Mir Sultan Khan - the unsung Grandmaster

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Mir Sultan Khan - the unsung Grandmaster
Compiled by MTuraga

Mir Sultan Khan was the first grandmaster known to us. He played for Britain as India was under the British rule and he was British Champion. His modest background probably was the reason FIDE did not confer the title of grandmaster to him. He was illiterate and learnt old Indian style chess in Punjab. He adapted to the international style of chess when his master took him along to London and won games against the leading Chess players of his time.

The greatest tribute to his talent came from Capablanca who said, "Sultan Khan had become champion of India at Indian chess and he learned the rules of our form of chess at a later date. The fact that even under such conditions he succeeded in becoming champion reveals a genius for chess which is nothing short of extraordinary."

Prophylaxis at its best.
S Khan vs Capablanca, 1930
(E12) Queen's Indian, 65 moves, 1-0
Rook sac - a surprise!!!
T Tylor vs S Khan, 1933
(C46) Three Knights, 60 moves, 0-1
Problematic ending. Knight sac
C Ahues vs S Khan, 1930
(E43) Nimzo-Indian, Fischer Variation, 46 moves, 0-1
Indian style ala Pillsbury attack
S Khan vs H Mattison, 1931
(A46) Queen's Pawn Game, 22 moves, 1-0
Punish unsound attack.
S Khan vs Marshall, 1930
(C22) Center Game, 26 moves, 1-0
2 greats battle for a draw
Rubinstein vs S Khan, 1930
(A47) Queen's Indian, 80 moves, 1/2-1/2
Surprise in the Carokann
Tartakower vs S Khan, 1931
(B12) Caro-Kann Defense, 40 moves, 0-1
Learn to play the Colle system
S Khan vs E M Jackson, 1931
(D05) Queen's Pawn Game, 35 moves, 1-0
Prophylaxis at a complex level
S Khan vs Rubinstein, 1931
(D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 57 moves, 1-0
Well planned king side attack
S Khan vs F Alexander, 1932
(D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 28 moves, 1-0
Colle system when Black plays ...Bf5
S Khan vs Milner-Barry, 1932
(D04) Queen's Pawn Game, 44 moves, 1-0
Capablanca style win
S Khan vs O Bernstein, 1932
(D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 54 moves, 1-0
12 games

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