MARK RUBERY CHESS
As the storm clouds of World War 2 were beginning to gather, a strong international tournament took place at the English town of Margate. The English representative was White against a young Paul Keres who was already considered one of the best players in the world. The game ran a fairly predictable course with Golombek trying to steer the game from complications to the safer haven of a slightly inferior ending. When Keres played his final move it had not occurred to either player that White could now force the draw he had long been striving for.
Golombek,Harry – Keres,Paul [D74] Margate (6), 1939 59.Bb2?
0–1
Reuben Fine in his classic book ‘Basic Chess Endings’ gives 59 … Bb2!! With the line 60 Kd2 c1=Q+ 61 Nxc1 Bxc1+ 62 Kxc1 Ke5 63 Kb2 Kxe4 64 Ka3 Kf4 65 Ka4 Kg4 66 Kxa5 Kxh4 67 Kb5 Kxg5 68 a4 h4 and Black queens first. It appears that Fine was perhaps in a hurry to confirm what seemed the logical outcome: the great Keres wraps up the ending with a pretty move and his English opponent (better known for his chess column in the Times of London) complies by resigning. It took the publication of Euwe and Hopper’s ‘A Guide to Chess Endings’ published 20 years after the game, to put the record straight. 59 … Bb2? Is described as a curious blunder as after 60 Kd2 c1=Q+ 61 Nxc1 Bxc1+ 62 Kxc1 Ke5 63 Kb2 Kxe4 64 Kc3! Kf4 65 Kd4 Kg4 66 Ke5 Kxh4 67 Kf6 Kg3 68 Kxg6 h4 69 Kf6 h3 70 g6 and White queens with check which secures the draw. Instead 59 … Be5 (or 59 … Bc3 60 a4 Ke6 61 Ke3 Be1!) ensures the win as after 60 Kd2 Bg3 the kingside pawns fall.
Golombek went on to translate three well received volumes – The Early, Middle, and Later games of Paul Keres
In the United States, Emanual Lasker was able to enjoy the political freedom he may have missed in the Soviet Union (where he had settled in 1935). On the other hand, he was forced to live on the brink of starvation while surrounded by millionaires. This situation lasted for some time. Mrs. Lasker, by this time an old woman, labored to earn a few dollars by preparing meals for a few patrons in her apartment. Lasker himself once horrified the famous bridge master Ely Culbertson by writing him a letter pleading for any sort of help. (Hans Kmoch)