[Event "London - Edinburgh"]
[Site "corr 1824-28"]
[Date "1824.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Edinburgh Chess Club"]
[Black "London Chess Club"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C23"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "1824.??.26"]

{When chess was a royal game, it was played by crowned heads for leisure. No
moves were recorded. Later it was played by the bourgeoisie in coffeehouses.
The notation of over-the-board games began in the second half of the
eighteenth century. An early good quality game was Count Bruehl - Philidor,
London 1783.   Competitive chess moved from coffeehouses to exclusive clubs.
The Edinburgh Chess Club was founded in 1822. They gathered in the impressive
North British Hotel. An ambitious initiative was taken in 1824. The young club
challenged the eminent London Chess Club for a correspondence match. This club
was founded by Londoners from 'the City' in 1810. Fifteen men formed a
committee in Edinburgh. James Donaldson was their star. London's council
consisted of twelve men. Their heros were William Lewis and John Cochrane. The
Londoners might have met in Tom's Coffee House or the Subscription Rooms of
Lewis in St. Martin's Lane. Much controversy developed during the match among
the stars on the London side.   Edinburgh sent the first move on 23 April 1824.
London mailed the move for Black and opened a second game five days later. A
historic incident occurred when London wanted to withdraw one of two mailed
moves in game two. Edinburgh refused. In my analyses, I show that both moves
draw and a third move is needed for the win. Other contemporary authors copy
the original views.   Jan van Reek.  Letters were carried by horse-drawn
stage-coaches. A smooth transport was possible because the Roman roads had
been flattened. The high mailing costs were paid by the receiver.   The match
was decided by the best of three games. Draws had to be replayed. Edinburgh
won with 2-1. London had to present a silver cup worth 25 guineas. The 'Scots
Gambit Cup' still exists. Lewis published five annotated games in a booklet.  
 Some later matches have been selected for this review, but the level of the
first one remained unsurpassed in the nineteenth century.  } 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 {
The Bishop's Opening was usual in the beginnings of recoded games.} 2... Bc5 3.
c3 Qe7 $6 4. Nf3 d6 5. d3 $6 ({The more active} 5. O-O $1 Nf6 6. d4 Bb6 7. Bg5
{takes advantage of black's passivity. This line had been played by Cochrane
in a simultaneous display two years earlier.}) 5... Nf6 6. Qe2 O-O 7. Bg5 h6 8.
Bh4 Be6 9. Bb3 Bxb3 10. axb3 Nc6 11. Nbd2 Qe6 12. b4 Bb6 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. Nc4
Qe6 15. Nh4 Ne7 16. g4 $6 Ng6 17. Nxg6 fxg6 18. O-O Rf4 19. h3 Raf8 20. Nxb6
axb6 21. f3 Qf6 22. Kg2 c6 23. Rf2 b5 24. Qe3 h5 25. Kg3 Qg5 26. Re1 Kh7 27.
Qe2 Rh8 28. Qe3 Kg8 29. Rh2 hxg4 30. hxg4 $1 {
White has a defendable fortress, but he has to stay alert.} ({Horrible is} 30.
fxg4 $4 Qh4+ 31. Kg2 Rxg4+ $1 {(Lewis).}) 30... Rxf3+ 31. Kxf3 Qxe3+ 32. Kxe3
Rxh2 {A rook has entered the bastion.} 33. Ra1 $1 Rh3+ ({Lewis regards} 33...
Rxb2 {as drawn. We add} 34. Ra8+ Kh7 35. Rb8 Rc2 36. Rxb7 Rxc3 37. Rd7 c5 38.
Rxd6 c4 39. Rd5 Rxd3+ 40. Rxd3 cxd3 41. g5 $1) 34. Ke2 Rh2+ 35. Ke3 Rh3+ {
The game lasted from 23 iv 1924 - 14 xii 1824. It ended as a draw and had to
be replayed with the same colours. That is game three in my sequence.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "London - Edinburgh"]
[Site "corr 1824-28"]
[Date "1824.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "London Chess Club"]
[Black "Edinburgh Chess Club"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C44"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "104"]
[EventDate "1824.??.26"]

{28 iv 1824 - 23 ii 1825.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 {John Cochrane
defeated Deschapelles in 1821 with this opening, when he and Lewis visited
Paris. It was christened the Scotch Gambit after this match due to the
successes of the opponents.} 4... Bc5 5. c3 $1 Qe7 $2 (5... Nf6 {
will become the Von Bardeleben Variation.}) 6. O-O dxc3 7. Nxc3 d6 8. Nd5 Qd7
9. b4 $1 Nxb4 ({The pointe of white's vibrant play is shown by} 9... Bxb4 $2
10. Bb2 Kf8 11. Ng5 {(Heemsoth).}) 10. Nxb4 Bxb4 11. Ng5 Nh6 12. Bb2 Kf8 (12...
O-O $4 13. Qd4 $1 {leads to mate (Lewis).}) 13. Qb3 Qe7 14. Nxf7 Nxf7 15. Qxb4
Ne5 ({Avoids} 15... Qxe4 $2 16. Rae1 {(Lewis).}) 16. f4 Nxc4 17. Qxc4 Qf7 18.
Qc3 Be6 19. f5 Bc4 20. Rf4 b5 21. e5 dxe5 22. Qxe5 h6 23. Re1 Rh7 24. f6 g5 25.
Rf5 a5 $5 26. Qc5+ Kg8 {A critical position has arisen.} 27. Rxg5+ $2 {
The Londoners have a won game. They send two alternatives in their arrogance.
When they try to retract 27. Rxg5? the Scotchmen refuse, creating an important
rule for correspondence chess.} ({The other move is} 27. Re7 $2 {
Nobody sees that} 27... Qg6 28. Rxc7 Rf7 $1 {leads to equality.}) ({
But White can win by} 27. Qc6 $1 Rf8 $1 28. a4 $1 {
The queenside had to be destroyed first.}) 27... hxg5 28. Qxg5+ Kf8 $1 29. Bd4
$5 (29. Qc5+ {draws.}) 29... Be6 30. Qc5+ Kg8 31. Qg5+ Kf8 32. Bc5+ $2 (32.
Qc5+ $1 {leads to perpetual check.}) 32... Ke8 33. Qd5 Ra6 $1 {
Black benefits from the hole created on move 25.} 34. Qb7 Qh5 35. f7+ $5 {
An unexpected move is played.} (35. Qxa6 {draws, according to Lewis, but} 35...
Qxh2+ $1 36. Kf1 Qf4+ 37. Kg1 Rh1+ $1 38. Kxh1 Qh4+ 39. Kg1 Qxe1+ 40. Kh2 Qe5+
$1 41. g3 Qh5+ 42. Kg2 Bh3+ 43. Kg1 Qxc5+ {wins in a fine way.}) 35... Kxf7 36.
Rf1+ Kg6 37. Qe4+ Bf5 38. Qe8+ Rf7 39. Qg8+ Kf6 40. g4 Ra8 $3 {
A brilliancy decides the game.} 41. Qxa8 Qxg4+ 42. Kh1 Rd7 43. Ba3 (43. Qe8 Qh3
44. Qe2 Qd3 45. Qg2 {offers more resistance.}) 43... Kf7 44. Qc6 Rd1 $1 45.
Qxb5 Qe4+ 46. Kg1 Kg6 47. Qb2 Qg4+ 48. Qg2 Qxg2+ 49. Kxg2 Bh3+ 50. Kxh3 Rxf1
51. Be7 a4 52. a3 Rf5 {Edinburgh had taken the lead after an eventful game. It
gave them the right to open in game four.} 0-1

[Event "London - Edinburgh"]
[Site "corr 1824-28"]
[Date "1824.??.??"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Edinburgh Chess Club"]
[Black "London Chess Club"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C44"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "198"]
[EventDate "1824.??.26"]

{20 xii 1824 - 18 iii 1829. This contest replays the drawn first game.} 1. e4
e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 {
The Edinburgh Chess Club also chooses the Scotch Gambit.} 4... Bb4+ $5 5. c3
dxc3 6. O-O d6 ({Sharp play gives} 6... cxb2 7. Bxb2 Nf6 8. Ng5 {
(Hopfer - Fawcett, corr. 1985).}) 7. a3 Bc5 8. b4 Bb6 9. Qb3 Qf6 10. Nxc3 Be6
$6 ({Better is} 10... Nge7 $1) 11. Nd5 $1 Bxd5 12. Bxd5 Nge7 $1 ({The silly} 
12... Qxa1 $6 13. Bxf7+ Kf8 14. Bg5 {favours White.}) 13. Bg5 Qg6 14. Bxe7 Kxe7
$5 15. a4 $1 a5 16. b5 Rab8 $3 {London escapes from a difficult position.} 17.
Nh4 (17. bxc6 bxc6 {(Lewis)} 18. Bxf7 Qxf7 19. Qc2 {brings little advantage.})
17... Qf6 18. Nf5+ Kf8 19. Rac1 Ne5 20. Kh1 h5 21. g3 g6 22. Nh4 Ng4 23. h3 g5
$5 24. Nf3 $5 c6 $5 25. Bc4 $2 ({The equality is kept by} 25. bxc6 bxc6 26.
Rxc6 Ba7 27. e5 $1 Nxe5 28. Nxe5 $1 Qxe5 29. Qf3 Rh7) 25... Rh7 $2 ({Right is} 
25... Nxf2+ $1 26. Kg2 g4 $1 27. hxg4 hxg4 28. Nh4 Rxh4 $1 29. gxh4 Qxh4 {
and Black has a mighty attack.}) 26. Kg2 Kg7 $5 27. Be2 Ne5 28. Nxg5 $1 Qxg5
29. f4 Qg6 30. fxe5 Qxe4+ $5 31. Bf3 Qe3 32. Qb1 $6 {
White should exchange the queens.} 32... Kh8 $5 33. Rce1 Qg5 34. h4 Qg7 35. Be4
$5 {White fears the effect of .. Rg8.} 35... Rh6 36. Rf5 dxe5 37. Rg5 Qf8 38.
Qc1 $6 Bd8 $6 (38... cxb5 $1 {attacks on the queenside.}) 39. Rxe5 Bf6 40. Rf5
Re8 $6 {A pawn sacrifice leads to trouble.} 41. bxc6 bxc6 42. Rxa5 Kg7 43. Rc5
Re6 44. Qc4 Qe7 45. Re3 Qa7 46. Re2 Rd6 47. a5 Rd1 48. Bf3 Bd4 $6 49. Rg5+ $1
Rg6 50. Qxc6 Bf6 {White can win the game at last.} 51. Rxg6+ $2 ({Right is} 51.
Qb6 $1 Qxb6 52. Rxg6+ fxg6 53. axb6 Rd8 54. b7 {
The passed pawn has reached the seventh rank.} 54... Bc3 55. Re6 $1 {
White attacks the weak point g6.} 55... Kf7 56. Rd6 Rb8 57. Bd5+ Kg7 58. Be4
Bf6 59. Rd7+ Kh6 60. Rc7 Be5 61. Rc6 $1 Rg8 62. Rc8 Kh7 63. Rxg8 Kxg8 64. Bxg6
{The weakness has fallen.}) 51... fxg6 52. Qb6 Qf7 53. Rc2 ({The powerful} 53.
a6 $1 {can be answered by} 53... Rd7 54. Bc6 Qc4 $1) 53... Rd7 54. Bc6 Qe6 55.
Kh2 Rd4 56. Qa7+ Kh6 57. Bf3 Qe3 58. Qf7 Rd2+ 59. Rxd2 Qxd2+ 60. Kh3 Qf2 61.
Bg2 ({Or} 61. Be4 Qf1+ 62. Kh2 Qe2+ 63. Bg2 Qe7 {
The a-pawn cannot make progress.}) 61... Bd4 62. Qf4+ Kg7 63. Be4 Ba7 64. Bd3
Bd4 65. Bc4 Kh7 66. a6 Kg7 67. Qe4 Qf6 68. Qf4 Bb6 69. Kg2 Bd4 70. Bd3 Ba7 71.
Kh2 Qb2+ 72. Kh3 Qf6 73. Qe4 Bd4 74. Qd5 Ba7 75. Bc4 Bd4 76. Qg8+ Kh6 77. Bd3
Ba7 78. Be4 Bd4 79. Qc8 Kg7 80. Qd7+ Kh6 81. Bg2 Qf2 82. Qb5 Kg7 83. Be4 Qf6
84. Qd3 Qe6+ 85. Kh2 Qa2+ 86. Bg2 Qf2 87. Kh3 Qf6 88. Bf3 Qe6+ 89. Kh2 Qe3 90.
Qd1 Qf2+ 91. Bg2 Be5 92. Qd3 Qd4 93. Qe4 Qxe4 94. Bxe4 Bb8 95. Kg2 Kf6 96. Kf3
Ba7 97. Bc6 Bb6 98. Be8 Ba7 99. Ke4 Bb6 {White cannot queen his passed pawn.  
 This game could have been replayed, but there was no need, because Edinburgh
was going to win the match.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "London - Edinburgh"]
[Site "corr 1824-28"]
[Date "1825.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Edinburgh Chess Club"]
[Black "London Chess Club"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C23"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "110"]
[EventDate "1824.??.26"]

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. c3 Qe7 $6 {London plays the same move as in the first
game. White gets a preferable game again.} 4. d3 d6 5. Nf3 $5 Bb6 6. O-O Bg4 7.
Be3 Nd7 8. Nbd2 Ngf6 9. h3 Bh5 10. Qc2 Bxf3 11. Nxf3 Nh5 12. a4 a5 13. Ba2 h6
14. Bxb6 Nxb6 15. Kh2 g5 16. g3 Nd7 {
The Scotchmen send the illegal 17. Nh2 and have to make another knight move.}
17. Ng1 Qf6 18. d4 Qg6 19. Nf3 Nhf6 20. Nd2 h5 21. Kg2 b6 22. Qd3 O-O 23. Kh2
Kh8 24. Rae1 d5 25. Bb1 $1 Rae8 26. Qb5 $6 c6 $1 27. Qb3 {
The queen has been chased back. White lost his plus.} 27... dxe4 28. dxe5 $5 (
28. Nxe4 Nxe4 29. Bxe4 f5 30. Bg2 {defends solidly.}) 28... Nxe5 {
The white kingside seems to be ready for a storming.} 29. f4 $2 {
Lewis gives this move a question mark.} ({I add the escape} 29. Qxb6 $1 g4 30.
Qd4 Nd3 31. Bxd3 exd3 32. Ne4 $1 Rxe4 33. Rxe4 Qxe4 34. Qxf6+ {
and White has sufficient counter-play.}) 29... gxf4 30. Rxf4 Rd8 $2 (30... Rg8
$1 31. Nf1 Nd5 32. Rf2 h4 33. g4 Nxg4+ $1 {
breaches the protection of the white king.}) 31. Nf1 $1 Rd3 $1 32. Qxb6 $2 ({
Right is} 32. Re2 Rf3 33. Bxe4 Nxe4 34. Rfxe4 f6 35. Qd1 Rg8 {
and Black proceeds his powerful attack, but he has no immediate decision.})
32... Nf3+ 33. Rxf3 Rxf3 34. Qd4 Kh7 35. Kg2 Re8 36. Qg1 h4 37. g4 Nd5 38. Qd4
Nf4+ 39. Kh1 Nxh3 40. Nh2 Nf2+ 41. Kg1 h3 42. Kf1 Nd3+ 43. Ke2 c5 44. Qg1 Rf2+
45. Qxf2 Nxf2 46. Kxf2 Qd6 47. Nf3 Qf4 48. Rxe4 Rxe4 49. Bxe4+ Kg7 50. Bc6 h2
51. Kg2 Qh6 52. Nxh2 Qxc6+ 53. Nf3 Qxa4 54. Kg3 Qb3 55. Nd4 cxd4 {
The Londoners had equalised the match by scoring 1-1.} 0-1

[Event "London - Edinburgh"]
[Site "corr 1824-28"]
[Date "1826.??.??"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Edinburgh Chess Club"]
[Black "London Chess Club"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C44"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "119"]
[EventDate "1824.??.26"]

{8 x 1826 - 31 vii 1828.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 Nxd4 $6 ({
The main line of the Scotch Game will become} 3... exd4 4. Nxd4) 4. Nxd4 exd4
5. Qxd4 Ne7 6. Bc4 Nc6 7. Qd5 Qf6 8. Nc3 $6 (8. Bg5 $1 Qg6 9. Nc3 {
gains a plus.}) 8... Bb4 $1 9. Bd2 d6 10. Bb5 Bd7 11. Qc4 Bc5 12. O-O O-O 13.
Qd3 $6 (13. Nd5 $5 Qh4 $1 14. Bxc6 Bxc6 15. Nxc7 Rac8 16. Nd5 {
(Lewis) grabs a pawn as compensation for the positional flaw.}) 13... Ne5 14.
Qg3 Bxb5 15. Nxb5 c6 16. Nc3 Nc4 17. Bg5 Qg6 18. b3 f6 $5 (18... Na3 $1 19.
Rac1 Rae8 {keeps the initiative without an exchange of queens.}) 19. Bc1 Qxg3
20. hxg3 Bd4 $1 21. bxc4 Bxc3 22. Rb1 b6 23. Rd1 Rae8 24. Rb3 Ba5 25. f3 f5 26.
exf5 Re2 ({Lewis favours} 26... Rxf5 $1 {
and Black keeps a positional advantage.}) 27. g4 $5 Rxc2 28. Bf4 Rxc4 29. Bxd6
Re8 30. Ra3 $5 h6 31. Bc7 $6 {
Black has the better pawn structure. He should counterattack immediately.} ({
The active} 31. Rad3 {defends well.}) 31... Re7 $6 ({Preferable is} 31... Rc2
$1 32. Kh2 Ree2 33. Rad3 Rxg2+ 34. Kh3 Rgd2 $1 35. Rd8+ Kh7 36. R1xd2 Rxd2) 32.
Rd8+ Kh7 33. Rc8 Rc1+ 34. Kh2 Ree1 35. Kh3 $5 Rh1+ 36. Bh2 $5 {
White makes a brilliant and courageous move.} ({But} 36. Kg3 $1 Rc2 37. Be5
Be1+ 38. Kf4 Bd2+ 39. Kg3 Be1+ {secures a draw.}) 36... Bc3 $4 ({Right is} 
36... Bb4 $1 37. Rd3 Be7 38. Rd7 Bg5 $1 39. Rcc7 Bf6 40. Rxa7 Rc2 41. Rxg7+ $1
Bxg7 42. f6 Rxa2 43. Rxg7+ Kh8 {and an obscure position arises.}) 37. f4 Bd2
38. g3 Ba5 $1 ({Or} 38... Rc2 39. g5 $1 {(Lewis).}) 39. Re3 $1 Rc2 40. g5 $1
Rhxh2+ 41. Kg4 h5+ 42. Kf3 Rhf2+ 43. Ke4 {
Suddenly White can develop a winning attack.} 43... g6 44. Rc7+ Kg8 45. Ke5 $1
Rc5+ $1 (45... Bc3+ 46. Rxc3 $1 Rxc3 47. Kf6 $1 {mates (Lewis).}) 46. Kf6 Rxf5+
47. Kxg6 Rf8 48. Rg7+ Kh8 49. Kh6 Bb4 $1 50. Re6 $1 {
White plays for mate in the endgame.} 50... Rf5 51. Rh7+ Kg8 52. Rg6+ Kf8 53.
Rxc6 Rc5 54. Rf6+ Ke8 55. g6 $1 Rc3 56. g4 $1 Bf8+ {
A fascinating finale follows.} 57. Rxf8+ $1 Kxf8 58. g7+ Kf7 59. Rh8 Rc6+ 60.
Kh7 {A fine game concluded the match. The white king was chased over the board
and emerged as winner. The Edinburghers had won with 2-1 and got the cup.
Analyses by Lewis remained worthwhile.     Some later matches have been
selected for this review, but the level of the first one remained unsurpassed
in the nineteenth century.} 1-0

[Event "Madras - Hyderabad"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1828.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Madras"]
[Black "Hyderabad"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C23"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "73"]
[EventDate "1828.??.??"]

{A match of two games was played between Madras and Hyderabad from 1828 until
1829. It became the first recorded encounters in India. The civil servant
James Cochrane (not the Londoner John) and Ghulam Kassim played for Madras.
Raosaheb and Shahsaheb represented Hyderabad. When a team had found two moves,
the result was written down, the paper was laid on a silver plate and a
package was sent to the other city. Elephants were used for the transportation
of the mail!    } 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 d6 3. d4 (3. Nf3 {
leads to the Philidor Defence.}) 3... exd4 4. c3 $5 {Madras plays a gambit.}
4... dxc3 5. Nxc3 c6 6. Nge2 a5 7. a4 Be6 8. Bxe6 fxe6 9. Nf4 Qe7 {
The knights are stopped by a screen of pawns.} 10. Qb3 d5 $5 11. Nxe6 $1 Na6 $1
12. Nxf8 Nc5 $1 {
Hyderabad defends well, because white pieces have lost activity.} 13. Qc2 d4
14. Na2 Nf6 15. O-O Rxf8 16. b4 $1 {Madras starts another attack.} 16... Ncd7
17. Bd2 axb4 $2 {This move is played too soon.} (17... Kf7 $1 18. f3 axb4 19.
Nxb4 c5 20. Nd3 Rfc8 {puts the black pieces on the right places.}) 18. Nxb4 $1
c5 19. Nd3 b6 20. Rae1 Qe6 21. Nf4 Qe5 {
This attempt to stop the advance in the centre fails.} 22. Nd5 Ng4 23. f4 $1
Qd6 24. Qb3 Qc6 25. Qg3 $1 Ngf6 26. Qxg7 Rf7 27. Nxf6+ Nxf6 28. Qh6 O-O-O 29.
e5 Rg8 30. g3 Rfg7 31. Qh3+ {White deals with the threat ..Rxg3+.} 31... Ng4
32. f5 Kb8 33. f6 Rf7 34. Rf4 Nxf6 35. exf6 Rxf6 36. Rxf6 Qxf6 37. Re6 {
Madras also won the second game.} 1-0

[Event "London - Paris"]
[Site "corr 1834-36"]
[Date "1834.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Westminster Chess Club"]
[Black "Cercle des Panorames"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C01"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "54"]
[EventDate "1834.??.??"]

{Cercle de Philidor of Paris had sent a challenge to London in 1822 but no
match occurred. A new challenge was made on 29 i 1834. The Westminster Chess
Club accepted and each side entered 50 pounds. London mailed the first move in
February 1834. The Channel could be crossed by a steamboat. Paris' team met at
48, Rue Neuve Vivienne and had to answer in a fortnight. Pierre de Saint Amant
led the Frenchmen.   } 1. e4 e6 {The name French Defence was given after Paris
had won this game. Actually, the first move had been applied in Antwerp -
Amsterdam 1827-9 (in which Black won), but the name Dutch Defence was used for
another opening later.} 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 c5 6. Qe2+ Be7
7. dxc5 O-O 8. Be3 $6 Re8 $1 9. Bb5 $2 ({Better is} 9. Nc3 Bxc5 10. O-O-O) 9...
Nc6 10. Nd4 $6 ({Slightly preferable is} 10. O-O Bxc5 11. Qd3 Bxe3 12. fxe3 {
but} 12... Ng4 $1 {is awful.}) 10... Bxc5 $1 {
The pin on the e-file has a horrible effect.} 11. Bxc6 ({Or} 11. Nxc6 Qb6 $1
12. Nd4 Bg4 $1 13. Nf3 Bxf3 14. gxf3 Bxe3) 11... bxc6 12. c3 Bxd4 13. cxd4 c5
14. Qd3 Qb6 15. O-O Ba6 16. Qb3 Qxb3 17. axb3 Bxf1 18. Kxf1 Ng4 19. dxc5 Nxe3+
20. fxe3 Rxe3 21. Nd2 Rae8 22. b4 Rd3 23. Rxa7 Rxd2 24. b5 Rxb2 25. b6 d4 26.
b7 d3 27. Ra8 Kf8 $1 ({The pointe is} 27... Kf8 28. c6 d2 29. Rxe8+ Kxe8 30.
Ke2 Kd8) 0-1

[Event "London - Paris"]
[Site "corr 1834-36"]
[Date "1834.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Cercle des Panorames"]
[Black "Westminster Chess Club"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C53"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "1834.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 d6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb6 7. h3 Nf6 8. Nc3
O-O 9. O-O Re8 $6 ({Right is} 9... Nxe4 $1 10. Nxe4 d5 11. Bg5 Qd7 12. Bd3 dxe4
13. Bxe4 Nxd4) 10. a3 h6 11. Re1 a6 12. b4 Re7 13. Ra2 Ba7 14. Rae2 Nh7 15. Nd5
Re8 16. Nf4 $6 Nf8 $6 {Black remains passive.} (16... Ng5 17. Re3 Nxf3+ 18.
Rxf3 Bxd4 {counters.}) 17. Qb3 Ne6 18. Nxe6 fxe6 19. Bb2 Nb8 $6 20. a4 Bd7 21.
Qc2 Re7 22. Ba2 Nc6 23. Bc3 Rf7 $5 24. d5 $1 Rxf3 $5 25. dxe6 $1 (25. gxf3 $4
Qg5+ 26. Kh2 Qf4+ {draws.}) 25... Qh4 26. exd7+ Kh8 27. Be6 Qg3 28. Ba1 Raf8
29. Bf5 Bb6 30. Qd2 Rf4 31. Rc1 Qg5 32. Kh2 Rxf2 33. Qxg5 hxg5 34. Rxf2 Bxf2
35. b5 axb5 36. axb5 Nd8 37. Rxc7 Kg8 38. Bg6 Bb6 39. Rc8 {McDonnell and De la
Bourdonnais played a lengthy match in the Westminster Club from June to
October 1934. Over-the- board play regained the publicity of chess.} ({
Probably the next moves ended the game:} 39. Rc8 Ne6 40. Be8 Nd8 41. Bb2 {
and Black has no defence against 42. Ba3. Westminster resigned in October 1836.
}) 1-0

[Event "Paris - Pest"]
[Site "corr 1842-45"]
[Date "1842.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Cercle des Echecs"]
[Black "Club of Pest"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C50"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "1842.??.??"]

{Main innovations continued in the mail. The introduction of the stamp in 1940
started payment in advance by the sender. Express post per horse-drawn mail
coach had achieved an average speed of 15 km per hour. Therefore,
international post in Middle Europe reached its destination in two days.  
 Pest and Paris played a match from 1842- 46. Pest(h) can be described as the
flat side of the future Budapest. Its team was headed by Szen and Loewenthal.
The Paris team lost Deschapelles and Kieseritzky by quarrels. St. Amant played
two matches against Staunton in 1843. The weakened team of Paris was defeated
in both games.   } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Be7 {
The Hungarian Defence was named after this game.} 4. O-O Nf6 5. d4 d6 6. d5 Nb8
{Black has a fine game despite the retreat.} 7. Bd3 O-O 8. h3 c6 9. c4 cxd5 10.
cxd5 Ne8 11. Qc2 g6 12. Nh2 Ng7 13. f4 f5 14. fxe5 Qb6+ 15. Kh1 Nh5 $1 {
Black has a fine game despite the retreat.} 16. Rf3 fxe4 17. Bxe4 Rxf3 18. gxf3
$4 {Paris blunders horribly.} (18. Nxf3 Ng3+ 19. Kh2 Nf1+ {
ends the game by perpetual check.}) 18... Bxh3 19. Ng4 Ng3+ $1 ({Not} 19...
Bxg4 $2 20. fxg4 Ng3+ 21. Kg2 $1) 20. Kh2 Bxg4 21. fxg4 ({Or} 21. Kxg3 Qg1+ 22.
Qg2 Bh4+) 21... Nxe4 22. Qxe4 Nd7 23. b3 Qf2+ 24. Qg2 Qe1 25. Bb2 Bg5 26. Nd2
Bf4+ 27. Kh3 Qe3+ 28. Nf3 Bxe5 29. Bxe5 Nxe5 30. Re1 Qxf3+ 31. Qxf3 Nxf3 32.
Re7 Rf8 33. Rxb7 Rf7 34. Rb8+ Kg7 35. a4 Kf6 36. a5 Ke5 37. a6 Kxd5 38. b4 Ne5
39. g5 Nc6 {The Club of Pest lost the second game as well.} 0-1

[Event "London - Wien"]
[Site "corr 1872-74"]
[Date "1872.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "London team"]
[Black "Vienna team"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A21"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "97"]
[EventDate "1872.??.??"]

{The use of trains multiplied the speed of letters during the second part of
the nineteenth century. Mail chess grew.   A correspondence match was played
between London and Vienna before and after the over-the-board tournament Wien
1873. Players in the London team were Steinitz and Potter. The other members
could not agree with them and left the team. Main opponents were Berger and
Fleissig. The organiser and player Ignaz Kolisch also participated in the
Vienna team. Two games were played for a prize of 100 pounds from July 1872
until March 1874.   } 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Bb4 $5 3. Nd5 Be7 $5 4. d4 exd4 5. Bf4 c6
$5 6. Nxe7 $1 ({The Londoners gain the bishop pair and avoid} 6. Nc7+ $6 Qxc7
7. Bxc7 Bb4+) 6... Nxe7 7. Qxd4 O-O 8. e4 d5 9. O-O-O Be6 10. Nf3 Nd7 11. Ng5
h6 12. exd5 Bf5 13. Ne4 cxd5 14. Nc3 $1 (14. Nd6 $6 Bg6 15. cxd5 Qa5 {is risky.
}) 14... Nb6 15. Be5 Nc6 16. Qf4 Nxe5 17. Qxe5 Qg5+ 18. f4 Qg6 19. c5 Nd7 20.
Qd4 $5 Rfd8 21. Nxd5 {They want the knight in front.} 21... Kf8 22. Ne3 Kg8 23.
Bc4 Rac8 24. Rhe1 Be4 $2 {Black should regain a pawn.} ({Right is} 24... Be6 $1
25. Bxe6 ({Steinitz and Potter's} 25. g4 Bxc4 26. Nxc4 {is answered by} 26...
Kh7 $3) 25... Qxe6 26. Kb1 Nxc5 27. Qxd8+ Rxd8 28. Rxd8+ Kh7) 25. b4 $1 {
An advantage is obtained by the forwards defence.} 25... b6 26. Qd6 bxc5 27.
Qe7 cxb4 28. Rxd7 Re8 29. Qd6 Qxd6 30. Rxd6 Bxg2 $1 {
The Wieners get sharp counter-play in the endgame.} 31. Rd4 Bd5 $1 32. Rxd5
Rxc4+ 33. Nxc4 Rxe1+ 34. Kc2 Re4 35. Rd8+ Kh7 36. Kb3 Rxf4 37. Ra8 g5 38. Rxa7
h5 39. Kxb4 g4 40. a4 Rf2 41. a5 h4 42. Rd7 Rxh2 43. Rxf7+ Kg6 44. a6 $1 {
Steinitz and Potter choose for elegance.} 44... Re2 45. a7 Re8 46. Rb7 Ra8 47.
Nb6 h3 48. Nxa8 h2 49. Rb6+ $1 ({They analyse} 49. Rb6+ Kg5 50. Nc7 h1=Q 51.
a8=Q Qxa8 52. Nxa8 g3 {and White can win in different ways, like} 53. Rb8) 1-0

[Event "London - Wien"]
[Site "corr 1872-74"]
[Date "1872.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Vienna team"]
[Black "London team"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C45"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "98"]
[EventDate "1872.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 $5 {The favourite line of Steinitz.}
5. Nb5 $5 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Qxe4+ 7. Be2 Kd8 8. O-O Bxd2 9. Nxd2 Qf4 $1 {
The Londoners improve on Rosenthal - Neumann, Paris 1867.} 10. c4 $6 (10. g3 $1
{will continue the queen chase in the game Meitner - Chigorin, Vienna 1882.})
10... Nf6 11. Nf3 Ng4 $5 12. g3 Qf6 13. Nc3 Re8 $1 {
An extra pawn compensates the awkward position of king and queen.} 14. Nd2 $1
Nh6 15. Nde4 Qg6 16. Bh5 Qf5 17. Bf3 b6 $1 {Black proceeds the development.}
18. Bg2 Bb7 19. Qd2 f6 {Black proceeds the development.} 20. Rad1 Nf7 $1 21.
Rfe1 Rb8 22. f4 {White controls square e5.} 22... Na5 23. Qd3 Nd6 $5 24. b3 $5
({The simple} 24. Nxd6 Qc5+ 25. Kh1 Rxe1+ 26. Rxe1 Bxg2+ 27. Kxg2 Qxd6 28. Qxh7
{(Steinitz and Potter) brings a positional plus.}) 24... Bxe4 25. Nxe4 Re7 26.
Kh1 Nab7 27. b4 a5 28. a3 axb4 29. axb4 Qe6 30. c5 $1 bxc5 31. Qb1 $1 {
White threatens 32. Nxd6.} 31... Qc4 32. bxc5 Nxe4 33. Rxe4 Rxe4 34. Bxe4 Kc8
35. Bd5 Qxc5 36. Qxh7 Qf8 37. Qd3 Qe8 38. Qc3 Nd6 39. Bf3 Qe6 40. Rc1 Nb5 41.
Qd2 c6 42. Re1 Qf7 43. Qb4 $2 (43. Rd1 {continues the pressure.}) 43... Qa2 $1
{An attack on the second rank begins.} 44. Bg2 Kc7 45. Rb1 Ra8 $1 {
Steinitz and Potter regard the position as won for Black.} 46. Rc1 Qe2 47. Bf1
Qf3+ 48. Bg2 Qe3 49. Re1 Qf2 {London kept the extra pawn, took over the attack
and could play for a win. But Berger and Fleissig gave up. The other game was
resigned and this one became a draw. A high level match had ended. Modern
chess began with these games, according to Steinitz! London - Edinburgh was
forgotten.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Illustrated Universe"]
[Site "corr 1884-86"]
[Date "1884.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Chigorin, Mikhail"]
[Black "Shabelsky, Mikhail"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C52"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "59"]
[EventDate "1884.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. O-O Nf6 7. d4 Nxe4 8.
dxe5 O-O 9. Bd5 $5 ({Usual is} 9. Qc2 {(Perigal - Popert, London 1840).}) 9...
Nc5 $5 10. Ng5 Ne6 $5 ({The alternative is} 10... h6 $1 11. Nxf7 $1 Rxf7 12.
Bxf7+ Kxf7 {(Heinrichsen - Walbrodt, Berlin 1897).}) 11. Qh5 Nxg5 12. Bxg5 Qe8
13. Bf6 $1 Ne7 $1 14. Nd2 $1 {Chigorin has developed a great attack.} 14... d6
$1 ({The pointe is} 14... Bxc3 $2 15. Ne4 $1 Bxa1 16. Bxg7 $1 Kxg7 17. Nf6 {
(Chigorin).}) 15. exd6 Nxd5 16. Qxd5 gxf6 17. Qxa5 cxd6 18. Rae1 Qc6 19. c4 $5
Qc5 $2 (19... Kh8 20. Qc3 d5 $1 {(Chigorin) defends correctly.}) 20. Qc3 Bf5
21. Nb3 $5 Qb6 22. Nd4 Bg6 23. f4 Rfe8 $6 24. f5 $1 Rxe1 25. Rxe1 Bxf5 ({Or} 
25... Bh5 26. h3 $1) 26. c5 $1 Qxc5 27. Qxc5 dxc5 28. Nxf5 h5 29. Re7 Rd8 30.
Rxb7 1-0

[Event "Illustrated Universe"]
[Site "corr 1884-86"]
[Date "1884.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Chigorin, Mikhail"]
[Black "Urusov, Prince Nikolay"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C51"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "51"]
[EventDate "1884.??.??"]

{Chess was played by courier between the English and French kings in 1119, a
romantic story goes. Organised individual events began in the last quarter of
the nineteenth century. The initiative was taken by columnists of magazines in
several countries.   Chigorin played an important role. He used his chess
column in Vsemirnaya Illustratsiya (Illustrated Universe) for the organisation
of a correspondence tournament. Twelve participants played double rounds from
1 iii 1884 until x 1886. Chigorin triumphed by twenty wins and two draws. He
also played for St Petersburg in telegraph matches between cities. French
journals organised individual events too. Berger won the second tournament of
Le Monde Illustre (1889-92) with forty-five wins and three draws. Masters
showed their superiority.   } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3
Bc5 6. O-O d6 7. d4 exd4 8. cxd4 Bb6 9. Nc3 Na5 10. Bg5 Ne7 11. Nd5 f6 12. Bxf6
$1 gxf6 13. Nxf6+ Kf8 14. Ng5 $1 {
The Evans Gambit was strongly debated in the nineteenth century.} 14... Ng8 $2
({My preference has} 14... Nxc4 $1 15. Qh5 Kg7 16. Qf7+ Kh6 {White can draw by}
17. Qh5+ ({or try the risky} 17. Ng4+ $5 Bxg4 18. Qf6+ Kh5 $5 19. Nf7 Ng8)) 15.
Ngxh7+ $1 ({Berger had analysed} 15. Nfxh7+ $6 Kg7 16. Qh5 {
with an unclear position.}) 15... Kg7 16. Bxg8 $1 Rxh7 ({The alternative brings
} 16... Rxg8 17. Qh5 Nc6 {(Chigorin)} 18. a4 $1 {and 19.Ra3 wins.}) 17. Nxh7
Qh4 ({Or} 17... Qxg8 18. Ng5 Kg6 19. Nf3 {and the attack continues (Chigorin).}
) 18. Qf3 Kxg8 19. Nf6+ Kg7 20. Nh5+ Kg6 21. Nf4+ Kh7 22. Nd5 $1 Be6 23. Nxb6
axb6 24. d5 Bg8 25. Rac1 Qe7 26. Qh3+ 1-0

[Event "Illustrated Universe"]
[Site "corr 1884-86"]
[Date "1884.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Sokulsky, V."]
[Black "Chigorin, Mikhail"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C44"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "46"]
[EventDate "1884.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 d5 4. Bb5 dxe4 5. Nxe5 Qd5 6. Qa4 Nge7 7. f4 exf3 8.
Nxf3 a6 9. Bc4 $6 Qh5 {Black threatens .. b5.} 10. Be2 Ng6 11. Na3 $2 ({
Right is} 11. O-O {(Marseille-Paris, 1872).}) 11... Bd6 12. d4 O-O 13. Kf2 $5 (
{Or} 13. O-O Bxh2+ $1 14. Nxh2 Qxe2) 13... Bg4 14. Bd2 Rae8 15. h3 $6 {
White allows sacrifices in a positionally lost position.} 15... Rxe2+ $1 16.
Kxe2 Bxf3+ 17. gxf3 Re8+ 18. Kf2 Bg3+ $1 19. Kg1 Re2 20. Rf1 Nh4 21. Rh2 Bxh2+
22. Kh1 Qg6 23. Bg5 Qxg5 0-1

[Event "Illustrated Universe"]
[Site "corr 1884-86"]
[Date "1884.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Urusov, Prince Nikolay"]
[Black "Chigorin, Mikhail"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C59"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "84"]
[EventDate "1884.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8.
Be2 h6 9. Nf3 e4 10. Ne5 Qc7 11. f4 Bd6 12. d4 O-O $6 ({Preferable is} 12...
exd3 {(Anderssen-Neumann, Berlin 1866).}) 13. c3 c5 14. O-O Rb8 $1 (14... Rd8 {
was played in Neumann - De Riviere, Paris 1867.}) 15. b3 Nc6 16. Nxc6 Qxc6 17.
Be3 Rd8 18. Qe1 Nd5 19. Bc4 Nxe3 20. Qxe3 cxd4 21. cxd4 Bc7 {
White has to protect pawn d4.} 22. Qc3 $2 ({Right is} 22. Na3 $1 Bb6 23. Nc2 {
(Chigorin)} 23... Qf6 24. Rad1 Bg4 25. Rd2) 22... Qf6 23. Na3 Bb6 24. Nc2 Rxd4
25. Kh1 Rd6 26. Qxf6 gxf6 $5 27. Rad1 Rxd1 28. Rxd1 Be6 29. Na3 $6 ({Better is
} 29. Bxe6 fxe6 30. g3 Rc8 {(Chigorin)} 31. Rd2) 29... Bg4 $1 30. Re1 Bf2 $1 {
Chigorin chooses the elegant way.} 31. Rxe4 Rd8 32. h3 Bf5 33. Re7 Bg3 34. Be2
Rd2 35. Re3 Bxf4 36. Rf3 Rxe2 37. Rxf4 Be4 38. Rg4+ Kh7 39. Nb5 f5 40. Rg3 f4
41. Rg4 f3 42. Nc3 f5 {Urusov lived in Novgorod. He loved to play gambits.} 0-1

[Event "Le Monde Illustre"]
[Site "corr 1886-89"]
[Date "1886.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Urusov, Prince Nikolay"]
[Black "Captain Duprey, (ALG)."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C52"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "35"]
[EventDate "1886.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. O-O Nf6 7. d4 O-O 8.
dxe5 Nxe4 9. Bd5 $5 Nxc3 $6 ({The theory continues by} 9... Bxc3 10. Bxe4 $1
Bxa1 11. Bxh7+ $1 Kxh7 12. Ng5+ Kg6 {and a mysterious position arises.}) 10.
Nxc3 Bxc3 11. Ng5 $1 Qe7 $2 {Black does not play the crucial variation.} ({
Best is} 11... Bxa1 $1 12. Qh5 h6 13. Nxf7 $1 Rxf7 14. Bxf7+ Kf8 15. Bd5 Nxe5
16. Bxh6 $1 gxh6 17. Qxh6+ Ke7 {White can deliver perpetual check or try} 18.
Rxa1 $5) 12. Qd3 $1 g6 13. Qxc3 Qxe5 14. Qxe5 Nxe5 15. Re1 Nc6 16. Nxf7 $1 Nb4
(16... Rxf7 17. Bh6 $1 {finishes the game.}) 17. Bb3 h5 18. Re7 {The first inte
rnational tournament of Le Monde Illustre was won by Balschoff from Paris.} 1-0

[Event "St Petersburg - London"]
[Site "corr 1886-87"]
[Date "1886.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "British Chess Club"]
[Black "St Petersburg Chess Club"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D02"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "1886.??.??"]

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Bg4 $5 {Chigorin enjoys to play a provocative opening.} 3. Ne5
Bh5 4. g4 Bg6 5. h4 e6 $1 {Black does not lose a piece and develops.} 6. Bf4 f6
7. Nxg6 hxg6 8. Qd3 g5 9. Bg3 Nc6 10. Qg6+ $5 Kd7 {
The loss of the right to castle has no adverse effect.} 11. c3 Qe8 12. Qd3 Nge7
13. Bg2 gxh4 14. Rxh4 Rxh4 15. Bxh4 Qg6 $1 16. Qxg6 Nxg6 17. Bg3 Bd6 18. Bxd6
Kxd6 19. e3 Rh8 20. Kf1 e5 21. Nd2 Rh4 22. f3 $6 (22. c4 $1 {
counterattacks in the centre at the right time.}) 22... exd4 $1 23. cxd4 Nb4
24. Kf2 b6 25. b3 Rh8 26. a3 Nd3+ 27. Ke2 Rh2 28. Kxd3 $6 (28. Rg1 $1 Nh4 29.
Kxd3 Nxg2 {(Chigorin)} 30. b4 Nh4 31. Rf1 {keeps the equality.}) 28... Rxg2 {
White is plagued by the intrusion of a hostile rook.} 29. Rh1 $2 {
Counteraction is inopportune.} ({Right is} 29. b4 c5 ({Chigorin's} 29... Rh2 $5
30. b5 Ne7 {can be answered by} 31. e4 $1) 30. bxc5+ bxc5 31. dxc5+ Kxc5 32.
Nb3+ Kd6 33. f4 $1 Rxg4 34. Nd4 {White defends creatively.}) 29... c5 $1 30.
Rh7 cxd4 31. exd4 Nf4+ 32. Kc3 Ne6 33. Kd3 a5 34. Ke3 Rg1 $1 (34... Nxd4 35.
Kxd4 Rxd2+ {gives White better drawing chance due to the exchange of knights.})
35. Rh8 Rc1 36. Rb8 Rc3+ 37. Kf2 Nxd4 38. Rxb6+ Ke5 39. Rb7 Kf4 40. g5 Re3 0-1

[Event "St Petersburg - London"]
[Site "corr 1886-87"]
[Date "1886.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "St Petersburg Chess Club"]
[Black "British Chess Club"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C51"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "1886.??.??"]

{Telegraph became a new medium for correspondence chess. The British Chess
Club accepted a challenge by the St Petersburg Chess Club in 1886. Bird led
London and Chigorin supervised St Petersburg. Two games were played from xi
1886 until x 1887.   } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5 6.
O-O d6 7. d4 exd4 8. cxd4 Bb6 9. Nc3 Bg4 10. Bb5 Kf8 11. Be3 Nge7 12. a4 (12.
Be2 {was executed in Mason - Blackburne, Simpson's Divan 1881.}) 12... a5 13.
Bc4 Qe8 14. Rc1 Nb4 15. d5 Qd8 $2 ({Right is} 15... Bxe3 16. fxe3 Ng6 $1) 16.
Bxb6 cxb6 17. h3 Bxf3 18. Qxf3 Rc8 19. Nb5 Rc5 20. e5 $1 Nc8 ({The pointe is} 
20... dxe5 21. d6) 21. Rfe1 $1 h5 22. exd6 Nxd6 23. Nxd6 Qxd6 24. Re6 Qd7 25.
d6 $2 ({The prosaic} 25. Rxb6 $1 {will win the game effortlessly.}) 25... Rxc4
$1 {Black uses the chance to retaliate.} 26. Rxc4 Qxe6 27. Qxb7 g6 28. Rc8+ Kg7
29. d7 Nc6 $1 30. Qxc6 $1 Qxc6 31. Rxc6 Rd8 32. Rd6 Kf8 33. Kf1 Ke7 34. Rxb6
Rxd7 35. Rb5 Ra7 $2 (35... Rd2 $1 36. Rxa5 Ra2 {
draws according to the modern endgame theory.}) 36. g4 hxg4 37. hxg4 f6 38. Kg2
Ra6 39. Kg3 Ra7 40. Kf4 Ra6 41. f3 {London contacted the arbiter Kolisch and
proposed to resign the other game and draw this one. St Petersburg accepted.
Chigorin tried to prove a win for White in La Stategie.} ({An important line is
} 41. f3 Ra7 $2 42. Ke4 Ra6 43. Kd4 Ra7 44. f4 Kd6 45. Rb6+ {
and the white king enters.}) (41. f3 {
Fine noticed the needed activation of the black rook by} 41... Rc6 $1 42. Rxa5
Rc4+ 43. Ke3 {decades later. Levenfish and Smyslov have further investigated
the line in their book about rook endings. They continued by} 43... Kf7 $1 44.
Ra8 Kg7 $1 45. a5 Ra4 46. a6 Kh6 $1 47. f4 g5 {and Black is able to hold.
Chigorin's exceptional play and analyses remained inspiring.}) 1/2-1/2

[Event "Le Monde Illustre"]
[Site "corr 1889-92"]
[Date "1889.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Berger, Johann"]
[Black "Gaspary, P."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C65"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "31"]
[EventDate "1889.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Ne7 $6 {
Black starts a risky manoeuvre after a few moves.} 5. Bc4 $5 c6 $5 6. Nc3 Ng6
7. Ng5 d5 $1 8. exd5 {A disaster can be avoided by Black.} 8... cxd5 $2 ({
Right is} 8... b5 $1 9. Bb3 {and now Black can play the desired} 9... cxd5) 9.
Nxd5 $1 Nxd5 10. Qf3 Be6 11. Nxe6 fxe6 12. Bb5+ {This check would have been
impossible if the white bishop had been chased to b3 on move 9.} 12... Ke7 13.
Bg5+ Nf6 14. Qxb7+ Kd6 15. Bd2 a5 16. c4 {
Berger won the tournament convincingly.} 1-0

[Event "Cable match"]
[Site "corr 1890-91"]
[Date "1890.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Chigorin, Mikhail"]
[Black "Steinitz, William"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C52"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "75"]
[EventDate "1890.??.??"]

{Steinitz published 'The modern chess instructor I' in 1889. He wrote about
Cluley's strategic theorems: A game ends in a draw by correct play, and
preparation is needed for a successful attack. Chigorin criticised the part on
the openings. Two ideas were tested in a cable match.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.
Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. O-O Qf6 $6 7. d4 Nh6 $6 {The new idea.} 8. Bg5
Qd6 9. d5 Nd8 10. Qa4 Bb6 11. Na3 c6 {Steinitz defends the extra pawn.} 12. Be2
$1 Bc7 {Intends ..b5.} 13. Nc4 Qf8 14. d6 $1 ({More subtle than} 14. Nfxe5)
14... Bxd6 (14... Bb8 15. Be7) (14... b5 15. dxc7 $1) 15. Nb6 Rb8 16. Qxa7 Ne6
{The centre is defended.} (16... Ng4 17. Nh4 $1 Ne6 18. Bxg4 Nxg5 19. Nf5 Ne6
20. Rfd1 Bc7 21. Na8 Rxa8 22. Qxa8 Kd8 23. Rxd7+ $1 Kxd7 24. Rd1+ {
1-0 (Gunsberg-Steinitz, New York 1891 (12).}) 17. Bc1 $1 {
White threatens 18.Ba3! This manoeuvre impressed Steinitz.} 17... Ng8 18. Ba3
c5 19. Rad1 Nf6 ({Chigorin analyses} 19... Bc7 20. Bb5 Nf6 21. Nd5 Bd6 22. Nh4
$1 Nxd5 23. Rxd5 Bc7 24. Nf5 g6 25. Rfd1 gxf5 26. Rxd7 Bxd7 27. Rxd7 Qh6 28.
Bxc5 $1 Nxc5 29. Qxc5 Qc1+ 30. Rd1#) 20. Bc4 Bc7 21. Nd5 Bd6 22. Nh4 (22. Nxf6+
gxf6 23. Bxe6 fxe6 24. Bxc5 $18) 22... Nxd5 23. Nf5 $1 g6 24. Nxd6+ Qxd6 25.
Bxd5 Qc7 26. Bxe6 fxe6 27. Bxc5 Ra8 28. Qxa8 Qxc5 29. Qa4 Kd8 30. Rd2 $1 Kc7
31. Rb1 Rd8 32. Rb5 Qc6 33. Qb4 d6 34. a4 Qe8 35. Rb6 Qf8 36. Qa5 d5 37. exd5
Kb8 38. d6 {Chigorin took the wall in the centre.} 1-0

[Event "Cable match"]
[Site "corr 1890-91"]
[Date "1890.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Steinitz, William"]
[Black "Chigorin, Mikhail"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C59"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "76"]
[EventDate "1890.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8.
Be2 h6 9. Nh3 $5 (9. Nf3 e4 10. Ne5 {(main line).}) 9... Bc5 {
Chigorin believes in the power of the bishops.} ({Steinitz analyses} 9... Bxh3)
10. d3 O-O 11. Nc3 {
This variation was rehabilitated by Fischer-Radoicic, Poughskeepie 1963.} 11...
Nd5 12. Na4 {The pressure on f2 is lifted.} 12... Bd6 13. Ng1 $5 {
Steinitz dreams about an advantageous endgame.} 13... f5 14. c3 (14. c4 $6 Nf6
{weakens the pawn structure.}) 14... Bd7 15. d4 e4 $1 (15... exd4 16. cxd4 Qe7
17. Kf1 {and White will reorganise the defence by Nf3, Bd2 and Bd3.}) 16. c4
Ne7 17. Nc3 Be6 {
Black puts pressure on the centre. White develops the Queen's side.} 18. b3 Bb4
19. Bb2 f4 {The critical position.} 20. Qc2 $2 (20. a3 $1 Bxc3+ 21. Bxc3 Nf5
22. Bg4 Rb8 $1 {(Chigorin)} 23. Bb4 $1 e3 $1 24. Nf3 $1 Re8 25. Bh5 {
and a wild battle.}) 20... Qxd4 21. Kf1 (21. a3 {(too late)} 21... f3 $1 22.
gxf3 e3 $1 23. fxe3 Qh4+ 24. Kf1 Bc5 25. Nd1 Nf5 26. Qc3 Rae8 {
and Black has a strong attack.}) 21... f3 $1 {
Chigorin has to strike immediately.} 22. gxf3 exf3 23. Bxf3 Bf5 24. Ne4 Bxe4 $1
25. Qe2 (25. Bxe4 Rxf2+ $1 26. Qxf2 Qxe4 {White can stop the attack by} 27.
Bxg7 Qxh1 28. Bxh6 Qe4 29. Qg2+ Qxg2+ 30. Kxg2 {but the price is too high.})
25... Bxf3 26. Qe6+ Kh7 (26... Kh8 $4 27. Bxd4 Bxh1 28. Qxh6+) 27. Bxd4 Bxh1 {
Black has ample compensation for the queen.} 28. Qh3 (28. a3 $5 Nf5 29. axb4
Nxb3 30. Bc5 Rae8 $1 31. Qd7 Nxc5 32. bxc5 Ne3+ 33. Ke1 Nc2+ 34. Kf1 Nxa1 35.
Qd1 Rf4 {Black keeps the advantage.}) 28... Nf5 29. Be5 $6 (29. Bc3 c5 30. Bxb4
cxb4 {prolongs the game.}) 29... Rae8 30. Bf4 Nd4 31. Qd3+ Be4 32. Qxd4 Rxf4
33. f3 Ref8 34. Qxa7 c5 35. Qc7 Nc6 36. a3 Rxf3+ $1 37. Nxf3 Rxf3+ 38. Kg1 Bd2
{White's king has become an easy target. The defence by Steinitz is
disappointing for a correspondence game.} 0-1

[Event "1st Hungarian champ."]
[Site "corr 1893-97"]
[Date "1893.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Beu, Mihaly"]
[Black "Charousek, Rudolf"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C39"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "38"]
[EventDate "1893.??.??"]

{Correspondence chess became a training ground for recent talents. When the
magazine 'Budapesti Sakkszemle' held the first Hungarian championship, it
became a race between the young men Charousek and Maroczy.   Rudolf Charousek
gave the moves to his father, a telegraphist.} 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4.
h4 g4 5. Ne5 Bg7 6. Nxg4 $5 d5 $1 7. Nf2 $6 ({Better is} 7. Qf3 $1) 7... dxe4
8. Nxe4 Qe7 9. Qe2 Nc6 10. c3 Nh6 11. Nf2 (11. Ng5 $6 {
withdraws a knight from the defence (Anderssen-Knorre, Berlin 1865).}) 11...
Be6 12. d4 $2 (12. d3 $1 {(Cordel)} 12... Nf5 13. Bxf4 {
(Steinitz-Schlechter, Vienna, 1897).}) 12... Nf5 13. Bxf4 Nfxd4 $1 {
Rudolf proves to be a gifted attacker.} 14. cxd4 Nxd4 15. Qd2 Bb3+ $1 16. Be2
Bc4 17. Nc3 O-O-O 18. Rc1 Nxe2 19. Qe3 Nxf4 $1 ({The pointe is} 19... Nxf4 20.
Qxe7 Nxg2#) 0-1

[Event "1st Hungarian champ."]
[Site "corr 1893-97"]
[Date "1893.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Maroczy, Geza"]
[Black "Exner, Gyozo"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C84"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "91"]
[EventDate "1893.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Be7 6. O-O d6 7. d4 exd4 8.
Nxd4 Bd7 9. Bxc6 bxc6 10. h3 c5 11. Nde2 Qc8 12. b3 O-O 13. Bb2 {
They play a solid Ruy Lopez.} 13... Qb7 14. f3 c6 15. Nf4 Be6 $5 16. Qe1 d5 $6
{Black makes a premature advance.} 17. exd5 Bxd5 18. Ne4 $6 Bxe4 19. fxe4 {
The chances are about equal.} 19... Rfd8 $2 (19... c4 $1 {
gets rid of a weakness.}) 20. Bc3 $2 {fixes the weak pawn.} 20... Ne8 $2 21.
Qf2 $1 Qd7 ({Now} 21... c4 $2 {fails due to} 22. Ne6 $1 fxe6 23. Qf7+ Kh8 24.
Qf8+ Bxf8 25. Rxf8#) 22. e5 $1 Nc7 23. e6 fxe6 ({Insufficient is} 23... Nxe6
24. Nxe6 Qxe6 25. Rae1 {(Fabrizi).}) 24. Nh5 $1 Rf8 25. Qg3 Bd6 26. Qg4 Ne8 27.
Nxg7 Nxg7 28. Bxg7 Qxg7 29. Qxe6+ Kh8 30. Qxd6 Qd4+ 31. Qxd4+ cxd4 32. Rae1 {
White has achieved a won double rook ending.} 32... Rfc8 33. Re7 c5 34. Rff7 c4
35. Rxh7+ Kg8 36. Reg7+ Kf8 37. Rc7 Kg8 38. Rcg7+ Kf8 39. bxc4 Rxc4 40. Rc7
Rxc7 41. Rxc7 Rb8 42. Rc4 Rb2 43. a4 Ke7 44. Kh2 Kd6 45. Rxd4+ Kc5 46. Rf4 {
The tournament met great difficulties: many letters were lost, the organising
magazine collapsed, the time of eight days per move was too long and games
were nilled. A new chess journal published the final result after theadjudicati
on of many games. Charousek and Maroczy shared the first prize by an excellent
score of 16/18.} 1-0

[Event "Cable match"]
[Site "corr 1897-98"]
[Date "1897.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "St Petersburg"]
[Black "Vienna"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C52"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "66"]
[EventDate "1897.??.??"]

{Played from 1 xii 1897 until 30 iv 1898.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4
Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. O-O d6 7. d4 Bb6 8. a4 $6 ({The solid} 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. Qxd8+
Nxd8 10. Nxe5 {brings a plus for White.}) 8... Nf6 9. Bb5 a6 10. Bxc6+ bxc6 11.
a5 Ba7 12. Qa4 $6 (12. dxe5 Nxe4 {
was played in Chigorin - Lasker, St Petersburg 1895.}) 12... exd4 $1 13. cxd4 (
{Avoids} 13. Qxc6+ Bd7 {(Kemeny).}) 13... Bd7 14. e5 $5 ({Wien expected} 14.
Qc2) 14... Nd5 $1 15. Ba3 $6 ({More active is} 15. Bg5 Qc8 16. Qc4) 15... O-O
16. Qc4 Nf4 $1 17. Kh1 $2 (17. exd6 $2 Qf6 $1 18. dxc7 Bh3 $1 {brings no joy.})
(17. Nc3 $5 Bg4 18. Qxc6 Bxf3 19. Qxf3 Bxd4 20. Rae1 {prolongs the game.})
17... Be6 $1 18. Qc1 Nxg2 $1 {Black takes the bastion by force.} 19. Kxg2 Bd5
20. Kg3 ({The pointe is} 20. Bb2 Qh4 21. h3 dxe5 22. dxe5 f6) 20... f5 21. Nbd2
({Or} 21. Qf4 Bxd4 22. Nxd4 dxe5 23. Qxe5 Qg5+ 24. Kh3 Qg4#) 21... f4+ 22. Kg2
Qg5+ 23. Kh1 Qh5 24. Qc3 Bxd4 $1 {Black wins material.} 25. Qd3 Bxa1 26. Rxa1
Qxe5 27. Rg1 Rab8 28. Rg2 Qh5 29. Kg1 Bxf3 $1 30. Nxf3 Qd5 31. Qc3 Rb1+ 32. Ne1
Qe5 33. Bb2 c5 {The team of St Petersburg consisted of Chigorin, Blumenfeld,
Levin, Saburov and Sybin. Wien had Faehndrich, Fleissig, Kaufmann, Marco and
Schlechter. Four days was the contemplation time.} 0-1

[Event "Cable match"]
[Site "corr 1897-98"]
[Date "1897.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Vienna"]
[Black "St Petersburg"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D07"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[EventDate "1897.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 $5 3. Nc3 dxc4 $5 {A sharp novelty is played in the
Chigorin Defence. It proceeds the sharp play by Black in the Soviet school of
chess.} 4. d5 $5 Na5 $5 5. Qa4+ c6 6. b4 b5 $1 7. Qxa5 Qxa5 8. bxa5 b4 9. Nd1
cxd5 10. e4 e6 11. Ne3 (11. Be3 $1 {keeps a plus.}) 11... Nf6 12. exd5 exd5 13.
Bb2 $5 Be6 (13... c3 $1 14. Bc1 Bc5 {equalises.}) 14. Bxf6 gxf6 15. Ne2 Rc8 16.
Nf4 $5 {White prefers to counter in the centre.} 16... Rc5 17. Rd1 c3 $1 18. a6
Bd6 {Wien has a won position in the other game and takes no risk.} 19. Nfxd5 $5
{White lifts the tension.} (19. Nd3 $1 Ra5 20. Nc2 Ra4 {
keeps a sharp game going.}) 19... c2 $1 20. Rc1 Bxd5 21. Nxd5 Rxd5 22. Rxc2 Ke7
23. g3 Ra5 24. Be2 Be5 25. O-O Rd8 26. f4 Bc3 27. Rf3 Rd6 28. Kg2 f5 29. Re3+
Kf8 30. Bf1 h6 31. Bc4 Rd4 32. Bb3 Rxa6 33. Rce2 Re4 34. Rxe4 fxe4 35. Rxe4 Rd6
36. Rc4 Rd7 37. Rc6 Kg7 38. Kf3 Bf6 39. Kg4 Bd4 40. Ba4 Re7 41. Rd6 Bg1 {
Wien had won the match and 2000 Francs.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Postal game"]
[Site "corr 1899"]
[Date "1899.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pruegel, W."]
[Black "Dyckhoff, Eduard"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C45"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "18"]
[EventDate "1899.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Qh4 5. Qd3 Nf6 6. Nd2 $2 ({Best is} 6.
Nb5 $1 {(Bergell & Knorre & Raaz - Cordel & Neumann, Berlin 1865).}) 6... Ng4
$1 {Dyckhoff improves the Bilguer.} 7. g3 Qf6 8. N4f3 $2 (8. f3 Nb4 9. Qb3 {
prolongs the game.}) 8... Nce5 9. Qc3 Bb4 $1 {Dyckhoff called it 'My first
good game'. He would become a correspondence star in the 1930's.} 0-1

[Event "Prince Shakhovsky"]
[Site "corr 1906-07"]
[Date "1906.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Alekhine, Alexander"]
[Black "Liubimov, Boris"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C58"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "75"]
[EventDate "1906.??.??"]

{Chigorin had caused great enthusiasm for correspondence chess in St
Petersburg. A participant in the many tournaments was the schoolboy Alexander
Alekhine.   } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6
7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Qf3 $5 Qc7 $5 9. Bd3 h6 10. Ne4 Nd5 {
Black has positional compensation for the pawn.} 11. Ng3 g6 12. Nc3 Be7 13.
Nxd5 cxd5 14. Bb5+ Kf8 15. O-O Bb7 16. Qe2 h5 $1 17. Re1 f6 18. d4 e4 ({
Even better is} 18... a6 $1 19. Ba4 h4 20. Nf1 Qc4) 19. Bd2 a6 20. Ba4 Nc4 21.
Bb3 Nxd2 22. Qxd2 a5 $1 23. a3 Bd6 24. Nf1 Kg7 25. h4 Bf4 26. Ne3 g5 $2 {
Black makes tactical errors.} (26... a4 27. Ba2 Rhc8 28. Rac1 Rab8 {
keeps the compensation.}) 27. hxg5 fxg5 $2 28. Bxd5 $1 Bxd5 ({The pointe is} 
28... Bxe3 29. Qxe3 Bxd5 30. Qxg5+) 29. Nxd5 Bxd2 30. Nxc7 Rac8 31. Re2 Bc3 32.
Ne6+ Kf6 33. bxc3 Kxe6 34. Rxe4+ Kd5 35. Re3 Rhe8 36. Rae1 Rxe3 37. Rxe3 Kc4
38. Re5 {Young Alekhine won the second prize and defeated the winner Liubimov.}
1-0

[Event "Postal game"]
[Site "corr 1919-20"]
[Date "1919.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Wolf, Heinrich"]
[Black "Gruenfeld, Ernst"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C48"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "96"]
[EventDate "1919.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Ba4 $5 Bc5 6. d3 O-O {
This solid line stems from Bernstein - Rubinstein, St Petersburg 1914.} 7. Be3
$6 d5 $1 8. Bg5 {White has lost time.} 8... c6 9. Bb3 Re8 10. exd5 Nxb3 11.
Bxf6 gxf6 12. axb3 cxd5 13. O-O d4 (13... Bg4 $1 {keeps more advantage.}) 14.
Ne2 Bf8 15. Ng3 f5 16. Re1 Bg7 17. Nd2 f4 18. Nh5 Bh8 $1 {keeps more advantage.
} 19. g3 $2 (19. Qf3 $1 Qh4 20. h3 {
brings an important protector to the kingside.}) 19... Re6 $1 20. Nf3 Rh6 $1
21. Nxe5 Qg5 22. Nxf4 (22. Nxf7 $5 Kxf7 23. Nxf4 Bg4 {also favours Black.})
22... Bxe5 23. Ra5 f6 24. Nd5 Qg7 25. Nb6 $5 Bg4 $1 26. Qd2 ({Or} 26. f3 Rf8 $1
27. Rxa7 {(Gruenfeld)} 27... Bxg3 $1 28. hxg3 Qc7 $1 {and Black wins.}) 26...
Rd8 27. Nc4 ({Gruenfeld notices} 27. Rxa7 Bf3 28. Nc4 Rxh2 $1 29. Kxh2 Qg6)
27... Bb8 28. Rd5 Rxd5 29. Re8+ Kf7 30. Rxb8 Rd7 31. Qf4 Rh5 32. Nd6+ Ke6 $1
33. Ne8 Qg6 34. Nxf6 Qxf6 35. Re8+ Re7 36. Qxg4+ Rf5 37. Rd8 Rd7 38. Qe4+ Qe5
39. Rxd7 Kxd7 40. Qxb7+ Ke6 41. Qa6+ Kf7 42. Qxa7+ Kg6 43. Kg2 Qd5+ 44. Kg1 Rf7
(44... Re5 $1 45. Qb6+ Kh5 {ends the game.}) 45. Qa1 Qf5 46. Qa6+ $6 (46. Qe1 {
prolongs the contest.}) 46... Kh5 $6 47. f3 $6 ({Better is} 47. f4 Re7 48. Qc6
Qe6) 47... Qxf3 48. Qb5+ Kg6 {Rudolf Charousek, Geza Maroczy, Alexander
Alekhine and Ernst Gruenfeld played correspondence chess before their
international career in over the board chess began.} 0-1

[Event "Promotion"]
[Site "corr 1928-29"]
[Date "1928.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Geier, V."]
[Black "Seibold, Matthaus"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C55"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "58"]
[EventDate "1928.??.??"]

{Vested interests of over-the-board players prevailed after the FIDE was
founded in 1924. The situation was completely different in correspondence
chess, because little money was involved and little happened anyway. An
initiative for an international club was taken in November 1927. The
Internationaler Correspondensschachbund (ICSB) was founded in August 1928 and
replaced by the Internationaler Fernschachbund (IFSB) in Berlin on 2 December
1928 by four Germans and a Dutchman. It became a federation of European
countries during the 1930's. Circa two-hundred European tournaments were
organised. Each year from 1929-38, a Bundesmeisterschaft (German Open) began. 
Participation in the Bundesmeisterschaft depended on a mixture of application,
invitation and promotion. A wise choice was made by the board of the IFSB
every time. The first European Olympiad lasted from 1935 until 1939. Main
organiser became Hans-Werner von Massow. He was the chief editor of Fernschach
from January 1929 until the summer of 1939. The IFSB remained neutral towards
Nazism, a courageous conduct.   } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5.
O-O Bc5 6. e5 d5 7. exf6 dxc4 8. Re1+ Be6 9. Ng5 Qd5 10. Nc3 Qf5 11. Nce4 O-O-O
12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. g4 Qe5 14. fxg7 Rhg8 15. Bh6 d3 16. c3 Be7 {
White has difficulties in the centre.} 17. f4 $6 ({Better is} 17. Qf3 {
(Marshall - Capablanca, New York 1910).}) 17... Qd5 18. Ng3 $2 ({The blockade} 
18. Qd2 {has been played in correspondence chess.}) 18... d2 $1 19. Re4 Bf6 20.
g5 Bxg7 21. Bxg7 Rxg7 22. Re2 e5 23. Nf1 exf4 24. h4 Ne5 25. Nxd2 h6 26. Qa4
hxg5 27. h5 g4 28. Ne4 Nf3+ 29. Kf1 Qxh5 0-1

[Event "Bundesmeisterschaft I"]
[Site "corr 1929-30"]
[Date "1929.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Busch, Eugen"]
[Black "Dyckhoff, Eduard"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D15"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "64"]
[EventDate "1929.??.??"]

{A great impulse to correspondence chess gave the participation by the jurist
Eduard Dyckhoff. He returned to chess, when he was nearly fifty, and would
become the first correspondence player who competed at equal level with
over-the-board players.  } 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e3 b5 6.
a4 b4 7. Nb1 e6 8. Bxc4 Be7 9. Qc2 $5 (9. O-O {
was played in Vajda - Rosselli, Semmering 1926.}) 9... O-O 10. Nbd2 c5 $1 11.
Nb3 {The queen's knight makes too many moves.} ({Busch and Dyckhoff prefer} 11.
b3 $1) 11... Bb7 12. Nxc5 Bxc5 13. dxc5 Qe7 14. b3 Nbd7 15. Bb2 Nxc5 16. O-O
Rac8 17. Rfd1 Nce4 18. Ne5 Bd5 19. Rd4 Rc5 $6 ({
Black can take the initiative by} 19... Qc7 20. Rdd1 Nd6) 20. Qd1 Rfc8 $2 21.
Nd3 $1 e5 $1 {He will lose a pawn anyway and wants to counter.} 22. Nxc5 exd4
23. Nxe4 Qxe4 24. Bxd5 Nxd5 25. Qxd4 Qxd4 26. exd4 $2 (26. Bxd4 $1 a5 {
(Dyckhoff and Busch) does not draw due to} 27. e4 $1 Nc3 28. Bb6) 26... Nf4 $1
{White had underestimated this move.} 27. Rd1 Rc2 28. Ba1 Rc1 $1 {
Black has noticed a forced escape from his troubles.} 29. Rxc1 Ne2+ 30. Kf1
Nxc1 31. Bb2 Nd3 $1 ({Avoids} 31... Nxb3 $2 32. Ke2) 32. Ba1 Nc1 {A repetition
of moves will follow.   Dyckhoff and Busch shared the victory in a field of
six contenders.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Bundesmeisterschaft II"]
[Site "corr 1930-31"]
[Date "1930.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Batik, Frantisek"]
[Black "Dyckhoff, Eduard"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D34"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "58"]
[EventDate "1930.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O
O-O 9. dxc5 d4 10. Na4 Bf5 $1 11. Nh4 $5 ({
The main line of the gambit continues with} 11. Bf4 {nowadays.}) 11... Be4 12.
f3 Bd5 13. Nf5 $1 (13. e4 $6 {
(Bogoljubow - Maroczy, Sliac 1932) should be answered by} 13... Be6 $1) 13...
Be6 $1 {The king's knight has to be exchanged.} 14. Nxe7+ Qxe7 15. Bg5 $6 ({
Better is} 15. e4 $1 Nd7 $1 {(Tarrasch)} 16. b3 $1 {and White has a plus.})
15... Bc4 $1 16. Re1 h6 17. Bxf6 Qxf6 18. b3 $5 Ba6 19. Qd2 Rfe8 20. Nb2 Re3 $5
21. Rac1 $6 ({Right is} 21. Nd1 $1 Re7 22. Nf2 Rae8 23. Ne4 Qg6 {(Dyckhoff).})
21... Rae8 22. Bf1 $5 ({Or} 22. Nd3 $5 Qe7 {(Dyckhoff)} 23. Nf4 $1) 22... Ne5
$5 {Black threatens 23. .. Rxf3!} 23. f4 $5 ({Or} 23. Bg2 $1 Nc6 24. Nd3 Qe7 $1
{and Black has started another plan.}) 23... Ng4 24. Nc4 $2 {
White allows an undesirable exchange.} (24. Nd1 $1 {
attacks rook e3 in the right way.}) 24... Bxc4 25. Rxc4 ({Dyckhoff had prepared
} 25. bxc4 Qg6 $1 26. Bg2 Nxh2 $1 27. Kxh2 Qxg3+ 28. Kh1 d3 29. Bf3 R8e6 30. f5
R6e4 $1 {and Black will mate the lonesome king.}) 25... Qg6 $1 26. Bg2 Nxh2 $1
{A strong breakthrough sacrifice decides.} 27. Kxh2 Qxg3+ 28. Kg1 d3 29. Rc3
R8e6 $1 {
Dyckhoff won the event 71/2/9. He scored 11/2 points more than Janos Balogh.} (
{Elemantary is} 29... R8e6 30. f5 R6e4 31. Rc4 Rxe2) 0-1

[Event "Bundesmeisterschaft III"]
[Site "corr 1931-32"]
[Date "1931.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Ahrend, J."]
[Black "Dyckhoff, Eduard"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C56"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "18"]
[EventDate "1931.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1 d5 7. Nc3 $2 dxc3
$1 {Dyckhoff gives the finest response.} 8. Bxd5 Be6 $2 ({
The best continuation brings} 8... f5 $1 9. Ng5 {
(Brozio - Vasquez Nigro, corr 2001)} 9... Bd6 $1 10. Nf7 $2 Bxh2+ $1 11. Kxh2
Qh4+ 12. Kg1 Qxf2+ 13. Kh2 Rf8) 9. Rxe4 $4 {Black can win a piece.} ({Right is
} 9. Bxe4 Bb4 {(Dyckhoff).}) 9... Ne7 $3 {
Dyckhoff scored 71/2/9 and shared the European championship with Priwonitz.} ({
He gives in his booklet Fernschach- Kurzschluesse} 9... Nb4 $2 10. Bg5 $1 Qxd5
11. Rd4) 0-1

[Event "Bundesmeisterschaft IV"]
[Site "corr 1932-33"]
[Date "1932.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Balogh, Janos"]
[Black "Dyckhoff, Eduard"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D34"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "112"]
[EventDate "1932.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O
O-O 9. Bg5 Be6 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Ne1 d4 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. Ne4 Qe7 14. Nxc5 Qxc5
15. Nd3 Qb6 16. Nf4 $5 Rad8 $5 (16... Qxb2 $6 17. Nxe6 fxe6 18. Rb1 {
favours White (Rubinstein - Tarrasch, Karlsbad 1923).}) (16... Rfe8 {
stems from Flohr - Euwe, Amsterdam 1932).}) 17. Qd2 Rfe8 18. Rfe1 h6 19. b3 Nb4
20. Rac1 a5 $5 21. Nxe6 Rxe6 22. Bh3 Rf6 23. Rc8 Rxc8 24. Bxc8 g6 ({Not} 24...
d3 $2 25. exd3 Nxd3 $2 {due to} 26. Re8+ Kh7 27. Qxd3+) 25. Rd1 Rd6 26. a3 Nc6
27. Qxh6 $5 Qxb3 28. Rc1 $2 ({Prudent is} 28. Qc1 $1) 28... Rd8 29. Bf5 $1 Qxa3
$1 (29... gxf5 $2 30. Rxc6 $1 {draws.}) 30. h4 Qf8 31. Qd2 $1 Qe7 (31... gxf5
$2 32. Rxc6 $1 bxc6 33. Qg5+ {draws again.}) 32. Bd3 $1 Qe5 33. Ba6 Qe7 34. Qg5
Qxg5 $2 (34... Rb8 $1 35. Qxe7 $6 Nxe7 36. Rc7 Nd5 37. Rxb7 Rxb7 38. Bxb7 Nb4
$1 {wins.}) 35. hxg5 d3 $1 36. Bxd3 $1 ({Not} 36. exd3 $2 Nd4) 36... a4 $1 37.
Ra1 Ra8 38. Be4 Nd8 $1 39. Kf1 Ra7 40. Bd5 Kf8 41. Rb1 $1 Ke7 42. e4 Kd6 43.
Ke2 Kc5 44. Rc1+ Kb4 45. Rb1+ Kc3 46. Rc1+ Kb2 47. Rc4 ({Perpetual check brings
} 47. Kd2 $1 b5 $1 48. Rc5 $1 b4 49. Rc2+ Kb1 50. Rc1+) 47... Ka3 48. Rc7 Ra8
$1 49. Re7 Rb8 $1 50. Re8 Kb2 51. Bxf7 a3 52. Rg8 $2 {
White misses the last escape.} ({Right is} 52. f4 Nxf7 $1 53. Rxb8 Nd6 54. f5
a2 55. fxg6 $1 a1=Q 56. g7 Qa6+ 57. Ke1 $1 Qa5+ 58. Kf1 $1 Qb5+ 59. Kg1 $1 Qc5+
60. Kh1 $1) 52... b5 $1 53. f4 b4 54. f5 b3 55. Bxb3 Kxb3 56. Rxg6 Nf7 $1 {
Dyckhoff showed his great fighting spirit again.} ({The pointe is} 56... Nf7
57. Ra6 Nxg5) 0-1

[Event "Bundesmeisterschaft IV"]
[Site "corr 1932-33"]
[Date "1932.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Busch, Eugen"]
[Black "Dyckhoff, Eduard"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D32"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "1932.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. e3 Nf6 7. Bd3 Bd6 8. O-O
O-O 9. Nb5 Bg4 10. b3 $2 ({Exchanges by} 10. Nxd6 Qxd6 11. dxc5 Qxc5 {
are needed.}) 10... cxd4 $1 11. Nbxd4 Nxd4 12. exd4 Ne4 13. Bb2 f5 $6 (13...
Qf6 {applies more pressure.}) 14. Be2 Bxf3 15. Bxf3 Qf6 16. Qd3 a6 17. Rac1 g5
$5 18. g3 Qg6 19. Bg2 g4 20. Rc2 f4 21. Bxe4 dxe4 22. Qc4+ Rf7 23. gxf4 $6 (23.
Bc1 $1 {involves a defender immediately instead of an further weakening.})
23... Bxf4 24. Bc1 Bc7 $1 25. Rc3 Rd8 26. Rd1 Qh5 $1 27. Rg3 b5 $1 {
Eduard shows his elegant style.} 28. Qe2 ({Dyckhoff notices} 28. Qe6 Bxg3 29.
hxg3 {and}) (28. Qc6 Rxf2 29. Kxf2 Qxh2+) 28... Bxg3 29. hxg3 Qf5 30. Bf4 h5 $1
31. Qe3 h4 32. Rc1 Rd5 33. Rc6 Rfd7 34. gxh4 ({Or} 34. Be5 Rxe5 35. dxe5 Rd1+)
34... Rxd4 35. Rxa6 Rd3 36. Qb6 e3 $1 {
Black ended the game nicely. 
Dyckhoff became second this time.} ({See} 36...
e3 37. fxe3 Rd1+ 38. Kg2 R7d2+ 39. Kg3 Rg1#) 0-1

[Event "Bundesmeisterschaft IV"]
[Site "corr 1932-33"]
[Date "1932.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Mueller, Hans"]
[Black "Balogh, Janos"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D08"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "49"]
[EventDate "1932.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 $5 3. dxe5 d4 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Nbd2 f6 $5 6. exf6 Qxf6 $5 {
Black has made three provocative moves in a controversial gambit.} 7. g3 $5 Bg4
8. Bg2 O-O-O 9. h3 Bh5 10. O-O d3 11. exd3 Rxd3 12. g4 Bg6 13. Qa4 $5 Bb4 14.
a3 Bxd2 15. Nxd2 Nge7 16. Nb3 {Black has to guard square c5.} 16... h5 $2 ({
The courageous} 16... Qe5 $1 17. Be3 Rxe3 $1 18. fxe3 Qxe3+ 19. Kh2 Bc2 20. Rf3
Qe5+ 21. Kh1 Qxb2 {continues the game.}) 17. Nc5 $1 hxg4 18. Qb5 b6 19. Bg5 $1
Qe5 ({The first pointe is} 19... Qxg5 20. Qa6+ Kd8 21. Ne6+ {(Von Massow).})
20. Bxe7 Nxe7 21. Bb7+ $1 Kd8 ({Another point is} 21... Kb8 22. Na6+ Kxb7 23.
Qxe5 {(Von Massow).}) 22. Nxd3 Qxb5 23. cxb5 Bxd3 24. Rfd1 Rxh3 25. Be4 {
Balogh was a strong correspondence chess player but his doubtful gambits were
crushed by top opponents.} 1-0

[Event "Bundesmeisterschaft IV"]
[Site "corr 1932-33"]
[Date "1932.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Mueller, Hans"]
[Black "Eliskases, Erich"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E11"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "1932.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Qe7 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 Bxd2+ 7. Nbxd2 d6 8.
O-O e5 9. e4 Nbd7 10. Qc2 Re8 $1 ({Eliskases diverts from} 10... exd4 {
(Gilg - Engel, Trencianske Teplice 1926).}) 11. d5 a5 12. b3 b6 13. a3 Bb7 14.
Ra2 g6 15. Rb1 Nh5 16. Ne1 Ng7 17. Bh3 Rf8 18. Nd3 f5 19. exf5 Nxf5 20. Re1 Qg7
21. Bg2 Nc5 22. Nxc5 bxc5 23. Rb2 Nd4 24. Qb1 Bc8 25. b4 $6 {
Mueller starts a premature action.} 25... axb4 26. axb4 cxb4 27. Rxb4 Bg4 28.
Rb7 $6 Qh6 $6 ({Black wins a pawn by} 28... Ne2+ $1 29. Kh1 $1 (29. Kf1 $2 Qh6
$1 30. Rxe2 Bxe2+ 31. Kxe2 Rxf2+ $1 32. Kxf2 Qxd2+ 33. Kf1 Ra2) 29... Rxf2 30.
Ne4 Rf7 31. c5 dxc5 32. Nxc5 {but White counters.}) 29. Ne4 $1 Nf3+ 30. Bxf3
Bxf3 31. Re3 $1 Bxe4 ({Not} 31... Qh3 $2 32. Rxf3 $1 Rxf3 33. Ng5 {(Eliskases).
}) 32. Qxe4 Rxf2 $1 {Black starts an exciting finale.} 33. Kxf2 Qxh2+ 34. Kf1
$1 Ra1+ 35. Re1 Ra2 36. Re2 Ra1+ 37. Re1 Ra2 38. Rb8+ Kg7 39. Qf3 Qh3+ 40. Kg1
Qh2+ {Mueller became first and Eliskases third. They were better known as
o-t-b players.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Deutsche Schachzeitung"]
[Site "corr 1932-33"]
[Date "1932.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Von Feilitzsch, Baron M."]
[Black "Keres, Paul"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C22"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "60"]
[EventDate "1932.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qe3 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Bd2 O-O 7. O-O-O Re8
8. Bc4 d6 $5 9. f3 Na5 $1 10. Bd3 d5 $1 11. Qg5 h6 12. Qh4 {
The white queen has made useless moves.} (12. Qg3 {
lost in Recuero Guerra - Olea Perez, Gijon 2002.}) 12... d4 13. Nce2 $2 (13.
Nb1 $5 Bxd2+ 14. Nxd2 c5 15. Nh3 $5 Be6 16. Nf4 $5 Bxa2 17. b3 {fights harder.}
) 13... Bxd2+ 14. Rxd2 c5 15. c4 $5 Be6 16. b3 b5 $1 {
The attack becomes decisive.} 17. Nf4 ({Keres gives} 17. cxb5 Bxb3 18. axb3
Nxb3+ 19. Kc2 Nxd2 20. Kxd2 Nxe4+) 17... bxc4 18. Nxe6 Rxe6 19. bxc4 Rb8 20.
Ne2 Qb6 21. Kd1 Qb4 22. Qg3 Nd7 $1 23. Rc2 Qa3 24. f4 Rg6 {
All black pieces are involved.} 25. Qf3 Rxg2 $1 26. e5 ({The pointe is} 26.
Qxg2 Qxd3+ 27. Rd2 Qb1+ 28. Nc1 Nxc4 {(Marchisotti).}) 26... Rb1+ 27. Rc1 Nxc4
$3 {Black leaves four pieces en prise.} 28. Rxb1 {Other captures lose at once.}
({Keres analyses} 28. Bh7+ $1 Kxh7 29. Qe4+ (29. Qxa3 Nxa3 {
and the rook is protected)}) 29... g6 30. Qxb1 ({or} 30. Rxb1 Ne3+ 31. Ke1 Qa5+
) 30... Rxe2 31. Kxe2 Qe3+ 32. Kf1 Nd2+ {and Black wins.}) 28... Ne3+ 29. Qxe3
dxe3 30. Bc4 Qa4+ {Paul had a great 'training'.} 0-1

[Event "Bundesmeisterschaft V"]
[Site "corr 1933-34"]
[Date "1933.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Herzog, Franz"]
[Black "Duchamp, Marcel"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E19"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "1933.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Qc2
Nxc3 9. Qxc3 f5 10. d5 $5 {Herzog plays an enterprising novelty.} 10... Bf6 11.
Qb3 Na6 12. Be3 c5 13. Rfd1 e5 14. a3 d6 {Marcel has closed the position.} 15.
Qc2 Bc8 16. Bh3 Be7 17. Bd2 g5 $5 {Now Duchamp wants to force matters.} 18. Bg2
Bf6 19. Bc3 Qe7 20. Ne1 Bd7 21. e4 f4 $1 22. gxf4 gxf4 23. Kh1 $1 {
White takes the initiative.} 23... Bg7 $6 24. Nf3 Rf6 25. Rg1 Rh6 26. Bf1 Kh8
27. Be2 Bf6 28. Qd2 Rf8 29. b4 Qf7 30. Ng5 $2 Qe8 $2 ({Better is} 30... Qg6 $1
31. Ne6 Rxh2+ $1 32. Kxh2 Qh6+ 33. Kg2 Rg8+ 34. Bg4 $1 Rxg4+ {
and Duchamp sees no win. He should go on by} 35. Kf1 ({or} 35. Kf3 Rh4 $1 36.
Ke2 Qh5+ 37. Kd3 Ba4 $1) 35... Rxg1+ 36. Kxg1 Qg6+ 37. Kf1 Qxe4) 31. Rg2 Rg8
32. Rag1 Rgg6 33. Qd3 $2 (33. Ne6 $1 Bxe6 34. dxe6 Rxg2 35. Rxg2 Qxe6 36. Bg4 {
keeps a plus.}) 33... Bxg5 $1 34. Rxg5 Qe7 $1 35. Rxg6 hxg6 36. Qf3 Rh3 37.
Qxf4 $6 ({Duchamp mentions} 37. Qg2 f3 $1) 37... Kh7 38. Bxe5 dxe5 39. Qg5 Qxg5
40. Rxg5 {Black has a finishing touch.} 40... Kh6 $1 {Duchamp won by a score
of 9/10, his greatest success in chess. He was among the 25 first Masters of
Correspondence Chess. As an artist, he declared a 'ready-made' urinal to be a
work of art.} ({He gave as pointe} 40... Kh6 41. Rxe5 Rxa3 42. b5 Bh3 $1) 0-1

[Event "Bundesmeisterschaft VI"]
[Site "corr 1934-35"]
[Date "1934.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Persson, Hilding"]
[Black "Ekstrom, Nils"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A30"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "67"]
[EventDate "1934.??.??"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 3. g3 b6 $5 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. Nc3 g6 6. d3 Bg7 7. Bf4 d6 8. Qd2
h6 9. h3 $1 {White has prevented .. Ng4.} 9... e5 10. Be3 Nc6 11. Nh4 Qd7 12.
f4 $5 Nd4 13. Bxb7 Qxb7 14. Rf1 O-O-O 15. Nf3 $6 Nxf3+ 16. Rxf3 exf4 $6 (16...
e4 $1 {keeps an advantage.}) 17. Bxf4 g5 18. Be3 d5 $1 19. cxd5 Nxd5 20. Nxd5
Qxd5 21. Rc1 $1 Bd4 (21... Qxa2 $2 {allows} 22. b4 $1) 22. Bxd4 Qxd4 23. Qc3
Qg1+ $5 {Black plays for a win.} 24. Kd2 Qg2 25. b4 Rhe8 26. Re1 Rd5 27. Qc4 $5
Red8 $2 ({The combination} 27... Rxe2+ 28. Rxe2 Qxf3 29. bxc5 Rxc5 30. Qa6+ Kd8
31. Qxa7 Rc2+ $1 32. Kxc2 Qxe2+ {draws.}) 28. a4 $1 Kb8 29. a5 $1 Rd4 30. Qa6
Rxb4 31. Rxf7 Rxd3+ $5 ({Or} 31... Qa8 32. Ref1 {(Persson).}) 32. Qxd3 Rd4 {
A surprise follows.} 33. Kc1 $1 Qd5 ({Persson gives} 33... Rxd3 34. exd3 Qc6
35. Ree7 Qc8 36. a6) 34. Rf8+ {
Persson won the tournament. Later he used the name Brynhammar.} ({
Black resigned due to} 34. Rf8+ Kb7 35. a6+ Kc7 36. Qh7+ Kc6 37. Qb7+) 1-0

[Event "Bundesmeisterschaft VII"]
[Site "corr 1935-36"]
[Date "1935.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Keres, Paul"]
[Black "Ekstrom, Nils"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A34"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "33"]
[EventDate "1935.??.??"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. g3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Nc6 7. Rb1 $5 (7.
Nf3 {was played in Vaitonis - Gilfer, Folkestone 1933.}) 7... e5 8. Qa4 Qc7 9.
Nf3 Bd6 $5 ({Keres sees} 9... Bd7 $1 {as a better answer to the threat Nxe5.})
10. d4 O-O 11. O-O cxd4 12. cxd4 e4 $2 {The centre pawn becomes a weakness.} ({
Right is} 12... Bd7 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Qb3 {(Keres)} 14... Bf5 $1) 13. Nd2 $1 f5
14. Nc4 $1 Ne7 ({Or} 14... b5 15. Rxb5 Nxd4 16. Nxd6 $1 Nxe2+ 17. Kh1 Qxd6 18.
Ba3 {(Keres).}) 15. Nxd6 Qxd6 16. Ba3 Qf6 17. f3 $1 (17. f3 exf3 18. Bxf3 {
and White wins easily.}) 1-0

[Event "Bundesmeisterschaft VII"]
[Site "corr 1935-36"]
[Date "1935.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Keres, Paul"]
[Black "Tatarski, W."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C33"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "37"]
[EventDate "1935.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nc3 g5 ({Sharpest is} 3... Qh4+ 4. Ke2 Nc6 5. d4 d5 6.
Nxd5 Bg4+ 7. Nf3 O-O-O 8. Kd3 f5 9. Nxh4 fxe4+ 10. Kxe4 Bxd1 11. Bd3 Re8+ {
(Keres - Wilkins, corr 1932). Paul was nearly crushed in the Steinitz Gambit.})
4. d4 d6 5. Bc4 h5 6. h4 Nc6 7. Nd5 Na5 $6 ({Better is} 7... Bg7 8. hxg5 Nxd4)
8. Be2 c6 9. Nc3 d5 {Black has no convincing defence against the threat 10. b4.
} 10. exd5 cxd5 11. Nf3 g4 12. Ne5 $1 Bh6 ({Preferable is} 12... Ne7 $1 13.
Bb5+ Nac6) 13. O-O $1 {
Black has no convincing defence against the threat 10. b4.} 13... g3 $2 ({
Black wants to deliver mate in two, but} 13... f3 $1 14. Bxf3 $1 Be6 ({not} 
14... Bxc1 15. Rxc1 gxf3 16. Qxf3 f6 17. Rce1) 15. Be2 a6 {
offers more resistance.}) 14. Bb5+ Kf8 15. Bxf4 $1 Bg4 $5 16. Bg5 $3 {
White threatens mate in one!} 16... f6 17. Qd3 $1 Nc4 18. Bxf6 Nxf6 19. Qg6 $1
{Young Keres played many postal games during the first half of the thirties.
He liked to play risky gambits and won the European championship by 10/13,
despite two losses.} ({Easy is} 19. Qg6 Nxe5 20. Rxf6+ $1 {(Keres).}) 1-0

[Event "European Olympiad prelim"]
[Site "corr 1935-37"]
[Date "1935.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Boas, J."]
[Black "Duchamp, Marcel"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B74"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "88"]
[EventDate "1935.??.??"]

{The European Olympiad started with twelve countries in 1935. The nations were
divided in two groups for the preliminaries.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4.
Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8. O-O O-O 9. Nb3 Be6 10. f4 Na5 11.
Nxa5 Qxa5 12. Bf3 Bc4 13. Rf2 Rfd8 (13... Rac8 {
was played in Steiner - Richter, Cafe Koenig Berlin 1928.}) 14. Rd2 Ne8 15. Ne2
$5 e5 $5 (15... Bxb2 $5 16. Rb1 Bf6 17. Rxb7 {leads to white activity.}) 16. c3
Bh6 17. g3 d5 $1 18. exd5 Nd6 {Black has given a pawn for the blockade.} 19. b3
e4 $1 20. Bg4 Bd3 21. Nc1 Ba6 22. c4 Bg7 23. Rb1 Qc3 24. Bd4 $6 ({Preferable is
} 24. Bc5 f5 25. Bh3) 24... Bxd4+ 25. Rxd4 b5 $1 26. c5 $1 {
A pawn sacrifice lessens the pressure.} 26... Qxc5 27. b4 Qb6 28. Nb3 h5 29.
Bh3 Bc8 30. Bxc8 Rdxc8 31. Kh1 e3 32. g4 $2 {
White damages his kingside voluntarily.} ({Better is} 32. Qd3) 32... hxg4 33.
Qxg4 Nf5 34. Re4 Re8 35. Re5 Qf6 36. Qg5 Qxg5 37. Rxe8+ Rxe8 38. fxg5 Re5 39.
Rd1 Nh4 $1 40. Nc1 e2 $1 41. Re1 Rxd5 42. Nxe2 Re5 {
Duchamp crowns grand positional play.} 43. a3 Kf8 44. h3 Ke7 {Zugzwang! 
p had played his second and last correspondence chess tournament.} 0-1

[Event "European Olympiad prelim"]
[Site "corr 1935-37"]
[Date "1935.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Keres, Paul"]
[Black "Dyckhoff, Eduard"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C83"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "110"]
[EventDate "1935.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5
Be6 9. c3 Be7 10. Be3 O-O 11. Nbd2 Nxd2 12. Qxd2 Qd7 13. Qd3 $5 {
Keres plays a <->serious opening' against Dyckhoff.} 13... Na5 14. Bc2 g6 15.
Bh6 Bf5 16. Qe2 Rfe8 17. Nd4 $5 Bxc2 18. Nxc2 Bd6 19. f4 f6 20. Qd3 fxe5 21. f5
$5 (21. Qxd5+ Qe6 {draws quickly.}) 21... Bc5+ 22. Kh1 e4 23. Qg3 Bd6 24. Qg5
Re5 25. Ne3 Qf7 26. Qh4 {White has sufficient compensation for the pawn.} (26.
b3 $5 {was tried in Ahman - Brynhammar, Sweden corr 1948). Black lost after a
number of errors.}) 26... Nc4 $1 {Black introduces a queen sacrifice.} 27. fxg6
Qxg6 28. Rf6 Rh5 $1 29. Rxg6+ hxg6 30. Qf6 Rxh2+ 31. Kg1 Rxh6 32. Qg5 $1 Kh7
33. Ng4 $1 {White gives a rook.} 33... Bc5+ 34. Kf1 Rh1+ 35. Ke2 Rxa1 36. Qh6+
Kg8 37. Qxg6+ Kh8 $1 38. Qf6+ Kh7 39. Qh6+ Kg8 40. Qg5+ $5 Kh8 41. Qxd5 Rf8 ({
The odd} 41... Rxa2 $5 42. Qxa8+ Kg7 43. Qd8 Rxb2+ 44. Ke1 Rb1+ 45. Ke2 Rb2+ {
also draws.}) 42. Qh5+ Kg7 43. Qxc5 $5 {White tries to avoid the draw.} 43...
Rff1 44. Qxc7+ Kg6 45. Qg3 Rae1+ 46. Qxe1 Rxe1+ 47. Kxe1 Nxb2 48. Kd2 Kf5 49.
Ne3+ Kf4 50. Nd5+ Ke5 51. Nc7 Nc4+ 52. Ke2 Na3 53. Nxa6 Nb1 54. Nb4 Nxc3+ 55.
Kd2 Nb1+ {A dead draw had been reached.   Paul Keres also played for Estonia
in the final. When bigger chess interests arose, his older brother Harald
replaced him.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Bundesmeisterschaft VIII"]
[Site "corr 1936-38"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Szigeti, Miklos"]
[Black "Dyckhoff, Eduard"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D34"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "64"]
[EventDate "1936.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O
O-O 9. Be3 Ng4 10. Bf4 Be6 11. h3 $5 (11. dxc5 {
(Flohr - Lasker, Moscow 1935) will become the main line.}) 11... Nf6 12. dxc5
Bxc5 13. Ng5 $5 Qe7 $1 14. a3 $6 (14. e4 $1 {
keeps a plus and avoids the next problems.}) 14... Rad8 15. b4 Bd4 16. Rc1 a6
17. Na4 Ne4 $1 {As usual Dyckhoff takes the initiative in the Tarrasch Defence.
} 18. Nxe6 ({The pointe is} 18. Rxc6 $2 bxc6 19. Nxe6 Bxf2+ $1 20. Rxf2 Nxf2
21. Kxf2 fxe6 22. Kg1 e5 23. Bd2 e4 {(Euwe).}) 18... Qxe6 19. e3 ({Not} 19.
Rxc6 $2 Qxc6 20. Qxd4 Qxa4 {(Euwe).}) 19... Ba7 20. Re1 Rd7 21. Qc2 $2 (21. Qh5
{prevents the next move.}) 21... g5 $1 22. Bxe4 dxe4 23. Bxg5 Ne5 24. Qxe4 f5
25. Qg2 Nd3 26. Red1 Nxc1 27. Rxc1 Qa2 28. Nc5 Bxc5 29. Rxc5 Rd1+ $1 ({
This move is even better than} 29... Qxa3) 30. Kh2 Rd2 31. Kg1 $2 (31. Qxb7 $1
Rxf2+ 32. Kg1 Rd2 33. Rc1 {(Euwe)} 33... Qxa3 34. Rf1 {prolongs the game.})
31... Qb1+ 32. Kh2 Qe1 {Dyckhoff became second.} 0-1

[Event "Bundesmeisterschaft VIII"]
[Site "corr 1936-38"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Vidmar, Milan Sr"]
[Black "Napolitano, Mario"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D52"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "91"]
[EventDate "1936.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 c6 6. Nf3 Qa5 7. Bxf6 $5 Nxf6 8.
Bd3 Bb4 $5 ({More solid is} 8... dxc4 9. Bxc4 Bd6 {
(Model - Lisitsin, Leningrad 1932).}) 9. O-O $1 Bxc3 10. bxc3 dxc4 (10... Qxc3
$6 11. c5 {followed by Ne5 favours White (Vidmar).}) 11. Bxc4 Ne4 $2 ({
Right is the heroic} 11... Qxc3 {(Wiktor - Breitenbach, Ruhrgebiet 1997).}) 12.
Rc1 Bd7 13. Ne5 Nd6 14. Bd3 O-O-O 15. Qb3 Qc7 16. c4 $1 c5 17. Be2 $6 {
White should strike.} (17. Qa3 $1 b6 18. dxc5 bxc5 19. Qa6+ {
crushes the defence.}) 17... f6 18. dxc5 Ne4 $5 19. Nf7 Nd2 20. Qa3 Nxf1 21.
Rxf1 Kb8 22. Nxh8 Rxh8 23. Rd1 Bc6 24. Rd6 Qe7 25. Qb3 Rc8 26. Qd3 f5 27. Bf3
$5 g6 $5 28. Bxc6 Rxc6 29. Qd2 e5 30. h4 $6 Kc8 $6 ({Better is} 30... Rxc5 31.
Rd7 Qe6 32. Rxh7 Qxc4 {bur} 33. Rh6 $1 {charges again.}) 31. h5 $1 Rxc5 32.
hxg6 hxg6 33. Rxg6 Qd7 $5 34. Rd6 $1 Qe7 35. Qd3 $1 e4 36. Qd4 Qe5 37. Rd8+ Kc7
38. Qd7+ Kb6 39. Re8 Qb2 40. Re7 Ka6 41. g3 Ka5 $5 42. Qd8+ $5 Ka6 43. Qd6+ Qb6
44. Qd7 Qb1+ 45. Kg2 Ka5 $2 (45... Qb4 46. Re6+ Ka5 47. Rf6 {
wins for White less easily.}) 46. Qd4 $1 {Vidmar won the event by 111/2/15,
but he won a lost game versus Adam and was lost against Keres when Paul
withdrew.} 1-0

[Event "Bundesmeisterschaft IX"]
[Site "corr 1937-38"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Henneberger, Walter"]
[Black "Szigeti, Miklos"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C68"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "74"]
[EventDate "1937.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d4 exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 Bd7
8. Be3 O-O-O 9. Nc3 f6 10. O-O-O Ne7 11. f4 $5 Ng6 12. Rhf1 ({Known is} 12. Nb3
) 12... c5 13. Nf3 Bd6 14. g3 $6 ({Better is the immediate} 14. Nd2 $1 {
The king's knight will assist on the queenside.}) 14... Rhe8 15. Rde1 b5 16.
Nd2 c4 17. Nd1 Kb7 18. Nf2 Bf8 $5 19. Rg1 c5 20. Nf3 b4 21. f5 $6 ({Better is} 
21. Rd1 $1 {Rook exchanges will follow and relief the pressure.}) 21... Nh8 $1
(21... Ne5 {allows an exchange of knights.}) 22. Bf4 Nf7 23. g4 {
White tries to prepare e4-e5 but Black prevents the freeing.} 23... Bc6 24. Re3
Kb6 25. Nd2 Kb5 26. Rge1 a5 27. h4 a4 28. c3 Ne5 $6 (28... Bd6 $1 {
exchanges a less important piece in the battle for e5.}) 29. Bxe5 Rxe5 30. g5
Bd6 31. gxf6 gxf6 32. Ng4 Re7 33. Nxf6 $2 ({The liberating move} 33. e5 $1 {
should have been played. See} 33... fxe5 34. Nxe5 Bd5 35. Nexc4 $1 Rxe3 36.
Nxd6+ Rxd6 37. Rxe3 bxc3 38. bxc3 Bxa2 {drawn.}) 33... Bf4 $1 34. R3e2 a3 $1 {
Suddenly White is lost due to a pin.} 35. Rd1 (35. bxa3 bxc3 {(Szigeri)}) ({and
} 35. Kc2 axb2 36. Nb1 Bg3 37. Rh1 Rd6 {win for Black.}) 35... axb2+ 36. Kc2 ({
Or} 36. Kxb2 bxc3+ 37. Kxc3 Be5+) 36... bxc3 37. Nb1 Rxd1 {
The European championship was won by Szigeti by a score of 91/2/13.} ({
White noticed} 37... Rxd1 38. Nxc3+ Ka5 39. Nxd1 Ba4+ 40. Kxb2 Bxd1 {(Szegeti).
}) 0-1

[Event "European Olympiad final"]
[Site "corr 1937-39"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Nagy, Gyula"]
[Black "Eliskases, Erich"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C83"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "48"]
[EventDate "1937.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5
Be6 9. c3 Be7 10. Bf4 g5 $5 11. Be3 ({Nagy improves on the known} 11. Bg3 $2)
11... g4 12. Nfd2 Rg8 $5 13. f4 $2 ({Better is} 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Bxe6 fxe6 15.
Qxd8+ Rxd8 {(Nagy - Dyckhoff, corr. 1936).}) 13... gxf3 14. Nxf3 Qd7 15. a4 ({
Similar is} 15. Nbd2 O-O-O) 15... O-O-O 16. axb5 ({Eliskases suggests} 16. Kh1
{but} 16... Bh3 $1 17. Rg1 Rxg2 $1 {wins foe Black.}) 16... Bh3 $3 {
Thunder and lightning break loose.} 17. Ne1 ({Eliskases analyses} 17. bxc6
Rxg2+ 18. Kh1 Qg4 {and}) (17. g3 Nxg3 $1 18. hxg3 Rxg3+ 19. Kf2 {I add} 19...
Rxf3+ $1 20. Qxf3 Bh4+ {and Black wins.}) 17... Bxg2 18. Nxg2 Rxg2+ $1 19. Kxg2
Rg8+ 20. Kh1 Ng3+ $1 21. Kg1 Nxf1+ 22. Kxf1 Qh3+ 23. Ke2 Rg2+ 24. Bf2 ({Or} 24.
Kd3 Qf5#) 24... Bc5 {Austria became second, despite this win over Hungary.} 0-1

[Event "European Olympiad final"]
[Site "corr 1937-39"]
[Date "1937.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rosa, R.Q.."]
[Black "Balogh, Janos"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D12"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "68"]
[EventDate "1937.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6 6. Bd3 Be4 $5 {
Balogh always plays an odd move.} 7. O-O Nbd7 8. Bxe4 Nxe4 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Nd2
f5 11. f3 exf3 12. Nxf3 Nf6 13. Ng5 Qd7 14. e4 $6 {
The centre will become vulnerable.} 14... O-O-O 15. exf5 exf5 16. b3 Bc5 $5 (
16... Ng4 $1 17. Nf3 Bd6 {gains a plus (Bloodworth).}) 17. Bb2 Ng4 18. Qd2 ({
Not} 18. dxc5 $4 Qc7 $1 {(Bloodworth).}) 18... Bd6 19. h3 h6 20. Nf7 $2 {
The knight should retreat.} 20... Qxf7 21. hxg4 f4 22. Rac1 h5 23. g5 Qf5 24.
d5 Rhe8 25. c5 Qg4 26. Rf3 Be7 27. d6 Bxg5 28. Re1 Qf5 29. Rxe8 Rxe8 30. b4 (
30. Qa5 {is refuted by} 30... Bd8 $3 31. Qxa7 Re1+ {and Black wins.}) 30... g6
31. Kh2 Re4 32. Qc3 $6 Re2 $1 33. b5 $2 Qg4 34. d7+ Kc7 {Hungary triumphed.
Balogh and Barcza also partook in the team that won the over-the-board
Olympiad, Muenchen 1936.} 0-1

[Event "Bundesmeisterschaft X"]
[Site "corr 1938-39"]
[Date "1938.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Adam, Edmund"]
[Black "Seibold, Matthaus"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C81"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "37"]
[EventDate "1938.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5
Be6 9. Qe2 Na5 $5 10. Nbd2 c5 $4 ({Right is} 10... Nxd2 11. Bxd2 c5 {
(Kohler - Gilg, Poland 1940).}) 11. Nxe4 $1 dxe4 12. Bxe6 exf3 13. Bxf7+ $1
Kxf7 14. Qxf3+ Ke8 15. Rd1 Qc8 16. e6 $1 Qb7 17. Rd5 Qe7 18. Bg5 $1 Qxe6 19.
Kf1 {Adam won by a score of 12/14. The golden decade for correspondence chess
had ended and a war began. Chess journals became the main organisers of
correspondence tournaments again.} 1-0

[Event "Deutsche Schachzeitung 17"]
[Site "corr 1942-44"]
[Date "1942.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Engel, K."]
[Black "Junge, Klaus"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C59"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "89"]
[EventDate "1942.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8.
Be2 h6 9. Nf3 e4 10. Ne5 Bd6 11. d4 exd3 12. Nxd3 Qc7 13. Nd2 O-O 14. b3 {
Engel plays a solid novelty in an exciting opening.} 14... Re8 15. Bb2 Bg4 16.
f3 Nd5 $1 17. Ne4 $5 ({The chivalrous} 17. fxg4 $5 Bg3+ $1 18. hxg3 Qxg3+ 19.
Nf2 Ne3 20. Qc1 Rad8 {(Heidenfeld), and now} 21. Rg1 Nxg4 22. Rf1 Rxe2+ $1 23.
Kxe2 Qe3+ 24. Kd1 Nxf2+ 25. Rxf2 Qxf2 26. c4 Qf1+ 27. Kc2 Qf5+ 28. Kd1 {
brings perpetual check.}) 17... Ne3 18. Qd2 Nxg2+ 19. Kd1 Bf4 20. Qc3 $1 (20.
Nxf4 {opens the d-file.}) 20... f6 21. Nxf6+ $1 gxf6 22. Qxf6 Kh7 $1 23. fxg4
Ne3+ 24. Ke1 {A crucial position has been reached.} 24... Bg5 $6 (24... Nxc2+
25. Kd1 Ne3+ 26. Ke1 Nc2+ {repeats the positions.}) 25. Qf3 Nac4 26. h4 $1 ({
The greedy} 26. bxc4 $2 Qa5+ {(Heidenfeld)} 27. Kf2 $1 Rf8 28. h4 $1 Nxg4+ $1
29. Kg3 Rxf3+ 30. Bxf3 Bf6 $1 {favours Black.}) 26... Ng2+ 27. Kd1 $2 ({
Right is} 27. Qxg2 Bd2+ 28. Kf2 Nxb2 29. Nxb2 Qe5 {(Heidenfeld)} 30. Bd3+ $1)
27... Nce3+ 28. Kc1 Nxh4 29. Rxh4 Ng2+ $2 ({Correct is} 29... Nc4+ $1 30. Kd1
Nxb2+ 31. Nxb2 Bxh4 {and Black wins (Harding).}) 30. Kb1 Nxh4 31. Qf2 Rf8 32.
Qc5 Rae8 33. Nc1 $1 Ng6 34. Bd3 Qf7 35. a4 Bf6 36. Ne2 Bxb2 37. Kxb2 Kh8 38.
Rh1 Qg7+ 39. Ka2 Ne5 40. Bf5 Nxg4 41. Bxg4 Qxg4 42. Qxc6 Re6 43. Rxh6+ Rxh6 44.
Qxh6+ Kg8 45. Qh2 {Riedl found zero and Harding one correction in the analyses
by Heidenfeld.   Klaus Junge liked to fight for the SS on the front.
Correspondence chess was his hobby. He fell in April 1945.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Wch01 prelim"]
[Site "corr 1947-50"]
[Date "1947.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Nielsen, Chr"]
[Black "Purdy, Cecil"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E32"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "22"]
[EventDate "1947.??.??"]

{Correspondence chess revived quickly after the war. The ICCA was established
in 1946. Later it became the ICCF (International Correspondence Chess
Federation). Air mail had made intercontinental correspondence chess possible.
Europe could start postal fights with Australia and the American continent.  
 Von Massow, Rueb and Euwe had already talked about a world championship in
1937. The time was ripe for this idea in 1947. At least one game will be
selected from each world championship. Several Olympiads, World Cups and
Memorials have been chosen from numerous other events.   78 men played in 11
preliminary groups for the world championship from 1947- 50. Australia's
champion Purdy showed no mercy for his European opponent.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. e3 b6 6. Bd3 c5 7. Nge2 cxd4 8. exd4 d5 9. O-O dxc4
10. Bxh7+ $4 Nxh7 11. Qe4 Qd7 $1 {
14 winners and co-winners qualified for the final.} (11... Qd7 12. Qxa8 Nc6 {
leads to a material win for White.}) 0-1

[Event "USSR ch-01"]
[Site "corr 1948-51"]
[Date "1948.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Estrin, Yakov"]
[Black "Konstantinopolsky, Alexander"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B14"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "1948.??.??"]

{The first Soviet championship began in 1940 but had to be stopped the next
year. A new effort started in 1948. Ukranian Konstantinopolsky partook again. 
  } 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. c5 Be7 7. b4 $5 {
Estrin plays a favourite variation.} 7... Ne4 $1 {
A counter in the centre follows on the flank attack.} 8. Qc2 O-O 9. Nf3 f5 10.
Bd3 b6 $5 (10... Nc6 {has been played later.}) 11. Rb1 Bf6 12. h4 $5 Nc6 13.
Ne2 a5 14. a3 axb4 15. axb4 bxc5 16. dxc5 e5 $5 {
Black seeks the confrontation again.} 17. O-O Qe7 18. Bb5 Nd8 19. Bg5 Bxg5 20.
hxg5 f4 $6 {The centre is slightly weakened.} 21. Qb3 Be6 22. Nxe5 $6 ({
Better is} 22. g6 $1 h6 {and now} 23. Nxe5 $1 Nd2 24. Qd3 {
White has achieved an extra weakening compared to the game.}) 22... Nd2 23. Qd3
Nxb1 24. Rxb1 Qxg5 25. Nf3 Qh5 {White meets difficulties on the kingside.} 26.
Ned4 $2 (26. Qd2 $1 g5 27. Nfd4 $1 {offers a better defence.}) 26... Bg4 27.
Bc6 Nxc6 28. Nxc6 Rae8 $1 29. b5 Rf6 $1 30. Nb4 Rh6 31. Qxd5+ Qxd5 32. Nxd5
Bxf3 33. gxf3 Re5 $1 34. c6 $2 (34. Nxf4 $1 Rg5+ 35. Ng2 Rhg6 36. Kf1 Rxg2 37.
Ke2 {leaves the outcome unsure.}) 34... Rxd5 35. c7 Rg5+ 36. Kf1 Rc5 {
Konstantinopolsky won the first title.} 0-1

[Event "Olympiad01 final"]
[Site "corr 1949-52"]
[Date "1949.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Barcza, Gedeon"]
[Black "Prucha, Karel"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E18"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "75"]
[EventDate "1949.??.??"]

{The first worldwide Olympiad had its preliminaries from 1946 until 1949. Five
European and two South American countries began the final in 1949.   } 1. Nf3
Nf6 2. c4 b6 3. g3 Bb7 4. Bg2 e6 5. O-O Be7 6. d4 O-O 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Nxe4 Bxe4
9. Bf4 d6 10. Qd2 Nd7 11. Rfd1 Nf6 $5 12. Rac1 Qc8 13. Ne1 Bxg2 14. Nxg2 a5 $6
({Better is} 14... c5 15. dxc5 dxc5 {(Foltys - Saemisch, Prague 1943).}) 15. f3
Qa6 16. e4 Rfd8 17. Be3 c5 18. d5 exd5 19. cxd5 Re8 20. Bf4 Nd7 21. h4 {
The attack begins. Black counters.} 21... b5 22. Ne3 Bf6 23. Kg2 Ne5 24. Nf5
Rad8 $2 ({Right pawn moves are} 24... b4 $1 25. h5 a4 26. g4 h6 $1) 25. Bg5 $1
Bxg5 26. Qxg5 $1 {The attack has become forceful.} 26... g6 27. f4 $1 Nd7 ({
Insufficient is} 27... Nc4 28. Nh6+ Kg7 (28... Kf8 29. Qf6) 29. Ng4 $1 {
(Barcza).}) 28. h5 b4 29. Rd2 f6 30. Qg4 Kf7 31. hxg6+ hxg6 32. Rh1 $1 {
Black has no proper defence.} 32... Nf8 ({White overcomes in} 32... Rxe4 33.
Rh7+ Kf8 34. Qxg6 Re2+ 35. Kf3 $1 {(Barcza) and}) (32... Rh8 33. Nh6+ Kg7 34.
Qe6 $1) 33. Nh6+ Kg7 (33... Ke7 34. Ng8+ $1 Kf7 35. Qh4 $1 Kxg8 36. Qxf6 {
loses quickly (Barcza).}) 34. Qh4 Rxe4 ({Or} 34... Qc4 35. Ng4 $1 Qxe4+ 36. Kf2
Qe7 37. Qh8+ Kf7 38. Nh6#) 35. Ng4 $1 Kf7 36. Qxf6+ Ke8 37. Rh8 Kd7 38. Ne5+ {
The Hungarians showed great superiority.} 1-0

[Event "Olympiad01 final"]
[Site "corr 1949-52"]
[Date "1949.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pelikan, Jiri"]
[Black "Gaettone"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C77"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "51"]
[EventDate "1949.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. Qe2 $5 b5 6. Bb3 Bc5 7. c3 d6 8.
O-O Be6 9. Rd1 Bxb3 10. axb3 Bb6 11. d4 Qe7 12. d5 Nb8 13. Bg5 O-O $2 {
Black seems to invite an attack.} (13... h6 $1 14. Bh4 O-O {
leads to a future position in Spassky - Ragozin, Leningrad 1955.}) 14. Nh4 $1
Nbd7 15. Nf5 Qd8 16. Rd3 $1 {Pelikan makes elegant moves.} 16... Nc5 17. Re3 $1
Nxb3 18. Rg3 $1 Nxa1 19. Nxg7 $1 h6 $1 (19... Kxg7 20. Bh6+ Kxh6 21. Qd2+ Kh5
22. Qg5# {ends promptly (Harding).}) 20. Ne8 $3 Nxe8 ({Or} 20... hxg5 21. Rxg5+
Kh7 22. Qf3 $1 Kh6 23. Nxf6 Bxf2+ 24. Kh1 {(Harding).}) 21. Bxh6+ Ng7 22. Bxg7
f5 23. Bf6+ Kf7 24. Qh5+ Kxf6 25. Qg6+ Ke7 26. Qe6# {
Argentina defeated Peru by 5-1.} 1-0

[Event "Wch01 final"]
[Site "corr 1950-53"]
[Date "1950.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Collins, John"]
[Black "Adam, Edmund"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E49"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "94"]
[EventDate "1950.??.??"]

{The last European champion was Edmund Adam. He met problems after the war as
a German. When he appeared to be a concentration camp victim, he could take
part in the world championship's final. Soon Von Massow and Fernschach were
back too. Germany had been reintegrated internationally.   } 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 O-O 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Bd3 c5 9. Ne2 b6
10. O-O Ba6 11. Bxa6 Nxa6 12. Bb2 Qd7 13. a4 cxd4 (13... Rfe8 {
was played in the famous encounter Botvinnik - Capablanca, AVRO 1938.}) 14.
cxd4 Rfc8 15. Ba3 $6 {White loses time.} ({Better is} 15. Qb3 Rc4 16. Rfc1)
15... Rc4 $1 16. Bb2 Rac8 17. Ra3 Nb4 18. Bc3 a5 $5 19. f3 h6 20. Qd2 Qe7 21.
Rb3 Re8 22. Kf2 Nc6 23. Rxb6 $5 Qc7 24. Rb5 Qxh2 25. Ng3 $6 ({
The new problems are solved by} 25. Rc5 $1 Qd6 26. Rxc4 dxc4 27. Kg1 $1) 25...
Re6 $1 26. Bxa5 $1 ({Not} 26. Rh1 $2 Ng4+ $1 27. fxg4 Rf6+ 28. Nf5 Qxh1) 26...
h5 27. Ne2 Rxa4 28. Bc3 Re8 29. Rfb1 ({More prudent is} 29. Rbb1 $1 Qh4+ 30.
Kg1) 29... Ne7 30. Qc2 Raa8 31. Ng3 h4 32. Nf1 Qc7 33. Rb7 $2 (33. Kg1 $1 {
closes the defence.}) 33... Qc8 34. Qd3 Nf5 35. R7b6 Ra3 36. R6b3 Rxb3 37. Rxb3
h3 $1 38. gxh3 Nh4 $1 39. Kg3 $1 g5 $1 40. Qd1 Qf5 41. Rb2 Rxe3 $1 {
Black decides the game wonderfully.} 42. Nxe3 Ne4+ 43. Kh2 ({The pointe is} 43.
fxe4 Qf4#) 43... Nxf3+ 44. Kg2 Nh4+ 45. Kg1 Qxh3 46. Rb8+ Kg7 47. Nf5+ Qxf5 {
White has defence against the threat 48. .. Nf3+.   Adam showed himself as a
worthy finalist in many ways.} 0-1

[Event "Wch01 final"]
[Site "corr 1950-53"]
[Date "1950.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Purdy, Cecil"]
[Black "Watzl, Leopold"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D55"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "97"]
[EventDate "1950.??.??"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. d4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Ne4 7. Bxe7 Qxe7 8.
cxd5 Nxc3 9. bxc3 exd5 10. Qb3 Qd6 11. c4 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Nc6 13. Qc3 Bg4 $1 (
13... Qb4 $6 14. Qxb4 Nxb4 {and Black survived in Germek - Tot, Zagreb 1949.})
14. Nd2 Rad8 15. O-O Ne7 16. Rfc1 b6 17. Ne4 Qd7 18. Ng3 c6 19. Qa3 Ra8 20. Rc2
Be6 21. Bxe6 Qxe6 22. Rac1 Rfd8 23. Ne2 Rd7 24. h3 g6 $2 {
There is no need to weaken the kingside.} 25. Nf4 Qd6 26. Qb2 Rc8 27. Nd3 c5 $5
28. Ne5 $1 Rdc7 29. dxc5 Qf6 $2 {Black misses the surprising escape.} (29...
Rxc5 $1 30. Ng4 $1 Rxc2 $1 31. Nh6+ Kf8 32. Qh8+ Ng8 33. Qxg8+ Ke7 34. Qxf7+
Kd8 35. Qg8+ Ke7 36. Qxh7+ Ke8 {Perpetual check will follow.}) 30. Qd4 Nf5 31.
Qf4 Qe6 32. Nd3 bxc5 33. Rxc5 Rxc5 34. Rxc5 Rxc5 35. Nxc5 Qxa2 36. Qb8+ Kg7 37.
Nd7 Qa1+ 38. Kh2 Qa3 39. Qe5+ Kh6 40. Nc5 $1 Qb4 (40... f6 $1 {(Purdy)} 41.
Qf4+ Kg7 42. Qc7+ Kf8 43. Qc6 $1 {Probably White wins.}) 41. g4 f6 $1 42. Qc7
Ng7 43. Qxa7 Qb2 44. Nd3 Qc3 45. Qd7 f5 46. Qd6 Ne8 47. Qf8+ Ng7 48. gxf5 gxf5
49. Qd6+ {Purdy won the first world championship by a fine score of 101/2/13.}
1-0

[Event "Postal game"]
[Site "corr 1953"]
[Date "1953.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Euwe, Max"]
[Black "Napolitano, Mario"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E00"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "1953.??.??"]

{Max Euwe had a special interest in correspondence chess.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6
3. Bg5 $5 {Euwe plays an unusual opening.} 3... Bb4+ 4. Nd2 h6 5. Bxf6 Qxf6 6.
a3 Bxd2+ 7. Qxd2 d6 8. e3 e5 9. Ne2 exd4 10. Nxd4 Bd7 11. Be2 O-O 12. O-O Nc6
13. Nb5 Rac8 14. f4 $5 {He wants to start an attack.} 14... a6 15. Nc3 Ne7 $6 (
{More useful is} 15... Rfe8) 16. e4 $1 Rcd8 17. Rae1 Be6 18. Kh1 c6 19. f5 Bc8
20. Bd1 Qe5 $2 {Napolitano opens a hole.} 21. f6 $1 {Suddenly Max charges.}
21... Ng6 22. Ne2 Qg5 23. Qc3 Rfe8 24. Ng3 Ne5 (24... Qe5 $5 25. Qd2 Qg5 26.
Qxg5 hxg5 27. Nh5 {and White wins material.}) 25. fxg7 Re6 26. Rf5 Qe7 27. Ref1
Rg6 28. R5f2 Qh4 29. Rf4 Qg5 30. R1f2 c5 $6 31. Nf5 Re8 32. h4 Qd8 33. Bh5 Bxf5
34. exf5 Rxg7 (34... Rf6 35. Bf3 {imprisons a rook.}) 35. f6 Rh7 36. Bd1 Kh8 ({
Or} 36... Ng6 37. Bc2 $1 Nxf4 38. Rxf4 $18) 37. Bc2 Qc7 38. Bf5 d5 39. cxd5 Rg8
40. Qc2 Ng6 41. Bxg6 {Euwe had planned the participation in a correspondence
world championship but died before it started.} ({The pointe is} 41. Bxg6 Rxg6
42. Qxg6 $1) 1-0

[Event "Dyckhoff Memorial"]
[Site "corr 1954-56"]
[Date "1954.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Schmid, Lothar"]
[Black "O'Kelly de Galway, Alberic"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C65"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "51"]
[EventDate "1954.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. O-O O-O 6. d4 Bb6 7. Bxc6 dxc6 $1
8. Nxe5 Nxe4 (8... c5 9. dxc5 Qxd1 10. Rxd1 Bxc5 {
leads to an equal endgame (O'Kelly).}) 9. Re1 Nf6 $6 ({Problems are avoided by
} 9... Nd6 $1 {(Westman - Cornelis, Havana 1966).}) 10. a4 a5 11. Bg5 $1 c5 $6
({Better is} 11... h6 12. Bxf6 Qxf6) 12. Nd2 h6 $2 ({Right is} 12... cxd4 $1
13. Ne4 $1 {(Schmid), and Black stays in the game.}) 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. Ne4 Qf5
15. Nxc5 Bxc5 16. dxc5 Re8 17. Qd4 f6 18. Nc4 Be6 19. Ne3 Qh5 20. b4 Qe5 21.
Nc2 Qxd4 22. Nxd4 Bd7 23. b5 Kf7 24. f4 Rab8 25. Kf2 c6 26. b6 {
The Dyckhoff (1880-1949) Memorial was won by Schmid before O'Kelly.} 1-0

[Event "Wch02 final"]
[Site "corr 1956-59"]
[Date "1956.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bergraser, Volf"]
[Black "Ragozin, Viacheslav"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E66"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "88"]
[EventDate "1956.??.??"]

{When the USSR joined the ICCF, it got a place in the second world
championship. Ragozin, the second of Botvinnik, was selected. He did a lot
better than in the second Soviet championship.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c4 Bg7
4. g3 O-O 5. Bg2 d6 6. O-O c5 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. d5 Na5 9. Qd3 a6 10. e4 Rb8 $5 11.
e5 $5 {Bergraser plays a new and sharp move.} 11... Ng4 $1 12. e6 $5 ({
The quiet} 12. exd6 exd6 {was played in Euwe - Toran, Leeuwarden 1958.}) 12...
fxe6 13. Ng5 exd5 $6 ({Better is} 13... Bd4 $1) 14. cxd5 $6 ({
A plus for White is gained by} 14. Qxd5+ $1 Kh8 15. Nf7+ Rxf7 16. Qxf7 Ne5 17.
Qf4 Naxc4) 14... b5 15. h3 Nf6 16. Ne2 Bf5 17. Qd1 Ne8 18. g4 Bd7 19. Nf4 Nc7
20. Qc2 Qe8 21. Be4 Rf6 22. Re1 Nc4 23. a4 Ne5 24. axb5 Nxb5 $2 (24... Rxb5 $1
{keeps the a-file closed and the control over e6 intact.}) 25. Nfe6 $1 Bxe6 26.
Nxe6 Nd4 27. Nxd4 cxd4 28. f4 Nd7 29. Rxa6 Nc5 30. Rc6 $5 {
Now White plays for a win.} 30... Qf7 31. b4 $1 ({Not} 31. g5 $2 Rxf4 $1 32.
Bxf4 Qxf4 {and the white position falls apart (Ragozin).}) 31... Rxb4 32. Rc8+
Bf8 33. g5 Rxf4 34. Bxf4 d3 $1 ({The instant} 34... Qxf4 $2 {is met by} 35. Rf1
Qxg5+ 36. Kh1 Nd7 37. Qc7 {(Ragozin).}) 35. Qg2 (35. Bxd3 Qxf4 36. Rf1 Qxg5+
37. Qg2 Qxg2+ 38. Kxg2 Nxd3 39. Rcxf8+ Kg7 {(Ragozin)} 40. R1f7+ $1 Kh6 41. Kg3
{draws.}) 35... Qxf4 36. Rf1 Rxe4 $1 37. Kh1 $5 Qf5 38. Rxf5 gxf5 39. Qf2 (39.
Qd2 Re2 40. Qc3 Ne4 41. Rxf8+ $1 Kxf8 42. Qh8+ {also draws (Taimanov).}) 39...
f4 40. Qd2 Re3 $1 41. Qf2 $5 Nd7 $1 {
Black seems to make a futile attempt to win, but White is in a predicament.}
42. Rd8 ({Right is} 42. h4 $1 Re2 43. Qf1 f3 ({now} 43... Ne5 {fails}) 44. Qxf3
Re1+ 45. Kg2 d2 46. g6 $3 hxg6 47. Qd3 d1=Q 48. Qxg6+ Kh8 49. Qh6+ {
and perpetual check.}) 42... Re2 43. Qf1 Ne5 44. Qxf4 Nf7 $1 {
Black wins a decisive tempo by the attack on the rook.} (44... Nf7 45. Rxf8+ $5
Kxf8 {(Ragozin) gives little chance.}) 0-1

[Event "Wch02 final"]
[Site "corr 1956-59"]
[Date "1956.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Ragozin, Viacheslav"]
[Black "Schmid, Lothar"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B21"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "55"]
[EventDate "1956.??.??"]

1. d4 c5 2. e4 cxd4 3. Nf3 Nf6 $5 4. e5 $1 Nd5 5. Bc4 $1 {
Ragozin improves the theory.} 5... Nb6 6. Bb3 d5 $6 ({Preferable is} 6... Nc6)
7. exd6 e6 8. Qxd4 Qxd6 9. Nc3 Qxd4 10. Nxd4 {
White has achieved a better position.} 10... a6 11. Be3 N8d7 12. O-O-O Nc5 13.
Rhe1 Bd7 14. Nf5 $1 O-O-O $2 ({A fine and surprising defence gives} 14... Bc6
$1 15. Nxg7+ $1 Bxg7 16. Bxc5 Nd7 $1 17. Bd4 Bxd4 18. Rxd4 Bxg2) 15. Bxc5 $1
Bxc5 16. Ne4 $1 exf5 17. Nxc5 Bc6 (17... Rhf8 18. Re7 Bc6 19. Rxf7 Rxd1+ 20.
Kxd1 Rxf7 21. Bxf7 Bxg2 22. Be6+ {leads to the gain of a pawn by White.}) 18.
Bxf7 $1 Bxg2 19. Rxd8+ Rxd8 20. Ne6 $1 Rd6 ({Or} 20... Rd7 21. Bg8 $1 {
(Ragozin).}) 21. Nxg7 Rh6 22. Re6 Rxh2 23. Rxb6 Be4 24. f3 $1 Bxf3 25. Nxf5 Be4
26. Nd4 h5 27. Rh6 h4 28. Bh5 {
Ragozin became the second world champ by a score of 11/14.} 1-0

[Event "Olympiad03 final"]
[Site "corr 1958-61"]
[Date "1958.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bondarevsky, Igor"]
[Black "Jezek, Jaroslav"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D43"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "41"]
[EventDate "1958.??.??"]

{When the Soviet-Union became member of the ICCF, it began to rule the
Olympiads. Bondarevsky headed their team twice.} 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. d4 d5
4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. Nf3 c6 6. Qb3 h6 7. Bf4 Qb6 8. Qc2 Ne4 $2 9. Nxe4 $1 {
Igor accepts the challenge.} 9... dxe4 10. c5 $1 Nxc5 $5 11. dxc5 Bxc5 12. Qxe4
Bxf2+ 13. Kd1 O-O 14. Kc2 ({Sources give the unlikely move order} 14. Bd2 $2
Rd8 $2 15. Kc2) 14... Rd8 15. Bd2 $1 e5 {
Black cannot develop a dangerous attack.} ({See} 15... Bd4 16. Bc3 $1 Bxc3 17.
bxc3) 16. e3 Rd5 17. Bc4 Qc5 18. Raf1 Bf5 19. Qxf5 Qxc4+ 20. Kb1 Qe2 21. Bc1 {
The previous champion Czechoslovakia was defeated by 5-1.} 1-0

[Event "Wch03 final"]
[Site "corr 1959-62"]
[Date "1959.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Balogh, Janos"]
[Black "O'Kelly de Galway, Alberic"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B08"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "100"]
[EventDate "1959.??.??"]

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 d6 4. Bc4 c6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Qe2 $5 O-O 7. Bg5 b5 8.
Bd3 (8. Bb3 $5 {was played in Nielsen - Christensen, Denmark corr 1955.}) 8...
Qc7 9. e5 dxe5 10. Qxe5 Qd8 $5 11. Qf4 $5 ({My preference has} 11. O-O $1 Na6
12. a3 Nc7 13. Rae1 Ne6 14. Be3) 11... Na6 $1 12. a3 Nc7 13. Ne2 $6 (13. Qh4 $1
{keeps a plus.}) 13... c5 $1 14. dxc5 Ne6 15. Qe3 $6 Nd5 $1 16. Qd2 {
White has lost time.} 16... Nxc5 17. Rd1 ({Not} 17. Bxb5 $2 Ne4 $1) 17... Bb7
18. O-O Nxd3 19. Qxd3 Qb6 20. Rfe1 a6 $1 {Black gains a plus by consolidation.}
21. Ned4 Rfe8 22. Qd2 e5 $1 {O'Kelly takes the initiative.} 23. Nb3 Rac8 24.
Re2 $6 f6 25. Be3 Qc7 26. c3 Bf8 $6 ({Black misses} 26... Rcd8 $1 27. Ree1 Nf4
28. Qc2 Rxd1 29. Rxd1 Nxg2 $1 30. Kxg2 Qc4 31. Nbd4 exd4 32. Rxd4 Qe6 33. Qd1
g5 {and wins.}) 27. Qe1 Bd6 28. Bc1 Kf7 29. h3 e4 $6 30. Nfd4 $1 f5 31. Bg5 Qb6
32. f3 $2 ({Right is} 32. Red2 $1 Bb8 33. Ne2 {and} 33... Qc7 $2 {
can be answered by} 34. Bf4 $1 Nxf4 35. Rd7+ {(Harding).}) 32... exf3 33. Rxe8
Rxe8 34. Qh4 h5 35. gxf3 Qc7 36. Nxf5 $1 Re2 37. Nbd4 Bc5 38. Kf1 Qh2 $1 39.
Nh6+ ({The pointe is} 39. Nxe2 Qh1+ 40. Ng1 Qxg1+ 41. Ke2 Nxc3+ $1 42. bxc3
Bxf3+ $1 43. Kxf3 Qxd1+ {(O'Kelly).}) 39... Kg7 40. Nxe2 Qh1+ 41. Ng1 Bxg1 $5
42. Ke2 Qg2+ 43. Ke1 Bh2 $1 44. Rxd5 Bg3+ 45. Kd1 Qxf3+ 46. Kc1 Bxd5 47. Qd4+
Kh7 48. Be3 Bd6 49. Qa7+ Bb7 50. Qb6 Bf4 0-1

[Event "Wch03 final"]
[Site "corr 1959-62"]
[Date "1959.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Kjellander, Sven"]
[Black "O'Kelly de Galway, Alberic"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B07"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "1959.??.??"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 g6 3. f4 Bg7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 cxd4 7. cxd4 O-O 8. Nc3
Nc6 9. O-O Bg4 10. Be3 Bxf3 $6 11. Qxf3 {
White hasn't panicked by the Modern Defence and even gained a plus.} 11... e5
$1 12. Ne2 ({Even better is} 12. fxe5 $1 dxe5 13. d5 Nd4 {(O'Kelly)} 14. Qh3 $1
) 12... Nd7 13. Qf2 Nf6 14. h3 $6 (14. Qf3 {draws (O'Kelly).}) 14... exd4 15.
Nxd4 Nb4 $1 16. Bb1 Qe7 17. Qd2 Nc6 18. f5 d5 (18... Nxe4 $5 19. Bxe4 Qxe4 20.
f6 {(O'Kelly)} 20... Rfe8 21. Nxc6 bxc6 22. Rae1 Bf8 {leads to equality.}) 19.
Nxc6 bxc6 20. exd5 Nxd5 21. Bd4 Bxd4+ 22. Qxd4 Rad8 23. fxg6 hxg6 24. Qf2 Ne3
25. Re1 Rfe8 26. Bc2 Rd6 27. Bb3 Rf6 28. Qd2 Qc5 29. Qc3 Qg5 30. Re2 c5 31.
Rae1 Rf3 $1 32. Bd5 $3 {White forces the draw.} 32... Rxh3 33. Qxc5 Qg3 34. Bf3
Qh2+ 35. Kf2 Qg3+ {O'Kelly become first by a score of 61/2/9, half-a-point
before the Russian Dubinin. It was the only world championship without
preliminaries.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Olymiad05 prelim"]
[Site "corr 1961-65"]
[Date "1961.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bohatirchuk, Fedor"]
[Black "Berliner, Hans"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A53"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[EventDate "1961.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8 6. Bg5 (6. Nf3 $1 {
gains a plus.}) 6... c6 7. Nf3 Nbd7 8. a3 Kc7 9. e3 a5 10. Be2 Bd6 11. O-O a4
12. Nd2 Nc5 13. Bxf6 $6 ({Preferable is} 13. f3) 13... gxf6 14. Nde4 Nxe4 15.
Nxe4 Be7 16. Rac1 Be6 17. Rfd1 Rhd8 18. Rxd8 Rxd8 19. Kf1 $1 Kb6 $1 20. Ke1 f5
21. Nd2 Bc5 {The two bishops are advantageous.} 22. Nb1 $5 Ka5 23. Nc3 Ba7 24.
Rd1 Rxd1+ 25. Kxd1 f4 26. exf4 Bxf2 27. fxe5 Bd4 28. Kc2 Bxe5 29. h3 Bf5+ (
29... f5 $1 30. g4 h6 {keeps an edge.}) 30. Bd3 Bxd3+ 31. Kxd3 b5 32. cxb5 cxb5
33. Kc2 b4 34. axb4+ Kxb4 35. g4 $1 {White forces a draw in an elegant way.}
35... Bxc3 36. bxc3+ Kc5 37. g5 $1 Kc4 38. Kb2 Kd3 39. h4 Kc4 40. Ka3 Kxc3 41.
Kxa4 Kc4 {The pawn ending is drawn.   A past over-the-board champion of the
Soviet-Union had fled to Canada and had begun to play correspondence chess. He
met a new American talent. The polished positional fight ended in a draw.} ({
See} 41... Kc4 42. Ka5 Kd5 43. Kb5 Ke5 44. Kc5 Kf5 45. Kd5 Kg4 46. Ke5 Kxh4 47.
Kf4 $1 Kh3 48. Kf3 $1) 1/2-1/2

[Event "Olympiad04 final"]
[Site "corr 1961-64"]
[Date "1961.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bondarevsky, Igor"]
[Black "Balogh, Janos"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C89"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "89"]
[EventDate "1961.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3
d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 Nf4 $6 12. d4 Ng6 13. Re1 $1 Bb7 14. Nd2
c5 $5 (14... Nh4 {lost in Zlotnik - Koskinen, Russia 1955.}) 15. Nf3 c4 16. Bc2
f5 17. Ne5 Qd5 18. f3 $1 ({The retreat} 18. Nf3 {loses advantage.}) 18... Nxe5
19. Rxe5 Qd7 {Igor conquers the position by a sacrifice.} 20. Bf4 $1 Bd6 21.
Bxf5 Qd8 22. Qe1 (22. Qc2 $1 {will win in Lederer - Holzvoigt, corr 1970.})
22... Bxe5 23. Be6+ Kh8 24. Bxe5 Qg5 ({Rellstab's} 24... Bd5 {is met by} 25.
Bxg7+ Kxg7 26. Qe5+) 25. d5 $1 Rxf3 $1 26. h4 $1 Qe3+ 27. Qxe3 Rxe3 28. Bd4
Rxe6 ({Or} 28... Rg3 29. a4 $1 b4 30. Rf1 $1 bxc3 31. bxc3 Rd8 32. Rf7 Bc8 33.
Bxc8 Rxc8 34. d6 Kg8 35. d7) 29. dxe6 Kg8 30. Bc5 Bd5 31. e7 Kf7 32. Rf1+ Ke6
33. Rf8 Kd7 34. Kf2 Re8 35. g4 g5 36. Rf6 Be4 37. Ke3 Bb1 38. h5 Bxa2 39. Rxa6
Bb1 40. Kd4 Bd3 41. Ke5 Rc8 42. Bb4 Be2 43. Kf5 Rg8 44. Rd6+ Kc8 45. Ba5 {
The Soviet-Union won easily in the fourth Olympiad.} 1-0

[Event "Wch04  final"]
[Site "corr 1962-65"]
[Date "1962.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Zagorovsky, Vladimir"]
[Black "Dubinin, Piotr"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B60"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "101"]
[EventDate "1962.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 Qb6 7. Nb3 e6 8.
Bxf6 gxf6 9. a4 $5 a6 10. a5 Qc7 11. Be2 Bd7 12. O-O ({White diverts from} 12.
f4 {(Zakharian - Bagirov, Batumi 1961).}) 12... Be7 13. f4 Nb4 $5 14. Bh5 $1
Rg8 $5 15. Nd4 e5 $5 16. fxe5 dxe5 17. Nf5 Qc5+ 18. Kh1 O-O-O 19. Qe2 Be6 $2 ({
The passive} 19... Bxf5 $1 20. Rxf5 Rg7 {defends properly.}) 20. Na4 $1 Qc7 {
Black's queen is overburdened.} 21. Nb6+ Kb8 22. c3 Nd3 $5 ({Or} 22... Nc6 $2
23. Nd5 Bxd5 24. exd5 Rxd5 25. Bxf7) 23. Nd5 $1 Bxd5 24. exd5 Nf4 $1 25. Rxf4
$1 exf4 26. Qxe7 Qxe7 27. Nxe7 Rg5 28. Bxf7 Rd7 29. h4 Re5 30. d6 $1 Rxd6 31.
Ng8 f3 $5 32. Rf1 Re2 $5 (32... Rd7 33. Nh6 fxg2+ 34. Kxg2 Rd2+ 35. Rf2 Rxf2+
36. Kxf2 Rxa5 {prolongs the game.}) 33. Rxf3 Rdd2 34. Rg3 f5 35. Nf6 f4 36.
Rg8+ Ka7 37. Bd5 Rd1+ 38. Kh2 Ree1 39. Kh3 h5 $1 {Black threatens mate in one.}
40. g3 Rxd5 41. Nxd5 f3 {
Dubinin delivers massive counter-play but Zagorovsky has a flawless win.} 42.
Kh2 f2 43. Ne3 $1 Rxe3 44. Kg2 Rf3 45. Kf1 b5 46. Rg5 Kb7 47. Rxh5 Rxg3 48.
Kxf2 Rd3 49. Re5 Kc7 50. h5 Kd6 51. Re3 (51. Re3 Rd2+ 52. Kg3 $1 {
gives a nice touch.}) 1-0

[Event "Wch04  final"]
[Site "corr 1962-65"]
[Date "1962.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Zagorovsky, Vladimir"]
[Black "Tolush, Alexander"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B76"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "1962.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2
Nc6 9. O-O-O Be6 $6 10. Kb1 $6 ({Best is playing} 10. Nxe6 {
at once (Tolush - Lisitsin, Leningrad 1938).}) 10... Rc8 $6 11. Nxe6 $1 fxe6
12. Bc4 Qd7 13. Bb3 b6 14. g4 $6 (14. Bh6 {continues the attack properly.})
14... Na5 $1 15. Qe2 Nxb3 16. cxb3 Ne8 17. Bd2 $5 d5 $5 18. Be1 d4 19. e5 Rd8
20. Bg3 Nc7 $6 (20... d3 $1 {grabs the initiative.}) 21. Rd3 $1 Qc8 22. Ne4 Qa6
23. h4 Nd5 24. a3 $1 Nf4 $2 ({Right is} 24... h6 {(Rellstab)} 25. Nf2 Qb5) 25.
Bxf4 Rxf4 26. h5 $1 Qb5 (26... Rd5 27. hxg6 hxg6 28. Rc1 $1 Bxe5 29. Rc6 {
brings a strong white attack.}) 27. hxg6 hxg6 28. Ng5 Rd5 29. Rhd1 $1 Bxe5 (
29... Rxe5 30. Qh2 $1 Rxg5 31. Qxf4 {
also loses the exchange for Black (Rellstab).}) 30. Qh2 $1 Rf7 31. Qh6 Rd6 32.
Ne4 Qd7 33. Nxd6 exd6 34. Qxg6+ Rg7 35. Qe4 Bf6 36. Rh1 d5 37. Qf4 Rf7 38. Qb8+
Rf8 39. Qh2 {The daring attacker Tolush had scored 9/9 in the qualification.
His charges were too risky for the final. Vladimir Zagorovsky became the
fourth world champion by 91/2/12.} 1-0

[Event "Ragozin Memorial"]
[Site "corr 1963-66"]
[Date "1963.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Estrin, Yakov"]
[Black "Simagin, Vladimir"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B66"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "87"]
[EventDate "1963.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8.
O-O-O h6 9. Bf4 Bd7 10. Nxc6 Bxc6 11. f3 d5 12. Qe1 Bb4 13. a3 Ba5 14. exd5 $1
Nxd5 $5 {Simagin brings an amazing novelty.} 15. b4 Nxf4 $1 ({Not} 15... Bb6 $2
16. Nxd5 Bxd5 17. c4 {(Estrin).}) 16. Rxd8+ Bxd8 {
Black gains counter-play by the sacrifice.} 17. Ne2 ({Simagin prefers} 17. Ne4
$5) 17... Nxe2+ 18. Bxe2 O-O 19. Kb1 Bf6 20. h4 $5 Rfc8 21. g4 $5 Bd5 22. Qg3
Bc3 $5 23. Rh3 $5 h5 $6 {The players are making odd moves.} ({More natural is} 
23... a5 24. b5 Bd4) 24. gxh5 b5 25. f4 Bf6 26. Qe1 $5 Rc6 27. h6 $1 Rac8 28.
Bd3 Rc3 $5 {Both sides attack the king.} 29. Rg3 ({
White can take the initiative by} 29. hxg7 Kxg7 30. Qc1 $1) 29... Rxa3 $5 30.
Bh7+ $1 Kxh7 31. Rxa3 Kxh6 32. Rxa6 $5 (32. f5 $1 {attacks (Simagin).}) 32...
Rc3 33. f5 Rh3 34. fxe6 fxe6 35. Qd2+ Kg6 36. c3 Rxc3 37. Qe2 Rc4 38. Rxe6 $5 {
Estrin worries about the threatening black wood and forces a draw.} 38... Rxb4+
39. Kc1 Rc4+ 40. Kb1 Bxe6 41. Qxe6 Rxh4 42. Qe8+ Kh6 43. Qxb5 g5 44. Qf5 {
The queen will deliver perpetual check or pursuit other pieces.   The obsessed
Simagin played wonderful correspondence chess.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Ragozin Memorial"]
[Site "corr 1963-66"]
[Date "1963.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rittner, Horst"]
[Black "Simagin, Vladimir"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B66"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "89"]
[EventDate "1963.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8.
O-O-O h6 9. Be3 Bd7 10. f3 b5 11. Nxc6 Bxc6 12. Qf2 Qc7 13. Bd3 b4 $5 14. Ne2
d5 15. e5 $5 Nd7 (15... Qxe5 $4 16. Bf4 Qh5 17. g4 {costs a knight (Rittner).})
16. f4 Bb5 17. Kb1 Bxd3 18. cxd3 b3 $1 19. Rc1 bxa2+ 20. Ka1 Qb7 21. Rc2 $1 Rc8
({An interesting alternative brings} 21... Rb8 $1 22. f5 $1 Ba3 $1 23. Nf4 O-O
$1) 22. Rxc8+ Qxc8 23. Rc1 Qb7 24. f5 $1 exf5 $6 ({Best is} 24... Nxe5 $1 25.
fxe6 {(Rittner), and now} 25... Bd6 $1 26. Qg3 O-O $1) 25. Bd4 $1 Be7 26. Qxf5
O-O 27. e6 $1 Nf6 $2 {Simagin falls in the ravine.} ({Rittner regards} 27...
fxe6 28. Qxe6+ Rf7 29. Nf4 {as won for White, but} 29... Bg5 $1 30. Qxd5 Qxd5
31. Rc8+ Nf8 32. Nxd5 Rd7 33. Rc7 $1 Rxd5 $1 34. Rxg7+ Kh8 35. Rd7+ Rxd4 36.
Rxd4 a5 {defends well.}) 28. Nf4 Bd8 29. Rc8 $1 fxe6 30. Qxe6+ Qf7 31. Qxa6 Ne4
32. Qe6 Ng5 33. Qxd5 Qxd5 34. Nxd5 Ne6 35. Be3 Rf1+ 36. Kxa2 Kf7 37. Rc2 Ke8
38. b4 Kd7 39. Kb3 Bg5 40. Bc5 h5 41. Kc4 h4 42. d4 Bd8 43. b5 g5 44. b6 h3 45.
b7 {The great days of Simagin were ending in correspondence chess. He had
conquered in the sixth Soviet championship. Rittner won the Ragozin Memorial.}
1-0

[Event "Wch05 final"]
[Site "corr 1965-68"]
[Date "1965.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Berliner, Hans"]
[Black "Messere, Kenneth"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D86"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "43"]
[EventDate "1965.??.??"]

{The use of computers will revolutionise correspondence chess in the 1990's.
Many computer experts were active in the hobby previously. A main example is
Hans Berliner. He won the fifth world championship in 1967 by a fantastic
score of 14/16. The chess program Hitech was developed by him in the next
decades.   } 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7
7. Bc4 O-O 8. Ne2 b6 $6 9. h4 $1 e5 $6 10. h5 $1 exd4 11. hxg6 $1 hxg6 12. cxd4
Qe7 13. Qd3 $1 ({Berliner fends off from} 13. Qb3 {
(De Carbonnel - Kausek, corr 1962).}) 13... Re8 $6 {
Black has neglected the defence three times.} ({Berliner analyses} 13... Be6
14. Ba3 c5 {and White has a strong attack.}) 14. Bh6 Nc6 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. Qd2
$3 {White continues the attack brilliantly.} 16... Qxe4 17. O-O-O $1 Qe7 18.
Qh6+ Kf6 19. Rd3 Bg4 20. Rhh3 $1 Nxd4 ({The pointe is} 20... Bxh3 21. Rf3+ Bf5
22. Rxf5+ Kxf5 23. Qf4#) 21. Rxd4 Bxe2 ({Or} 21... Bxh3 22. Rf4+ Ke5 23. Re4+
$1 Kxe4 24. Qf4#) 22. Rf4+ 1-0

[Event "Wch05 final"]
[Site "corr 1965-68"]
[Date "1965.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Estrin, Yakov"]
[Black "Berliner, Hans"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C57"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "84"]
[EventDate "1965.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 b5 $6 6. Bf1 Nd4 7. c3 Nxd5 8.
Ne4 Qh4 $5 ({Berliner had lost to} 8... Ne6 {by Friedman (Chicago, USA Jr
champ. 1946). Now Hans plays this line with reversed colours.}) 9. Ng3 Bg4 10.
f3 e4 $1 ({He improves on} 10... Nf5 {(Rubinow - Steiner, New York 1946).}) 11.
cxd4 Bd6 12. Bxb5+ Kd8 13. O-O exf3 14. Rxf3 Rb8 $1 {
The critical position has been reached.} 15. Be2 $2 ({Berliner expects} 15. Bf1
$1 {to draw. Later an important line becomes} 15... Rb4 $1 16. d3 $1 Re8 $1 {
and Hans sees no good move for White. However,} 17. Nc3 $1 Bxf3 18. Qxf3 Qxd4+
19. Kh1 Nxc3 20. Nf5 $1 Qf6 21. bxc3 Qxc3 22. Bg5+ f6 23. Rc1 {seems to win.})
15... Bxf3 16. Bxf3 Qxd4+ 17. Kh1 Bxg3 $1 18. hxg3 Rb6 $1 19. d3 $1 Ne3 20.
Bxe3 Qxe3 21. Bg4 $1 h5 $1 22. Bh3 g5 23. Nd2 g4 24. Nc4 Qxg3 25. Nxb6 gxh3 26.
Qf3 hxg2+ 27. Qxg2 Qxg2+ 28. Kxg2 cxb6 $1 {
The long combination has netted a pawn.} 29. Rf1 Ke7 30. Re1+ Kd6 31. Rf1 Rc8
$3 32. Rxf7 Rc7 $1 {Black has the distant passed pawn in the rook ending.} 33.
Rf2 Ke5 34. a4 $6 (34. Kg3 $1 Kd4 35. Kh4 Kxd3 36. Kxh5 Rc2 $1 37. Rf3+ Kd2 {
offers more resistance (Berliner)} 38. Rf7 $5 a5 39. b3 Kc1 $1 {and Black wins.
}) 34... Kd4 35. a5 Kxd3 36. Rf3+ Kc2 37. b4 b5 $5 38. a6 ({
Black also wins in the line} 38. Rf5 $1 Rb7 $1 39. Rxh5 Kb3 40. Rh4 Rc7 41. Kf3
Rc4 42. Rh7 a6 43. Rh6 Rxb4 44. Rxa6 Ra4 45. Ke3 b4 46. Kd2 Ka3 $1 47. Kc1 b3)
38... Rc4 39. Rf7 Rxb4 40. Rb7 Rg4+ 41. Kf3 b4 42. Rxa7 b3 {The champion had
played one of the most appealing chess games. His successors were not tangled
in computer chess and correspondence chess stayed free from its influence for
the time being. Miniatures remained possible as becomes clear from the next
example.} 0-1

[Event "Wch06 final"]
[Site "corr 1968-71"]
[Date "1968.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Aarseth, Sverre"]
[Black "Rittner, Horst"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C17"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "28"]
[EventDate "1968.??.??"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. Qg4 Ne7 6. dxc5 Nbc6 7. Nf3 $2 d4 $1
8. Bb5 Qa5 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 $1 10. Qxg7 $6 (10. Qxd4 Nf5 {
lengthens the game (Lepsenyi - Androvitzky, Hungary corr 1966).}) 10... Rg8 11.
Qxh7 Ba6 12. Ng5 Bxc3+ (12... O-O-O 13. Nxf7 Bxc3+ {
wins more easily but less delightfully.}) 13. Kd1 O-O-O 14. Nxf7 d3 $1 ({
The pointe ia} 14... d3 15. Nd6+ Rxd6 $1 16. exd6 Qa4 $1 17. b3 Qg4+ {
(Heemsoth)} 18. f3 Qxg2 19. cxd3 Qxf3+ 20. Kc2 Qe2+ $1 21. Kxc3 Nd5+ 22. Kd4
e5#) 0-1

[Event "Wch06 final"]
[Site "corr 1968-71"]
[Date "1968.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rittner, Horst"]
[Black "Estrin, Yakov"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D92"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "53"]
[EventDate "1968.??.??"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. d4 Bg7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. Rc1 dxc4 7. e3 Be6 8. Ng5
Bd5 9. e4 h6 10. exd5 hxg5 11. Bxg5 b5 $6 ({Theory is} 11... Nxd5) 12. Be2 $6 (
{Even better is} 12. Qf3 {(Portisch-Florian, Hungary 1972).}) 12... a6 $6 (
12... c6 $1 13. dxc6 Nxc6 14. Be3 {drew in Baumbach - Packroff, DDR 1973.}) 13.
h4 $5 (13. Bf3 {gains a positional plus (Baburin).}) 13... c6 $2 ({Better is} 
13... Nxd5 14. Nxd5 Qxd5 15. Bf3 Qe6+) 14. h5 $1 b4 $5 15. Bxf6 $1 exf6 ({
Rittner had analysed} 15... Bxf6 $2 16. hxg6 $1 bxc3 17. Rxc3 cxd5 18. Bxc4 $1
fxg6 19. Qg4 {and White wins.}) 16. h6 $1 {A difficult position has arisen.}
16... Bxh6 $2 ({Right is} 16... bxc3 $1 17. hxg7 Kxg7 18. Rxc3 cxd5 19. Qd2 f5
$1 {(Maric). Winning chances result from} 20. Qh6+ Kf6 21. g4 $1 Nc6 22. Re3 $1
fxg4 23. Bxg4 {Notice} 23... Qd6 (23... Re8 24. Kd1 Rxe3 25. fxe3 Qd6 26. Rf1+)
24. Rf3+ Ke7 25. Qg5+ Ke8 26. Rf6 Qb4+ 27. Kd1 Ne7 28. Re1 Ra7 29. Re2 Qa4+ 30.
Kc1 Qxa2 31. Qxd5 Qa1+ 32. Kc2 Qa4+ 33. Kd2 Qb5 34. Qxb5+ axb5 35. Re5 b4 36.
Rb6) 17. Rxh6 Kg7 18. Qd2 bxc3 19. Rxc3 {Black cannot defend his king.} 19...
f5 20. Rch3 cxd5 21. Qf4 Nc6 22. Rh7+ Kf6 23. Re3 g5 24. Qh2 Rg8 25. f4 gxf4
26. Qxf4 Rg6 27. Bh5 {Horst Estrin became the sixth world champion by scoring
121/2/15, half-a-point before Vladimir Zagorovsky.} 1-0

[Event "Wch07 final"]
[Site "corr 1972-76"]
[Date "1972.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Boey, Jozef"]
[Black "Estrin, Yakov"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C82"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[EventDate "1972.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5
Be6 9. c3 Bc5 10. Nbd2 O-O 11. Bc2 f5 12. Nb3 Ba7 {
Usually the bishop goes to b6 in <->la grande variante'.} 13. Nfd4 Nxd4 14.
cxd4 $6 (14. Nxd4 Bxd4 15. cxd4 {
leads to the main line of <->la grande variante'.}) 14... f4 15. f3 Ng3 $1 16.
hxg3 $2 (16. Re1 $1 Qh4 17. Bd2 $1 {avoids the coming problems.}) 16... fxg3
17. Qd3 Bf5 18. Qxf5 Rxf5 19. Bxf5 Qh4 20. Be6+ $5 (20. Bh3 Bxd4+ {
also favours Black (Kogan - Estrin, corr 1946).}) 20... Kh8 21. Bh3 Bxd4+ 22.
Kh1 $6 (22. Nxd4 Qxd4+ 23. Kh1 {is better, like in Smyslov - Reshevsky, radio
1946. But the black king stood on g8 in that game and Black allowed a check on
e6, losing pawn d5.}) 22... Bxe5 23. f4 Rf8 24. Nc5 g5 $1 {
Estrin plays the most enjoyable move.} 25. Nd7 Bg7 26. Nxf8 g4 27. Be3 (27. Ne6
gxh3 28. Nxg7 hxg2+ 29. Kxg2 Qh2+ 30. Kf3 g2 31. Rd1 Qh1 $1 {
also wins for Black (Estrin).}) 27... gxh3 28. Bc5 d4 29. Rae1 d3 30. Ne6 Qh5
31. Ng5 h6 32. Nxh3 Qxc5 33. Re8+ Kh7 34. Rd8 Bd4 $1 35. f5 d2 36. Rd7+ Kh8 $1
37. Rd8+ Kg7 38. f6+ Kf7 39. Rd7+ Ke6 40. Rxd4 Qxd4 41. f7 Qd8 {
Estrin had defeated his main competitor in a theoretical duel.} 0-1

[Event "Wch07 final"]
[Site "corr 1972-76"]
[Date "1972.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Estrin, Yakov"]
[Black "Zagorovsky, Vladimir"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B79"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "1972.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2
O-O 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O Qa5 11. Bb3 Rfc8 12. h4 Ne5 $6 {
Black plays a risky variation of the Dragon.} ({More solid is} 12... h5 $5) 13.
g4 $1 Nc4 14. Bxc4 Rxc4 15. h5 Qe5 $2 ({Theory is} 15... Rac8) 16. hxg6 fxg6
17. g5 Nh5 18. Qd3 b5 $5 19. b3 $1 Rc5 20. Nce2 $1 Rcc8 21. f4 Qc5 22. Kb1 Qb4
23. f5 $1 Rab8 24. Rxh5 $1 {Estrin chooses the most drastic solution.} 24...
gxh5 25. Nf4 Rc5 (25... Qc4 $5 26. Qd2 Qc3 27. Qe2 {
does not stop the white attack.}) 26. Nxh5 $5 Bh8 27. Nf4 Rbc8 28. f6 $1 {
White makes the wildest choice again.} 28... Qc3 ({The first pointe is} 28...
exf6 29. Bd2 $1) 29. Qf1 $1 exf6 ({The second point is} 29... Qxe3 30. f7+ $1
Kf8 31. Nfe6+ Bxe6 32. Nxe6#) 30. Rd3 Qa5 31. gxf6 Bxf6 32. Nd5 Rxd5 $1 33.
Qxf6 $1 Rf8 34. Qh6 Rf1+ 35. Bc1 Rxd4 ({No use has} 35... Rxc1+ 36. Kxc1 Qe1+
37. Rd1 Qxe4 38. Rg1+ Bg4 39. Ne6 $1 {(O'Kelly).}) 36. Rg3+ $1 Kf7 37. Qxh7+
Ke6 38. Qh3+ Ke7 39. Rg7+ {Estrin participated five times in the final and
played fascinating chess. He became the seventh world champion by a score of
12/16.} ({The final might be} 39. Rg7+ Rf7 40. Bg5+ $1 Ke8 41. Rg8+ Rf8 42.
Qh5#) 1-0

[Event "Potter Memorial"]
[Site "corr 1974-78"]
[Date "1974.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Hollis, Adrian"]
[Black "Baumbach, Fritz"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D44"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "63"]
[EventDate "1974.??.??"]

{Reg Potter was Secretary of the British Federation for Correspondence Chess.} 
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5
9. Nxg5 hxg5 10. Bxg5 Nbd7 11. exf6 Bb7 12. g3 Qb6 13. Bg2 O-O-O 14. O-O Ne5
15. dxe5 Rxd1 16. Rfxd1 Bc5 $2 17. Ne4 Bd4 18. Nd6+ $1 ({Hollis improves on} 
18. Rd2 {(Tan Hoan Liong - Sydor, Warsaw 1959).}) 18... Kc7 $5 19. Bf4 $6 (19.
Nxf7 $1 Rf8 20. Nd6 Bxf2+ 21. Kh1 {wins more quickly.}) 19... Rf8 20. Bh6 Rh8
21. Bg7 $4 {Baumbach gets an incredible chance.} ({Right is} 21. Nxf7 $1) 21...
Rd8 $4 (21... Bxf2+ $1 22. Kh1 Rh7 $1 23. Nxf7 Rxh2+ $1 24. Kxh2 Qe3 $1 {
wins beautifully.}) 22. Nxf7 Bxf2+ 23. Kh1 Rxd1+ 24. Rxd1 Qe3 25. Nd6 Qe2 26.
Ra1 $3 (26. Rf1 $2 Ba8 $1 27. Ne4 c5 $1 28. Rxf2 Qe1+ 29. Rf1 Qe2 {
spoils the win (Baumbach).}) 26... Qh5 ({Or} 26... Qxb2 {and now} 27. Rf1 $1 c3
28. f7 c2 29. Bh6) 27. g4 $1 Qh7 {
Now it becomes apparent why the rook did not go to b1 on move 26.} 28. f7 $1
Bg3 29. h3 c5 30. Nxb7 Qxg7 31. Rf1 Qf8 32. Nxc5 $1 1-0

[Event "Potter Memorial"]
[Site "corr 1974-78"]
[Date "1974.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Nyman, Sture"]
[Black "Mulder van Leens Dijkstra, Kornelis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C19"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "140"]
[EventDate "1974.??.??"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Nf3 Qa5 8. Bd2
Nbc6 9. a4 Bd7 10. Be2 c4 11. O-O f6 12. Qe1 $6 ({Preferable is} 12. exf6 gxf6
{(Bannik - Ivkov, Rijeka 1963)} 13. Rb1 $1) 12... O-O-O $6 13. Bf4 $6 f5 $1 14.
Bc1 h6 15. Ba3 g5 16. Kh1 $5 Rdg8 17. Qd2 Ng6 18. Rfb1 g4 19. Ng1 Rh7 $5 20.
Bd6 Nd8 21. Bb4 Qc7 (21... Qa6 $5 22. a5 h5 $1 {takes the initiative at once.})
22. a5 Bc6 $1 23. Bc5 a6 24. Bb6 Qe7 25. Bxd8 $5 {
White gives up his counter-play for the exchange of a potential attacker.}
25... Rxd8 26. f4 gxf3 27. Nxf3 Rg8 28. Rb6 Nh4 29. Nxh4 Qxh4 30. Bf3 Qg5 $5
31. Qe1 $5 Rhg7 32. Rab1 h5 33. Qc1 $1 Qxc1+ 34. Rxc1 h4 35. Re1 Kd8 {
The king begins a long march.} 36. Kg1 h3 37. Re2 Ke7 38. Rb1 $2 {
White weakens both flanks in one move.} ({The odd} 38. g3 $1 f4 39. g4 {
keeps the position closed.}) 38... Bb5 $1 39. Kf2 hxg2 40. Rg1 b6 $6 41. axb6
Rb8 42. Bxg2 $2 (42. Ke3 $1 Rxb6 43. Rexg2 Rxg2 44. Rxg2 {
starts a counteraction.}) 42... Rxb6 43. Ra1 Rh7 44. Kg1 $6 ({Less passive is} 
44. h3) 44... Rb8 45. Bf1 Ra8 46. Ra5 Kf7 47. Rg2 Rah8 48. Rf2 Rh4 49. Ra3 Re4
50. Bg2 Re1+ 51. Rf1 Re2 52. Ra2 Kg6 53. h3 Re3 $5 54. Ra3 Kg5 55. Kf2 Kf4 $1 {
The king has arrived!} 56. Rh1 Rh4 57. Rf1 Rh5 58. Rh1 Rh6 59. Rf1 Rg6 $1 60.
h4 ({Or} 60. Rh1 Rgg3 $1 61. h4 Rxc3 62. h5 Rxc2+ {(Mulder).}) 60... Rh6 $6 (
60... Rgg3 $1 61. Rh1 {wins according to the previous line.}) 61. Rh1 Be8 $1
62. Rxa6 Rxc3 63. Rc1 $1 ({Not} 63. Bxd5 Rxc2+ 64. Ke1 Rc1+ 65. Kd2 exd5 $1 {
(Mulder).}) 63... Rxh4 64. Rxe6 Bh5 65. Rf6 (65. Bxd5 $2 Bf3 $1 66. Bxf3 Rxf3+
{(Mulder).}) 65... Kg5 $1 66. Rd6 Rf4+ 67. Kg1 Rxd4 68. Rxd5 Rxd5 69. Bxd5 Kf4
70. e6 (70. Re1 $1 {(Mulder)} 70... Kg3 $1 71. e6 f4 72. e7 Rxc2 $1 73. Rf1 Rc3
$1 {also wins for Black.}) 70... Ke5 {Hollis won the Potter Memorial. Mulder
van Leens Dijkstra became Grandmaster. Postal chess was ideal for Kor because
he expected to die when he left his property.} 0-1

[Event "Wch08 final"]
[Site "corr 1975-80"]
[Date "1975.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Khasin, Abram"]
[Black "Sloth, Jorn"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E45"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "1975.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Nge2 Ba6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Nxc3 d5 8.
Qf3 O-O 9. Be2 c5 10. dxc5 $5 bxc5 $5 ({Theory is} 10... Nbd7 {
(Taimanov - Spassky, Baku 1961).}) 11. cxd5 Bxe2 $1 12. Kxe2 $1 {
White keeps the equality in an odd way.} 12... exd5 13. Rd1 Nc6 14. Nxd5 Nxd5
15. Rxd5 Qb6 16. Kf1 Rad8 17. e4 $6 ({Better is} 17. g3 $1) 17... Nd4 18. Qd1
Rxd5 19. exd5 Rd8 20. Qa4 Qg6 (20... Nb3 $6 21. Bg5 $1 Nxa1 22. Bxd8 Qxd8 23.
Qd1 {draws (Sloth).}) 21. Qc4 Nc2 22. Bg5 $1 ({Not} 22. Rb1 $2 Re8 $1) 22...
Nxa1 23. Bxd8 Qb1+ 24. Ke2 Qxb2+ 25. Ke3 $1 Nb3 $1 ({Sloth does not play} 25...
Qxa3+ $6 {cause White might develop a centre attack.}) 26. Bh4 h6 27. Bg3 Qd2+
{The offer of a draw was refused.} 28. Ke4 Qe1+ 29. Kd3 Qd1+ 30. Ke3 $2 {
White blunders in a critical position.} ({Right is} 30. Kc3 $1 Nd2 $1 31. Qf4
$1 Qc1+ 32. Kd3 c4+ 33. Ke2 $1 c3 34. Kd3 $1 c2 35. Qb8+ Kh7 36. Qc8 Nc4 37.
Qf5+ {(Sloth).}) 30... f5 $1 31. d6+ Kf8 32. Be5 ({The pointe is} 32. Qc3 Nd4
$1 33. Qxc5 Nc2+ 34. Kf4 Qg4+ 35. Ke5 Qe4#) 32... g5 $1 33. Qc3 Nc1 34. Bg7+
Kg8 35. Qc4+ Kxg7 36. d7 f4+ {Jorn became the eighth world champion. The
championship had started for the first time, before the previous one had ended.
} ({Sloth had prepared} 36... f4+ 37. Ke4 Qxd7 38. Qxc1 Qd4+ 39. Kf3 Qd3+ 40.
Kg4 Kg6 $1) 0-1

[Event "Wch08 final"]
[Site "corr 1975-80"]
[Date "1975.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Zagorovsky, Vladimir"]
[Black "Nun, Josef"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C74"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "1975.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. c3 f5 6. exf5 Bxf5 7. O-O Bd3 8. Re1
Be7 9. Re3 e4 10. Ne1 Bg5 11. Rh3 Nh6 $6 {Nun tries something new.} 12. Nxd3
exd3 13. Qe1+ $5 Kd7 $6 {Black should not circumvent exchanges.} ({
A wiser answer is given by} 13... Qe7 $1 14. Qxe7+ Kxe7 15. Rxd3 {(Zagorovsky)}
15... Rae8 $1 16. Kf1 Rhf8) 14. Rxd3 Re8 ({The alternative is} 14... Rf8 {
(Van der Tak - Nederkoorn, corr 1986).}) 15. Qf1 Re4 $5 16. Rd4 $1 Rxd4 17.
cxd4 b5 18. d5 Nd4 19. Bd1 b4 $2 (19... Qe7 $1 20. Nc3 Re8 21. d3 Bxc1 22. Rxc1
Qe5 {keeps the game going.}) 20. Ba4+ Kc8 21. a3 Bf4 22. g3 Nf3+ 23. Kg2 Qg5
24. Qc4 Nh4+ 25. Kf1 Qf5 26. gxh4 Ng4 27. Qe2 Nxh2+ 28. Kg2 Qxd5+ 29. f3 g5 30.
Qe4 $1 {White liberates his position.} 30... Qxe4 31. fxe4 c5 32. hxg5 Kb7 33.
Bb3 Kb6 34. Bc4 a5 35. b3 Re8 36. d3 Bxc1 37. Kxh2 Re5 38. Ra2 Rxg5 39. axb4 {
Vladimir Zagorovsky participated six times in the final. He won once. This
time he scored 11/14, like Sloth, and became second on Sonneborn Berger score.}
1-0

[Event "Perfors Memorial"]
[Site "corr 1976-80"]
[Date "1976.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Endzelins, Lucius"]
[Black "Staal, Jacob"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A25"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "1976.??.??"]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. g3 f5 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. e3 g6 6. Nge2 Bg7 7. O-O Nf6 8. d4
O-O 9. f4 $5 e4 10. a3 d5 11. cxd5 Ne7 12. Bd2 Nfxd5 $5 13. Rc1 Be6 14. g4 $1 {
White tries to lift his passivity.} 14... Nxc3 15. Bxc3 $2 ({Right is} 15. Nxc3
$1) 15... Nd5 $1 16. Qd2 c5 17. Rfd1 c4 18. g5 a5 $1 {
This move looks premature.} 19. Ng3 ({But} 19. a4 $5 Bd7 20. Ra1 Qe8 $1 21. Ra2
Bxa4 22. Rda1 b5 23. Qc1 Nb6 {wins for Black.}) 19... b5 20. Bf1 Qb6 {
Black got the time to start an attack on the queenside.} 21. Qf2 $1 Rfc8 22.
Be1 Rc6 23. Be2 Rac8 $1 24. Rb1 b4 {The advance has been fully prepared.} 25.
axb4 axb4 26. Ra1 Qd8 27. h4 c3 $1 28. bxc3 bxc3 29. Ba6 c2 $1 30. Bxc8 Rxc8
31. Rdc1 Nxe3 $1 32. Qxe3 Bxd4 33. Bd2 Bxe3+ 34. Bxe3 Rc3 35. Nf1 Bc4 36. Re1
Bxf1 {Staal was my teacher for Dutch Language at highschool.} 0-1

[Event "USSR ch-13"]
[Site "corr 1977-78"]
[Date "1977.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Aronson, V."]
[Black "Umansky, Mikhail"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C51"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "1977.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Be7 6. Qb3 $6 ({More usual is} 
6. d4) 6... Nh6 7. d4 Na5 8. Qa4 Nxc4 9. Qxc4 d5 $5 ({Or} 9... Ng4 $1 10. h3
Nf6 11. dxe5 d5 $1 {(Ravinsky).}) 10. exd5 e4 11. Ne5 f6 $5 12. Bxh6 gxh6 13.
d6 $1 fxe5 ({Not} 13... Qxd6 $2 14. Qf7+ Kd8 15. Qg7 Rf8 16. Qxf8+ {(Umansky).}
) 14. dxe7 Qxe7 15. Qb5+ $6 (15. Nd2 $1 exd4 16. O-O dxc3 17. Nxe4 $1 {
continues the gambit play.}) 15... c6 $1 16. Qxe5 Qxe5 17. dxe5 Rg8 18. Nd2 Bf5
19. Rg1 Rd8 20. Nc4 Ke7 21. Nd6 Ke6 22. Nxb7 Rd5 $1 23. Rb1 $2 (23. c4 $1 Rxe5
24. O-O-O {defends properly.}) 23... Kxe5 24. c4 Rd3 25. Na5 c5 26. Rb5 (26.
Rb3 Kd4 $1 27. Nc6+ Kxc4 28. Ne5+ Kd5 29. Nxd3 exd3 {also favours Black.})
26... Bg4 $1 27. Rxc5+ Kd4 $1 28. Rd5+ Kc3 $1 {
White is losing the battle in the central area.} 29. f3 $5 {
He gives his extra pawn.} ({Umansky shows the lines} 29. Nc6 $2 Rg6 $1 30. Ne5
Rb6) ({and} 29. Nb3 $1 a5 $1 30. Nxa5 (30. Nd2 Rxd5 31. cxd5 Kd3 32. f3 e3 33.
Nb3 Rc8 $1 34. fxg4 a4) 30... Ra8 $1 31. f3 Rxd5 32. cxd5 Rxa5 33. fxg4 Rxa2 {
Black wins.}) 29... Bxf3 30. Kf2 Bg4 31. Rc1+ Kb2 32. Re1 e3+ 33. Kg1 ({
Or the elegant} 33. Rxe3 Rf8+ 34. Rf3 Bxf3 35. Rxd3 Be4+ {(Umansky).}) 33...
Kc2 34. Nb3 Rxd5 35. cxd5 Kd3 {
Umansky won by 151/2/19. We will meet him in another 13th championship.} 0-1

[Event "Wch09 final"]
[Site "corr 1977-83"]
[Date "1977.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Oim, Tonu"]
[Black "Stern, Werner"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B78"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "59"]
[EventDate "1977.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 Nc6 8. Qd2
O-O 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. h4 Ne5 11. Bb3 a5 $5 12. a4 Rc8 13. O-O-O Nc4 $2 ({
A lesser evil is} 13... h5) 14. Bxc4 $1 Rxc4 15. b3 Rc8 16. h5 $1 ({
Oim improves on} 16. Ndb5 {(Gipslis-Bilek, Sousse 1967).}) 16... Nxh5 17. g4
Nf6 18. Bh6 $1 Bxh6 ({Insufficient is} 18... Bh8 19. Bxf8 Kxf8 20. e5 {
(Schneider - Janusch, corr 1983).}) 19. Qxh6 $1 Rxc3 20. g5 Re8 ({Not} 20...
Nh5 $2 21. Rxh5 $1 gxh5 22. Rh1) 21. gxf6 exf6 22. Rdg1 $1 Qc7 23. Kb1 $3 {
A real correspondence move is played.} ({Premature are} 23. f4 $2 Rh3 24. Rxh3
Bxh3 25. Qxh3 Rxe4 {(Yudovich), and}) (23. Rxg6+ $2 fxg6 24. Qxh7+ Kf8 25. Qh8+
Ke7 26. Rh7+ Kd8 27. Qxf6+ Kc8 {(and 27.Nb5 fails).}) 23... Rc5 24. f4 $1 Bc6 (
{Or} 24... Rxe4 25. Rxg6+ $1 {(Yudovich).}) 25. Qxh7+ Kf8 26. Rxg6 $1 Rxe4 (
26... Ke7 27. Rxf6 $1 Kxf6 28. Qh4+ Kg7 29. Qh6+ Kg8 30. Qh8#) 27. Qh8+ Ke7 28.
Qxf6+ Kd7 29. Qxf7+ Re7 30. Qxe7+ {
Oim became the ninth world champion by a score of 13/16.} 1-0

[Event "World Cup2 final"]
[Site "corr 1977-83"]
[Date "1977.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Anton, Volker"]
[Black "Nesis, Gennady"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D94"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "1977.??.??"]

{A World Cup consists of preliminaries, semi finals and final. Each Cup lasts
about a decade. The second installment started with 2103 players.   } 1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Be2 dxc4 7. Bxc4 c5 8. d5 Ne8 9. e4
Nd6 10. Bd3 e5 11. O-O c4 12. Bc2 b5 13. a3 Nd7 $5 ({Black diverts from} 13...
Qc7 {(Anton - Eichler, corr 1971).}) 14. Be3 a5 15. a4 $5 b4 16. Nb5 Nb6 $1 17.
Qe2 ({Nesis finds the sacrifice} 17. Bc5 $5 Nxb5 18. Bxf8 {okay for Black.})
17... Ba6 18. Nd2 Bxb5 19. axb5 Rc8 $1 20. Rxa5 $6 {
Again Anton should not accept the offer.} ({Better is} 20. b3 c3 21. Nf3) 20...
Nxd5 $1 21. Ra4 Nxe3 22. fxe3 $6 b3 23. Bb1 $6 {
Two positional slips result in a lost game.} 23... Qb6 24. Ra6 Qc5 25. Rxd6 $5
Qxd6 26. Nxc4 Qc5 27. Na5 Bh6 28. Re1 Ra8 $1 29. Nc6 ({Nesis mentions} 29. Nxb3
Qb4) 29... Ra1 30. Qd3 Bxe3+ 31. Kh1 ({Or} 31. Qxe3 Qxe3+ {(Nesis).}) 31... Qc2
$1 32. Qxe3 Rxb1 33. h3 Rxe1+ 34. Qxe1 Qxb2 35. Kh2 Qc2 36. Ne7+ Kg7 37. Qh4 f6
$1 ({Avoids} 37... b2 $4 38. Nf5+ $1 gxf5 39. Qg5+ {drawn (Nesis).}) 38. Qg4 b2
39. Qd7 Rf7 {
Gennady Nesis won the final by beating the number two Volker Anton.} 0-1

[Event "Wch10 final"]
[Site "corr 1978-84"]
[Date "1978.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Estrin, Yakov"]
[Black "Palciauskas, Vytas"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C52"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "56"]
[EventDate "1978.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 d6 7. Qb3 Qd7 8. dxe5
Bb6 9. Nbd2 Na5 10. Qc2 Nxc4 11. Nxc4 d5 $1 {
Palciauskas brings a fine novelty in the Evans Gambit.} ({The known} 11... dxe5
$6 12. Nfxe5 Qe6 13. Ba3 $1 {(Cafferty-Clarke, Coventry 1970) favours White.})
12. Nxb6 ({An alternative gives} 12. exd5 Qxd5 13. Qa4+ Bd7 14. Nxb6 $1 cxb6
15. Qb4 {(Norri - Rantanen, Finland 1996).}) 12... axb6 13. O-O dxe4 14. Qxe4
Qg4 15. Qe3 $6 ({More active is} 15. Bf4 Ne7 {
(Harding - Schroeder, corr 1988), and now} 16. e6 $1 Bxe6 17. h3 Qg6 18. Qxg6
Nxg6 19. Bxc7 O-O 20. Bxb6 {brings an equal game.}) 15... Ne7 16. Nd4 O-O 17.
h3 Qg6 18. f4 c5 $1 19. Nb5 Rd8 20. Nd6 Nf5 21. Nxc8 Raxc8 ({Not} 21... Nxe3 $4
22. Ne7+) 22. Qf3 $6 ({Better is} 22. Qe4 $1 Qe6 23. Re1) 22... h5 23. Qxb7 $5
Rc6 24. Qa6 $2 {The counter should continue correctly.} ({Right is} 24. Rb1 $1
Rd3 25. c4 Nh4 26. Rb2 Rg3 27. Rff2 Nf3+ $1 28. Rxf3 Rxf3 29. Re2 $1 Qb1 $1 30.
Re1 Qc2 31. Be3 {, and White delivers stiff resistance.}) 24... c4 25. Qa4 Rd3
26. Rb1 ({Or} 26. Kh2 Rxh3+ $1 {(Palciauskas).}) 26... Rxh3 27. e6 Rxe6 28.
Qxc4 Qg3 {Palciauskas scored 111/2/15 and became the tenth world champion.} 0-1

[Event "Wch11 final"]
[Site "corr 1981-87"]
[Date "1981.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Baumbach, Fritz"]
[Black "Nesis, Gennady"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D86"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "111"]
[EventDate "1981.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8.
Ne2 Qd7 9. O-O b6 10. Be3 Bb7 11. f3 Nc6 12. Bb5 Qd6 $5 {
Nesis brings a novelty.} ({Usual is} 12... a6) 13. e5 $1 {
The card is posted on 23/12/83.} 13... Qd5 ({Baumbach starts to worry about} 
13... Nxe5 14. dxe5 Qxe5 {The next morning he returns to the postal box and
waits. The mailman helps him to retrieve the card. He finds} 15. Qd3 $1 a6 $1
16. Bc4 Rfd8 17. Bd4 Qg5 18. Rf2 $2 {
during Christmas and posts the same card on 28/12. But} 18... c5 $1 19. Qe3 Bf6
20. Qxg5 Bxg5 21. Be5 Be3 {
refutes the line. Yet 18. Qc2! amends. So the move is right after all.}) 14.
Rb1 $6 e6 $6 ({The planned} 14... Qxa2 $1 15. c4 $6 a6 16. Ra1 {
(Baumbach) can be refuted by} 16... Qxa1 $1 17. Qxa1 axb5) 15. Qd2 Na5 16. Bg5
$1 c6 17. Bd3 f6 18. exf6 Bxf6 19. Bxf6 Rxf6 20. Ng3 Raf8 21. Rfe1 {
White has a great positional advantage.} 21... c5 $5 22. Ne4 Rf5 23. dxc5 Qd8
24. cxb6 Bxe4 25. fxe4 Rf2 26. Re2 R2f7 27. Qe3 $1 ({Avoids} 27. bxa7 $2 Qb6+
$1) 27... axb6 28. Ree1 Rd7 29. Be2 Rd6 30. Red1 Rxd1+ 31. Rxd1 Qc7 32. Rb1 Rb8
33. Rb5 Nc4 34. Qd4 Rd8 35. Qf6 $1 ({Not} 35. Qxc4 $2 Rd1+ $1 36. Kf2 Qf4+ 37.
Bf3 {(Baumbach)} 37... Qh4+ $1 38. g3 Qxh2+ 39. Bg2 Rd2+ 40. Ke3 Rxg2 $11)
35... Re8 36. h3 Ne3 37. Qe5 $1 Qd8 38. Qd4 Qxd4 39. cxd4 Nc2 40. Rxb6 Nxd4 41.
Ba6 $1 Kg7 42. a4 {Fritz works on this move during the summer holidays of 1986.
} 42... Kf6 ({He fears} 42... Ra8 {but misses} 43. e5 $1) 43. Bb7 Re7 44. a5
Rc7 45. a6 Rc1+ 46. Kf2 Ra1 47. Ke3 Ke5 48. Kd3 Ra4 49. Kc3 Ne2+ 50. Kb3 Ra1
51. Rb4 Nd4+ 52. Kc3 Ra3+ 53. Kc4 Nc2 54. Rb3 Kd6 55. Rxa3 Nxa3+ 56. Kb4 {
Baumbach defeated his main rival and scored 41/2/6 against the Soviets.} 1-0

[Event "Wch11 final"]
[Site "corr 1981-87"]
[Date "1981.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Zagorovsky, Vladimir"]
[Black "Baumbach, Fritz"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B35"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "1981.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 Qa5 8.
O-O O-O 9. Nb3 Qc7 10. f4 d6 11. Be2 b6 12. g4 $5 Bb7 13. g5 Nd7 14. Nd5 Qd8
15. Rb1 Nc5 16. Bf3 e6 17. Nc3 Qe7 18. Qd2 Rfd8 {
So far Baumbach had played the same moves in an over-the-board game.} 19. Rbd1
Na5 20. Nxa5 bxa5 21. Qg2 $5 (21. Bd4 Bxd4+ 22. Qxd4 {
demonstrates more realism (Baumbach).}) 21... Rac8 22. Bd2 Bc6 23. Rde1 $2 {
White shows too much optimism.} 23... Qb7 $1 24. b3 Qb6 25. Qf2 d5 $1 {
Black opens the centre as response to the attack on the kingside.} 26. exd5 ({
Not} 26. e5 $2 d4 $1) 26... exd5 27. Ne2 $2 ({Preferable is} 27. Bg4 Rc7 28. f5
d4 29. Na4 Nxa4 30. bxa4 Bxa4 31. fxg6 hxg6 32. Bd1) 27... Bb5 $1 28. Rc1 Bxe2
$1 29. Bxe2 Ne4 30. Qxb6 axb6 31. Be3 d4 32. Bf2 Nc3 33. Bg4 Rc7 34. Ra1 Nd5
35. Rfd1 $2 (35. Rad1 $1 Nb4 36. c4 Nxa2 {only loses a pawn for White.}) 35...
Rxc2 $1 36. f5 ({The f-pawn lacks a guard after} 36. Bxd4) 36... Nf4 37. Kf1
gxf5 38. Bxf5 Rb2 $1 39. Rdc1 d3 40. Rd1 ({Or} 40. Bxb6 Bd4 41. Bxd8 Rf2+ {
and Black will mate (Baumbach).}) 40... Bd4 $1 {
Baumbach was the eleventh champ by a higher SB than Nesis and Mikhailov.} 0-1

[Event "Olympiad09 final"]
[Site "corr 1982-87"]
[Date "1982.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Penrose, Jonathan"]
[Black "Vukcevic, Borislav"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C78"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "1982.??.??"]

{Great Britain had a strong team in the 1980's. Penrose occupied the first
board.  } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bb7 7. Re1
Bc5 8. c3 d6 9. d4 Bb6 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bh4 O-O 12. a4 exd4 13. axb5 axb5 14.
Rxa8 Bxa8 15. cxd4 Re8 16. Nc3 g5 $5 17. Qd2 $5 {
Penrose brings a speculative sacrifice.} ({White diverts from} 17. Bxg5 $5 hxg5
18. Nxg5 {(Kotov - Keres, USSR 1950).}) 17... Na5 $1 ({The pointe shows} 17...
gxh4 18. Qxh6 Nh7 (18... Nxd4 19. Bxf7+ Kxf7 20. Ng5+) (18... Qe7 19. Nd5 $1
Nxd5 20. Bxd5 Bxd4 21. Ng5) 19. Bxf7+ $1 Kxf7 20. Qxh7+ Kf8 21. Nd5 {(Pareira).
}) ({Black gained equality by} 17... Nxd4 18. Nxd4 Bxd4 19. Qxd4 gxh4 {
in Penrose - Kosenkov, corr 1985).}) (17... Nh7 {
drew in Timmerman - Brilla Banfalvi, corr 1986.}) 18. Bc2 b4 19. Nxg5 $1 bxc3
20. Qf4 Bxd4 21. Nh7 $1 Be5 ({Not} 21... Kxh7 $2 22. e5+ $1 {(Pereira).}) 22.
Qxh6 Re6 $1 (22... Ng4 $1 23. Qh5 Qd7 24. Bd1 $1 Bxh2+ 25. Kh1 Re5 $1 26. Qxg4+
Qxg4 27. Nf6+ $1 Kg7 28. Bxg4 c2 $1 {keeps the equality.}) 23. Nxf6+ Rxf6 (
23... Bxf6 24. e5 Bxh4 25. Bh7+ {(Pereira).}) 24. Bxf6 Bxf6 25. Re3 Be5 26. Rh3
Qe7 27. Rh5 f5 28. Qg6+ Qg7 29. Qe6+ Qf7 30. Qc8+ Qf8 31. Qxc7 Bg7 32. Rxf5 Qe8
33. Rg5 $1 Qf8 34. Rxa5 cxb2 35. Ra7 {
Great Britain won the Olympiad. This interrupted the Soviet hegemony.} 1-0

[Event "Wch12 final"]
[Site "corr 1984-90"]
[Date "1984.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Sanakoev, Grigory"]
[Black "Krzyszton, Jerzy"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B19"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "67"]
[EventDate "1984.??.??"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5
Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Qc7 11. Rh4 e6 12. Bf4 Qa5+ 13. Bd2 Qb6 14. O-O-O Be7
15. Rg4 $5 Bf8 $1 ({Incorrect is} 15... Ngf6 $2 {due to} 16. Rxg7 Bf8 17. Rxf7
$1 Kxf7 18. Ne5+ Nxe5 19. dxe5 Nd5 20. Qg6+ Ke7 21. Ne4 $1 Kd7 {
(Kalmar - Walker, corr 1986)} 22. Qf7+ $1 Be7 23. Nf6+ Kd8 24. Ng8 $1 Qc7 25.
Qg7) 16. Ne5 Ngf6 17. Rh4 Be7 18. f4 Rf8 $2 (18... Rd8 $1 {
activates the right defender.}) 19. f5 $1 Nxe5 ({Not} 19... O-O-O 20. Nxf7 $1
Rxf7 21. fxe6 {(Sanakoev).}) 20. dxe5 Nd7 21. Be3 Qc7 ({Or} 21... Nxe5 22. Qc3
$1 {(Sanakoev).}) 22. fxe6 Nxe5 23. Qh7 $1 {White intensifies the attack.}
23... Rd8 ({Sanakoev has seen} 23... Bxh4 24. Nf5 $1) 24. Rxd8+ Bxd8 25. e7
Bxe7 26. Re4 f5 $1 27. Nxf5 Qa5 28. Kb1 $1 Nc4 29. Qg6+ Kd8 30. Rd4+ Kc7 31.
Qg3+ Qe5 32. Qxe5+ Nxe5 33. Nxe7 Rf7 34. Ng6 {
Sanakoev became <->world champion at the third attempt'.} 1-0

[Event "Wch13 final"]
[Site "corr 1989-98"]
[Date "1989.??.10"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bang, Erik"]
[Black "Umansky, Mikhail"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A22"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[EventDate "1989.??.??"]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 Bb4 4. Bg2 O-O 5. Nf3 Re8 6. O-O c6 7. Qb3 a5 $5 8.
d4 e4 9. Ne1 h6 $5 {Black makes slightly provocative moves.} 10. Nc2 Na6 11.
Ne3 Nc7 12. c5 $2 (12. d5 $1 d6 13. dxc6 bxc6 14. Rd1 {avoids the disadvantage.
}) 12... d6 $1 13. cxd6 Bxd6 14. Qc2 Qe7 15. Nc4 Ncd5 16. Bd2 Bc7 17. Rac1 Bg4
18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. Ne3 Nxe3 20. Bxe3 {Black controls the kingside.} 20... Rad8
21. Rfd1 Rd5 22. Rd2 Bd6 $1 23. a3 Qe6 24. Qb3 Re7 25. Rc3 Bh3 $1 {
Restriction increases near the white king.} 26. Bh1 h5 27. f3 $6 {
The counteraction backfires.} 27... Qg6 28. Kf2 h4 29. f4 hxg3+ 30. hxg3 Rh5
31. Rc1 Be6 32. Qb6 Bc7 $5 33. Qa7 $5 Rh2+ 34. Bg2 Bh3 35. Rg1 Bxf4 $1 {
Sacrifices bring the decision.} 36. Bxf4 e3+ $1 37. Bxe3 Rxg2+ 38. Rxg2 Qe4 39.
Qb8+ Kh7 40. Ke1 ({Or} 40. Rh2 Qxe3+ 41. Ke1 Qg1#) 40... Qxg2 41. Rd3 Bg4 {
Umansky played a classical positional game. The controlled territory increased
and a combination finished the game.} 0-1

[Event "Wch13 final"]
[Site "corr 1989-98"]
[Date "1989.??.07"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Umansky, Mikhail"]
[Black "Penrose, Jonathan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D20"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "73"]
[EventDate "1989.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e4 e5 4. Nf3 exd4 5. Bxc4 Bb4+ 6. Nbd2 Nc6 7. O-O Nf6 8.
e5 Nd5 9. Nb3 Nb6 10. Bg5 Be7 11. Bxe7 Qxe7 12. Bb5 O-O $6 ({Theory has become
} 12... Bd7) 13. Bxc6 bxc6 14. Rc1 $6 ({Preferable is} 14. Qxd4 $6 {
(Wilder - Lazic, Belgrade 1988).}) 14... Bg4 $6 {Black misses a counteraction.}
(14... Ba6 $1 15. Re1 d3 {gives counter-play.}) 15. Nbxd4 Bxf3 16. Nxf3 c5 17.
Qc2 c4 18. Rfe1 Rad8 19. Re4 Rfe8 20. Rce1 Rd5 21. h3 Qd8 $6 (21... Qe6 {
stops an important pawn.}) 22. e6 $1 fxe6 23. Rxe6 Rxe6 24. Rxe6 Rd6 25. Re4 h6
26. Qe2 Rd1+ 27. Kh2 Qd6+ 28. g3 Rd5 29. Re6 Qd7 30. Re8+ Kh7 31. g4 Qd6+ 32.
Kg2 Qg6 33. Nh4 Qf6 34. Qe4+ g6 35. Nxg6 Kg7 36. Re7+ Kg8 37. Nf4 {Umansky beca
me the thirteenth world champion before Bang and Penrose. Mikhail will win the
World Champions Jubilee (2001-04).} 1-0

[Event "Wch14 final"]
[Site "corr 1994-2000"]
[Date "1994.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Anton, Volker"]
[Black "Oim, Tonu"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D13"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "68"]
[EventDate "1994.??.??"]

{Chess programs became available for personal computers during the 1980's. A
strong influence on correspondence chess became apparent in the first half of
the 1990's: 1. Opening searches were facilitated by game databases. 2.
Positions could be checked on blunders by analytical programs. 3. Email became
available for the transmission of moves. 4. Endgames with few pieces were
solved. My understanding of the objections is limited, because I have been
using the computer for scientific analyses since 1966.   Positional
evaluations by chess programs improved during the second half of the nineteens.
Strategic planning can be simulated in the new millennium, but difficulties
with prophylaxis and positional sacrifices remain. So a player should not be
the mailman of a computer. The combination of human and machine leads to a
paramount level.   } 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6.
Bf4 a6 7. Ne5 Qb6 8. Nxc6 bxc6 9. a3 $5 Qxb2 $5 {
White chooses the heroic defence.} 10. Na4 Qb5 11. Bd2 $6 ({Preferable is} 11.
e4 $1 Qa5+ 12. Bd2 Qc7 13. e5 Ne4 {
(Jakubowski - Vysochin, Cappelle la Grande 2001)} 14. Bd3 $1) 11... Qb7 12. Ba5
$6 ({Better is} 12. e3 {(Mozny - Keitlinghaus, Czechia 1994).}) 12... Bf5 13.
Ra2 Nd7 14. Rb2 Qc8 $1 15. Nb6 Nxb6 16. Rxb6 e5 17. g4 $6 {
White tries a desperate action.} (17. dxe5 $5 Bc5 $1 18. Rb3 Rb8 {
brings Black a great positional advantage.}) 17... Bd7 $1 {Oim takes no risk.}
18. Rb3 e4 19. h3 Bd6 20. Bg2 O-O 21. O-O f5 22. gxf5 Rxf5 23. Qc2 Rh5 24. Qc3
Bf4 $1 25. Rfb1 Qe8 26. e3 Bd6 27. Bb4 Bh2+ $1 {
Black has an extra pawn and a superior position. Oim finds an elegant finish.}
28. Kxh2 Bxh3 $1 29. Bd6 (29. Bxh3 Qe6 {leads to mate (Oim).}) 29... Qe6 30.
Rb8+ Kf7 $1 31. R8b7+ Kg6 32. Kg1 Bxg2 33. Bh2 Rxh2 34. Qxc6 Qxc6 {Oim won the
fourteenth final. He had triumphed in the world championship for the second
time, a unique achievement!} 0-1

[Event "World Cup6 final"]
[Site "corr 1994-99"]
[Date "1994.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Berglof, Harald"]
[Black "Rause, Olita"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D06"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "44"]
[EventDate "1994.??.??"]

{The World Cups are dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Bertl von Massow. Another
woman Olita Rause plays the main role in the sixth installment. Like Miss
Menchik she defeats many men.} 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Bf5 $5 3. c4 e6 4. Qb3 Nc6 5.
Bd2 Rb8 6. cxd5 exd5 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Bg5 Na5 $5 9. Qa4+ c6 10. Bxf6 gxf6 11. e3
b5 12. Qd1 Nc4 13. Qc1 Qa5 $5 ({Black diverts from} 13... Bd6 {
(Klimenok - Pyshkin, corr 1991).}) 14. Be2 Qb4 15. Nh4 Bg6 16. b3 {
Olita has to make the right withdrawal. She sacrifices a piece.} 16... Qa5 $1 (
{The other retreat} 16... Na5 $6 {
(Homberg - Ruefenacht, corr 1996) favours White.}) 17. Nxg6 hxg6 18. bxc4 $5 ({
The quiet} 18. O-O Ba3 19. Qc2 Bb2 20. bxc4 Qxc3 21. Qxc3 Bxc3 22. Rab1 {
(Rause) nearly equalises.}) 18... Ba3 $1 19. Qd2 bxc4 20. e4 $2 (20. Nxd5 $1
Qxd5 21. O-O Rb2 22. Qd1 c3 23. Qd3 $1 {offers fierce resistance.}) 20... Rb2
21. Qe3 Rc2 22. exd5+ Kf8 {Rause scored 13/16.} (22... Kf8 23. Kf1 $1 Rxc3 24.
Qf4 cxd5 25. Qxf6 Rh7 26. Bf3 Qb6 $1 {Black seems to win.}) 0-1

[Event "Wch15 final"]
[Site "corr 1996-2000"]
[Date "1996.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Reynolds, Robert"]
[Black "Timmerman, Gert Jan"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D01"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "48"]
[EventDate "1996.??.01"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 Nbd7 4. Nf3 h6 5. Bf4 $5 e6 6. Nb5 Bb4+ 7. c3 Ba5 8.
b4 $6 Bb6 9. e3 (9. a4 $5 {was played in Bredewout - De Groot, Amsterdam 1973.}
) 9... a6 10. Na3 Ne4 11. Qc2 g5 $1 {White's pawn structure will be ruined.}
12. Be5 f6 13. Bg3 h5 14. h3 Nxg3 $1 15. fxg3 Nf8 16. e4 $2 ({Preferable is} 
16. Qa4+ Bd7 17. b5) 16... a5 $1 {This is 'coffeehouse' chess!} 17. e5 $5 ({
The line} 17. b5 $2 Qd6 {
with a double attack on Na3 and g3 illustrates it well (Timmerman).}) ({Or} 17.
exd5 exd5 18. Bd3 axb4 19. Bg6+ Ke7 $1 {(Timmerman).}) 17... axb4 18. Nb5 bxc3
19. exf6 Qxf6 20. Bd3 g4 21. Nh4 Kd8 22. Rf1 Qg5 23. Ke2 $5 {
White starts to play for helpmate.} 23... e5 24. Qb3 Qd2# {
Timmerman became the fifteenth world champion before Van Oosterom and Poulsen.}
0-1

[Event "Olympiad12 final"]
[Site "corr 1998-2002"]
[Date "1998.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Neumann, Joachim"]
[Black "Andersson, Ulf"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B80"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "168"]
[EventDate "1998.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O
d6 9. f4 O-O 10. Be3 Nc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Na4 c5 13. c4 Bb7 14. Nc3 Rad8 15.
Qe2 Nd7 16. Rad1 Rfe8 17. g4 Bf8 18. g5 g6 19. Rd3 Nb6 20. b3 d5 $5 21. Nd1 $2
(21. cxd5 exd5 22. Nxd5 Bxd5 23. exd5 c4 $1 {c4! (Andersson) leads to equality
because the dangerous bishop has been exchanged.}) 21... Nc8 22. Nf2 Nd6 23. e5
Nf5 24. Rfd1 Be7 $1 25. cxd5 exd5 26. Bxd5 Nd4 $1 27. Bxd4 Rxd5 28. Be3 Rxd3
29. Rxd3 Qc6 30. Qg4 a5 31. Rc3 Rd8 {
The pressure on a long diagonal gives Black ample compensation for the pawn.}
32. Rc4 Ra8 33. a4 Rd8 34. Rc3 h5 $1 {Andersson springs another surprise.} 35.
Qh3 (35. gxh6 $2 Bh4 $1 36. Rc1 Rd3 $1 37. Re1 Rxb3 {
brings a strong attack (Andersson).}) 35... Bf8 36. Rc1 Qb6 37. f5 $1 Qc6 38.
e6 Rd5 39. exf7+ Kxf7 40. fxg6+ Kxg6 41. Ne4 Bc8 $1 42. Qf1 Rf5 43. Qc4 Bb7 44.
Rd1 Rf7 $1 45. Rd6+ Bxd6 46. Qe6+ Kg7 47. Qh6+ Kg8 48. Qg6+ Rg7 49. Qe6+ Rf7
50. Qg6+ Kf8 51. Qxd6+ Qxd6 52. Nxd6 Rf3 $1 53. Bxc5 Bd5 54. Nc4+ Kg8 55. Nxa5
Kf7 $1 56. Nc4 $5 Rxb3 57. Ne3 Bc6 58. Kf2 (58. a5 Rb5 {
and White loses another pawn.}) 58... Bxa4 59. Bd6 Ke6 60. Bf4 Rb4 61. Kg3 Bc6
62. h4 {White seems to have an impregnable fort.} 62... Re4 63. Nd1 Re2 64. Nf2
Rb2 65. Nd1 Rg2+ 66. Kh3 Bb7 67. Bg3 Rd2 68. Ne3 Re2 69. Nd1 Bc6 70. Nf2 Kd5
71. g6 $5 (71. Kg2 Kd4+ 72. Kh3 Ke3 {prenetrates in the bastion.}) 71... Ke6
72. g7 Kf7 73. Kh2 Bb7 74. Kg1 Re1+ 75. Kh2 Rf1 76. Kh3 Kxg7 77. Be5+ Kg6 78.
Bd4 Re1 79. Kh2 Kf5 80. Bb6 Re7 81. Bd8 Re2 82. Kg3 Re3+ 83. Kh2 Rf3 84. Bb6
Rc3 {The Germans won the Olympiad, despite the loss of this game.   Andersson
showed his endless patience and accuracy. He became the number one on the
rating list of the ICCF in the ninetieths Other players became stronger in the
new computer age.} 0-1

[Event "Email game"]
[Site "corr 1999"]
[Date "1999.01.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Pankratov, Valery"]
[Black "Leko, Peter"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D85"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "57"]
[EventDate "1999.??.??"]

{Leko plays well in correspondence chess, but his superiority has to be proven.
} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. e4 Nxc3 6. bxc3 Bg7 7. Nf3 c5 8.
Rb1 O-O 9. Be2 cxd4 10. cxd4 Qa5+ 11. Bd2 Qxa2 12. O-O Nd7 13. Bb4 Nb6 14. Ra1
Qe6 15. Qb1 Bd7 16. Ra5 Nc8 17. d5 Qb6 18. e5 a6 19. Qe4 Na7 20. Raa1 Nb5 21.
Qh4 Rfc8 $1 ({Leko improves on} 21... Rfe8 {(Magai - Holmsten, Russia 1998).})
22. Rfe1 $5 (22. Qxe7 $6 Bg4 $1 {slightly favours Black.}) 22... Nc3 $1 23.
Bxc3 Rxc3 24. Rab1 $1 {White develops another piece.} 24... Qc5 $2 {
Peter offers a draw but the game goes on.} ({Right is} 24... Qc7 $1 25. Ng5 h6
26. Ne4 $1 g5 $1 27. Qh5 Ra3 28. d6 exd6 {(Tait)} 29. Nf6+ Kf8 30. Nh7+ Kg8 {
drawn.}) 25. Ng5 Bf5 26. Qxh7+ Kf8 27. Rbd1 $1 Rd8 (27... Qb4 $5 28. e6 fxe6
29. Nxe6+ Bxe6 30. dxe6 Qf4 {prolongs a miserable game (Pankatrov).}) 28. e6 $1
f6 29. g4 $1 {Leko can also be defeated by an able correspondence player.} (29.
g4 fxg5 30. gxf5 {breaks the defence.}) 1-0

[Event "Wch16 final"]
[Site "corr 1999-2004"]
[Date "1999.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Kofidis, Spiridon"]
[Black "Hamarat, Tunc"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B33"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "58"]
[EventDate "1999.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bf4 e5 8.
Bg5 a6 9. Na3 b5 10. Nd5 Be7 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. c3 Bg5 13. Nc2 O-O 14. a4 bxa4
15. Rxa4 a5 16. Bc4 Rb8 17. Ra2 Kh8 18. Nce3 g6 19. h4 Bxh4 20. g3 Bg5 21. b4
$2 {Kofidis brings a novelty.} 21... Bxe3 ({The pointe is} 21... axb4 $2 22. f4
$1 exf4 23. Rah2 $1 h6 24. gxf4) 22. fxe3 Kg7 23. Rah2 Rh8 $1 24. b5 Na7 $1 ({
The complications of} 24... Ne7 25. Nf6 $3 {favour White (Hamarat).}) 25. b6
Nc6 26. Qa4 Ne7 $1 27. Nxe7 Qxe7 28. Qxa5 Bb7 $1 29. Rf1 Ra8 $1 {White resigns
early.  Hamarat became the sixteenth world champion by a score of 12/16.} ({
Hamarat analyses} 29... Ra8 30. Qb4 (30. Rhf2 $5 Rxa5 31. Rxf7+ Qxf7 32. Rxf7+
Kh6 33. Rxb7 Rc8) 30... Ra1+ 31. Ke2 Rxf1 32. Kxf1 Bxe4 {Black wins.}) 0-1

[Event "Wch16 final"]
[Site "corr 1999-2004"]
[Date "1999.06.30"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rittner, Horst"]
[Black "Maliangkay, Rudolf"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B90"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "130"]
[EventDate "1999.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. f3
Be6 9. Qd2 Nbd7 10. g4 h6 11. O-O-O b5 12. h4 Nb6 13. Qf2 Rb8 14. Kb1 b4 15.
Ne2 Nc4 16. Bc1 a5 17. Ng3 a4 18. Nf5 Bxf5 19. exf5 Qc7 20. Bxc4 Qxc4 21. Nd2
Qb5 22. Qe1 (22. Ne4 $1 {
was played in Blehm - Bekker Jensen, Oropesa del Mar 1998.}) 22... Qc6 23. Qe2
Nd5 24. Qc4 Kd7 25. Qxc6+ Kxc6 26. Nc4 Rb5 27. Bd2 Rc5 28. b3 $6 ({Better is} 
28. Ne3) 28... Nc3+ $1 29. Bxc3 bxc3 30. Rd3 f6 31. Ne3 axb3 32. cxb3 $1 {
Capture by the other pawn endangers the white king.} 32... d5 33. b4 Rb8 34. a3
d4 35. Ka2 $1 Rcb5 36. Nc2 h5 37. Kb3 hxg4 38. fxg4 Bc5 39. Kc4 Ba7 40. Re1 Rc8
41. Rdd1 Rb7 42. a4 Kd6+ 43. Kd3 Kd5 44. Rb1 $2 (44. Ra1 $1 Rh8 45. h5 Re8 46.
Re4 {closes the position.}) 44... Re8 $1 45. Re4 Reb8 $1 46. Ree1 ({Or} 46.
Rbe1 Rxb4 $1 47. Nxb4+ Rxb4 48. R4e2 Rxa4 49. g5 Bc5 50. gxf6 gxf6 51. h5 Ra3
$1 52. Rc2 Bf8 53. Re4 Ra1 54. Rh4 e4+ $1 55. Rxe4 Rd1+ 56. Ke2 d3+ $1 {
and Black has broken the defence.}) 46... Bc5 47. a5 Rb5 48. a6 R5b6 49. bxc5
Rxb1 50. Rxb1 e4+ $1 51. Ke2 d3+ 52. Ke3 dxc2 53. Rc1 {
White seems to be better, but Black has looked further.} 53... Kc4 $1 54. Rxc2
Kb3 55. Rc1 Kb2 56. Rg1 Re8 57. a7 c2 58. a8=Q Rxa8 59. Kxe4 Rd8 $1 60. g5 c1=Q
61. Rxc1 Kxc1 62. c6 Kd2 63. gxf6 gxf6 64. h5 Kc3 65. c7 Rd4+ {The artist
f Maliangkay won silver. He drew with me in a youth championship long ago.} 0-1

[Event "Millennium Email"]
[Site "corr 2000-02"]
[Date "2000.01.01"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Andersson, Ulf "]
[Black "Elwert, Hans Marcus"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D56"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "68"]
[EventDate "2000.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 Ne4 8. Bxe7
Qxe7 9. Rc1 c6 10. Bd3 Nxc3 11. Rxc3 dxc4 12. Rxc4 Nd7 13. Bb1 e5 14. O-O exd4
15. Nxd4 $5 ({The known} 15. Rxd4 {gives no advantage as well.}) 15... Nf6 16.
Qc2 Re8 17. h3 Bd7 18. Re1 Rac8 19. e4 $5 c5 20. Nf3 Nh7 $5 21. Rc3 b6 22. e5
Nf8 {Black has consolidated his position.} 23. Nd2 $6 ({Right is} 23. Ra3 $1
Ra8 24. Nd2 {and now the bishop's rook cannot go to the d-file.}) 23... Rcd8 $1
24. Rce3 Bf5 $1 25. Qc1 $6 (25. Qxf5 Rxd2 26. R3e2 Red8 {
favours Black (Elwert and Grahn) less.}) 25... Bxb1 26. Nxb1 Qe6 27. Nc3 Ng6
28. Re4 Rd4 $5 29. f4 Red8 30. R1e2 h5 31. Rf2 Rxe4 32. Nxe4 Rd4 $1 {
Black prevents a counter in the centre and sets a diabolic trap.} 33. Qb1 $2 ({
Elwert had expected} 33. Nc3 Qf5 34. Ne2 Rd3 35. Nc3 h4 {and Black will win.})
33... Nxf4 $3 34. Rxf4 Qxe5 {
Andersson had suffered his first defeat in correspondence chess.} ({
The pointe is} 34... Qxe5 35. g3 h4 $1 36. Rxh4 f5) 0-1

[Event "Wch17 final"]
[Site "ICCF 2002-06"]
[Date "2002.03.08"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bern, Ivar"]
[Black "Gallinnis, Norbert"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A70"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "97"]
[EventDate "2002.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6 4. Nc3 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. e4 g6 7. h3 Bg7 8. Nf3
O-O 9. Bd3 Nh5 $6 {
This suspect move in the Benoni means a risky choice for a correspondence game.
} 10. O-O Nd7 11. Bg5 Bf6 12. Be3 Re8 13. g4 $1 {
Bern diverts from Cramling - Wedberg, Malmo 2001.} 13... Ng7 ({
Even worse would be} 13... Bxc3 $6 14. bxc3 Nhf6 15. Nd2) 14. Kg2 a6 15. a4 b6
16. Qd2 {White continues the restriction quietly.} 16... Ra7 $5 17. Ne2 Ne5 $2
(17... Rc7 {gives the logical follow-up of the previous move.}) 18. Nxe5 Bxe5
19. f4 $1 Bf6 20. g5 Be7 21. f5 gxf5 22. exf5 f6 23. h4 {
White has increased the restraint.} 23... Nh5 $5 24. Nf4 Nxf4+ 25. Bxf4 {
A defender has been exchanged.} 25... Bf8 26. Kh2 Bg7 27. Rg1 c4 28. Bc2 $1 {
Quiet moves are strong in this case.} 28... Kh8 29. g6 Rae7 30. Rg2 hxg6 31.
Rf1 $5 {Taking back would fine, but Bern starts to play for the gallery.} 31...
Qd7 ({The pointe is} 31... Bxf5 32. Bxf5 gxf5 33. Qd1 $1) 32. Qd1 $1 b5 33.
axb5 axb5 34. Qf3 $1 Kg8 35. Rff2 $5 Qa7 36. Rd2 Qa1 37. Rg1 $1 Re1 38. Rxg6
R8e7 39. Qg2 Kh7 40. Bg5 $1 Rf7 41. Bxf6 $1 Rh1+ 42. Qxh1 Qxh1+ 43. Kxh1 Bxf6
44. Re2 $1 Bb7 45. Kg1 $1 Bc8 46. Kg2 Rf8 47. Kg3 b4 48. Kg4 b3 49. Bb1 {
The Norwegian Bern becomes the 17th world champion before Rohde and Neumann.}
1-0

[Event "Wch18 final"]
[Site "ICCF 2003-06"]
[Date "2003.06.01"]
[Round "?"]
[White "van Kempen, Heinz"]
[Black "van Oosterom, Joop"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B90"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "84"]
[EventDate "2003.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. f3
Be7 9. Qd2 O-O 10. O-O-O Qc7 11. g4 Nbd7 12. g5 Nh5 13. Nd5 Bxd5 14. exd5 a5
15. Kb1 a4 16. Nc1 f6 $5 17. g6 $1 {White gives a witty answer to the new move.
} 17... hxg6 18. Qg2 $6 ({More natural is} 18. Bd3 $1 a3 19. b3 f5 20. Rdg1 $1)
18... a3 19. Qxg6 axb2 20. Nb3 f5 21. Bh3 $1 ({Not} 21. Qxh5 $2 Rxa2 $1 {
(van Oosterom).}) 21... Nb6 $5 22. Qxh5 $6 (22. Bxb6 $1 Qxb6 23. Qxh5 Qa7 24.
Kxb2 Qxa2+ 25. Kc1 Qa3+ 26. Kd2 Qb4+ 27. Ke2 Qc4+ 28. Rd3 e4 29. fxe4 Qxe4+ 30.
Re3 Qxh1 {gives equality (van Oosterom).}) 22... Nc4 23. Bxf5 ({Avoids} 23. Bc5
$2 Rxa2 $1) 23... Rxf5 24. Qxf5 Nxe3 25. Qd3 Nc4 $1 {
Black springs another surprise. Capture of the rook draws.} 26. Nd2 Nxd2+ 27.
Rxd2 Qa5 28. a3 Qc5 29. Kxb2 e4 30. Qb3 Bg5 $1 {
The bishop has the value of a rook.} 31. Re2 $2 ({Van Oosterom prefers} 31.
Rhd1 $3 {and Black cannot win.}) 31... Bf6+ 32. c3 exf3 33. Rd2 Re8 34. Ka2 (
34. Rc2 $5 Re2 35. Kb1 b5 36. Rf1 Qe3 $1 37. Qxb5 Qe4 $1 38. Qb8+ Kf7 $1 39.
Qb7+ Be7 40. Qb3 Qd3 {also wins for Black.}) 34... b5 $1 (34... Re2 $2 35. Rxe2
fxe2 36. Re1 Qf2 37. Qb5 $1 Qxe1 38. Qe8+ Kh7 39. Qh5+ {
leads to a white escape.}) 35. Rc2 Kh7 $1 36. Rhc1 Re3 37. Rb2 Bxc3 $1 38. Qxb5
Qd4 39. Rbc2 Kh6 $1 40. h4 Re2 $1 {Black has a decisive attack.} 41. Kb3 Bd2
42. Rf1 Qe3+ {Van Oosterom set new problems until the opponent collapsed.   He
became the new world champion before Elwert and Schoen.} ({The pointe is} 42...
Qe3+ 43. Ka2 Bc3 $1 44. Qb3 Qe4 45. Kb1 f2 46. Qxc3 Re1+) 0-1

[Event "Wch19 final"]
[Site "ICCF 2004-08"]
[Date "2004.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Leotard, Christophe"]
[Black "Gozman, Alexandr"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A16"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "2004.??.??"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Qa4+ Bd7 6. Qd4 Nf6 7. Qc4 $1 (7.
Qh4 {was carried out in Andersson - Uhlmann, Skopje 1972. The centre gets more
support by the new move.}) 7... Bg7 $5 ({The alternative is} 7... Nc6 8. d4 Na5
9. Qd3 Bg7) 8. e4 $1 O-O $6 (8... Bc6 9. Be2 b5 $1 10. Nxb5 Nxe4 {
weakens the white centre timely.}) 9. e5 $1 Ng4 ({Or} 9... Be6 $5 10. Qb4 Ng4
11. Qxb7 Nd7 {and Black has a counter for the sacrificed pawn.}) 10. d4 {
The white centre is stronger than Black expects.} 10... Be6 $2 {
It is a mistake to lure a centre pawn forwards.} (10... c6 $1 11. h3 Nh6 12.
Bg5 a5 {takes the initiative on the queenside.}) 11. d5 $1 Bf5 12. Bf4 Nd7 13.
Qe2 f6 14. e6 Nde5 15. Rd1 Qd6 {The white centre pawns and black minor pieces
have moved forwards. White will show the greater vulnerability of black's
advanced material.} 16. Nd4 $5 Nd3+ 17. Rxd3 $5 Qxf4 18. Rd2 Nh6 19. g3 Qe5 20.
h3 g5 $1 {Black has to make a hole for a bishop.} 21. g4 $5 Bg6 (21... Qxe2+ $1
22. Ndxe2 Bg6 23. f4 Rad8 {offers stubborn resistance.}) 22. Qxe5 fxe5 23. Nde2
Kh8 $5 24. Bg2 Ng8 $5 25. Be4 $1 Nf6 26. Bxg6 hxg6 27. h4 $1 gxh4 28. Rxh4+ Kg8
29. g5 $1 Nh7 $2 {The knight moves offside.} ({Better is} 29... Ne8 $1 30. Rc2
Rc8) 30. Ne4 $1 Rfd8 31. Rh3 $1 c6 32. dxc6 Rxd2 33. Kxd2 bxc6 34. Rc3 Rc8 35.
Ra3 Nf8 $5 (35... Rc7 36. N2c3 {leads to a positional disaster.}) 36. Rxa7 Nxe6
37. Rxe7 Nf4 38. Nxf4 exf4 39. b3 Kf8 40. Rb7 Be5 41. a4 Rd8+ 42. Ke2 {
Leotard won the 19th championship before Gerhardt and Lepikhov.} 1-0

