Professor Mauro Berni (Genoa, Italy) sent me today from his historical archive an unpublished game by the late Italian Women’s Chess Champion Clarice Benini, played in her declining years in a “for men only” domain.
Here it is, with my annotations.
Here it is, with my annotations.
Mario Tamburini – Clarice Benini
Master Tournament of Qualification for the 19th Italian Chess Championship; Levanto, May 8, 1957
Grünfeld Defence D90
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 g6 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. e3 Bg7 7. Bd3 0-0 8. 0-0
8. ... b6? This badly weakens the Queenside. 8. ... Nc6 and 9. ... Bg4 are recommended by theory, and also suggested by common sense.
9. b3 Ba6?! If 9. ... Nc6 then 10. Ba3 Bb7 11. Rc1 a6 12. Na4⩲ Kotov – Levenfish, 17th USSR Chess Championship, Moscow 1949.
10. Ba3 Bxd3 11. Qxd3 Nbd7 12. Rac1 Re8. It doesn’t make a good impression, but 12. ... a6 13. Ne5 Rc8 14. Na4± was also clearly to White’s advantage.
13. Nb5 Rf8. If anything, 13. ... e5!? appears to be a little more consistent, but then after 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Rxe5 16. Rc2± White stands much better anyway.
14. Rc2 Ne4 15. Nc7
9. b3 Ba6?! If 9. ... Nc6 then 10. Ba3 Bb7 11. Rc1 a6 12. Na4⩲ Kotov – Levenfish, 17th USSR Chess Championship, Moscow 1949.
10. Ba3 Bxd3 11. Qxd3 Nbd7 12. Rac1 Re8. It doesn’t make a good impression, but 12. ... a6 13. Ne5 Rc8 14. Na4± was also clearly to White’s advantage.
13. Nb5 Rf8. If anything, 13. ... e5!? appears to be a little more consistent, but then after 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Rxe5 16. Rc2± White stands much better anyway.
14. Rc2 Ne4 15. Nc7
15. ... Ndc5! A pretty interference by which Black tries to complicate things.
16. dxc5 Qxc7 17. cxb6 Qb7 18. Rc7 Qxb6 19. Rfc1 Qa5 20. Bxe7. After all, White is a sound Pawn up.
20. ... Bb2
16. dxc5 Qxc7 17. cxb6 Qb7 18. Rc7 Qxb6 19. Rfc1 Qa5 20. Bxe7. After all, White is a sound Pawn up.
20. ... Bb2
21. Bxf8. 21. R1c2 might have been simpler.
21. ... Bxc1 22. Rxc1 Qxa2 23. Rf1 Rxf8 24. Qxd5 Nf6 25. Qd4 Qa6 26. h3 Rb8? Losing another Pawn. She ought to play at once 26. ... Qb6, although after 27. Ra1 Rd8 28. Qxb6 axb6 29. Nd4± White is a Pawn ahead with a much better endgame.
27. Ra1 Qb6 28. Rxa7. Now White is two Pawns ahead with a winning endgame.
28. ... Qxd4 29. Nxd4 Ne4 30. Ra2 Nc3 31. Rc2 Nd5 32. Kf1 Kf8 33. Ke2 Ke8 34. Kd2 Kd7 35. Ra2 Rb7 36. Ra5 Kd6 37. f3 f5 38. Ra6+ Kc5 39. Ra5+ Kd6 40. Ra6+ Kc5 41. h4 Re7 42. Rc6+ Kb4 43. Rc4+ Ka3 44. Kc1 Nb4? 1–0. Black resigned without waiting for 45. Rxb4! Kxb4 46. Nc6+ with a piece ahead for White and an easy win.
21. ... Bxc1 22. Rxc1 Qxa2 23. Rf1 Rxf8 24. Qxd5 Nf6 25. Qd4 Qa6 26. h3 Rb8? Losing another Pawn. She ought to play at once 26. ... Qb6, although after 27. Ra1 Rd8 28. Qxb6 axb6 29. Nd4± White is a Pawn ahead with a much better endgame.
27. Ra1 Qb6 28. Rxa7. Now White is two Pawns ahead with a winning endgame.
28. ... Qxd4 29. Nxd4 Ne4 30. Ra2 Nc3 31. Rc2 Nd5 32. Kf1 Kf8 33. Ke2 Ke8 34. Kd2 Kd7 35. Ra2 Rb7 36. Ra5 Kd6 37. f3 f5 38. Ra6+ Kc5 39. Ra5+ Kd6 40. Ra6+ Kc5 41. h4 Re7 42. Rc6+ Kb4 43. Rc4+ Ka3 44. Kc1 Nb4? 1–0. Black resigned without waiting for 45. Rxb4! Kxb4 46. Nc6+ with a piece ahead for White and an easy win.
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