CHESS By Daren Dillinger
. . . Have fun and improve your mind!
the cramped but fighting game it gives Black's pieces, on the other hand, have
Black.) 3.Nc3 c6 (He wants to challenge little scope). 10.c3 Qc7 11.Qe2 b6
Back in 1969, a 16 year old Ken White's center with d4 next.) 4.Nf3 12.Bg5 (Notice how Ken slowly builds up
Rogoff had just won the U. S. Junior (Another good solid move was 4.f4, so his position. Before he takes any decisive
Championship for the first time. He that when Black plays . . . d5, White passes action he brings all his pieces out to
was to go on and win this title three him by with e5 -- with a strong pawn their most active post) 12. . . b5?!
times. The Boys’ Life chess columnist formation. Another move that I suggested (This move, besides being inconsistent -
was there at the U. S. Junior to Ken after the game was 4.Bc4 -- in order because we could have moved here last
Championship and was greatly to prevent Black's d5. The disadvantage is move, in one move! - slightly weakens
impressed by the young man’s ability. that you leave your self open to shots on Black's square on c4, creating a "hole" on
The columnist was Bobby Fischer, the Q side . . . b5 etc., but there were some that square, which could be very helpful to
interesting variations. For example, after White later on. You may notice just how
soon to be World Champion. Fischer
4. Bc4 suppose Black tried . . . e6 in order much I emphasize this business of "holes"
was so impressed that he annotated to back up his coming d5. Then I think or weak squares. That's because it's so
Rogoff’s last round victory for the 5.e5 is very strong for White, threatening important. It has been correctly said that
Boys’ Life readers. Fischer knew well Ne4, then to d6 later on. If Black plays 5 . "Pawns are the soul of chess". It is also a
that his audience was composed of age . . d5, Then I'd play 6. exd5 en passant. truism that pawns cannot move backwards,
18 and under boys. Therefore he made ...Qxd6 7.Ne4! -- a very strong move. If and a thoughtless pawn move can ruin an
his notes understandable for players at he checks me on b4 to try and pick off my otherwise good position. A much better
a more basic level of chess knowledge. bishop it will boomerang because I would plan would have been 12 . . . Bb2 followed
The result is a master level game with play 8.c3 Qxc4 9. Nd6ch and I'd pick off by . . . c4 as soon as possible, hitting back
lucid notes, and clear style of play, his queen. Also if he plays 7. . . Qxd4 I'd at White's key center pawn.) [ If 12. . . Bb7
play 8.Nd6ch and if 8... Kd7 then 9. 13.Rfe1 e6 14.Ne5, with a difficult
making it easily understood at all
Qxd4 Bxd4 10. Nxf7 wins. Or if 8. . . position for Black or 12 . . . c5 13.Qe5!
levels of playing ability. Ke7 9. Nxc8ch Kd7 10.Qxd4 Bxd4 KR] 13.Bb3 a5 14.a3 Ba6
11.Nf3 Bf6 12.Bf4 Kxc8 13. Ne5
Nh6 14.Nxf7 Nxf7 15.Bxe6ch 15.Rfe1 (Now Ken has almost every
regaining the knight with a winning piece developed except for his QR. He's
advantage of position. almost ready for decisive action. ) . . . e6
There was another pretty little line after 16.Qe5 (Another good move here was
4.Bc4 suppose Black tries . . .d5 anyway? Qe3 or Qd2 to get out of bishop's diagonal
5.exd5 b5 6.Bb3 b4 7.dxc6!! bxc3 at a6). 16 . . . Qxe5? (The losing
8.Qf3 with two separate threats: 9Qxf7 move. After the game Steve Spencer
mate and 9.c7 opening up on the queen and thought the best move was . . .Nd5 and
queen rook. This is a very difficult spot for Black could still hang on. White's best
Black to get out of. Probably the best then would probable have been to play his
move for Black after 4.Bc4 is d5, followed Q back to e4 then swing the Q over to h4
sooner or later by . . . b5 . . . a5. later.) [Also to be considered after 16…
Incidentally, Ken felt that Bc4 was best Nd5 would be 17. Qxc7 Nxc7 18. a4
also, but his move may be just as good, if with a moderate advantage. CM -- if 16. . .
not better). 4 . . . d5 5.h3 (Good move. Qe7? gives White ―the pin and the win‖—
Ordinarily you should avoid unprovoked 17.Qf4! and 18. Ne5 is crushing. KR].
rook pawn moves because there's 17.Nxe5 Rfc8 See diagram (The
Ken Rogoff – Age 16 something more important to do. In this only way to defend the QBP, because if
position, though it's justified because Bg4 Rac1 or Bb7 for Black, then 18.Bxf6!
White: Ken Rogoff – would have been very strong for Black, Bxf6 19.Nd7! -- forks the rook and bishop,
Black: Steve Spencer pinning white's Knight and putting pressure winning the exchange by double attack.)[
1969 U. S. Junior Championship – . . . dxe4
on his QP indirectly.) In view of the threats to the QBP, there is
Game notes by Grandmaster Bobby 6.Nxe4 Nd7 7.Bc4 Ngf6 nothing else. KR -- Perhaps better for
Fischer and Ken Rogoff [KR]. Black would have been taking the loss of
8.Nxf6ch Nxf6 9.0-0 0-0 (Now the pawn, hoping for ―technical difficulties
additional ―fill in‖ notes inserted by White's advantage is that he has a pawn in – that’s the Grandmaster term for ―cheapo
Computer chess program Chessmaster the center--which means more space -- potential‖; to have some small practical
9000* [CM] plus both his bishops have good chances for a draw. i.e. 17… Rfe8!
diagonals. And once again remember 18.Nxc6 Bb7 19. Ne5 with a good pawn-
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 (The Pirc defense, the four important elements to keep in up game, but not the crushing attack of the
Also called the "Rat" defense because of mind before making any move are space, game move. CM]
force or material, time and pawn structure.
Chess did seem to help Ken have an
outlet to develop his strong mind, as he
graduated from Yale suma cum laude
in 1975, and achieved Ph.D. in
Economics from M.I.T. in 1980.
Rogoff then became a professor at
Princeton first, then a full tenured
professor at Harvard ( which is the top
ranked Economics department in the
Bobby Fischer at the time he world) and is currently on extended
was a Boys’ Life columnist. public service leave as chief economist
at the International Monetary Fund ( a
After claiming the Junior U. N. family organization charged with
championship title three years in a row, maintaining global financial stability
Position after 17. . . Rfc8 Ken went on to play first board on the that stands at the center of the global
White to move and win – U. S. Team that won the World Student financial sys-tem). In the October 14,
What would you play? Championship in Haifa, Israel in 1970. 2002 edition, The Wall Street Journal
In 1972 he won the New York State devoted half a page to Ken Rogoff’s
18.Nxf7! (White explodes his Championship. Ken did work his way views on the global economy (page
combination). . . . Kxf7 19.Rxe6 up to a close 2nd place finish in the U. R8).
Ne8? (If 19. . . Nd5 20.Rxc6! Rxc6 21. S. Championship, but in the 1980s he
Bxd5ch Re6 22.Bxa8 and White comes set chess aside to focus on career and From the pages of Boys’ Life, to
out three pawns ahead.) [ or 19. . . Kf8 family. the pages of The Wall Street
20.Bxf6, or 19. . . Ng8 20.Re7ch Kf8
21.Rf7 ch Ke8 22.Re1 ch, etc., or 19. . . Journal, Ken Rogoff is a gleaming
Nh5 20.Rf6 ch Ke8 21.Re1 ch Kd8! example of what is right with
(. . . Kd7 22.Rf7 ch Kd6 23.Re6 mate.) America. We wish him the best.
22.Rc7 ch, etc . KR] 20.Rf6 check,
Black resigns 1 - 0 because 20...Ke7 Remember the Web site:
21.Rf7ch Kd6 22.Bf4ch Be5 23. Bxe5 www.scoutchess.com. This special
mate. After the game another young
aspirant for the title, 17 year-old Greg
site has chess work shops,
DeFotis, whom Ken had beaten earlier in instruction and chess games online.
the tournament, had the satisfaction of Check it out!
demonstrating that 20. Re1 discovered
check . . . Kf8 21.Be7 mate was quicker. * = Chessmaster 9000 is the latest
End of Fischer/Rogoff notes. version of the Grandmaster strength
program. In October of 2002, the
program beat current U. S. Chess
Professor Ken Rogoff today Champion Larry Christiansen in a four
– in his 40’s game match 2 ½ - 1 ½.
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