Georg Mohr: amount of games and variations were played.
Milan Vidmar was an incredibly talented man,
perhaps one of the most talented Slovenes. He Learning from the old masters – was a self-taught person; he was playing the birth of the Budapest Wagner’s symphonies on the piano in a way that all the professional musicians were Gambit amazed. He was a great scientist and he invented the transformer, though he never Modern chess players often forget how many studied about electrical industry (he had a things a man can learn from the great old mechanical engineering’s degree)! He was a masters. In Slovenia we also have our own top chess player, which was able to play master – Dr. Milan Vidmar is nowadays against World Champions equally, though he considered to be the best chess player in was playing just for fun. He was a writer, one Slovenia, even though he was not a of the most talented among chess players. His professional chess player and he simply loved text book about mechanical engineering was to play chess in his free time. It was enough obligatory for a few years for students all over that he was one of the top five players in the Europe, his philosophical books are being world for two decades (1910 – 1930) and that discovered in Slovenia and in the world only it was thought that he could become a World recently and his chess books are dominant for Champion if he would have devoted his life to a long time. this game of kings as the other players did. His relatives say that he was above all human, Milan Vidmar’s chess legacy is huge. He a family man that raised seven children and described his career in different books. which always found time for their education. Slovene people were learning and will be He was also a great friend, which always learning with the help of his book “Pol helped his friends, which needed help. stoletja ob šahovnici” (My 50 years with chess), which is considered to be some kind The birth of the Budapest Gambit of a Slovene chess Bible. The rest of the world is learning from his book Golden Vidmar was a player with great practical Schachzeiten, the famous German book about power and who did not pay attention to the (according to Vidmar) the most beautiful theory. He loved the Queen’s Gambit and he period of this game of kings. Vidmar’s played it with both pieces. He was especially influence on many Slovene chess players was interested in Pillsbury’s structures – fatal. He influenced on Grandmasters, on less American’s mate attacks were long serving as qualified chess players, on amateurs, on a foundation of his play. Later on he was kibitzers, on officials of federal agencies, on amazed by Tarrasch and with his positional chess judges and on correspondence chess principles. The lack of time to study chess players. He influenced on the players that had brought him to new problems in the joined our chess from other countries and of Openings. He was very nervous in the course on those who are no longer among us. tournament in Berlin due to him being black His most known students are Grandmasters against the famous Akiba Rubinstein! The Stojan Puc, an Olympic winner from 1950, solution was offered to him by his friend from Vasja Pirc who was also an Olympic winner, Budapest and later on he made a quick the second reserve for the famous tournament decision. He used an Opening, which he knew AVRO 1938, but in the world he is especially for only a half an hour and only in words. He known for his Opening (Pirc Defence) and succeeded against the great Akiba and his Bruno Parma who was a winner of a World game is nowadays serving as an illustrative Youth Chess Championship in 1961. example of the Opening and it can be found in Vidmar was teaching in two different ways: every text book about this dangerous Gambit. with the help of the books and also directly. »Before my first game against Rubinstein in His home in Ljubljana was always open for the tournament in Berlin in 1918 I caught an all chess players and there is where (and also eye on the Hungarian master J. Aboni. I knew in many coffeehouses in Ljubljana) a huge him well from the years that I spent in moves are leading to complicated positions, Budapest and when I played against him which are hard to evaluate and that are often. He was dangerous and skilled in his difficult to play. Openings. When we got to greet each other I 4...Sb8-c6 5.Sg1–f3 Lf8-b4+ 6.Sb1–c3 asked him which Opening I should choose to A second significant crossroad. Nowadays the avoid my opponent’s analysis. “Try the theoreticians are in favour of the 6.Sb1-d2 Budapest Gambit”: he said. move, which is avoiding the majority on complications and which is assuring White a The Budapest Gambit? I had never heard of small advantage with the pair of bishops after this Opening before and Aboni had told me in 6...Dd8-e7 7.a2-a3 Sg4xe5 8.Sf3xe5 a hurry, without the board and the pieces, (8.a3xb4?? Se5-d3 mate!) 8...Sc6xe5 9.e2-e3 about this novelty of the Hungarian masters. I Lb4xd2 10.Dd1xd2. found the Opening dangerous, but I was counting on the fact that Rubinstein did not 6...Dd8-e7?! Eboni did not have time to explain everything know anything about this Opening. When I to Vidmar due to the lack of time. Or even he was still deciding, the game had started. And himself did not know that a man needs to take this is how The Budapest Gambit was for the on c3 with 6...Lb4xc3 7.b2xc3 and only after first time played in the arena of great that the hunt against the pawn can begin with masters.” 7...Dd8-e7. The significant difference was found in practice several years later, but I am Akiba Rubinstein : Milan Vidmar sure that some great master was keeping it for Berlin 1918 the critical moments. Budapest Gambit A52 7.Dd1-d5 The defence of the pawn with the queen is, of 1.d2-d4 Sg8-f6 2.c2-c4 e7-e5 course, not a mistake, but a lot more calm These are the introductive moves of The would be 7.Ta1–c1! Sg4xe5 8.Sf3xe5 Sc6xe5 Budapest Gambit. The masters of the 9.a2-a3 Lb4xc3+ 10.Tc1xc3, when some positional play are for decades trying to similar positions would occur as in the disprove this Gambit, but so far they were not variation 6.Sb1-d2 and White surely does not successful. It is true that they found some need to defend himself. good moves for White, but they are still far 7...Lb4xc3+! 8.b2xc3 De7-a3!? from their goal. Vidmar overestimated the trip with the queen, 3.d4xe5 Sf6-g4 4.Lc1-f4 probably under the influence of the wonderful White is standing on the crossroad, but the victory, which he managed to achieve in our great Akiba did not know that in 1918. game. Nowadays Black players in most of the Nowadays it is popular 4.Sg1–f3, which is cases use the gambit move immediately 8...f7- letting 4...Lf8-c5 5.e2-e3 Sb8-c6, but White is f6 9.e5xf6 Sg4xf6 10.Dd5-d3 d7-d6 and later on pushing Black’s pieces in defence and White is choosing between the plans 11.e2-e3 is hoping for the initiative. The characteristic or 11.g2-g3 and Black has a nice variation is 6.Lf1-e2 0-0 7.0-0 Sg4xe5 compensation in both of the cases. 8.Sf3xe5 Sc6xe5 9.Sb1-c3 Tf8-e8 10.b2-b3 9.Ta1-c1 f7-f6! a7-a5 11.Lc1-b2 Ta8-a6 with a sharp play, The characteristic move for the variation. It is when both players are counting on the attack. important that we cannot play 10.e5-e6 Black is delaying with the development of the d7xe6! 11.Dd5-h5 g7-g6 12.Dh5xg4 e6-e5 light-squared bishop and if he manages to 13.Dg4-h4 e5xf4 14.Dh4xf4 0-0, with a full develop it well, normally some serious threats compensation. are following. Alexander Alekhine was for a 10.e5xf6 Sg4xf6 11.Dd5-d2 d7-d6 few years in favour of the 4.e2-e4 move, In those years they were analysing the which is the most dangerous move in the immediate castle, which did not pay attention Gambit. After 4...Sg4xe5 5.f2-f4 Black is for the c7 pawn. Vladimir Vuković the master choosing between the positional 5...Se5-c6 or from Zagreb was analysing this position very more tactical 5...Se5-g6, in both cases the deeply and he was the author of many chess books and also an editor of the magazine are contradicting every strategic principle. Šahovski glasnik. After 11...0–0 12.Lf4xc7? But there is a hidden tactics … Sf6-e4 13.Dd2-d5+ Kg8-h8 14.Tc1-c2 d7-d6 14.c3xd4 15.e2-e3 Lc8-f5 black has a nice initiative and After the taking with the e-pawn, White is the analysis do not have a big importance, if deciding between very sad variations: white does not take on c7. Black needed to 14.e3xd4 Sf6-e4 15.Dd2-e3 Tf8-e8 (Black play d7-d6 and the variations are passing over could develop calmly with 15...Lc8-d7 16.f2- to the variations of the game. f3 (16.Lf1–e2 Ta8-e8) 16...Se4-c5 17.De3-d2 12.Sf3-d4 Ta8-e8+ 18.Ke1–f2 Tf8xf4 19.Dd2xf4 Da3- Vuković in his analysis said that white is b2+ 20.Kf2-g3 Sc5-e6 21.Df4-e3 Se6xd4) better after 12.e2-e3, which is not completely 16.Lf1-e2 Da3-a2 17.f2-f3 Lc8-f5! With a true. Black can continue with the positional decisive attack. play, without paying attention on the pawn 14...Sf6-e4 15.Dd2-c2 Da3-a5+ 16.Ke1–e2 12...Sf6-e4 13.Dd2-c2 Se4-c5. Nowadays Rubinstein naturally saw the variation check with the queen is thought to be the most 16.Ke1–d1 Lc8-f5 17.Lf1–d3 Se4xf2+ dangerous: 12.Dd2-e3+ Sc6-e7 13.Sf3-d4 18.Dc2xf2 Lf5xd3, when his king would be Da3xa2 14.c4-c5 or even better 14.Sd4-b5 badly placed in the centre and most likely he with the trap – 14...Da2xc4 15.Lf4xd6 Sf6-d5 also managed to calculate the consequences 16.De3-e5 Dc4xb5 17.Ld6xe7 Lc8-e6 18.e2- after 17.Th1-g1 g7-g5! 18.f2-f3 Ta8-e8 e4 Db5-b2 19.Le7-g5 and White is winning. 19.f3xe4 Lf5xe4 20.Dc2-d2 Da5xd2+ 12...0–0 13.e2-e3 21.Kd1xd2 g5xf4 22.e3xf4 Tf8xf4, when Rubinstein always tried to play logically Black would be better in the Endgame. Due to when entering the unknown territories. that he decided to defend his material Vidmar taught us that the natural development advantage … is less important than the time and initiative, which come with it and Black is leaning on XABCDEFGHY the Sf6-e4 move, which comes with tempo. 8r+l+-trk+( Due to that it would probably be better 13.f2- f3 and later e2-e4, when Black would only 7zppzp-+-zpp' have a positional compensation and not also 6-+-zp-+-+& tactical. Vidmar was aware of the opportunity and let us see how he degraded Rubinstein, 5wq-+-+-+-% which was completely helpless and confused! 4-+PzPnvL-+$ XABCDEFGHY 3+-+-zP-+-# 8r+l+-trk+( 2P+Q+KzPPzP" 7zppzp-+-zpp' 1+-tR-+L+R! 6-+nzp-sn-+& xabcdefghy 5+-+-+-+-% 16...Tf8xf4!! Like a lightening from the sky! Vidmar 4-+PsN-vL-+$ evaluated the sacrifice as positional, when its 3wq-zP-zP-+-# foundations are in fact tactical. White king is forced to go on a long trip, where it will be 2P+-wQ-zPPzP" killed by Black. 1+-tR-mKL+R! 17.e3xf4 Lc8-f5 With a simple threat 18...Se4-g3. xabcdefghy 18.Dc2-b2 Ta8-e8 13...Sc6xd4! On the diagram is an exceptional position, Seemingly a totally illogical move, which in from which White could save himself, but fact already almost decided the game! This only with the help of the computer program kind of moves are very difficult, because they from 2010. If we consider the fact that the game was played a century earlier, we know defends with 20.h2-h3, Black responds that it was practically decided. You can 20...h5-h4! Now it is threatening 21...Se4-d2. imagine the psychologically unstable The variation 21.Tc1–d1 Se4-g5+!! 22.f4xg5 Rubinstein (The First World War had Lf5-e4+ 23.Kf3-e3 (23.Kf3-g4 Da5-f5+ influenced on him very strongly), how he was 24.Kg4xh4 Df5-f4+ 25.Kh4-h5 (25.g2-g4 suffering because of the threat of the knight. Kg8-f7 26.g5-g6+ Kf7xg6) 25...g7-g6+ Probably he did not think about the solutions, 26.Kh5-h6 Df4-f8#) is losing after 23...Le4- which includes standing on one spot and he c2+ 24.Ke3-f3 Da5-f5#). I supposed that my evaluated the consequences of the two opponent saw all that and that he will try possible moves with the king. On d1 it was everything to escape from the unpleasant not good, because after 19.Ke2-d1 Se4-g3! attack and that he would risk to try to escape 20.h2xg3? mate would follow with the rook through the way that it will make it easier for on e1. So he was left with the f3-square. me to catch him.” XABCDEFGHY And true, Vidmar did not risk anything. 20.Kf3-g3 Sd2-e4+ 8-+-+r+k+( Now it is clear, what is the message of the 7zppzp-+-zpp' upper notes. If White would return with his king on f3, it would follow 21...h7-h5 with 6-+-zp-+-+& the known way to victory. 21.Kg3-h4 Te8-e6! 5wq-+-+l+-% With a threat of mate on h6. Next follows a 4-+PzPnzP-+$ final execution. 22.Lf1-e2 Te6-h6+ 23.Le2-h5 Th6xh5+ 3+-+-+-+-# 24.Kh4xh5 Lf5-g6+ 25.Kh5-g4 Da5-h5# 0– 2PwQ-+KzPPzP" 1.
1+-tR-+L+R! Dr. Milan Vidmar was due to his Queen’s
xabcdefghy Gambit known as an experienced positional player. But the shown game is able to 19.Ke2-f3 convince us, that there was a tactical blood The miraculous solution was hidden in the running through his veins. Seemingly sleepy move 19.f2-f3! And Black’s knight did not master was capable of striking hard, if there have the decisive retreat. After 19...Se4-g3 was a right opportunity. 20.Ke2-f2 Sg3xh1 21.Kf2-g1 White would even be better and due to that the retreat on the c-file was the only one possible. After19...Se4-c3+ 20.Ke2-f2 the computer does not come up with nothing better than 20...Sc3-a4 21.Db2-b5 Da5-d2+ 22.Kf2-g3 Te8-e6 23.Db5xf5 Te6-g6+ 24.Kg3-h3 Tg6- h6+ with the eternal chess. Who knows how would a game end, if Rubinstein would manage to stay calm. 19...Se4-d2+ The move for which Vidmar was criticized. He described it like this: “naturally I saw that the 19...h7-h5! move looks promising to me. If White with 20.g2-g3 move opens his king a hiding place on the g2-square, the attack begins: 20...Se4-d2 21.Kf3-g2 Lf5-e4, with which Black wins at least a pawn and an exchange (22.Kg2-g1 Sd2-f3 23.Kg1-g2 Sf3xd4 24.Kg2-g1 Sd4-f3 etc.) and if he