Walter Browne Gives Simultaneous In Memphis
(Location Raleigh Springs Mall)
(Location Raleigh Springs Mall)
On May 5, 1973 Grandmaster Walter Browne took on 27 players of the Memphis Chess Club and made the fantastic score of 26 wins and one loss. The only Memphis player to win was Chris McDade.
Mr. Christopher McDade has given permission to publish his thoughts about the match with Grandmaster Walter Browne which are posted below:
(Click "Read more" below.)
Notes on my simultaneous exhibition win vs. GM Walter Browne:
I had been scheduled to work at my part-time job in a local drug store.
At the time, I felt that being able to play against a Grandmaster was a
somewhat unique opportunity. Despite my result, I no longer had a job.
Here is the score of my game:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Bc4 Bd7 9. Qd2 Nc6
I had been studying the Sicilian Dragon at the time from Levy's book on the Dragon.
It's a very dynamic position, in which each side races to launch an attack on the opposite wing.
9. … Nc6 was probably not the best choice thematically, but Browne had not committed to a wing yet.
10. O-O-O Nxd4 11. Bxd4 a5 12. h4 a4
With, 10. O-O-O, the battle on each wing is set in motion.
I decided to take the Bishop off of the c1-h6 diagonal and launch my QS attack.
After 12. … a4, the Queen has clearance to move to a5.
13. h5 Qa5 14. hxg6 hxg6 15. g4 b5 16. Bxf6 exf6
I am following my plan of embarking on an attack on the QS.
White opens the h file and exchanges his bishop for the N on f6.
Naturally, 16. … Bxf6 would be a great blunder. The B needs to stay on g7.
After 17. Qh2, I wasn't too happy. However, I followed my plan and moved the
rook to c8. I didn't have much match experience at this time, so I thought continuing
my meager attack was the best course.
19. Bxf7 was quite a surprise! Why not simply 19. Bd5?
I probably would have played 19. .. Ra7 and I think the chances are even.
20. Rxd6 Be6
At this point, it appears that 17. … Rfd8 would have been more solid in retrospect.
on Rc7, but I was perhaps unduly worried about Nd5. In retrospect, maybe I shouldn't have
been concerned too much, since I had a mate threat on Qe1, if the R vacated the rank.
For example, 20. .. Rc7 21. Nd5 Rh8
21. Nd5 Rh8
After this move, the roving kibitzers hovered over my game. They could tell that something
unusual was about to happen. Even with my limited experience, I could tell that I held some
advantage in this position.
White is obligated to defend against the mate with Qe1.
A very silly move on my part. I should have just exchanged the B for the N of d5.
White regains a modicum of material, but Black is clearly better here.
I was reasonably confident here, but still wondering if I could really pull
off a win.
Fortunately for me, my Queen has sufficient mobility to
force an exchange of rooks. After the exchange of rooks,
White really has little counterplay.
I thought this was a solid move. It would have been some sort of
great catastrophe for me to lose or even draw in this position.
I suppose that I could have very safely snatched the pawn on g5.
At this point, I suspect that I was very nervous and didn't want to
take chances.
I realize that I didn't play this very well, but as I mentioned, I wanted
to err on the side of caution.
43. Ke5 Qf3 44. Kf5 Qf2
This pretty much seals the win, as I will win the pawn on a2.
It was the greatest moment of my short-lived chess career.
I won a beautiful wooden chessboard along with the adulation of my
chess friends. Sure, I lost my job at the drug store, but we make choices
in life, and this is one that I will never regret.
Here is the game submitted by John Hurt with brief notes by him:
Sicilian Defense White: Walter Browne Black: Chris McDade
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Bc4 Bd7 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. O-O-O Nxd4 (More usual is Qb1) 11. Bxd4 a5 12. h4 a4 13. h5 Qa5 14. hxg6 hxg6 15. g4 b5 16. Bxf6 exf6 (if Bxf6 then mate in three) 17. Qh2 Rfc8 18. Qh7+ Kf8 19. Bxf7 (19. Bd5 looks best) Kxf7 20. Rxd6 Be6 21. Nd5 (Correct is 21. Rxe6!, the text loses) Rh8 22. c3 Rxh7 23. Rxh7 Rh8 (Here Rd8 or Ra7 is better) 24. Rxg7+ Kxg7 25. Rxe6 a3 26. b3 Rf8 27. f4 f5 28. exf5 gxf5 29. g5 Qa8 30. c4 bxc4 31. bxc4 Qc8 32. Re7+ Rf7 33. Rxf7+ Kxf7 34. Ne3 Qc5 35. Kd2 Qd4+ 36. Ke2 Qxf4 37. c5 Qe4 38. Kf2 f4 39. Ng2 Qd4+ 40. Kf3 Qxc5 41. Nxf4 Qxg5 42. Ke4 Qg4 43. Ke5 Qf3 44. Kf5 Qf2 45. Resigns
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