Ashtrays

Clarice Benini (right) playing Elisaveta Ivanovna Bykova (left) in the 5th Annual Danlon Women’s International Tournament in Amsterdam, Netherlands on October 26, 1960. Photo: Henk Lindeboom/Anefo/Nationaal Archief.

Fenny Heemskerk (standing centre) watching Bikova (right) play against Benini (left). Photo: Henk Lindeboom/Anefo/Nationaal Archief.

Bikova (left) vs. Benini (right), who, notoriously, was a strong smoker. Photo: Henk Lindeboom/Anefo/Nationaal Archief.

An American Love Story

Silvia Bertini
Associazione Culturale “Il Delta della Luna”

We learn from our beloved friend, Silvia Bertini, that her Prince Passerby suddenly went on holiday to New York accompanied by his mother. At least this is the official version. Please accept it as true :).

Last Cigarette Ever

Clarice Benini (pictured centre, foreground) playing the 5th Annual Danlon Women’s International Tournament in Amsterdam, Netherlands on October 26, 1960. Photo: Henk Lindeboom/Anefo/Nationaal Archief.

Short story

Giorgio Porreca – Nikolay Alekseyevich Obolensky
2nd International Tournament; Florence, 1952
Alekhine Defence B02

Comments in quotation marks by Grandmaster Enrico Paoli, La Scacchiera, 1953, pp. 80-81.

1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5. “By 2. ... e5 Black may transpose into the Vienna Game”. 3. e5 Nfd7 4. e6!? Rudolf Spielmann’s Pawn sacrifice. 4. d4 e6 instead transposes into the French Defence. 4. ... fxe6 5. d4 c5. If 5. ... g6?! then 6. h4 (à la Obolensky!) 6. ... Nf6?! (even after 6. ... Bg7! 7. h5 Nf8 8. Nf3!? White’s initiative compensates for the Pawn) 7. h5! Nxh5 8. Rxh5! gxh5 9. Qxh5+ Kd7 10. Nf3 Bg7 11. Bh6 Bf6 12. Nxd5!! exd5? 13. Qxd5+ with an irresistible attack for White, Bellón López – Vl. Kovačević, Karlovac 1979. 6. Bd3!? “Spontaneous, but not the best”, says Paoli. Theory gives 6. dxc5 Nc6 7. Nf3 g6 8. h4 Nf6 9. Bb5 Bg7 10. h5! Nxh5 11. Be3! (Petronić – Marinković, 52nd Yugoslav Chess Championship, Nikšić 1997) 11. ... 0-0 12. Bxc6 bxc6 13. Bd4 with the initiative (Petronić’s analysis). 6. ... g6. Probably sounder is 6. ... Nf6 7. dxc5 Nc6 8. a3 e5 9. b4 e4 10. Bb5 e5 11. Bg5 Be6 12. Qe2 Kf7 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14. Rd1 Qb8 15. f3 e3∞ Kuindzhi – Palatnik, Tbilisi 1973. 7. Nf3 Bg7. “[In] round four [...] it was seen, instead,” 7. ... cxd4 8. Nxd4 Nc5? 9. Bb5+ Bd7 10. Qe2? (10. b4±) 10. ... Nc6 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. Bf4 (12. b4? Bg7!) 12. ... Qb6 “with equal chances”, Krausz – Obolensky, Florence 1952. 8. Ng5

8. ... Nf8? “The beginning of all misfortunes: retreating has no future and makes castling impossible as well”. The alternative 8. ... Bxd4 9. Nxe6 (9. Nxh7 Ne5) 9. ... Qb6 looks interesting, but requires deeper analysis. 9. dxc5 Nc6 10. 0-0 Nd4? Making things even worse. 11. f4 Qc7 12. Be3. Threatening Bd3xg6+ followed by Be3xd4. 12. ... e5? Far from resigning himself to 12. ... h6 13. Nf3 with great advantage for White. 13. fxe5 e6?? “A blunder which precipitates an already doomed game”. 14. Bxd4 1 : 0.

In Memoriam: Mario Cassai (1948-2008)

On Sunday, May 25, 2008 Mario Cassai suddenly died by disease of the heart, just after winning his first-round rapid game in the 2nd Memorial Farnesi in Santa Brigida, a small village located in the district of Pontassieve, in Florence’s Province. Mario was a constant character in Florence’s night (chess) life since over thirty years, and most chess clubs – both temporary and part-time – were most honoured with his presence. Gifted with a kind sense of humour, Mario was always too much in love with Bacchus, tobacco, and Venus because his chess titles might faithfully reflect his skills. More and more often he succeeded in showing his flowering side in chess analysis. His highest result was probably the 3rd place (out of 34 players) at the 9th International Chess Festival “Città di Lucca” in 1997, ahead of strong Masters such as Pietro Mola and Stuart Wagman.

Mario Cassai – Roberto Venturelli
9th International Chess Festival “Città di Lucca”; Lucca, 1997
French Defence C10

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 Nbd7 4. Nf3 e6 5. e4 dxe4 6. Nxe4 Be7 7. Nxf6+ Nxf6 8. Bd3 h6 9. Bf4 0-0 10. Qd2 c5

11. Bxh6 gxh6 12. Qxh6 c4 13. Qg5+ ½ : ½.

Mario Cassai (pictured centre) in 2006.