A brilliancy by the young Vasily Smyslov

I am presently settling into the start of our holiday at our villa in Kas, Turkey. One of the books that I have brought with me is Genna Sosonko's The World Champions I knew, a collection of very enjoyable essays by a writer who is very easy to read.

Because it looks like a paperback- it is a paperback-my chess widow wife doesn't know it is a chess book. And in a way, it isn't a chess book, but it is chessing, a verb I came across recently: no diagrams, no games, no analysis, just descriptions and player portraits.

I am half way through it, and Genna's chapter about Smyslov particularly appeals. This blog is because Smyslov credits his best game as being one he played as fourteen year old, against Gerasimov.

It is beautiful, and well worth solving. Finding the first move gave me a big smile: finding the main lines even more pleasure.

Black to play and win

Solution

1..Rd3! when best is 2 Qb6, after which at first I exchanged queens, before realising that 2..Rh3!! wins. If white captures the queen, then there is smothered mate by Bh2+ and Nf2 mate; and if 3 Bd4 (say), black can windmill check with Bh2+ Be5+ Bh2+ Bc7+ winning the house.

Lovely

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