A little while back we had a post and report on the Irish Championship 1968. Wolfgang Heidenfeld won the fifth of his six titles, holding off a strong challenge from Paul Cassidy, who was making his début, as was over half the field.
There was a large amount of information about the event, and the only major lack was in games: only three of the games were available, plus a position from a fourth game.
I’m delighted to report that Paul has provided eight of his nine games from this event, with comments and impressions, for which many thanks. The report has now been updated with all the new material.
Paul’s overall summary is as follows:
“This was a weak Irish Championship which quickly developed into a two horse race between Wolfgang Heidenfeld and me. We were tied together for most of the week, occasionally swapping places as each of us were held to a draw in different rounds. We entered the final round tied on 7/8, a full two points ahead of the nearest competitor. Had I accepted a draw in my last round game, I would have finished runner up on 7½ points, possibly the highest runner up total in the history of the championship.
I did not, however, play to my best chess in this championship. I won a lot of games through sheer dogged determination and good middle game play after coming out of the opening with not great positions. I was very lucky that David Wilson resigned a drawn position and it could have been worse. Wolfgang Heidenfeld was the deserving winner of the championship.”
The tie-break system had been changed earlier in the year from sum of opponent’s scores to a playoff match. In the last round, Heidenfeld faced Peter O’Kane, while Paul had White against David Cox.
Heidenfeld beat O’Kane, but Paul ran into severe difficulties against Cox. In a King’s Indian, he had a slight advantage in the opening, when he disastrously castled on the queen’s side. Perhaps this was understandable in a must-win situation, but his position went steeply downhill almost immediately. With nothing to lose, he sacrificed heavily, and Cox slipped before the time control to allow him back into the game.
Position after 43. Qxb5
In the diagrammed position, White has just captured a black knight on b5. But, though it is not entirely clear-cut, there is no win. After 43… Qd4+, Cox offered a draw. Needing a win, Paul declined, and eventually lost.
“Despite its many flaws, this was a most exciting game, a real titanic struggle. I still remember the crowd of spectators around the board during the final 10 moves of the first session with both of us in severe time pressure and in a hugely tension filled position.”
[Click to replay the full game.]
Among Paul’s other games was a convincing win against former champion Brian Reilly, one of half a dozen wins.
Perhaps the most difficult moment in all his games occurred in his fifth round win against David Wilson. In the diagrammed position below, Paul discovered only recently that engines find that White has a very strong continuation; in fact, it seems White is winning. What should White play now, and what is the winning plan? (I found this very non-obvious, even with the help of the engine.)
37. ?