By a Thread

Lyudmila Vladimirovna Rudenko – Clarice Benini
8th Women’s World Chess Championship; Moscow, January 12, 1950
Queen’s Gambit Accepted D24

Comments and puctuation by Grandmaster Max Euwe, Moskou 1949. Wereldkampioenschap Schaken Dames, Oosterbaan & Le Cointre N.V., Goes, 1950, pp. 76-77.

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 dxc4 4. Nc3. An unusual development move in this variant, but not a bad one.
4. ... a6 5. a4. Now that the Knight is on c3, White prevents the advance ... b7-b5 so as not to render the Knight unstable.
5. ... Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Qe2. The game has taken on the character of a mainstream Slav, but with a difference: there is a Black Pawn on a6 rather than c6. The objective remains the same: White advances e3-e4 and then tries to secure a King attack founded on the acquired positional superiority.
9. ... Bg4 10. Rd1 Nbd7 11. e4 Nb6 12. Bb3 h6. Prevents Bc1-g5 and gives the light-squared Bishop a retreat square on h7.
13. h3 Bh5 14. g4 Bg6 15. Ne5 Bh7 16. f3. g4-g5 was to be considered either now or later.
16. ... Qe7. White has assumed an aggressive stance, but Black has various means of defence at her disposal, as the the presence of the h7-Bishop in particular confers sufficient stability to the Kingside.
17. Be3 Rfd8 18. Nd3 Ba5 19. Rac1 Nbd7 20. Qg2 Kh8 21. Ne2 Bb6 22. Qf2 Rac8. Mutual strengthening and consolidation.
23. Nc5 Bxc5 24. dxc5 Ne5 25. Nd4 c6 26. Bf4 Nfd7 27. Qg3 Qf6 28. h4. Here the advance 28. g5 offered more prospects. White should have opened up the position to increase the power of the two Bishops, whereas the move in the text actually allows for a closure, which benefits the Black Knights.
28. ... g5! Very correctly played. White has now to limit herself to defence.
29. hxg5 hxg5 30. Be3 Nf8 31. Rd2 Nfg6 32. Bd1 Rd7 33. Be2 Rcd8 34. Rcd1 Qe7 35. b4 a5! The Black Queen also wishes to join the attack.
36. bxa5 Qxc5 37. Kf2. Now that the Bishop is defended, the threat of Nd4xe6 becomes a reality.
37. ... Nf4? Black plays recklessly. The quiet 37. ... Qe7 would preserve to Black all her chances.
38. Nxe6! Rxd2. Black’s combination is beautiful, but ultimately leads to nothing.
39. Rxd2. Of course not 39. Bxc5 or 39. Nxc5 because of 39. ... Rxe2+ and 40. ... Rd8xd1# mate.
39. ... Rxd2 40. Bxc5 fxe6. Not 40. ... Rxe2+ 41. Kf1 and White wins after both 41. ... fxe6 42. Bd4 and 41. ... Rg2 42. Qe1.
41. Kf1! A strong defensive move (41. ... Rxe2 42. Bd4).
41. ... Kg7! Black constantly breathes new life into the position. Once the King can defend the e5-Knight, Black will take on e2, thereby gaining decisive material superiority (Rook and two minor pieces for the Queen).
42. Be3 Rxe2 43. Bxf4 gxf4 44. Qxf4

44. ... Re1+(!). The combinatorial pitch of the battle. White thinks she will win, because two Black pieces are en prise and Black thinks she can save herself with a surprising combination.
45. Kg2. 45. Kxe1? then 45. ... Nd3+.
45. ... Nf7. Black achìeved her goal of Rook and two minor pieces for the Queen, but now an unpleasant surprise awaited her.
Also, it should be noted that 45. ... Nc4 would not be sufficient because of 46. Qc7+ Kf6 47. Qxb7 and the White passed Pawn advances (47. ... Nxa5 48. Qb4).
46. Qd2! A beautiful denouement. The White Rook is suddenly trapped.
46. ... Rb1 47. Qc2 Ra1. On 47. ... Rb4 or 47. ... Re1 definitely 48. Qc3+.
48. Qb2+ e5 49. Qxa1 Kf6 50. Qb2 Nd6 51. Qb4 1–0. A beautiful and lively game.

Click Clack Symphony

Clarice Benini – Mona May Karff
8th Women’s World Chess Championship; Moscow, January 6, 1950
Dutch Defence A82

Comments in quotation marks by Grandmaster Max Euwe, Moskou 1949. Wereldkampioenschap Schaken Dames, Oosterbaan & Le Cointre N.V., Goes, 1950, pp. 57-58.

1. d4 f5 2. e4!? The Staunton Gambit.
2. ... fxe4 3. f3!? “Usually, before accepting the loss of the gambit Pawn with f2-f3, White interpolates 3. Nc3 Nf6 (and even 4. Bg5)”.
3. ... exf3. “Theory recommends 3. ... d5. After the text move, White gets a large lead in development”.
Editor’s note: And indeed, 3. ... d5! 4. Nc3! Nf6! is a tabiya.
4. Nxf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 d6 6. 0-0 Bg4 7. Nc3. Editor’s note: If 7. Qe1 then 7. ... Nc6 8. c3 g6∞ Doulton – Reifenberg, 2nd Stevenson Memorial (Southern Counties’ Chess Union Championship), Southsea 1950.
7. ... Nc6 8. Be3 Qd7 9. d5! “Leads to lively complications”.
9. ... Ne5. “After 9. ... Bxf3 10. Rxf3 Ne5 White can sacrifice the Exchange by 11. Bf5! Nxf3+ 12. Qxf3 Qd8 13. Be6 and Black is completely crushed”.
10. Bb5. Editor’s note: Preferable seems 10. Nxe5 dxe5 11. Qe1! with the iniatiative.
10. ... c6 11. Nxe5! “The best continuation, which provides White with sufficient compensation for the gambit Pawn”.
11. ... dxe5. “11. ... Bxd1 12. Nxd7 Kxd7 13. Raxd1 cxb5 14. Nxb5 leads to an advantage for White”.
12. dxc6 bxc6 13. Qxd7+ Bxd7 14. Bc4. “Bottom line: Black’s extra Pawn is doubled (e7/e5) and hence worthless, while White increased her lead in development”.
14. ... e6 15. Bg5 Bc5+ 16. Kh1 0-0 17. Rad1 Nd5. “Not 17. ... Bd4 because of 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. Ne4 with the threat of c2-c3”.
18. Ne4 Rxf1+ 19. Bxf1 Bf8 20. c4! “White systematically improves her position. The text move renders the Black Knight (which must defend the d7-Bishop) inactive”.
20. ... Nb6 21. Be2 c5 22. Bf3 Rc8 23. b3 h6 24. Be3. Editor’s note: If 24. Bxh6 gxh6 25. Nf6+ Kg7 26. Nxd7 Black can reply 26. ... e4! freeing herself at the cost of a Pawn.
24. ... Be7 25. Kg1 Be8 26. Nd6. “The style of the Italian Women’s Champion is particularly exciting, but a tad too radical. With the text move, she gives away many opportunities which could be pursued through a quiet preparation (e.g. beginning with 26. Bg4)”.
26. ... Bxd6 27. Rxd6 Kf7 28. Bg4. “White’s advantage of the two Bishops is undoubtedly important, but perhaps not yet decisive”.
28. ... Bd7 29. b4?

“White persists in the same error of wanting everything at once. In the tournament bulletin Smyslov gives as a better alternative 29. h4. The text move leads to interesting complications, but the main variation intended by White, 29. ... cxb4 30. Bxb6, does not hold up because of 30. ... Ke7! 31. Rxd7+ Kxd7 32. Bxa7 Rxc4 and Black gains the a-Pawn, thereby much improving her chances of victory”.
Editor’s note: It should be noted that after 29. ... cxb4! 30. c5? Ke7! White is lost.
29. ... Rc6? 30. Bxe6+. “Everything is beautiful even this way”.
30. ... Ke7 31. Rxc6 Bxc6 32. bxc5 Na4? “Black is oblivious to her chances for a draw: after 32. ... Kxe6 33. cxb6 axb6 34. Bxb6 the presence of Bishops of opposite colours would render a White victory virtually impossible”.
33. Bd5 Kd7 34. a3 Nc3 35. Bg8 Be4? “Gives White an opportunity to get rid of her doubled Pawn, thereby significantly strengthening the predominance of the White Bishops”.
Editor’s note: 35. ... a6! was the right move.
36. c6+! Bxc6 37. Bxa7 Nb1 38. Bc5! “Defends a3, threatens Bc5-f8, and prepares for the encirclement of the b1-Knight by Bc5-b4”.
38. ... Nd2 39. Bf8 e4 40. Kf2. “Otherwise the Black passed Pawn gets too dangerous”.
40. ... Nb1. “Black could only choose between losing a few Pawns, or else and losing the Knight”.
41. Bb4 Ke8 42. Ke3 g6 43. Bd5 1–0.

Just A Reminder Each Day

Fenny Heemskerk – Clarice Benini
8th Women’s World Chess Championship; Moscow, January 2, 1950
Slav Defence D18

Comments in quotation marks by Grandmaster Max Euwe, Moskou 1949. Wereldkampioenschap Schaken Dames, Oosterbaan & Le Cointre N.V., Goes, 1950, pp. 40-41.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Bd2. “Usual is 9. Qe2, intending to advance e3-e4, which is no longer so easy to accomplish after the move in the text”.
9. ... Nbd7. “Stronger was 9. ... c5 followed by ... Nb8-c6, by which Black would have gained excellent counterplay in the centre”.
Editor’s note: And indeed, 9. ... c5! 10. Qe2 Nc6 11. dxc5 Bg4 gave Black good play in Grob–Euwe, Zürich 1947, match game 6.
10. Re1 h6. “Provides the Bishop with a retreat square in advance, although 11. e4 does not work because of 11. ... Bxc3 12. exf5 Bxd2 etc.”.
11. Qe2 Rc8. “Still Black need not concern herself with the advance e3-e4. However, the move in the text has little effect, and therefore 11. ... Qe7, along with possibly ... e6-e5, deserved preference”.
12. Nb1! “A surprising way to still achieve e3-e4; first and foremost, White saves the c3-Knight from the very troublesome exchange with ... Bb4xc3”.
Editor’s note: Again, as noted by Haije Kramer, 12. e4 Bxc3! 13. exf5 Bxd2 leads nowhere for White.
12. ... Be7. “More active was 12. ... Bd6; the difference with the move in the text will become apparent shortly”.
13. Bc3 Ne4 14. Nbd2 Ndf6. “The battle for the e4-square is suddenly now in full swing”.
15. Nxe4 Nxe4 16. Nd2 Nxc3. “Had Black played 12. ... Bd6 instead of 12. ... Be7, 16. ... Qh4 might very well follow here, compelling White to weaken his King’s position. Black was now faced with a difficult choice. The exchange on c3 admittedly strengthens White’s centre, but after 16. ... Nxd2 17. Qxd2 the c3-Bishop will play an important role, e.g. 17. ... c5 18. e4 Bh7 19. d5 etc.
After the text move, the battle for the e4-square is decided in White’s favour”.
17. bxc3 c5. “Black’s counterplay comes too late now, as White can advance in the centre with gain of tempo”.
18. e4 Bg6 19. d5! “A powerful advance, which is the best way to capitalise on the centre majority”.
19. ... exd5. “19. ... e5 was better in any case, although then White would be left with a protected passed Pawn”.
Editor’s note: But it appears to us that after 19. ... e5 20. f4! exf4 21. e5 White’s initiative would be much too strong.
20. Bxd5! “Very well played. White takes advantage of her central advantage (e4-Pawn) by bringing the Bishop to a controlling position. The pressure on f7, in particular, will make itself felt from now on”.
20. ... b6 21. Qc4. “Also strong was 21. f4, as well as f4-f5”.
21. … Qd7?! Editor’s note: Lost time. If nothing else, 21. ... Qc7 at once would save a tempo.
22. Nf3. “Slowly but surely White strengthens her position. Nf3-e5 is threatened”.
22. ... Qc7 23. e5!

“The characteristic way to benefit from a centralised Bishop. Now that the Bishop is unassailable and the Pawn no longer needs protection, this latter will act as a battering ram in combination with Qc4–Bd5”.
23. ... Rcd8 24. Rad1 Kh7 25. h4! “Very enterprising, White is going to increase the pressure on Black’s position through the advance of the Kingside Pawns, which also puts the g6-Bishop under pressure”.
Editor’s note: The attacking threat is g2-g4.
25. ... f6. “The enterprising, lusty Italian Women’s Champion doesn’t want to wait anymore, and concedes her opponent a magnificent passed Pawn. On the other hand, she had only a choice between evils”.
26. e6 Kh8 27. g4 Bh7? Editor’s note: 27. ... h5! seems to be more resistant.
28. h5 Bg8 Editor’s note: (28. ... f5? 29. Ne5+−).
29. Nh4 Bh7 30. Ng6+. “Black threatened to free herself with ... f6-f5. The exchange that follows puts emphasis on Black’s back rank difficulties”.
30. ... Bxg6 31. hxg6 f5 32. Bf3. “The Bishop has fulfilled its task and White now clears the d-file in order to benefit from Black’s back rank problems”.
32. ... fxg4 33. Rxd8! “Very importantly, White exchanges some pieces, so that the remaining Black figures will have to strictly limit themselves to protecting the back rank and defending the King”.
33. ... Rxd8. “On 33. ... Qxd8 there follows the Zwischenzug 34. Rd1, after which 34. ... Qc7 35. Qxg4 Qf4 fails to 36. Qxf4 Rxf4 37. Rd7! and wins”.
34. Qxg4 Bf6 35. Qc4. Editor’s note: Threatening e6-e7 followed by the Queen invasion to f7.
35. ... Qe7 36. Kg2 Kg8. “It is obvious what thorns the Pawn on e6 and g6 are in Black’s position. Black cannot move a muscle”.
37. Bc6. “Intending Bc6-d7, with Black almost completely boxed in”.
37. ... Rd6. “It is understandable that Black wants to prevent the Rook from being paralysed, but now the back rank is no longer adequately guarded, which hastens the end”.
38. Bd7 Kf8 39. Qe4. “Thus White takes advantage of the position of the Black Rook on d6. Black must now worry about the threat of invasion by the White Queen on a8”.
Editor’s note: White is actually threatening 40. Qa8+ Qd8 41. e7+ Bxe7 42. Qxd8+ Bxd8 43. Re8#.
39. ... Qd8 40. Re3. “The Rook is heading to the f-file”.
40. ... a5 41. Qb7 Bg5. Editor’s note: If 41. … Rd2 then 42. e7+! Bxe7 43. Qf3+ and game over.
42. Qf3+. “Decisive, as Black cannot prevent the invasion. On 42. ... Bf6 or 42. ... Qf6 there follows 43. e7+”.
42. ... Kg8 43. Qf7+ Kh8 44. e7 Bxe7 45. Rxe7 Rxg6+ 46. Kf1! “Leads to significant material advantage, because on 46. ... Kh7 there now follows 47. Bf5 Qd1+ 48. Re1 etc.”.
Editor’s note: 46. ... Kh7 47. Re8 is also convincing.
46. ... Qxe7 47. Qxe7 Rf6 48. Bb5 1–0.

Last But Not Least

“Good blood”, they say, “does not lie”. And indeed in 1911, Clarice Benini’s father participated in the historic National Tournament at Rome (the equivalent of an Italian Championship), in which he finished last with only 1 point out of 16. He won only one game, but it was a flash that illumined an otherwise shadowed biography, both for the name of the opponent and for the beauty of the combination.

Giuseppe Benini – Arturo Reggio
5th Congress USI; Rome, October 1911
French Defence C11

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Nf3 c5 6. Be3 cxd4 7. Bxd4 Nc6 8. Bb5 Be7 9. Qd2 0-0 10. Ne2 Qc7 11. c3 Ndxe5 12. Nxe5 Nxe5 13. f4 Nc6 14. 0-0 Nxd4 15. cxd4 Qb6 16. Bd3 f5 17. Kh1 Bf6 18. Rf3 Bxd4 19. Bxf5 Qxb2 20. Bxh7+ Kxh7 21. Qd3+ Kg8 22. Rb1 Qxa2 23. Nxd4 Qc4 24. Qe3 Rf6 25. g4 b6 26. g5 Rf7 27. Rc1 Qa4 28. Rh3 e5

A diagram to immortalise the Benini family! An asymmetrical situation, White is two Pawns down but enjoys a powerful attack.
29. g6! Rxf4? To paraphrase in reverse Alekhine — “What joy, to have your thinking and your fantasy carried high up by another person!”. Had Black played 29. ... Rc7!, White should have contented himself with 30. Re1!! (not 30. Rxc7? on account of 30. ... Bxh3 31. Qxh3 Qd1+ 32. Kg2 Qd2+ drawing by perpetual check) 30. ... Bxh3 31. Qxe5! Bg4! (the only move!) 32. Qxc7 Qd7 33. Qe5 retaining the initiative, but, of course, it would have been another story entirely.

In his column for La Lettura, Volume 31, 1931, p. 380, Giuseppe Padulli said, “After confidently playing 29. ... Rf7xf4, with his opponent to move, [Reggio] stood up and, walking around the hall, chatted with the others about his game; indeed, when one asked him if he was satisfied, he replied that everything seemed to be well in order: three Pawns won, and two enemy pieces threatened simultaneously, suggested a quick resolution in his favour. What was his surprise, however, when, returning to the table, he saw his opponent, Benini, play his move of rejoinder and, almost speaking to himself, say under his breath: — Mate in eight moves. So strong was the move Benini had found that it didn’t take Reggio too many minutes to comprehend the ensuing epilogue and resign himself to play forced moves until checkmate”.
30. Rh8+!! Kxh8 31. Rxc8+! Rxc8 32. Qh3+ Kg8 33. Qxc8+ Rf8 34. Qe6+ Kh8 35. Qh3+ Kg8 36. Qh7# 1–0.

Nah & Gut

Today, the focus was on the ladies, who were performing their acrobatic feats in a magnificent hall on the first floor. Don’t believe that women chess players are more peacefully inclined than the gentlemen in the Winter Garden! On the contrary! But their male colleagues don’t come here to have a bit on the side. Nor do people come to see Miss Vera [Menchik] pluck her ninth victim like a poulterer his chickens. No, they come to spy on more risqué matters. Do you see Marquis Rosselli del Turco there, how he attends to signorina Benini? He doesn’t leave her side. And do you see the Swede over there, captain Ståhlberg, whose gaze caresses one of the Polish women players? People whisper about wedding plans. And there stands Sonja Graf with the latest masculine couture. Today she is unapproachable, and walks about with a warlike air. She’s bitter, because on Saturday afternoon Dr. Euwe danced the matinée with Miss Vera. Playing a game with her, „nah gut” (well, okay), but dancing!!! But what’s that? Are we in a sanatorium? There goes a lady with a sign on her back. What does it say? Please don’t touch my back. And in no less than three languages: Swedish, English, and German. It’s Mrs. O’Shannon, who has lumbago! De Telegraaf, Wednesday, August 11, 1937, p. 5.

The World of Yesterday

Sonja Graf – Clarice Benini
International Women’s Chess Tournament; Semmering, July 5, 1936
Queen’s Pawn Game D02

Notes by Master Heinrich Wolf, Neues Wiener Abendblatt, No. 194, July 16, 1936. p. 8.

The first International Women’s Chess Tournament at Semmering was won in dominant fashion by Miss Sonja Graf from Germany. The following game, played in the fourth round on July 5, is an example of her clear, positionally founded play, which many of her male colleagues would envy:

1. d4 d5 2. Bf4 c6 3. Nf3 Bf5. Italian player should not have missed the opportunity of gaining a tempo with 3. ... Qb6!, whereupon White is compelled to play 4. b3 or 4. Qc1.
4. Nbd2 Nf6 5. e3 e6 6. c3 Nbd7 7. Be2 Be7 8. 0-0 0-0 9. c4 Rc8. She ought first to play 9. ... h6 so as to prevent the Queen’s Bishop from being exchanged after Nf3-h4.
10. Nh4 Bg6 11. Nxg6 hxg6 12. h3. White stands slightly better due to her Bishop pair. However, Italian woman master handles the ensuing middlegame with remarkable ingenuity and succeeds in maintaining the equilibrium until the endgame.
12. ... c5 13. dxc5 Nxc5 14. cxd5 Nxd5 15. Bg3 Bd6 16. Bxd6 Qxd6 17. Nc4 Qe7 18. Qd4 Qf6. This Queen exchange offer was not so urgent. 18. ... Rfd8 seems to be much better.
19. Qxf6 gxf6 20. Nd6 Rc6 21. Rac1 Rxd6. On 21. ... b6 22. Nb5! would be very uncomfortable for Black.
22. Rxc5 Rfd8 23. Bf3 b6 24. Rc4 f5 25. Rd1 Nf6 26. Rxd6 Rxd6 27. Rc2 Kf8 28. Kf1 Ke7 29. Rc7+ Rd7 30. Rc8 Nd5 31. Bxd5 Rxd5 32. Rc7+ Rd7 33. Rxd7+ Kxd7. German matador exchanged all pieces for a good reason, because only in a pure Pawn endgame she can hope to take advantage of her sounder Pawn constellation.
34. Ke2 Kd6 35. Kd3 Kd5 36. h4 e5 37. Kc3 Kc5

38. e4!! fxe4 39. g4 Kd5 40. h5 gxh5 41. gxh5 Ke6 42. Kc4 Kf6 43. Kd5 Kg5 44. Kxe5 Kxh5 45. Kxe4 Kg4 46. f4 f6! 47. b3

47. ... a6? So far, both sides had handled the difficult endgame well, but here 47. ... b5 should have been played, after which a win for White would no longer be possible. Let us suppose, for example: 48. b4 Kg3 48. Kf5 Kxf3 50. Kxf6 Kxf4 51. Ke6 Ke4 52. Kd6 Kd4 53. Kc6 Kc4 54. a3 Kb3! with a draw.
48. b4 Kg3 49. Kf5 Kf3 50. a3! a5. Other moves cannot save the game either.
51. b5 a4 52. Kxf6 1–0.

Long Time Ago

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.

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

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

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.

A Monday in Venice

The Belgian Chess History website has made public all the games played by Simone Bussers in the Women’s Western European Zonal Tournament at Venice in July 1951, including her first round one against Clarice Benini, which we give with our succinct annotations.

Clarice Benini – Simone Bussers
Women’s Western European Zonal Tournament; Venice, July 9, 1951
Semi-Tarrasch Defence D40

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2 dxc4 7. Bxc4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 (8. exd4)
8. ... Nxd4 9. exd4 Be7 10. 0-0 0-0 11. Be3 a6 12. Qf3 Rb8 13. a4 Bd7 14. Bf4

Now Black goes for an interesting Exchange sacrifice:
14. ... Bc6 15. d5 exd5 16. Bxb8 dxc4 17. Qe2 Qxb8 18. Qxe7 Re8 19. Qc5

19. ... Qf4? 19. ... Ng4! seems to give Black excellent compensation.
20. f3. 20. Rfe1 Rc8 21. h3 might have been stronger.
20. ... Re5. 20. ... Nd7 21. Qf2 Ne5 was also worth considering.
21. Qf2 Rh5 22. g3

22. ... Qh6? The losing mistake as Black surrenders the d-file to the White Rooks. 22. ... Qc7! was imperatively called for.

23. Rad1 g6 24. Rd4 Rf5 25. Qe2 b5 26. Rd8+ Kg7 27. Qe7! Forcing a winning liquidation.
27. ... g5 28. Qf8+ Kg6 29. Qxh6+ Kxh6 30. Rd6 Bb7 31. axb5 axb5 32. Rb6 Ba8 33. Rxb5 Rxb5 34. Nxb5 Nd5 35. Nd6 c3 36. bxc3 Nxc3 37. Nxf7+ Kg6 38. Nd6 Ne2+ 39. Kf2 Nd4 40. Ke3 Ne6 41. f4 gxf4+ 42. gxf4 Kf6 43. Ra1 Bg2 44. Ra7 Ng7 45. Rf7+ Kg6 46. f5+ Kh6 47. Ne4 Bh3 48. Rf6+ Kh5 49. Kf4 Nxf5 50. Rxf5+ Bxf5 51. Kxf5 Kh4 52. Nf2 h5 53. h3 Kg3 54. Kg5 h4 55. Kh5 1–0.

After the 11th move of White. Photo: Ferruzzi Archive, Venice, via scacchipress.it.

Copacabana at Midnight

Outra jogadora que dá esperanças é a “signorina” Clarice Benini, colocada em 2° lugar em Semmering. È filha de um antigo jogador italiano, de fama, e promete multo, pela vivacidade de seu jogo. Another player with great hopes is “Miss” [In italian in the text] Clarice Benini, who finished second at Semmering. She is the daughter of a famous old Italian player and promises much due to the vivacity of her play. Jornal do Brasil, Sunday, October 4, 1936, p. 15.

It Ain’t Easy

Drama (or psychodrama) at the International Women’s Chess Tournament in Semmering, July 5, 1936, when Clarice Benini ended up being tricked by Sonja Graf in a not too easy King and Pawn ending. Austrian Master Heinrich Wolf annotated the game on his column in the Neues Wiener Abendblatt, No. 194, July 16, 1936. p. 8.

Cinema Paradiso

Simple But Not Easy

Verica Jovanović – Clarice Benini
Women’s Western European Zonal Tournament; Venice, July 10, 1951
French Defence C10

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Be7 6. Bd3 Ngf6 7. 0-0 Nxe4 8. Bxe4 Nf6 9. Bd3 0-0 10. Bg5 b6 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. Be4 Rb8 13. Qd3 g6

14. Ne5. This is pretty insignificant, but the women of third millennium did not show much more either: 14. Rad1 Qd6 15. Rfe1 Rd8 16. Qe2 Bd7 17. c3 Bc6 18. Nd2 Bg7 19. Nc4 Qd7 20. Ne5 Bxe5 21. dxe5 Qe8 22. h4 h5 23. g3 ½ : ½ Sebag – Chiburdanidze, FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 2009–11, 6th stage, Doha 2011.

14. ... Bxe5 15. dxe5 Qxd3 16. Bxd3 Bb7 17. Rad1 c5 18. c4 Rfd8 19. Bc2 Ba6 20. b3 Bb7 21. f3 Kf8 22. Rxd8+ Rxd8 23. Rd1 Rxd1+ 24. Bxd1 g5 25. Bc2 h6 26. h4 f6 27. exf6 Kf7 28. hxg5 hxg5 29. Kf2 Kxf6 30. Ke3 Ke5 31. g3 a6 32. f4+ gxf4+ 33. gxf4+ Kd6 34. Be4 Bxe4 35. Kxe4 b5?? A gross blunder which throws away a completely drawn King and Pawn ending. By simply 35. ... Kd7 Black would hold her own; for instance: 36. f5 (36. Ke5 Ke7 37. a3 a5 38. a4 Kd7 39. Kf6 Kd6=) 36. ... Ke7! 37. Ke5 exf5 38. Kxf5 Kf7 39. Ke5 Ke7 40. Kd5 Kd7 41. a3 a5 42. a4 Kc7 43. Ke6 Kc6= with a draw.

36. cxb5?? But White turns her back on fortune’s gift: 36. a4!+− bxa4 (36. ... bxc4 37. bxc4 a5 38. f5! transposes, while if 36. ... b4 then 37. a5+−) 37. bxa4 a5 38. f5!+− is an elementary win.
37. ... axb5 37. a3. If 37. a4 then 37. ... c4! 38. axb5 cxb3= with a draw in hand.
37. ... Kd7

38. Kd3 (38. Ke5 Ke7= 39. a4?? c4!−+)

38. ... Kc6 39. Kc3 Kb6 40. a4! Ka5! 41. Kd3?? Most dramatically, Jovanović misses, both now and afterwards, her only saving grace. She likely discarded 41. axb5 Kxb5 42. Kc2 Kb4 43. Kb2 c4 44. bxc4 Kxc4 45. Kc2 Kd4 because she judged lost the ending, when instead there was 46. f5!! exf5 47. Kd2 forcing the draw.

41. ... c4+?? Once again Benini overlooked a relatively “easy” win (41. ... bxa4 42. bxa4 Kb4!−+), but she is lucky enough that her opponent does not know it.
42. bxc4 bxa4 43. Kc3 a3 44. Kb3 a2 45. Kxa2 Kb4 0 : 1 (??). And White resigns, just when she was so close to saving herself, transposing to the variation given after White’s 41st move: 46. Kb2 Kxc4 47. Kc2 Kd4 48. f5!! exf5 49. Kd2 with a draw.

Lest We Forget

Fabio Magini, the distinguished problemist and writer, has found amongst the pages of a vintage Florentine puzzle magazine a chess problem composed by Giuseppe Benini, the father of the more famous Clarice Benini, which had gone unnoticed so far — not to say that this is apparently the only known composition by Benini father:

1N6/2p1r3/4kp1N/5p2/2P2P1P/B1nP3P/4p1BK/6R1 w - - 0 1

Giuseppe Benini, La Ricreazione, 1880
White to move and mate in four moves.

Solution: 1. Bc6! Rh7 2. d4 (2. Rg8 Rxh6 3. Rg7 and mate next) 2. ... Rxh6 3. Rg7 followed by mate. “It’s not a masterpiece, but for its time was not bad!”, writes Magini.

Duo cum dicunt idem, non est idem

The 6th Women’s World Chess Championship held in Stockholm, Sweden from July 31 to August 14, 1937 ended in a triumph for Vera Frantsevna Menchik (pictured above left) who won all 14 games. On only one occasion she came close to losing a game, and that was against Italy’s Clarice Benini (pictured above right), who eventually finished second overall. Photo: L’Italia Scacchistica, No. 8–9, September 15, 1937, p. 141.

“Vera found herself in a critical situation against Miss Benini. The Italian reached an endgame with an extra piece. It might have been a little gift to Ståhlberg and others, but Mussolini’s woman ambassador managed to throw away the game”. Elbe., Tidskrift för Schack, No. 8–9, August–September 1937, p. 202.

“Menchik, however, ran very serious dangers in the game with our representative, Miss Benini; a truly epic game that all of us of Italy’s team have been following with living intensity, to say the least, hoping for a victory of Benini, on the ground of a brilliant combination which led her to gain two clear Pawns in the middle game. But, alas! our hopes got shattered by the further unfortunate continuation of the game”. Mario Napolitano, L’Italia Scacchistica, No. 8–9, September 15, 1937, p. 142.

Just a Few Lines

That’s just how Clarice Benini introduced herself on the stage of the Women’s World Chess Championship 1949–50:

In 1937 I participated in the Women’s World Championship in Stockholm. As it is well known, Vera Menchik triumphed. I took second place. Among the participants at Stockholm also were Karff, Herman and Larsen, who are now playing in Moscow. In my opinion, the World Championship in Moscow is stronger than that in Stockholm, with the sole exception of Vera Menchik. I live in Florence, I work as a nurse in a hospital. I must say that in Italy very few women play chess. In 1938 and 1939 Italy held its first national Women’s Championships. Very few players took part in the inaugural Championship, and two of them barely knew how to move chessmen. If I had to answer the question, which other Italian female players could participate in the Moscow World Championship, I guess I’d say I do not know one. The arrival in Moscow made a huge impression on me. The Tournament was organised wonderfully. As for Moscow, it is a wonderful city! (From Kurier Szachowy, No. 4, May 2014, Vol. 1, p. 42)

Despite being warned by municipal authorities that she would be fired if only she dared to set foot in the Soviet Union, Clarice Benini undertook, at her own expense, the fifteen-day train trip to Moscow, just in time not to miss her last appearance in a World Championship.

On Railways Far Away

The picture above on the left shows Mayor of Amsterdam Gijs van Hall making the first move in the inaugural game between Fenny Heemskerck (left) and Clarice Benini (right) to mark the opening of the 2nd “Danlon” Women’s International Tournament (Amsterdam, October 17–22, 1957). Photo: Erich Koch (from de Volkskrant of Friday, October 18, 1957, p. II). Courtesy of Delpher.

Second Act

A group photo from the 8th Women’s World Chess Championship Tournament, which took place in the winter of 1949–1950 in Moscow, Russia after the title was vacant since the death of Vera Frantsevna Menchik in 1944. Seated (from left to right): Ingrid Larsen, Róża Maria Herman, Viacheslav Vasilyevich Ragozin, Vera Sergeevna Chudova, Gisela Kahn Gresser, María Teresa Mora Iturralde, and Fenny Heemskerk; standing (left to right): Chantal Chaudé de Silans, Eileen Betsy Tranmer, Clarice Benini, Elisaveta Ivanovna Bykova, Vera Nikolaevna Tikhomirova, Mona May Karff, Józsa Lángos, Nina Hrušková-Bělská, Lyudmila Vladimirovna Rudenko, Edith Keller-Herrmann, Kira Alekseyevna Zvorykina and Olga Nikolaevna Rubtsova. Among the participants, only Valentina Mikhaylovna Borisenko-Belova is not portrayed in the picture. For International Master Clarice Benini — who had finished second in the Women’s World Championship Tournament at Stockholm 1937 — it was a long-awaited rentrée after the war years, miserably frittered away in the farcical tragedy of Italian fascist regime. Though youth was gone and she had been threatened by the new post-fascist Italy with losing her job had she dared to put her foot in the Soviet Union, this time “Benini girl” (as she was dubbed by her fellow club members for being unmarried) didn’t think twice: she undertook a fifteen-day train trip and finally challenged herself to do the things she wanted to do. Photo: start33.ru.

Invisible Walls

Clarice Benini – Edith Keller-Hermann
8th Women’s World Chess Championship; Moscow, December 30, 1949
Neo-Queen’s Indian Defence A47

Notes by Edith Keller-Hermann, Schach-Express, Vol. 4, No. 4, February 1950, p. 52.

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 b6 3. g3 Bb7 4. Bg2 e6 5. 0-0 c5 6. c3 Be7 7. b3 0-0 8. Bb2 d5 9. Nbd2 Nc6 10. c4 Rc8 11. Rc1 dxc4 12. Nxc4 b5 13. Ne3. 13. Nce5 also came into consideration, whereupon I intended to proceed with 13. ... Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Bxg2.
13. ... Qb6 14. Nc2 Rfd8 15. dxc5 Bxc5 16. Qe1 Ne4 17. e3

As a result of her passive play, White ended up in a depressed position. With the text move, White intends to shore up d4. It gravely weakens d3, but Black will fail to take advantage of it.
17. ... b4 18. Nfd4 Ne7? Black misjudges the importance of the weakness at d3. 18. ... Ne5 would probably have soon led to decisive outcomes.
19. Kh1 e5 20. Nf3 f6 21. h3 Nf5. The planned transfer of the Knight via d6 to b5 is too slow. Massing on the d-file was probably more promising.
22. Kh2 a5 23. Rd1 Nfd6 24. Nd2 Nxd2 25. Rxd2 Ne4 26. Rxd8+ Rxd8 27. f3 Ng5 28. Qc1 Qd6 29. Ne1 Bb6 30. Rf2 Rc8 31. Rd2? The previous exchanges brought White a little relief, but now she goes astray.
31. ... Rxc1 32. Rxd6 Rxe1 33. Rxb6 Nxf3+ 34. Bxf3 Bxf3 35. g4 Rxe3 36. Bc1 Rc3 37. Bd2 Rc2 38. Rd6 Rxa2. The game being hopeless, White surrendered after a few more moves.
39.Kg3 Be4 40.g5 Kf7 41.Be3 Rb2 42.h4 Rxb3 43.Kf2 a4 44.h5 a3 45.h6 gxh6 46.Rxf6+ Kg7 47.Re6 hxg5 48.Rxe5 Rxe3 0 : 1.

A Joy Forever

Chantal Chaudé de Silans – Clarice Benini
8th Women’s World Chess Championship; Moscow, December 26, 1949
Slav Defence D18

Notes by Alan Linnell Fletcher, The New Zealand Chessplayer, Vol. 3, No. 13, April 1950, p. 31.

Italy’s Benini produced a real beauty in the third round, adding one to those generally notable encounters in which the winning King, with heavy pieces in play against him, strolls up the board to beard his adversary in his den.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Ne2

This move is against the spirit of development. The Knight’s position at g3 is not worth the two moves taken to get him there. Undoubtedly better is 9. Qe2 or 9. Qb3, as in “M.C.O.” lines, but White can get no advantage against good play. The position shows up the best points of the Slav.
9. ... h6 10. Ng3 Bh7 11. Qe2 Nbd7 12. e4 Qe7 13. Ne5 Rad8

14. Nxd7. If this is White’s best move then her opening strategy has failed. It gives up two tempi (the difference in the move-value of the two Knights) and makes Black a present of the retaking Rook’s move in preparation for doubling the Rooks: playing the other fellow’s game with a vengeance. A better idea seems 14. f4 followed by Bc1-e3 and Ra1-d1.
14. ... Rxd7 15. e5 Nd5 16. Nh5 Kh8. Directed against the future combinative possibility of Nh5-f6+, Qe2-g4 and Bc1xh6 (in some order or other). Your master stops trouble before it arrives, if possible without in the process conceding positional weaknesses.
17. f4 Nb6. Well timed. White cannot save the “minor Exchange” and the d4-Pawn at the same time. Note that Blsck’s pressure is on the centre, while White is making passes at the King’s side only.
18. Be3 Nxc4 19. Qxc4 Rd5 20. Qc1 Rfd8 21. Rf3

21. ... Qh4! An alert move which gets the Queen into a good spot.
22. Rh3 Qg4 23. f5. A vacating sacrifice which is refuted by Black.
23. ... Bxf5 24. Nf4 Rxd4! 25. Bxd4 Rxd4 26. Rf3. The Knight cannot move (26. Nh5 Rd2 27. Qf1 — or 27. Ng3 — 27. ... Qd4+).
26. ... Bd2! The point of the combination.
27. Qc5 Bxf4 28. h3. The Rook is untouchable.

28. ... Qxf3!! Excellent! The Black Rook is still safe, and Black’s three pieces, she correctly judges, will outplay the Queen and Rook.
29. Qf8+ Kh7 30. gxf3 Rd2 31. Qb4 g5 32. Qxb7 Kg6 33. Re1 Bxh3 34. Qb8

34. ... Kh5! 35. Qg8 Kh4! 36. Qxf7 Kg3! 37. Qh5 Be3+! 0 : 1. Lovely chess. White did nothing very bad — and Black did something very good.

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.