Just over a year ago we published a tournament report on the 1975 Irish Championship which was much enhanced by material provided by joint winner Alan Ludgate. At that time 11 games were available, 8 of those featuring Ludgate, and we can now provide a further three found in Cyril Hardiman’s Sunday Independent chess column.
The introductory post on the Championship pointed out the prevalence of the Modern Defence in the available games. As it happens two of the three additions also feature that opening: McGuinness – Cummins from Round 2 (which won the Best Game prize) and Crowe – Cummins (Round 6).
Here’s the third “new” game:
Brian Denny – Arthur Pinkerton
1975 Irish Championship, Dublin
Round 2, 13th July
Source: Sunday Independent, 2nd November 1975 (page 14)
with annotations by “a leading Irish player.”
[Play through the game]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 exd5 5.Ngf3 Nf6 6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.Nb3 Bd6 8.Bg5 0-0 9.Be2 Be6 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.Nbd4 Nc5 12.Bd3 Bg4 13.h3 Bh5 14.g4 Bg6 15.Nf5 Bc7 16.Re1 Ne6 17.Qd2 Re8 18.N5d4 Nxg5 19.Nxg5 Ne4 20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.Bb5 Qd6
22.Qe3
“If instead White plays 22.Bxe8 then 22…Qh2+ 23.Kf1 Qxh3+ 24.Ke2 (24.Kg1 Bh2+ 25.Kh1 Bf4+ wins the Queen) 24…Qxg4+ and White is under considerable pressure” – Sunday Independent. [The only move that seems to give White a fighting chance is 22.Nf3 covering the h2 square and forcing either an exchange of Queens or the Black Queen off the b8-h2 diagonal. DMcA]
22…Qh2+ 23.Kf1 Bf4! White resigned.
After 23…Bf4 the Sunday Independent gave the following winning variations:
“If 24.Qc3 – White does not seem to have much alternative – then 24…e3!! and White’s position is split apart, e.g.
(a) 25.Re2 Qh1 mate
(b) 25.fxe3 Bg3!
(c) 25.Rxe3 Bxe3 26.fxe3 Qh1+ etc.”
[In variation (c), 25…Rxe3 is perhaps a more visually entertaining finish. If 26.fxe3 again 26…Bg3 wins. DMcA]