Kindred’s Special: A Postal Gem from Ray Reithel’s games

Earlier I presented a review of my older brother’s postal achievements and presented some of his games. Here, I add one game that my brother noted in his collection as being: “one of my better games.”

Social Quarterly, CCLA 1971 Master Section

Raymond Reithel  (White)  vs G. Stayart (Black)

Opening: The King’s Indian Attack

1.N-KB3 P-Q4  2.P-KN3  N-KB3  3.B-N2  P-B3

This sets the tone of the defense that restricts options too early. A better plan might be 3…B-B4.

4.O-O  P-KN3

Again my opponent chooses a dubious idea when classic play was available yielding good development of forces. A better plan would be 4…B-B4 5.P-Q3  P-K3  6.QN-Q2  N-R3 (Zvetkov-Smyslov, Amsterdam 1954). Now, my idea is to neutralize the fianchetto with…

5.P-N3  B-N2  6.B-N2 O-O 7.P-Q3  B-B4  8.QN-Q2  Q-B1!

This move threatens to exchange the fianchettoed K-Bishop so to weaken the light squares around the King.

9.R-K1  B-R6  10.B-R1

Naturally I avoid this with my 9th and 10th turns.

10. … R-Q1 11.R-N1  Q-B4?!

This aggressive plan is faulty in that he will find the Q in some danger and also is not prepared for such action. I was expecting something like 11. …P-B4 and 12. …N-B3 with play against the center and developing forces.

12. P-K4  Q-R4 13. P-K5

The objective of my plan is to cause restriction of movement in his camp.

13. … KN-Q2  14.P-Q4  P-R4

Aiming to get some space and action started on the Q-side.

15.P-B4  P-K3  16.Q-K2  N-R3  17.P-R3

Keeping active my policy of restriction.

17. … N-B2  18.N-B1  BxN 19.QxB P-KN4 20.P-R3 N-N3 21.N-R2     22.B-KB3  Q-N3  23.P-B5  N-B1 24.Q=K2 PxP 25.B-R5  Q-B7             26.Q-B3  R-Q2

It seems like ..R-B1 is indicated here. This move turns out to be a bit waste of time and not very effective.

27.R/K-QB1 Q-Q7  28.QxNP P-R3

Stopping the threat of 29.N-B3 and 30.NxP!

29.QxNP N-K2 30.R-B3! QxQP

Now presented here is a perfect example of the f-square weakness.

31.BxPch! K-R2

Taking the Bishop would be disasterous.

32.R-B2  Q-K5 34.R/1-QB1 R-QN1 35.QxR NxB 36.N-N4 P-Q5 37.Q-K8 Q-Q4  38.N-B6ch BxN 39.PxB N-N3  40.P-B7 N/K3-B1 41.R-K1 P-Q6 42.R-Q2 QxQBP 43.Q-K3 Q-B4 44.Q-K4 Q-N4 45.R-K3 R-B4 46.R/3xP R-K2 47.Q-B3! R-K8ch 48.K-N2 N-K3 49.P-B8(N)ch

The Knight is immune to capture because I mate in two starting with 50.Q-B7ch. Now, on 49…K-N1 50.NxN(K3) RxN 51.R-Q8ch R-K1 52.Q-Q5ch K-B1 53.Q-B5ch K-N1 54.QxNch K-B1 55.Q-N7mate!

This is one of the finer games from the tournament and illustrates the quality of chess in social quarterly events.

Kindred’s Special: Chess and War–A Tragic End, Part III

With the world tossed into a very real World War, England stood alone on her Island in the sea that provided a natural protection from a Nazi invasion as occurred in most European countries. The United States had little desire to enter the conflict despite the pleading of Sir Winnie. Churchill was right and Chamberlain was dead wrong with his appeasement policy. The call to arms by the English government was no light matter as all Brits were aware of the dangers to its homeland and outnumbered military. Only its navy and air defense provided any real hope of salvation during Churchill’s efforts to prod the USA into joining the battle. With the unprovoked attack on the Hawaii Islands by the Japanese, enter the USA into turning its mighty industrial base into high gear and national effort by its people to fight. It is little doubt that the USA saved the British Empire from disaster and conquest.

That was the nature of the times. And with it all British men and women rallied to the call of Churchill to arms or help in any manner requested of the public. Thus, Arthur Reynolds found himself in 1940 volunteering as technician with the Royal Air Force and in 1941 was sent to the Pacific Far East landing in Singapore and later moved to Java after the Japanese successful invasion of that territory. However, the Japanese were after the oil fields of both Sumatra and Java and their paratroopers eventually defeated what was left of the of the 605 squadron. Reynolds was among the POWs and transferred eventually to Ambon in 1943 where they were to build an airfield. During this period, Reynolds during part of this period taught his fellow POWs how to play chess which no doubt helped keep their sanity as the conditions in those Japanese camps were horrific. Reynolds himself was ill and was among some 548 Dutch and English POWs loaded on the cargo ship Suez Maru destined for Japan. The tragic event and end came when an allied submarine torpedoed the Suez Maru and the survivors of whom Reyolds was one to jump overboard was killed by a Japanese minesweeper that came up and machine-gunned them most likely because there was no way for the ship to rescue survivors.

There is a full account of the story in NEW IN CHESS written by Olimpiu G. Urcan which I highly recommend.

Such events affecting many chess players who braved the times in uniform probably could fill a book shelf of personal memories of those dark days when victory was far from certain and the enemy seemed to win the major battles early in the war. We were taught the battle of good against evil and prayed that good would in the end triumph. That happened and by 1945-6 the world had a chance to mend itself for a brief period until the Korean Police Action once more drew the world into warfare.

Arthur Reynolds life was one cut short of reaching his full potential, of coming home and resuming his calm place in British society, cherishing his family and friends. In this he shared the fate of many who never returned but thankfully those of his family and military records would leave his legacy for his fellow chess players to in some spirit share his life story. THANK YOU, NEW IN CHESS!

Kindred’s Special: $10,750 Guaranteed with 120 Grand Prix Points

Once again the Rochester Chess Center hosts the MARCHAND OPEN on the weekend of Feburary 20-21, 2010. This event is again being held at St. John Fisher College, Kearney Aud., 3690 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618.

The Marchand Open is an annual event and one of the premiere events held in western New York State. Dr. Erich W. Marchand requested that his friends play chess in his memory. 5-rounds, Swiss System, time controls 30/60 SD/60 w/5 second delay. 4 sections, USCF-rated.

Here is a chance to try to increase your rating, meet old and new friends of chess and test your mettle against fellow players you are paired against.

Information is available/mail entries to Rochester Chess Center, 221 Norris Drive, Rochester, NY 14610. Inquiries to Rochester Chess Center, phone no. 585-442-2430.

Great food is on site at St. John Fisher College with very reasonable prices and variety. Also parking is FREE!

Those interested may request a tournament entry form, call about more details, etc. at the Rochester Chess Center re info above.