What's the Best Move: Weaver Adams |
By GM Larry Evans
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October 1, 2007 |
Apostle Of Aggression
Weaver Adams (1901-1963) won the 1948 U.S. Open and made the cover of Chess Review which dubbed him the “apostle of aggression.” His book, White to Play and Win (recently revised and reprinted by Ishi Press), was published in 1939. A year later in the 1940 U.S. Open he lost all his games as White (except for one draw) but won every game with Black! He championed the Vienna Game and I fondly remember him swaying back and forth in his chair for 20 minutes after 1. e4 e5 before uncorking his predictable 2. Nc3.
Chess Life readers are invited to send their positions in for possible consideration in this column. Send to [email protected] or mail to Chess Life, c/o What’s the Best Move, PO Box 3967, Crossville, TN 38557.
1. White moves
(a) Bf4 (b) Qb3 (c) Ng5
Show Solution Solution1. C. Adams-Chauvenet, Boston 1939
A. Black can castle after 1. Bf4 0-0.
B. The trouble is 1. Qb3 Qd7 only helps Black consolidate a bit.
C. White won after 1. Ng5! Qd7 (if 1. ... fxg5 2. Bxg5 wins) 2. Bd2
c5 (sturdier is 2. ... Na6 to stop Bb4) 3. Ne6 c4 4. Qg3 Bd6 5. f4 Be7
6. Qxg7.
(Hide Solution)
2. White moves
(a) Nxc6 (b) Bb5 (c) exd5
Show Solution Solution2. B. Adams-Morris, Ventnor City 1940
A. Black gets good counterplay after 1. Nxc6 bxc6 2. Rd1 0-0.
B. White snared a pawn with a big advantage after 1. Bb5! Bd7 2. exd5 Ne5 3. f4 Neg4 4. Bg1 h5 5. h3 Nh6 6. 0-0-0.
C. White stands better but doesn’t gain material on 1. exd5 Nxd5 2. Nxd5 Qxd5 3. Bf3 Qc4 4. b3 Qa6 5. Nxc6 bxc6.
(Hide Solution)
3. Black moves
(a) Qb7 (b) Qe7+ (c) Bd3
Show Solution Solution
3. C. Adams-Seidman, Hollywood 1945
A. Misplaying the attack, Black lost after 1. ... Qb7? 2. f3 Bxc2 3.
Nxc2 Qe7+ 4. Kf2 Qc5+ 5. Qe3 Qxe3+ 6. Nxe3 Rxb2+ 7. Kg3 Rxd1 8. Rxd1 g6
9. Nxc4.
B. Second-best is 1. ... Qe7+ 2. Kf1 Be4 3. f3 Qf6.
C. The crusher is 1. ... Bd3! 2. cxd3 Rxd4 when White’s king has nowhere to hide.
(Hide Solution)
4. Black moves
(a) h1=Q (b) Rf6 (c) Rb8
Show Solution Solution4. A. Adams-Reshevsky, Hollywood 1945
A. White resigned after 1. ... h1=Q! because 2. Rxh1 Rg3+ 3. Ka4 Ra8+ leads to a forced mate.
B. A bad mistake is 1. ... Rf6? 2. Rxh2.
C. So is 1. ... Rb8? 2. f6
(Hide Solution)
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