task. When you’ve had a long career in chess, and played many thousands of games, there will be hundreds among them on which you can look back with satisfaction. Siegbert Tarrasch published his book Dreihundert Schachpartien in 1895, when he was 33 years old. In such a case, with so many games, the selection process is much ‘looser’. In 1998, Anatoly Karpov also published a selection of 300 games from a period of three decades. Thus, he, too, had more freedom to show all his special victories to the public.

I myself published Timman’s Selected Games with Cadogan in 1995, which was brought out by New In Chess under the title Chess the Adventurous Way. It features 80 games from the period 1983-1994. Curiously, I have only included 10 games from that selection in this book. This illustrates the difficulties I experienced with my new selection. Sometimes you think back with great pleasure on games that, after a check with the computer, turn out to be not so good after all. The reverse also occurred: games I had considered to be messy at the time, turned out to be very well conceived.

Notably, also, while I was making my first selection for the present book, the final two games, against Feygin and Bartel, hadn’t been played yet. Thus, a period of 52 years has now been covered. I have included only two draws – the first from the beginning of my career, the second from my later years. It would have been different if I had brought out a selection of my most interesting games. Such a selection would also have included several of my losses. Perhaps I will write such a book someday.

There have been much-applauded victories in my career in which the element of a struggle was lacking. For example, in the first SWIFT tournament in Brussels, 1986, I won the brilliancy prize for my game with Tony Miles. However, this was a walkover. It was decided in an elegant way, but in this case many roads would have led to Rome. The same goes for my 5th match game against Robert Hübner at Sarajevo 1991. At an early stage, Hübner made a very grave mistake, which I adequately exploited. Also here, many roads led to Rome (this game can be found in Selected Games).

I haven’t included any rapid games in this selection. This is a matter of principle. Nevertheless, I almost deviated from this principle in one case. I am talking about my White game against Garry Kasparov in the Immopar tournament in Paris 1991.

King’s Indian Defence

Jan Timman 2630

Garry Kasparov 2770

Paris Immopar rapid 1991 (4)

1.d4 ♘f6 2.c4 g6 3.♘c3 ♗g7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.♗e3 c6 7.♗d3 e5 8.d5 cxd5 9.cxd5 ♘h5 10.♘ge2 f5 11.exf5 gxf5 12.0-0 ♘d7 13.♖c1 ♘c5 14.♗c4 a6 15.b4 ♘d7 16.a4 ♕e8 17.♔h1 ♘df6 18.b5 ♕g6 19.♗d3 e4 20.♗c2 ♗d7 21.bxa6 bxa6 22.♖b1 ♖ae8 23.♕d2 ♔h8 24.♖b6 ♖g8 25.♖g1 ♕f7

26.♖xa6

Up to this moment, I had played in exemplary fashion, building up a winning position by strategic means. However, the text move is too rash. White should have played first 26.♗d4!, to exclude any counterplay by Black. After 26...♕f8 27.♖xa6 ♗h6 28.f4, Black has nothing left to hope for.

26...f4

The only chance.

27.♗d4

Strategically correct, but tactically this is a mistake. With 27.♗xf4 exf3 28.gxf3 ♘xf4 29.♕xf4, White could have maintained his advantage, although after 29...♖ef8, Black has some compensation for the pawns.

27...♘g3+ 28.♘xg3 fxg3 29.♕f4

I played this quickly, and apparently self-confidently, speculating that Kasparov, who had almost run out of time, would fail to find the right path. Necessary was 29.♘e2, although Black has the advantage after 29...exf3.

29...gxh2

An enormous relief. If Kasparov had had more time, he would certainly have found 29...♕h5 30.♕xg3 ♘xd5. The white queen has no squares. On the next day, Kortchnoi gave me a hand-written note on which he had jotted down a few variations. He claimed that after 31.♕xg7+ ♖xg7 32.♘xe4, White wouldn’t have had reason to despair. I appreciated this gesture highly; he wanted to hearten me. Indeed, this doesn’t look too bad for White, but the computer is relentless: after 32...♖e6 33.♖a8+ ♗e8, Black is winning.

30.♖f1 exf3

Now everything turns out right after all. With 30...♖gf8 Black could have held the balance.

31.♕xf3

The pin along the f-file is deadly.

31...♖ef8 32.♖xd6 ♗g4 33.♖xf6 ♗xf3 34.♖xf7 ♗xg2+ 35.♔xh2 1-0

This was almost a model game! But anyway, my victory in the Immopar tournament was no less glorious for it.

There were also games with the classical time control that I would have included if there hadn’t been serious errors in the conversion. An example is the following game.

Caro-Kann Defence

Jan Timman 2590

Peter Leko 2630

Groningen 1996 (1)

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.♘d2 dxe4 4.♘xe4 ♘d7 5.♗d3 ♘gf6 6.♘g5 e6 7.♘1f3 ♗d6 8.♕e2 h6 9.♘e4 ♘xe4 10.♕xe4 ♘f6 11.♕e2 ♕c7 12.♗d2 b6 13.0-0-0 ♗b7 14.♔b1 ♖d8

15.♖hg1

This little move had been played shortly before by Topalov in Las Palmas in his game against Ivanchuk. White prepares to push his g-pawn.

15...c5 16.dxc5 ♕xc5 17.a3!

This little pawn move too stems from Topalov.

17...a5

The first new move. Ivanchuk had opted for 17...0-0, but after 18.g4 ♕d5 19.g5! ♕xf3 20.gxf6 g6 21.♗xh6, White had a large advantage. The drawback of the text move is that the b-pawn becomes weak.

18.♗e3 ♕c7 19.♗b5+ ♔e7 20.♘d4!

On its way to f5.

20...♗xh2 21.♘f5+ ♔f8 22.♖xd8+ ♕xd8 23.♖d1 ♕c7 24.♗d4!

The point of the 20th move.

24...e5

24...exf5 25.♗xf6 gxf6 26.♖d7 ♕e5 27.♖xb7.

25.♗xb6!

A vigorous piece sacrifice.

25...♕xb6 26.♖d6 ♕c7 27.♕c4 ♕b8 28.♖b6

The most elegant path to the win was 28.♕c5 ♔g8 29.♕b6 ♔h7 30.♖xf6 gxf6 31.♕xf6 ♕f8 32.♗c4, followed by the capture on f7. Black is powerless.

28...♕c8 29.♖xb7?

A combination with a big hole. With 29.♗c6 ♕xf5 30.♖xb7, White could have decided the game in a simple way.

29...♕xb7 30.♘d6 ♕e7

Fortunately, Leko doesn’t see it. With 30...♘e4!!, Black could have turned the tables. Suddenly White has to fear for his life.

31.♕c8+ ♘e8 32.♘f5

Now the combination works out well.

32...h5

After 32...♕e6 33.♗d7, the queen has no squares.

33.♘xe7 ♔xe7 34.♕d7+

Black resigned.

My error in the conversion in this game was not entirely coincidental. While screening my games, I saw this pattern more often; even in my best games, irregularities occurred in the final phase. I also noted that I regularly got dubious positions with black in the opening phase. In a number of cases, this had to do with the fact that I was playing for a win with black. Sometimes, I got into trouble due to superior preparation by my opponent, like in the second match game against Kortchnoi in Brussels 1991 (Game No. 65). This is a far from flawless struggle that I have included anyway, after long hesitation, because my counterattack was very well conceived.

Three games that just failed to make it to the selection each contained a magnificent, study-like move.

Jan Timman 2550

Haji Ardiansyah 2330

Luzern ol 1982

25.♗xa7!

This looks like a simple win of a pawn, but there is more to it.

25...c3 26.bxc3 ♖xc3 27.♕xc3 ♕xe2 28.♖e1 ♘d5

It looks as if Black has created just sufficient counterchances.

29.♕c8+!!

A fantastic desperado, and at the same time the real point of White’s 25th move.

29...♖xc8 30.♖xe2 ♖c3 31.♖a2

Thus, White manages to maintain his extra pawn.

31...♖c1+ 32.♔g2 ♘c3 33.♖b2 ♖a1 34.♖b3

It’s a close call, but White hauled in the point after the technical phase:

34...♘e2 35.♗e3 g5 36.♔f3 ♖a2 37.♖d3 f5 38.♖d2 ♖xd2 39.♗xd2 ♘d4+ 40.♔g2 ♔f7 41.a4 ♘c6 42.a5 ♘b8 43.♔f3 ♔e6 44.h4 g4+ 45.♔e3 ♘a6 46.h5 1-0

In the World Cup tournament in Belfort 1988, not much was going my way. Still, I managed to beat Beliavsky, who was a difficult opponent for me in most of our encounters.

Alexander Beliavsky 2645

Jan Timman 2675

Belfort 1988 (2)

This double-rook ending is equal. In the time-scramble, however, both of us became ambitious:

33.♖e6 ♖e5!!

A staggering resource that puts Beliavsky off-balance.

34.fxe5 ♔xe6 35.exf6+ ♔xf6 36.♖e3

A hesitation that turns out fatal for White. After 36.b4 axb4 37.♖b2, the draw would be on the horizon.

36...d5 37.b3 ♔f5

Suddenly, White has no defence against the march of the d-pawn.

38.♔b2 d4 39.♖e8 d3 40.♖d8 ♔e4 41.♖d6 ♖d5 0-1

I won the Koge Open tournament in 1997 together with the Estonian grandmaster Lembit Oll. Against the Russian grandmaster Yuri Yakovich, I played an excellent game.

Jan Timman 2625

Yuri Yakovich 2610

Koge 1997 (8)

White has a plus pawn, but Black is threatening to win it back. Energetic play is called for.

52.g4!!

A fantastic breakthrough.

52...♗xg4

If Black takes with the pawn, the white h-pawn decides the issue. Now, however, the a6-square becomes available for the rook.

53.♖a6+ ♔b5

The alternative 53...♔c7 would amount to the same after 54.♔d4 ♗c8 55.♖a5 ♔b6 56.♘a4+.

54.♔d4 ♗c8 55.♖a5+ ♔b6 56.♘a4+ ♔b7 57.b5 cxb5 58.♖xb5+ ♔xa7 59.♖a5+

Here, Black lost by forfeit, before he had time to resign. White will liquidate to a winning pawn ending.

In this fragment, my great penchant for endgame studies comes clearly to the fore.

For my analyses of the games in this book, I have used the engines Stockfish 10 and Houdini 5. For the final chapter I have used Stockfish 11.

I’d like to express my gratitude to Erwin l’Ami, who ran an extra check on all the analyses in this book, which resulted in a number of useful corrections and additions.

Jan Timman,

Arnhem, March 2020

CHAPTER 1

The road to the top (1967-1977)

In the life of a 20-year-old professional chess player, ambitions go hand in hand with dreams that are nourished by restless travelling from one tournament to another, from one country to another. In such a life, there are no school desks or college halls, there’s no pressure to get up early, no duty to give account for anything. A triumphant feeling takes possession of you. You are your own boss, governed only by your own abilities.

During tournament games, the chess clock is the only instrument that exerts control on a player’s thoughts. Forty moves have to be made within 2½ hours, then 16 within an hour. The monotonous ticking of the clock is anchored in the chess player’s brain. A rising flag causes the tension to mount, and the heart to pound faster. Then, after the time control, the player feels freedom again – for an hour. After the game is over, your freedom is limitless – at least until the next game begins. The end of a tournament is the onset of an even longer period of freedom.

That is how I saw it in the old days, more than three decades ago. The above is, word for word, what I wrote in my book Het smalle pad (‘The narrow way’), which is about my experiences in the World Championship cycles until 1986. I was talking about the year 1972, the time of the Spassky-Fischer match in Reykjavik. Shortly after that match, I played my first zonal tournament in Finland – the first step on the long road to the World Championship title.

How different things are today! A chess player’s thinking time is more limited now, and there are no more adjourned games. You can no longer hear the chess clock ticking, as we have electronic clocks now. Also, there are no flags anymore. But above all, professional chess is now ruled by the computer. I think that in these times I wouldn’t have become a professional chess player. Knowledge has become too important, you cannot live on your talent only.

Chess used to be different. I won’t say ‘better’, since computers are a blessing for me when I make endgame studies. Still, I am glad that my great models, my sources of inspiration, were made of flesh and blood: Mikhail Botvinnik and Vasily Smyslov, Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer. They were the players who pointed out the course that I followed.

Actually, I never doubted that I would become a professional player. At 14, I earned my first money prize by winning the ‘Haagse Schaakdagen’ (‘The Hague Chess Days’): 75 guilders. ‘You have to do something special with that money,’ adult members of the Delft Chess Club told me. I didn’t. I saw the money as a first instalment of what was coming: a regular income, to be earned by sitting behind the chessboard and making moves. A visual artist once told me how much he admired my trade: earning your money exclusively by thinking. After all, the moves I carried out on the chessboard were much less of an exertion than his brushstrokes on the canvas.

In my secondary school years in Delft, however, there was hardly any time for intensive chess study. I was only able to play in tournaments during holidays. My first success was third place in the World Junior Championship in Jerusalem 1967, shortly after the Six-Day War. For political reasons, there were no representatives from the Eastern Block, with the exception of Romania, who did send a youth player to Jerusalem; Ceausescu was pursuing his own policy at the time. Nevertheless, the field of participants was strong, as is shown by the fact that Robert Hübner came in fourth. In the summer vacations that followed, I twice won the Biel Open tournament – the first time shared with the Swiss master Edwin Bhend. First prize was 800 Swiss francs, which was a lot of money for a schoolboy. During Christmas holidays, I twice played in the Niemeijer youth tournament, which later developed into the European Youth Championship. A high point was the traditional Hastings tournament, which was held at the turn of the year 1969/’70. It felt an honour to be invited, and I didn’t disappoint the organizers. With black, I made good draws against Smyslov and Portisch. This gave me hope for the future, but first I had to take my final exams at grammar school.

By winning the Hoogovens Masters group in 1971, I became an International Master. After that, I suffered something of a standstill. Other champions of my generation developed more quickly. Henrique Mecking was a prodigy, and there is no need to mention Anatoly Karpov; he was already playing Candidates Matches in 1974. But also Ljubomir Ljubojevic, Ulf Andersson and Zoltan Ribli joined the world elite more quickly than I did.

Nevertheless, in May 1974 I became the youngest grandmaster-but-one in the world. This was because I was the youngest-but-one of my generation; only Mecking was one month younger. With the grandmaster title, my travels around the world intensified; tournament victories alternated with disappointments. It was a fantastic profession, a great life, but my discipline wasn’t always optimal. Only as late as 1978 did I manage to stabilize my play and push through to the world top, at 26 years of age.

Thinking back to this game, I see a hotel room in Groningen before me. When I entered it as a 15-year-old, Hein Donner was lying there on the bed, which was an impressive sight in some way. It was the room of Press Officer Berry Withuis where the grandmaster was relaxing. When I came in, he got up, and asked me to show him one of my games from the tournament; he had a magnetic pocket chess set.

Donner published my game against Hungarian youth champion Vadasz in his weekly column in the Dutch magazine Elsevier. About me, he wrote: ‘It strikes you that he says very sensible things when he talks about chess.’ And, a little further: ‘He’s fifteen. There is some potential.’

The game versus Vadasz contains some systematic play that pleases me even today. And the computer does not have a lot of objections.

Game 1Réti Opening

Laszlo Vadasz

Jan Timman

Groningen 1967 (3)

1.♘f3 d5 2.g3 ♗g4 3.♗g2 ♘f6 4.c4 c6

5.cxd5

This premature exchange does not bring White anything. Crucial is the continuation 5.♘e5 ♗e6 6.cxd5 ♗xd5 7.♘f3, when White can hope for an opening advantage.

5...cxd5 6.♕b3 ♗xf3

Today, the pawn sacrifice 6...♘c6 is fashionable. After 7.♕xb7 ♗d7 8.♕b3 e5, Black has good compensation with his strong centre.

7.♗xf3

7...♕c8

So far, 7...♕d7 had been played almost exclusively here – the other way to protect the d-pawn. However, there is a deeper point behind the text move. Black keeps the d7-square open for his king’s knight, in order to bring it to c5 with tempo gain.

8.♘c3 e6 9.0 0 ♘c6 10.d3 ♗e7 11.e4

The most active plan, which, however, has certain strategic drawbacks.

11...d4

It is a good idea to keep the position closed. After 11...dxe4 12.dxe4 0 0 13.♗e3, White would boast a small advantage.

12.♘e2 0 0 13.♗g2 ♘d7

On its way to c5.

14.f4 ♘c5 15.♕d1

It is wise to retreat the queen. After 15.♕c4 a5 16.e5 (not 16.♘xd4 ♘xd4 17.♕xd4, in view of 17...♘b3) 16...♖d8 17.♗d2 ♕d7, Black is doing well. Eventually, the white queen won’t be able to maintain itself on the c-file.

15...♕d7

Generally, it’s a good idea to connect the rooks. Also worthy of attention was 15...a5 16.e5 ♖d8, in order to play the queen to b6 via c7 next.

16.b3 a5 17.a3

17...♖ac8

Black is going to double his rooks on the c-file. An important alternative was 17...a4, to penetrate into White’s position with the knight. After 18.b4 ♘b3 19.♖b1 ♘a7 20.♗b2 ♘b5 21.♘c1, it seems as if White can force the exchange of the invading knight, after which he has nothing to fear. Still, Black can take the initiative with an exchange sacrifice: 21...♖fc8 22.♘xb3 axb3 23.♕xb3 ♖c3! 24.♗xc3 dxc3 25.♔h1 (aimed against the threat of 25...♘d4) 25...♖xa3 26.♕c4 ♖a8, with fantastic compensation.

18.♗b2 ♖c7

This is consistent, but also here, 18...♕c7 came into consideration, to transfer the queen to b6. After 19.♘xd4 ♘xd4 20.♗xd4 ♖fd8, Black is comfortable.

19.♖b1

The immediate 19.e5 was more accurate, so as to meet 19...♖fc8 with 20.♖c1.

19...♖fc8 20.e5 ♘a6

The introduction to a strategically sound regrouping.

21.♔h1 ♗c5 22.g4 ♘e7

That was the idea. By withdrawing the knight, Black stops the march of the white f-pawn, and at the same time the doubled rooks get more space. This idea could have been refined by playing first 22...b5. After 23.♘g3 b4 24.a4 ♘e7, Black is better.

23.♕e1 ♗b6

The critical moment in the game has been reached.

24.♖f3

Too slow. White had to push through with 24.f5!. Then Black has the following options:

A) 24...♖c2 25.fxe6 fxe6 26.♘f4 ♘c5 (26...♘c6 27.g5 g6 28.b4 favours White) 27.♗a1 ♘g6!, with a dynamic equilibrium, e.g. 28.♘xg6 hxg6 29.♕d1 ♖a2 30.b4 ♘a4 31.bxa5 ♖cc2, and here White has to play 32.♗b2 to keep the balance;

B) 24...exf5 25.♘f4 fxg4 26.e6 fxe6 27.♘xe6 ♖c2 28.♕e5 ♘g6 29.♕d5 ♕xd5 30.♗xd5 ♔h8 31.♗xb7 ♖e8, with approximately equal chances.

24...♖c2 25.♖h3 ♘c5

The regrouping has been accom­plished, and Black has the upper hand now.

26.f5

Too late.

26...exf5 27.♕h4

27...♖xe2

The most convincing way to demonstrate that White’s attack is not dangerous. Also 27...h6 was possible.

28.♕xh7+ ♔f8 29.gxf5 ♖xg2

Black could also have captured the other bishop: 29...♖xb2 30.♖xb2 ♘xd3 31.f6 ♖c1+, and wins.

30.♔xg2 ♕d5+ 31.♔f2

31.♔g1 ♕xe5 32.♖f1 ♕f6 was hopeless too.

31...♕xe5 32.♖e1

32...♘xd3+

An attractive finish.

33.♖xd3 ♖c2+ 0-1

For some time, Lodewijk Prins was the strongest player in the Netherlands behind Max Euwe, especially in the period just after the Second World War. Much later, in 1965, he became Dutch champion at 52. At that occasion, Donner started a staggering smear campaign. He wrote in Elsevier that Prins could not distinguish a bishop from a knight. There was a story behind this gibe: sometimes Prins had a stubborn preference for the knight, even in positions where the bishop was evidently stronger.

Donner also challenged Prins to a match played over 10 games, in which he would give him a 4-point lead. Hilarious over-confidence! Prins didn’t react to the challenge.

Bent Larsen once told me about the background of this feud between the two Dutchmen. During the Helsinki Olympiad in 1952, the Netherlands were paired against the Soviet Union. Prins would be playing Smyslov on first board. On the night before the game, Prins argued that in fact he wasn’t any worse a player than Smyslov at all. On the following day, he lost to the future World Champion without a chance, in 16 moves. Donner couldn’t help himself, and kept walking around chuckling and sniggering to himself. That was quite destructive not only for the team spirit but also for the relations between the two players.

By the way, Donner didn’t take this feud too seriously. Around 1980, he suggested that I act as a negotiator in the conflict: he and Prins would be reconciled with each other at my home. I got on well with Prins, but it didn’t seem to me that this plan was very likely to succeed. Prins was extremely persistent when it came to feuds; you might even say he cherished them.

My following game against Prins shows that it is also possible to start an attack from a quiet Flank Opening. The transfer of the king’s knight to d3 is thematic. Soon after that, White achieves a predominance on the kingside, and his pawns start rolling forward mercilessly.

Game 2Réti Opening

Jan Timman

Lodewijk Prins

Amsterdam 1970 (8)

1.♘f3 d5 2.g3 ♘d7 3.♗g2 e5 4.0 0 ♘gf6 5.d3 ♗d6 6.♘bd2 0 0 7.e4 c6 8.b3

By transposition, we have landed in a variation of the Caro-Kann.

8...♖e8 9.♗b2

9...dxe4

Black didn’t need to release the central tension just yet. The alter-native was 9...♘f8 10.♖e1 ♘g6, as in Balashov-Svetushkin, Moscow 2012. Now, White could have obtained an opening advantage with 11.d4.

10.dxe4 ♘b6

This prevents 11.♘c4, but the black knight isn’t very well placed on b6. Stronger was 10...♕c7 11.♕e2 b5, as in Ljubojevic-Seirawan, Monaco 1993. Black has no opening problems here.

11.♕e2 ♕e7 12.a4 a5

13.♘e1!

The introduction to a well-thought-out plan. White wants to post his king’s knight on d3, then aim for f2-f4 and start an offensive on the king’s wing.

13...♗c5

This bishop move will eventually prove to be grist to White’s mill. A better method to anticipate White’s plan was 13...♗g4 14.f3 ♗h5 15.♘d3 ♘fd7, although White keeps some advantage with 16.♖fd1. Now, the plan is to transfer the queen’s knight to e3 via f1.

14.♘d3 ♗g4 15.♕e1 ♗d4

After this, all the advantages of White’s plan come to the fore. It would have been better to abandon the bishop pair with 15...♕d6, when White keeps a large advantage with 16.♘xc5 ♕xc5 17.♕c1.

16.♗xd4 exd4 17.f4

Now White has a mighty preponderance on the kingside.

17...♗c8 18.h3

Keeping the enemy knight away from g4.

18...♕c7 19.♕f2

A second precautionary measure: White deprives the black knights of the d5-square.

19...c5 20.♖fe1 ♖d8

21.f5!

The right method. White can still wait with the e-pawn push, as he has firm control of the e5-square.

21...c4

Black prepared this push with his previous moves. It doesn’t yield him a lot of counterplay.

22.bxc4 ♘xc4 23.e5

Logical, but not the strongest. White should have traded on c4 first. After 23.♘xc4 ♕xc4, it is not even necessary to push the e-pawn immediately, as the preparatory move 24.♘f4 is even more powerful. White is winning.

23...♘e8

Prins doesn’t exploit my mistake. Absolutely necessary was 23...♘xd2!, after which White has the following choice:

A) 24.♕xd2 ♘d5. Now it turns out that the white queen is less well placed on d2 than on f2: 25.♕f2 (sharpest; also 25.♗xd5 ♖xd5 26.♕f4 ♖a6 27.♖e2 was possible, with a positional advantage) 25...♘e3 26.♗e4 ♕xc2 27.♕f3 ♗d7 28.e6 ♗c6 29.♖ec1 ♕b3 30.♖ab1 ♗xe4 (not 30...♕xd3, on account of 31.♖xc6 ♕xb1+ 32.♗xb1 bxc6 33.exf7+, and White wins) 31.♕xe4 ♕d5 32.♕xd5 ♘xd5 33.♖xb7 fxe6 34.fxe6 ♖e8 35.♖c6, with an endgame advantage;

B) 24.exf6 ♘c4 25.fxg7 ♘e3 26.♖ac1.

The play may become very sharp now. Black has the following ways to defend himself:

B1) 26...♗xf5 27.♖xe3 dxe3 28.♕xf5 ♕xg3 29.♖f1, and White has the advantage;

B2) 26...♕d6 27.g4 (27.f6 is met by 27...♖a6, and White has to sacrifice the exchange to keep his f-pawn) 27...♘xg2 28.♔xg2 ♔xg7 29.♖e5 ♗d7 30.♖ce1, with a clear positional advantage;

B3) 26...♔xg7 27.f6+ ♔h8 28.c3 ♘xg2 29.cxd4 ♕d7 30.♖e7 ♕xh3

analysis diagram

31.d5! (stronger than 31.♕xg2 ♕h6 32.♕f2 ♗e6) 31...♕h6 32.♖c3 ♗g4 33.♘e5 ♗h5 34.♕d4! ♘e1 35.d6 ♔g8 36.g4 ♕g5 37.d7, and White has a winning advantage. A stunning computer variation – what human player would ever think of leaving the black knight undisturbed all this time? Not even Mikhail Tal or Garry Kasparov.

24.♘xc4 ♕xc4 25.g4

It’s plain sailing from here on. Black’s minor pieces cannot contribute to the defence, and so White can strengthen his attack unhindered.

25...♖a6 26.♘f4 ♖b6 27.♕h4

The lack of coordination in Black’s camp is striking. The rook on d8 cannot be sufficiently defended.

27...f6 28.exf6 ♘xf6 29.g5

And now the knight has no squares.

29...♕c5 30.gxf6 ♖xf6 31.♘h5 ♖ff8 32.f6 g6 33.f7+ ♔h8 34.♕f6#

After I had won the Masters Group of the Hoogovens tournament, the world was my oyster. In Wijk aan Zee, the Spanish master Antonio Medina invited me to the ‘Torneo Costa del Sol’ in Malaga. ‘You can walk around there without an overcoat, you only need a jacket,’ he said. I liked that idea. I did stash a small piece of hashish in the vest pocket of my jacket – which was not such a problem in those days – and took off, southward bound. The tournament developed as it did more often in my younger years: after a hesitating start, I made a tremendous recovery and won a great number of games in a row. Tournament victory was beckoning, but for that I needed to win my last two games. Alas, I lost both and ended fifth.

In that tournament, I played against Palacios, a master from the south of Spain, for the first time. In the early 1970s, he was a furious and inventive attacking player. He is indelibly printed in my memory as a balding man in his early thirties. A kind of Spanish Velimirovic, you could say. Just like the Yugoslav grandmaster, he seemed to have skipped his adolescent years and instead to have shot up as an adult, but with all the fiery zest of a youngster still.

In Malaga, I beat him with black from an Alekhine’s Defence. That year, I played Palacios two more times in Spain. The best game was the one from the Clare Benedict Tournament in Madrid. It was a very sharp fight, and at a certain moment he managed to surprise me with a fantastic trick that was known from a Tal game. Nevertheless, I succeeded in reeling in the point.

Game 3Bird Opening

Ernesto Palacios de la Prida

Jan Timman 2410

Madrid 1971 (2)

1.f4

Palacios had a very broad repertoire, and he played more or less every first move you can imagine. In Malaga, earlier that year, he had even played the highly unusual 1.d3. The Bird Opening was part of his regular repertoire.

1...d5

Later that year, against the same opponent, I faced the Bird Opening again. In Montilla Moriles, there was a small summer tournament that I managed to win ahead of O’Kelly and Palacios. Against the Spanish master I had a narrow escape. In a cellar filled with amontillado casks, we played the following spectacular game: 1...c5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.g3 g6 4.♗g2 ♗g7 5.0 0 e6 6.e4 ♘ge7 7.c3 d6 8.♘a3 0 0 9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 a6 11.g4 b5 12.♘c2 ♗b7 (12...f5 was necessary, to bring White’s kingside offensive to a standstill) 13.f5 exf5 14.gxf5 gxf5 15.♘g5! (Palacios starts his attack) 15...♘a5 16.exf5 ♗xg2 17.♕h5 h6

analysis diagram

18.f6! (razor-sharp, and virtually winning) 18...♗xf1 19.fxg7 ♔xg7 20.♘e6+! (the point of White’s combination) 20...fxe6 21.♗xh6+ ♔g8 22.♕g5+ ♔f7 23.♖xf1+ ♘f5 24.♕h5+ ♔e7 25.♗g5+ ♖f6 26.♕h7+ ♔f8 27.♘e3 (27.d5! was very strong; after 27...♕e7 28.♕h8+ ♔f7 29.♕xa8 ♖g6 30.dxe6+ ♕xe6 31.h4, Black doesn’t have much to hope for) 27...♕e7 28.♕h8+ ♔f7 29.♕xa8 ♖g6 30.h4 ♖xg5+ 31.hxg5 ♕xg5+ 32.♘g2 d5 (stronger was 32...♘c4, with equal chances) 33.♕a7+ ♔f6 34.♕c7 ♘c4 35.♕d8+ (and here, 35.b3 offered White winning chances, e.g. 35...♘d2 36.♖f2 ♘e4 37.♕e5+ ♔f7 38.♖c2) 35...♔g6 36.♕g8+ ♔f6 37.♕d8+ ½-½.

2.♘f3 g6 3.g3 ♗g7 4.♗g2 ♘h6 5.0 0 0 0 6.d3

6...d4

The most principled reaction. Black strives for maximum influence in the centre. This idea is also known with reversed colours, and then it offers White good chances of an opening advantage.

7.c3 c5 8.e4 dxe3 9.♗xe3 ♕c7 10.h3 b6

This looks risky, but it is just about possible. Mostly, 10...♘f5 is played, but this move has the drawback that after 11.♗f2, White can push his g-pawn with some force.

11.g4 f5

More or less forced. 11...♗b7 would have been met by the strong 12.f5.

12.♕b3+ ♔h8

13.♘e5

The sharpest continuation, which, at the end of the day, is not suitable to worry Black. The alternative was 13.g5. Now after 13...♘f7, White has the following options:

A) 14.♘e5 ♘xe5 15.♗xa8 ♘xd3 16.c4 (16.♘a3 would be strongly met by 16...e5) 16...♘b4, and Black has excellent compensation for the exchange;

B) 14.h4 ♗b7 15.h5 gxh5 16.♘a3 e5, with good play for Black;

C) 14.d4! ♗b7 15.♘a3 ♘d7 16.♖ae1 (16.♘b5 is met by 16...♕c8) 16...♖ac8, with sharp play and approximately even chances.

13...♗b7 14.♗xb7 ♕xb7 15.g5

The point of White’s play. However, Black has sufficient resources.

15...♗xe5

Under these circumstances, Black has no objections to trade off his king’s bishop. His king remains safe, mainly thanks to the closed character of the position.

16.fxe5 ♘f7 17.♗xc5

Consistent, but it’s dangerous to allow Black to take on g5. Better was 17.d4, although Black has a strategic advantage after 17...♘c6 18.♘d2 ♘a5.

17...♘xg5 18.♘d2 ♕d7

18...♘c6 19.h4 ♘h3+ 20.♔h2 ♕d7 was also strong, but the text move is the most principled.

19.♗d4 ♘e6 20.♗f2 ♘f4

A dangerous invasion.

21.♗e3

This bishop move forces Black to undertake sharp action to justify his previous moves.

After 21.d4 ♕b7 22.d5 ♘xd5 23.e6 ♘f6, Black would have had a decisive advantage as well.

21...♘xh3+

21...♘xd3 22.♘f3.

22.♔h2 f4 23.e6

The point of the 21st move. After 23.♗d4 ♕g4, Black would have won in the attack; White has no threats.

23...♕xd3 24.♖f3 ♘c6!

I had planned this knight develop-ment a couple of moves earlier.

25.♗xf4

The best chance. After 25.♗d4+ ♘xd4 26.♖xd3 ♘xb3 27.axb3 ♘g5, Black would have had a winning ending.

25...♕f5

25...♕e2+ 26.♔xh3 ♖ad8 was also winning, but the text move looked more convincing to me. However, White still has a diabolical resource up his sleeve.