Alexei Tsjizov - Alexander Schwarzman 1-1 (30-04-2005)
In Schiedam a novelty in the draughts world is presented: the world championship blindfold play. Although it is not an official title, the playing strength of the participants and the professional organization certainly warrant the predicate world championship. In the first round there was an interesting battle between 9-fold world champion Alexei Tsjizjov and former world champion Alexander Schwarzman. It is hard to believe that they were able to play such a difficult game without the help of bord and pieces.
≡ 1.31-26 19-23 2.36-31 14-19 3.41-36 10-14 4.46-41 5-10 5.31-27 20-24 6.36-31 15-20 7.33-28 10-15 8.39-33 17-21 9.26x17 11x22 10.28x17 12x21 11.33-28 21-26 12.38-33 6-11 13.42-38 11-17 14.41-36 17-21 15.47-42 8-12 16.44-39 2-8 17.34-30 7-11 18.30-25 12-17 19.39-34(?)
The players choose for one of the most complicated game types there is. With his last move Tsjizjov makes preparations for locking up the black right wing through the exchange 34-29, where black can do the same with 17-22. This leads to a position that requires an enormous amount of calculations. It turns out that this plan is too much for the white position. But it was already difficult for white. For example after ≡ 19.40-34 1-6 20.50-44 (other moves don't seem better) 24-29 21.33x24 20x40 22.45x34 15-20 23.38-33 20-24 24.43-38 4-10! 25.49-43 10-15 black clearly has the advantage.
With the exchange ≡ 17-22 20.28x6 24-30 21.35x24 19x28 black could already secure a significant advantage. The piece on 28 is not vulnerable for white attacks, for example 22.43-39 14-19 23.25x14 9x20 24.40-34 (not ≡ 24.38-33? due to 23-29 25.32x25 29x47 B+) ≡ 4-9 25.38-33(?) 9-14! 26.33x22 23-28 27.32x12 21x41 28.36x47 8x28 29.31-27 20-24 with a very dangerous position for white. But Schwarzman has calculated that there is even more to be gained by maintaining the pieces on the board.
≡ 20.34-29 23x34 21.40x29 17-22 22.28x17 11x22
In this type of play only brute force calculations count. The strategy that Tsjizjov now chooses turns out to be disastrous. But computer analysis shows that the position was lost anyway.
With ≡ 23.49-44 6-11 24.44-39 8-12 white would have create the extra opportunity 25.45-40. However, then black can simply win a piece by 22-28 26.33x22 24x44 27.50x39 12-17 28.35-30 17x28 29.32x12 21x41 30.36x47 26x37 31.42x31 11-17 32.12x21 16x36.
≡ 6-11 24.44-39 8-12 25.49-44 3-8 26.45-40 4-10 27.40-34 24-30! 28.35x24 19x30
Schwarzman is working on a unique strategy. And there is absolutely nothing that Tsjizjov can do about it.
Of course not ≡ 30-35? due to 30.33-28 35x24 31.28x6.
≡ 30.29x20 15x24 31.40-35 11-17!!
Tsjizjov is completely outplayed. The only normal move 32.34-29? fails, and the combination ≡ 32.33-28 22x44 33.43-39 44x33 34.38x20 30x39 35.20-15 39-44 36.15x4 44-50 leaves a hopeless position, for example 37.35-30 13-19 38.4x6 12-17 B+, or ≡ 37.4-15 17-22 38.15-20 50-33! 39.20x38 22-28 40.32x23 21x43 41.48x39 18x29 B+.
≡ 32.34-29 22-28 33.33x11 24x44 34.35x24 16x7 35.27x16 44-50 36.24-20 10-15 37.31-27 15x24 38.37-31 26x28 39.43-39 50x33 40.38x20
The only problem for black is now that he has too many attractive moves. But Schwarzman continues to play in the same convincing style as he started this game.
12-17! 41.42-38 13-19 42.20-15 19-24 43.36-31 8-12 44.31-26 24-29 45.27-22 18x27 46.25-20 14x25 47.15-10
Now 9-14 48.10x19 27-32 49.38x27 17-22 50.27x18 12x14 would have been an efficient way to win. But Schwarzman's approach is also perfectly valid. It only takes more effort.
≡ 12-18 48.48-43 9-14 49.10x19 28-33 50.19-14 33x42 51.14-9 42-47 52.9-4 18-22?
Black could immediately win with ≡ 18-23 53.4x31 17-22 54.31x1 29-33!
≡ 53.4-10 47-36 54.10-15 29-34 55.15-38 7-12 56.38x21 34-40 57.21-32 40-45 58.26-21 17x26 59.16-11 45-50 60.11-6 50-45 61.43-39 25-30 62.32-49 30-35 63.39-33 22-28 64.33x22 36x18 65.49-32 12-17 66.32-28 45-50 67.28x11 18-1 68.11-2 50-28 69.2-13 35-40 70.13-35 40-45 71.35-13 45-50 72.13-27 50-33 73.27-4 33-15 74.4-9 15-4 75.9-25
Again there was an immediate win with 4-9 76.25x3 28-17 77.3x21 26x17. But it really doesn't matter, since the position is hopelessly lost for white.
≡ 26-31 76.25-43 31-36 77.43-16 36-41 78.16-2 41-46
It is a bit embarrassing to see a player like Tsjizjov continuing the game in such an extremely lost position. The only plausible reason for this seems time trouble for Schwarzman.
79.2-16 4-13 80.16-38 13-2 81.38-15 28-23 82.15-33
In this position the unthinkable happened: Schwarzman had forgotten about the position of one of his kings! He made two false attempts, and then decided to agree with a draw, since a third illegal move would have cost him the game. So that was a shocking end to an outstanding game of Schwarzman.
© Wieger Wesselink https://10x10.org