FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

30...bxc4 31.Bd4 Kc7 32.Rd2 Bf8 33.Re2 Rb8 34.Nd1 Rb3 35.Reh2 Rg8 36.Kf1 gxh5 37.gxh5 Nxd4 38.cxd4 Rg4!

(White now cannot defend his weak pawns.)

39.Rxb3 Rxf4+ 40.Rf2 Rxf2+ 41.Kxf2 axb3 42.Ke2 Be7 43.Kd2 f5!

44.Nc3

(Creating a passed pawn.) (44.exf6 Bxf6 45.Kc3 Kb6 46.Ne3 Kb5 47.Ng4 Bd8 48.Kd2 (48.Nxh6 Ba5#) 48...Bb6 wins for Black.)

44...Kb6 45.Ne2 Bg5+ 46.Kc3 Ka5 47.Ng1 Ka4

(The bishop totally dominates the knight and there is a mating net as well)

48.Nh3 Be3 49.Nf4 Bf2 50.Ng2 f4 51.Ne3 Be1# 0–1

He approaches the chess board as if about to perform a sacrament, and when one watches his deep concentration at play, even his silence seems different from the silence of the others. - (on Portisch) Grigor Piatigorsky

SIMPLE SATURDAY

“Simple Saturday” columns focus on improving basic technique and developing logical thinking.

A vital defensive skill is distinguishing times when you must look for tricks in a hurry from times when you can sit back and wait. In today’s deal, West leads the king of clubs against four hearts, and East signals with the deuce: “I don’t want a club continuation.” West suspects that South has no more clubs, so dummy’s clubs are no threat to provide discards. It’s possible South has the doubleton K-Q of diamonds, and dummy will furnish an extra diamond winner, but then South will need an entry to use it.

Spade Losers

West need not shift to spades at the second trick: If South has spade losers, he will lose them eventually. West should lead a safe trump, letting declarer struggle. He will lose two spades, a club and a diamond.

If West (questionably) led the nine of diamonds at Trick Two, and East won, he would reason the same way and lead a trump to kill dummy’s entry.

Daily Question

You hold: K 8 7 42 9 8 7 6 5 A K 3. The dealer, at your left, opens one spade. Your partner doubles, and the next player passes. What do you say?

A bid of two diamonds would promise no strength at all. With 10 points, you must make an encouraging move. A jump to three diamonds is possible but would suggest a better suit and would not aim at the most likely game. Bid 1NT to show a balanced seven to 10 points with a spade trick.

Answer: South dealer Neither side vulnerable