MARK RUBERY CHESS

IM Hans Guenther Kestler ( 1939- 2013) was a strong German master who visited this country numerous times in the 70’ s and 80’ s and and notably participated in the 1978 Uitkyk International ( 1st ahead of B Kerr and IM Levy) and the 1989 SA Closed ( 2nd behind C De Villiers). It was opined by teammate GM Pfleger that had he devoted himself more to the game ( he was a district judge) he would have attained the grandmaster title.

Kestler, Hans Guenther - Friedgood, David [ A26]

Uitkyk International Tournament Pretoria, 1978

1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. g3 e5 4. Bg2 d6

5. Nf3 Nc6 6. d3 Nge7 7. Rb1 0– 0 8. b4 f5

9. Qb3 Nd4 10. Nxd4 exd4 11. Nd5 Nxd5

12. Bxd5+ Kh8 13.0– 0 c6 14. Bg2 Qe7

15. e3 dxe3 16. Bxe3 Be6 17. Rfe1 Qf7

18. b5 c5 19. Bf4 Rad8 20. b6 a6 21. Re2 d5

22. cxd5 Bxd5 23. Bxd5 Rxd5 24. Rbe1 Rd7

25. Qxf7 Rfxf7 26. Re8+ Rf8 27. R1e7 Rxd3

28. Be5! 1– 0

Kestler’s style was mostly positional although he could on occasion unleash some fine tactics. The following was judged one of the most attractive games of the Nice Olympiad.

Sax, Gyula ( 2505) - Kestler, Hans Guenther ( 2410) [ B07]

Nice ol ( Men) fin- A Nice ( 12), 1974

1. e4 d6 2. Nc3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. Be2 Nf6

5. h4 h5 6. Bg5 c6 7. Qd2 Qc7 8.0– 0– 0 Nbd7 9. f4 b5 10. Bf3 b4 11. Nce2 a5 12. f5 gxf5 13. exf5 Nb6 14. Ng3 Nc4 15. Qe2 d5

16. Nxh5 Rxh5! 17. Bxh5 a4 18. Nh3? ( White does not have time for this- better was 18 Bxf6 Bxf6 19 g4 with equal chances)…

19. cxb3 axb3 20. a3 … Rxa3!! ( The second rook sacrifice is allows the black pieces to swarm decisively upon the king) 21. bxa3 Qa5 22. Rd3 Qxa3+ 23. Kb1 Bxf5 24. Nf2 b2 25. Bxf7+ Kxf7 26. Bxf6 Qa1+ 27. Kc2 b1q+ 28. Rxb1 Qa2+ 0– 1

Kestler, along with GM Pachman, participated in the 1989 SA Closed held in Secunda that was won by Charles De Villiers. Towards the end of a most convivial awards ceremony the German Master became aware that he had mislaid his prize money. What followed was a long and fierce rant in his native tongue, containing some strong language that needed little translation, about how the fates had conspired against him. The following morning the international master apologised profusely for his tirade as he discovered that he had placed the cash prize inside a pair of his shoes…