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William Hartston vs Heikki Westerinen
"Spaghetti Westerinen" (game of the day May-28-2015)
Alicante (1973), Nov-??
Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defense (C24)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Sep-01-06  luzhin: I think this must be "Hartston's Immortal". His 19th move is especially brilliant, demonstrating that he only needs two pieces for the final mating attack.
Apr-11-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  GrahamClayton: A sharp opening leads to an amazing position after Black's 18th move, with 3 pieces en prise.

19.♕b2!! is a fantastic move.
The key to the check with 20.♕b3+ is that Black is forced to play 20...♔g7, which strips the Black King of the cover provided by the white g7-pawn.

19...♗b6 loses to 20.♕b3+ ♔g7 21. ♕f7+ ♔h8 22.♕e8+ ♔g7 23.♖f7+ ♔h6 24. ♕e6+ ♔h5 25.♖f5+ ♔h4 26.♕e4+ ♗g4 27.g3+ ♔h3 28.♕g2#

Aug-14-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  ToTheDeath: Powerful game.
May-28-15  RookFile: Don't think I've seen something like 19. Qb2 before.
May-28-15  newzild: Hartston's playing style is described in an old book of mine as a "caveman bashing his opponent over the head with a club".

In this case, it's a beautiful club.

May-28-15  Moszkowski012273: I'm sorry I have to disagree. Many improvements could of been played here especially for white. Also for black 8...Bxf6 seems to be a better way to go about things, leading to a pretty equal position.
May-28-15  offramp: Westerinin was spaghettified.
May-28-15  thunderbreizh: Moszkowski - are you kidding ? (suggesting 8. .. Bxf6) Black is down a piece for 1 pawn after 9. Bb3 (without any compensation Re8+ simply 10. Nge2)
May-28-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: At first I thought the pun was referencing a type of spaghetti, but then I looked it up, and it's actually based on some films: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaghe....
May-28-15  Retireborn: <Penguincw> In this world there's two kinds of people; those who love The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, and those who don't.

I think this was Hartston's favourite of his own games; he put it forward for one of Ray Keene's Batsford books (Learn from the Grandmasters, I think.)

May-28-15  belgradegambit: <In this world there's two kinds of people; those who love The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, and those who don't.> This game was Hartston channeling Tuco:
When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk.
May-28-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  kevin86: It looks like mate will come after a few spite checks.
May-28-15  Moszkowski012273: Not kidding at all <thunderbreizh> you need to look again... That line you suggest is pretty bad...
May-28-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <thunderbreizh: Moszkowski - are you kidding ? (suggesting 8. .. Bxf6) Black is down a piece for 1 pawn after 9. Bb3 (without any compensation Re8+ simply 10. Nge2)>

8...Bxf6 9.Bb3 Re8+ 10.Nge2(?) Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Bg4 looks like compensation with big fat interest for black to me. But 10.Kf1 is fine. Lost right to castle is no big problem here as black is not developed. I don't see full compensation for lost piece here.

May-28-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: 10.fxg7 was even stronger than the text.
May-28-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  thegoodanarchist: What a fun one this is!
May-28-15  Moszkowski012273: 10.Kf1,Bxc3 11.bxc3,Qf6 is STILL better than what was played <Honza>. Should draw with correct play.
May-28-15  newhampshireboy: Like Dodge City in the 19th century!
May-29-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <Moszkowski012273: 10.Kf1,Bxc3 11.bxc3,Qf6 is STILL better than what was played <Honza>. Should draw with correct play.>

Well, in your line black gets the second Pawn for lost piece but still white has significant material advantage. For example, 8...Bxf6 9.Bb3 Re8+ 10.Kf1 Bxc3 11.bxc3 Qf6 12.Qf3 Qxc3 13.Rb1 Nd7 14.Qf2 Qb4 15.Bd2 Qd6 16.Qf4 Qc5 17.Nf3 etc. looks like won game for white more than draw. I don't say that to realize this advantage would be quick or easy task for white and that black has no practical chance to hold the game but I would bet my money on white here for sure.

May-29-15  Moszkowski012273: My money's on white as well... But no way is this a "significant material advantage" for white after Rb1. If black wanted better chances to DRAW, Bxf6 was the way to go about it.
May-29-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: One rather suspects, given Westerinen's tendencies towards aggro, that drawing was far from being on his mind in the early middlegame.

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