[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "Final"]
[Date "1851.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Heijmans, F.G.."]
[Black "Van 't Kruijs, Maarten"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B30"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "74"]
[EventDate "1851.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 bxc6 5. b3 d5 {
Van 't Kruijs wants to take control of the centre immediately.} 6. e5 e6 7. Bb2
Ne7 8. O-O Ng6 9. c3 Qc7 10. d4 cxd4 11. cxd4 c5 {
He continues the fight for the centre.} 12. Qc2 Qb6 $5 13. Rc1 $1 cxd4 14. Bxd4
Qb7 15. Bc5 Bxc5 16. Qxc5 Bd7 17. Nbd2 Rc8 18. Qd6 f6 $2 ({Correct is} 18...
Rc6 19. Rxc6 Qxc6) 19. h4 $2 ({White can enter the position by} 19. Rxc8+ Bxc8
20. Rc1 Qd7 21. Rc7) 19... Kf7 20. exf6 gxf6 21. h5 Ne7 22. Qf4 Qb8 $1 23. Qxb8
$2 {Van 't Kruijs conquers the centre, because the opponent does not counter.}
(23. Ng5+ $1 Kg7 24. Qxb8 Rxc1+ $1 25. Rxc1 Rxb8 26. Rc7 fxg5 27. Rxd7 Kf6 {
keeps the equality.}) 23... Rxb8 24. Rc7 Rhd8 25. g4 h6 26. Re1 $2 (26. Rac1 {
prevents the threat.}) 26... Nc6 $1 27. Rc1 Rb6 28. a4 Ke7 29. Kg2 Kd6 30.
R7xc6+ Rxc6 31. Re1 e5 32. Kh3 Rg8 33. Nh2 Rc3+ 34. Kh4 e4 35. f4 f5 36. g5
hxg5+ 37. fxg5 f4 {Probably Van 't Kruijs defeated Heijmans with 2-0. A great
part of the fees was used for the prizes. Van 't Kruijs won a bookcase. Seven
prizes went to Heijmans, Coopman, Blijdensteijn, Seeligmann, De Heer, Van
Praag and Kloos. A silver snuffbox was intended as beauty prize, but no game
was awarded. Messemaker got the gem for fine play.} 0-1

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "Quarter final"]
[Date "1851.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "De Heer, Klaas"]
[Black "Van 't Kruijs, Maarten"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C41"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "84"]
[EventDate "1851.??.??"]

{Chess has been played in the Netherlands for centuries. Two books about the
game had been published at the end of the eighteenth century. Chess societies
were founded and correspondence games between cities were played during the
first half of the nineteenth century. Information about the tournament London
1851 had a noticeable effect in the Netherlands. The competitive chess club
Philidor from Amsterdam took the decision to organise a tournament on April 14,
1851. It was announced in the chess journal Sissa.   Amsterdam could be
reached by train since 1839. So, chess players from other Dutch regions could
participate. Games were played in the Leesmuseum at the Rokin. 38 participants
were charged f 5 and 23 observers f 3 as entrance fee and payment for the
tournament book. Three committees of three participants selected games for the
book. Maarten van 't Kruijs (1811-1885) and Christiaan Messemaker (1821-1905)
were among the players. They would dominate Dutch chess for decades.  The
tournament lasted from May 19 until June 17. It had a knockout system, like
London 1851. The number of participants was reduced to eight prize winners
after three rounds. Their rank order was decided upon in the remaining three
rounds.   Additional information is sparse in the tournament book. I assume
that all decided games by Van 't Kruijs in the finals are included. Draws are
not given in the book.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 c6 4. h3 $6 h6 $6 5. d3 a6 $6
6. c3 d5 7. Bb3 Qd6 $6 8. O-O Be6 {Van 't Kruijs moves his pawns forwards
slowly. The pieces stay behind a screen of pawns. A player of Philidor plays
like his great predecessor.} 9. Re1 f6 $6 10. Qe2 $6 Nd7 11. Na3 Ne7 12. Be3 g6
13. Rad1 Bg7 {Black pieces support the pawns.} 14. Nc2 f5 15. exd5 cxd5 16. c4
O-O $2 17. cxd5 $2 {
Both players miss finesses. Black takes the initiative after the blunder.} ({
The tactical} 17. Bf4 $1 Nc6 18. d4 {breaks through the defensive screens.})
17... Bxd5 18. Bxd5+ Nxd5 19. d4 e4 $1 20. Nh2 f4 21. Bd2 Rae8 22. Qg4 h5 {
A steamroller of pawns has started.} 23. Qe2 b5 24. f3 $6 e3 25. Ba5 {
Black has made great progress. Notice the blockade of the centre. But, how
should he continue?} Nb8 $1 {The queen's knight moves to a better square.} 26.
Nf1 $2 (26. a3 Nc6 27. Bc3 {meats the threat.}) 26... Nc6 27. Bc3 b4 28. Bxb4
Ncxb4 29. Nxb4 Nxb4 30. Qc4+ Kh7 31. a3 Nd5 32. Re2 Rc8 33. Qd3 Rf7 34. Qe4 Re7
35. Qd3 Rec7 36. g3 fxg3 37. Nxe3 Nf4 38. Qd2 Nxe2+ 39. Qxe2 Bxd4 40. Kh1 Qe5
41. Qf1 Qxe3 42. b4 Rc1 {Probably Van 't Kruijs won the fourth round with 2-0.}
0-1

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "Semifinal"]
[Date "1851.??.??"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Coopman, M.M.."]
[Black "Van 't Kruijs, Maarten"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B00"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "104"]
[EventDate "1851.??.??"]

1. e4 $6 b6 2. d3 Bb7 3. f4 c5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2 Be7 7. O-O Nf6 8. e5
Ng8 $6 ({Correct is} 8... Ng4) 9. Ne4 (9. f5 $1 {
profits from Black's slow play.}) 9... d5 10. exd6 Bxd6 11. Nfg5 Nf6 12. Bf3
Rb8 13. c3 O-O 14. Nxf6+ Qxf6 15. Be4 g6 16. Qf3 Na5 17. Bxb7 Nxb7 18. Qh3 Qg7
19. Re1 Rfe8 20. Bd2 h6 21. Nf3 Na5 22. c4 Nc6 23. Bc3 Nd4 24. Bxd4 cxd4 25. g3
g5 26. fxg5 hxg5 27. Qg4 f5 $2 {
Van 't Kruijs brings his first positional sacrifice.} ({Better is} 27... Be7)
28. Qxg5 Qxg5 29. Nxg5 e5 30. Kg2 Kg7 31. Re2 Kg6 32. h4 Re7 33. g4 fxg4 34.
Ne4 Bc7 35. Kg3 $2 ({Everything is consolidated in} 35. Rf1 Rh8 36. Rf6+ Kg7
37. Kg3 Bd8 38. Rh2) 35... Rf8 36. Kxg4 Rf4+ 37. Kg3 Rh7 38. h5+ Rxh5 39. Rh2
Rxh2 40. Kxh2 Kf5 41. Re1 $6 (41. Kg3 Rxe4 42. dxe4+ Kxe4 43. Re1+ Kd3 44. Kf3
{defends properly.}) 41... Rf3 $1 {The second positional sacrifice is great.}
42. Rd1 Rxd3 43. Ng3+ Rxg3 44. Kxg3 e4+ 45. Kf2 d3 46. b4 $2 ({Correct is} 46.
Ke3 Bf4+ 47. Kd4 Be5+ 48. Kd5 $1 {White seems to survive.}) 46... Bf4 47. Kg1
Ke5 48. c5 Kd4 49. cxb6 axb6 50. a4 e3 51. a5 Bg3 52. Rf1 e2 {
and Black wins.  Van 't Kruijs won the semifinal with 2-1.} 0-1

[Event "Nijmegen"]
[Site "Final"]
[Date "1858.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Messemaker, Christiaan"]
[Black "Werndlij, T.J.."]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B44"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "139"]
[EventDate "1858.??.??"]

{Chess players went by train, steamship and diligence to Nijmegen in 1858. 24
participants and 22 kibitzers paid the entrance fee of f 3. Verbeek, editor of
Sissas, was the arbiter of the tournament. The knockout rounds were played
from August 23 until 27. Prizes were won by the three participants of the
fourth round. This game shows the poor level.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nb5 d6 6. Bf4 a6 $4 ({Modern theory has become} 6... e5) 7. Nxd6+
Bxd6 8. Bxd6 e5 9. Bc4 Nge7 10. O-O O-O 11. a3 b5 12. Ba2 Ra7 13. Bxe7 Nxe7 14.
Nc3 Rd7 15. Qf3 Kh8 16. Rad1 f5 17. Rxd7 Bxd7 18. Rd1 Qe8 19. Qd3 Bc6 20. f3 h6
21. Bd5 Qg6 22. Bxc6 Nxc6 23. Qd6 $2 (23. exf5 Rxf5 24. Ne4 {wins easily.})
23... Rf6 $1 24. Qd3 Kh7 25. Nd5 Rf7 26. c3 fxe4 27. Qxe4 Qxe4 28. fxe4 Na5 29.
Rd2 $6 Nc4 30. Re2 Kg8 31. Ne3 Rd7 32. Nxc4 $6 bxc4 33. h4 Kf7 34. g4 Ke6 35.
Kg2 Rd3 36. g5 $6 hxg5 37. hxg5 Kf7 38. Rf2+ Ke6 39. Re2 Kf7 {
The game has become equal after a number of weakening moves.} 40. Kf1 $2 ({
White cannot accept the repetition of moves by} 40. Rf2+) 40... Kg6 41. Rg2 Re3
42. Kf2 Rxe4 43. Kf3 Rh4 44. Re2 Kf5 45. Rd2 Rh3+ 46. Kg2 Rd3 $1 47. Re2 g6 48.
Kf1 Rd1+ 49. Kf2 e4 50. Kg3 Rd3+ 51. Kh4 e3 52. Kg3 Ke4 53. Rh2 Rd2 54. Rh4+
Kd5 $4 (54... Kd3 55. Rd4+ Kc2 $19) 55. Kf3 e2 56. Kf2 Rxb2 57. Rh6 Ke4 58.
Rxg6 Kd3 59. Rxa6 Kxc3 60. g6 Kd2 61. Rd6+ Kc1 62. g7 Rb8 63. Kxe2 c3 64. Rg6
Rg8 65. Kd3 c2 66. a4 Rd8+ 67. Ke4 Kd2 $2 68. Rg2+ Kc3 69. Rxc2+ $2 (69. g8=Q
$1 Rxg8 70. Rxg8 c1=Q 71. Rc8+ $18) 69... Kxc2 70. Kf5 {Werndlij from Deventer
won the first prize. Messemaker from Gouda became second and Van Roggen from
Nijmegen third. It would take many years until another national tournament
took place, despite two pleasant experiences.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Den Haag"]
[Site "Decisive game"]
[Date "1873.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Gifford, H.W.B.."]
[Black "Blijdensteijn, B.W.."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D20"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "103"]
[EventDate "1873.??.??"]

{The practical reason for the foundation of a chess federation was the
organisation of national tournaments. A federation was founded in 'de
Vereeniging' on May 23, 1873. The first general meeting occurred at the same
place in Den Haag on August 19. A national tournament followed. The federation
reserved the substantial sum of f 300 per annual event.   It was open for all
members in 1873. 14 participants entered. The consumed time could be measured
with a sandglass, but this method was rarely used. At the end of the competion,
Gifford and Blijdensteijn joined the lead with 12 1/2 points. A decisive game
was played.} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 b5 4. a4 c6 5. axb5 cxb5 $4 6. Nc3 $4 ({
Both players miss} 6. Qf3 $1) 6... Qb6 7. b3 Bb7 8. bxc4 bxc4 9. Qa4+ Qc6 10.
Qxc4 Qxc4 11. Bxc4 Bxg2 $2 12. Bd5 Bxd5 13. Nxd5 Kd8 14. Nb6 $1 {
White finds the tactical resource this time.} axb6 15. Rxa8 Kc7 16. Ra7+ Kd8
17. e4 Nf6 18. Ra8 Kc8 19. Bf4 Nfd7 20. Ra7 e6 21. Nf3 Bb4+ 22. Ke2 Kd8 23. Ng5
Ke7 24. Rc1 f6 25. Nf3 Bd6 26. e5 Bb4 27. Rcc7 Rd8 28. exf6+ gxf6 29. Nd2 Bd6
30. Bxd6+ Kxd6 31. Nc4+ Kd5 32. Kd3 e5 33. Ne3+ Kd6 34. d5 b5 35. Ke4 Nc5+ 36.
Kf5 Rd7 37. Rxd7+ Nbxd7 38. Ra5 b4 39. Rb5 b3 40. f3 h5 41. h4 Ke7 42. Kg6 Kd6
43. Kxh5 f5 44. Nxf5+ Kxd5 45. Kg6 Kc4 46. Nd6+ Kc3 47. h5 b2 48. Ne4+ Nxe4 49.
fxe4 Kc2 50. h6 b1=Q 51. Rxb1 Kxb1 52. Kf7 {The winner, H.W.B. Gifford, was an
Englishman who lived in Den Haag. He moved to France and took part in Paris
1878 with little success.} 1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1878.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Benima, Levi"]
[Black "Van 't Kruijs, Maarten"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C33"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "118"]
[EventDate "1878.??.??"]

{The annual event shows similarity to an official championship, but
shortcomings are revealed by further study:  1. Most participants are local
players and stars from other cities are often missing  2. Participation of
foreign players starts with Bird in Gouda 1880 (he scored 9 1/2 out of 10).  3.
A title has to be at stake in an official championship and the event has to
end with a titleholder.  The event exists today, as the Open Championship of
the Netherlands.  The tournament often had a poor level in the absence of Van
't Kruijs. Only once he took part, when the event was played in his hometown.} 
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 Qh4+ {Van 't Kruijs has studied the openings.} 4.
Kf1 d5 5. Nf3 Qh5 6. Bxd5 Nf6 7. Nc3 c6 8. Bb3 Be6 (8... Bg4 {
will be played in Westerinen-Ofstad, Gausdal 1995.}) 9. d4 g5 10. h4 h6 $5 11.
Kg1 $1 g4 12. Ne5 f3 13. g3 $6 {
White makes the first error in the opening duel.} ({Better is} 13. gxf3 Rg8 14.
f4 $1) 13... Bxb3 14. axb3 Nbd7 15. Nd3 Qg6 16. Nf4 Qh7 $1 {Van 't Kruijs
applies his old strategy. He attacks the centre and supports his pawns.} 17.
Qd3 Bb4 18. e5 Bxc3 19. bxc3 Ne4 20. Kh2 Ng5 $5 {
Black exchanges to the endgame with an elegant move.} 21. Qxh7 Rxh7 22. Re1 ({
Avoids} 22. hxg5 hxg5+ 23. Kg1 f2+) 22... Ne6 23. Nxe6 fxe6 24. Re4 $6 (24. h5
$1 {secures a weakness.}) 24... h5 $1 25. Bg5 Rf7 26. Rf4 Nf8 27. Rxf7 Kxf7 28.
Kg1 Kg6 29. Kf2 Nd7 30. c4 a5 31. Bd2 b6 {
White has to protect the weaknesses in his position.} 32. Bc3 $2 (32. Ke3 c5
33. c3 {protects the weakness d4 in the right way.}) 32... Kf5 33. Ke3 c5 $1 {
The white centre crumbles.} 34. dxc5 Nxc5 35. Bd4 Rc8 {
The blockader gets support.} 36. Re1 Rc6 37. Bxc5 Rxc5 38. Kd4 Rc8 $1 39. Kc3
Rd8 40. b4 axb4+ 41. Kxb4 Rd4 42. Kb5 Re4 43. Rf1 Kxe5 44. Kxb6 Rxc4 {
Black has created his favourite passed pawns.} 45. Rf2 Kd5 46. Kb5 e5 47. Rd2+
Rd4 48. c4+ Kd6 49. c5+ Kc7 50. Ra2 e4 51. Ra7+ Kb8 52. Rf7 Rd1 53. Kb6 Rb1+
54. Kc6 e3 55. Rf8+ Ka7 56. Rf7+ Ka8 57. Rf8+ Rb8 58. Rf4 Re8 59. Ra4+ Kb8 {
Van 't Kruijs and Veraart had to play a decisive game at the end of the event.
Maarten won.} 0-1

[Event "Gouda"]
[Site "Eerste klasse"]
[Date "1884.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Benima, Levi"]
[Black "Van Foreest, Jonkheer Dirk"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "7k/p5pp/5p2/1p1bb3/1P2p1B1/P1q1P1P1/5PNP/5QK1 w - - 0 29"]
[PlyCount "7"]
[EventDate "1884.??.??"]

{A young man makes his debut. His black pieces look manacing.} 29. Qxb5 Qc1+
30. Ne1 $1 Qxe1+ 31. Kg2 Bg8 $4 (31... Bf7 $1 32. Qd7 h5 $1 33. Bf5 g6 $1 {
saves the day.}) 32. Qe8 {The threat 33.Be6 decides the game.} 1-0

[Event "Gouda"]
[Site "Eerste klasse"]
[Date "1884.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Messemaker, Christiaan"]
[Black "Benima, Levi"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A10"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "1884.??.??"]

1. c4 g6 2. e3 Bg7 3. d4 c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. d5 Qa5+ $6 6. Bd2 Qb6 $2 7. Nc3 $2 (
7. dxc6 Bxb2 8. Nc3 Bxa1 9. Qxa1 {wins material.}) 7... Ne5 8. Nxe5 Bxe5 9. Be2
d6 ({Black pieces are driven back in} 9... Qxb2 $2 10. Rb1 Qa3 11. Nb5 Qa6 12.
f4) 10. O-O f5 11. Rb1 a5 $6 12. f4 Bg7 13. Bd3 Nh6 14. Ne2 Bd7 15. Bc3 O-O 16.
Bxg7 Kxg7 17. Qd2 Rae8 18. Nc3 e5 19. fxe5 Rxe5 20. e4 Qd8 21. Rbe1 Rfe8 22. h3
Qe7 23. Rf3 Nf7 24. Rg3 $6 (24. Rf2 Qg5 25. Qxg5 Nxg5 26. Rfe2 {
defends properly.}) 24... fxe4 25. Rxe4 Rxe4 26. Bxe4 $2 ({Correct is} 26. Nxe4
) 26... Qh4 27. Qe1 Qf6 28. Qf2 Qd4 29. Bd3 Re1+ 30. Bf1 Ne5 31. b3 {
White encounters great problems, but the tables will turn.} Bf5 $4 {
Black lifts the restriction.} ({A pawn is won by} 31... a4 $1 32. Ne2 Qxf2+ 33.
Kxf2 Rb1 34. Nc3 axb3 $1 35. axb3 Rxb3) 32. Nb5 $1 Qxf2+ 33. Kxf2 Ra1 34. Nxd6
Rxa2+ 35. Kg1 Bc2 36. Nxb7 a4 37. bxa4 Rxa4 38. Nxc5 Ra1 39. Kf2 Ra5 40. Ne6+ {
Messemaker won the tournament. Gouda 1884 had a second class for the first
time.   The national tournaments were won twice by four seniors: Maarten van
't Kruijs (1851 and 1878), H.W.B. Gifford (1873 and 1875), Levi Benima (1881
and 1883) and Christiaan Messemaker (1882 and 1884).} 1-0

[Event "Den Haag"]
[Site "Eerste klasse"]
[Date "1885.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Benima, Levi"]
[Black "Van Foreest, Jonkheer Dirk"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C59"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "1885.??.??"]

{Five young men took the supremacy from the seniors. They were born in the
sixties and became active in the eighties. A turning point was Den Haag 1885,
when Dirk van Foreest won with a lead of two points before Messemaker. The
takeover was complete in Amsterdam 1887, when the juniors took the first five
places.  The five juniors won fifteen of the annual national tournaments:  1.
Jonkheer Dirk van Foreest (1862-1956) won in 1885, 1886 and 1887;  2. Jonkheer
Arnold van Foreest (1863-1954) won in 1889, 1893, 1896 and 1902;  3. Rudolf
Loman (1861-1932) won in 1888, 1890, 1891, 1894 and 1897;  4. Adolf Olland
(1867-1933) won in 1895 and 1901);  5. Jan Tresling (1868-1939) won in 1898. 
Dirk van Foreest had lost both games against Benima in Gouda 1884. The
youngster took revenge in the next year.} 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. Ng4
$5 {White diverts from the theory.} Nxg4 12. Bxg4 O-O ({Doubtful is} 12... Qg5
$6 13. h3 h5 14. Bxc8 Qxg2 15. Rf1 Rxc8 {(Bronstein-Baranov, Moscow 1953).})
13. Bxc8 Rxc8 14. O-O ({Wiser is} 14. Qh5 $1 Nc4 15. O-O) 14... Qh4 15. g3 Qh3
16. d3 f5 $5 17. dxe4 f4 $1 18. Qf3 $2 ({White avoids} 18. Qxd6 $4 f3) ({
but he should play} 18. Bxf4 Bxf4 19. gxf4 Rxf4 20. f3 {and suffer.}) 18...
fxg3 19. Qg2 gxh2+ 20. Kh1 Qh4 21. Be3 $6 Nc4 22. Bd4 Rc7 23. b3 Ne5 24. Nd2 c5
25. Bc3 $6 Rcf7 26. f3 Rf6 27. Rf2 Ng4 $1 {
Dirk plays his favourite chess. He attacks the hostile king with all his might.
} 28. Re2 $2 ({The subtle} 28. Rff1 $1 Ne3 29. Qf2 Qxf2 30. Rxf2 Re6 31. e5 $1
Bxe5 32. Bxe5 Rxe5 33. Re1 {gives the last chance.}) 28... Rg6 29. e5 Nxe5 30.
Qxh2 Qxh2+ 31. Rxh2 Nxf3 32. Rh3 Nxd2 33. Bxd2 Rf2 34. Rd1 Rgg2 $6 35. Bxh6 $2
Rh2+ (35... Rh2+ 36. Kg1 Rxh3 37. Kxf2 Rxh6 {Black has won a piece.}) 0-1

[Event "Utrecht"]
[Site "Eerste klasse"]
[Date "1886.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Van Foreest, Jonkheer Dirk"]
[Black "Messemaker, Christiaan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B47"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "41"]
[EventDate "1886.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 a6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Be2 Qc7 7. O-O Nf6 8.
Kh1 Be7 9. f4 d5 $5 ({The text is acceptable, but} 9... d6 {
leads to the preferable Sicilian Defence.}) 10. e5 Nd7 11. Be3 O-O 12. Bd3 Nxd4
13. Bxd4 f5 $1 14. g4 $5 ({A better position brings} 14. exf6 Bxf6 15. Qh5 h6
16. Ne2 {Dirk wants more.}) 14... Bc5 15. gxf5 $5 {
The young and wild Jonkheer attacks the old-timer.} Bxd4 16. fxe6 Nf6 $4 {
Messemaker panics.} ({Right is} 16... Nb6 $1 17. Qh5 g6 18. Rg1 $1 Bxg1 19.
Rxg1 Bxe6 20. Rxg6+ $1 hxg6 21. Qxg6+ Qg7 22. Qxe6+ Rf7 23. Bg6 Raf8 24. Qxb6
Rxf4 25. Qe6+ Kh8 26. Qh3+ Kg8 27. Qe6+ {
The sacrifice seems to lead to a repetition of moves.}) 17. exf6 Bxf6 18. Nxd5
Qc6 19. Qh5 g6 20. Rg1 Bxe6 21. Bxg6 {The speculative sacrifices by Dirk van
Foreest made a great impression on the public. His occasional crashes as
defender did not matter. Chess became attractive for young people and clubs
were founded. Dirk played little after 1888, because he became a family
practitioner in a village.} 1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "Eerste klasse"]
[Date "1887.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Tresling, Jan"]
[Black "Messemaker, Christiaan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C77"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "101"]
[EventDate "1887.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bc5 6. Nxe5 Nxe5 7. d4 Bd6 {
The debutant Tresling is highly impressed by the eminence of Messemaker and
his silver snuffbox from 1851.} 8. f4 Nc6 9. e5 Bb4 10. exf6 Qxf6 11. a3 Bxc3+
12. bxc3 O-O 13. O-O d5 14. Qh5 $2 {Tresling writes in 1906 about the
snow-white gentlemen who watch the game and look at him with sympathy and pity.
They might have been the old players Tinhold and Veraart. Jan Tresling could
have been encouraged by the inscription on the snuffbox: "Do not despair by
disaster, but go forwards courageously!" (tranlation from Latin).} Nxd4 $1 15.
Bb2 ({Even worse is} 15. cxd4 Qxd4+) 15... Nf5 16. Bb3 Bd7 17. Rae1 c6 18. Re5
g6 19. Qf3 Qd6 20. Kh1 f6 21. Ree1 Rfe8 $4 ({Messemaker has demonstrated his
solid positional play, but now he misses the decisive restriction} 21... b5 $1
{again.}) 22. c4 $1 dxc4 23. Bxc4+ Kg7 24. Qc3 $2 {
Treling wants to exchange and draw.} (24. Rd1 $1 Qe7 25. Qc3 Nd6 26. Rfe1 {
plays for a win.}) 24... Rxe1 25. Rxe1 Re8 26. Rxe8 Bxe8 27. Bd3 Ne7 28. Qe1
Bf7 29. Qf2 Nd5 30. Bc1 b5 31. f5 g5 32. h4 h6 33. hxg5 hxg5 34. Qa7 $2 c5 $1
35. Be2 Qe7 $2 ({Black misses the win} 35... Qe5 36. Bf3 Qe1+ 37. Kh2 Qxc1 38.
Bxd5 Qf4+) 36. Qxe7 Nxe7 37. g4 Bd5+ 38. Kh2 Nc6 39. Be3 c4 40. c3 Ne5 41. Kg3
Kf7 42. Bd4 Nd7 43. Kf2 Ke7 44. Bf1 Kd6 45. Be2 Be4 46. Ke3 Kd5 47. Bd1 Ne5 48.
Be2 a5 49. Bd1 Bg2 50. Kf2 Be4 51. Ke3 {
Tresling overcame his nerves and finished second behind Dirk van Foreest.}
1/2-1/2

[Event "Den Haag"]
[Site "Eerste klasse"]
[Date "1890.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Van Rhijn, Arnoldus"]
[Black "Loman, Rudolf"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A80"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "58"]
[EventDate "1890.??.??"]

1. Nf3 f5 2. d4 e6 3. Bg5 Nf6 4. e3 Be7 5. Bxf6 Bxf6 6. Nbd2 d5 7. c4 c6 8. Bd3
O-O 9. Qc2 g6 10. h3 $5 Nd7 11. g4 $5 {White starts a bleak attack.} Bg7 12. g5
$6 e5 $1 13. dxe5 Bxe5 $6 ({
A strong continuation of the counter in the centre gives} 13... f4 $1) 14.
O-O-O Bg7 15. h4 Nc5 16. Nb3 Nxd3+ 17. Rxd3 Be6 18. Nfd4 $4 {
White makes an intermediary move. It turns out to be an awful blunder.} (18. h5
{continues the attack on the kingside.}) 18... dxc4 $1 19. Nxe6 cxd3 20. Qc4 b5
$1 21. Qxc6 Qc8 22. Qxc8 Rfxc8+ 23. Nbc5 Bf8 24. b4 a5 25. Kd2 axb4 26. Nxf8
Rxc5 27. Ne6 Rxa2+ 28. Kxd3 Rc6 29. Nd4 Rc3# {Loman played a solid game of
chess, but we miss the tactical genius of Dirk van Foreest.} 0-1

[Event "Rotterdam"]
[Site "Eerste klasse"]
[Date "1894.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Loman, Rudolf"]
[Black "Van Lennep, Norman"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C60"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "54"]
[EventDate "1894.??.??"]

{The chess propagandist Norman W. van Lennep won the second class in 1892. He
participated in the first class once.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 f5
$5 5. d4 fxe4 $6 6. Bxc6 $6 ({Theory will become} 6. Nxe5 {
(Leiden-Amersfoort, corr. 1895).}) 6... dxc6 7. Nxe5 Nf6 8. Bg5 Bf5 9. O-O Be7
10. c3 Qd5 $1 11. Nd2 O-O 12. Ndc4 Rae8 $5 13. Ne3 Qe6 {
Van Lennep likes a tactical fight.} 14. Qc2 ({The crucial variation is} 14.
Nxf5 Qxf5 15. Qb3+ Kh8 16. Be3 Bd6 17. Nf7+ $2 Rxf7 18. Qxf7 Bxh2+ $1 19. Kh1
Bd6 20. f3 Rf8 {and Black wins.}) 14... Bd6 15. f4 Nd5 16. Nxf5 Qxf5 17. Rae1
$2 ({Necessary is} 17. Qb3 Bxe5 18. dxe5 h6 19. c4 $1) 17... h6 18. Bh4 Nxf4 $6
({Tresling mentions} 18... Bxe5 $1 19. dxe5 g5 20. fxg5 Qxf1+ $1 21. Rxf1 Rxf1+
22. Kxf1 Ne3+) 19. Bg3 $6 ({Only a pawn is lost in} 19. Qxe4 {(Tresling)} Qxe4
20. Rxe4 Nd3 21. Rxf8+ Kxf8 22. Bg3 Nxb2) 19... Bxe5 20. dxe5 Qxe5 21. Qb3+ Kh8
22. Qxb7 Qc5+ 23. Kh1 Nd3 24. Rxf8+ Rxf8 25. Rg1 e3 26. Qxa6 e2 27. h3 Rf1 {
Norman ended at the fifth place, but he had the pleasure to defeat the winner.
Loman participated in the second group of Hastings 1895 and took a divided
second place after Maróczy.} 0-1

[Event "Arnhem"]
[Site "Eerste klasse"]
[Date "1895.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Olland, Adolf"]
[Black "Loman, Rudolf"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C67"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "119"]
[EventDate "1895.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Nxe5 Be7
8. Qe2 Be6 9. d3 Nf5 10. c3 (10. Nd2 {
Steinitz played against Zukertort in New Orleans 1886.}) 10... O-O 11. Bf4 c5
12. Nd2 Re8 13. Ne4 f6 14. Nf3 Bf7 15. Qc2 c6 16. Rad1 Bg6 $4 17. Qb3+ Qd5 18.
Qxb7 Qxa2 19. Ra1 $2 (19. g4 $1 {Tresling prefers} Nh6 20. Bxh6 gxh6 21. c4)
19... Qd5 20. Rxa7 Rxa7 21. Qxa7 Qxd3 22. Qa4 Qb5 23. Qxb5 cxb5 24. h3 $2 (24.
g4 $1 {Right is (Tresling).}) 24... h5 $2 {Black misses a fine opportunity.} (
24... Bf8 $1 {Correct is} 25. g4 Nh4 $1 26. Nxh4 Rxe4 27. Rxe4 Bxe4 {
(Tresling).}) 25. g4 hxg4 26. hxg4 Nh6 27. Bxh6 gxh6 28. Nh4 $1 Bxe4 29. Rxe4
Kf7 30. Nf5 Bf8 31. Rxe8 Kxe8 {Black faces a positional disaster.} 32. Kg2 Kd7
33. Kf3 b4 34. cxb4 cxb4 35. b3 Ke6 36. Ke4 Kf7 37. f4 Ke6 38. Ne3 Bc5 39. Nf5
Bf8 40. Nd4+ Kf7 41. Kf5 Bd6 42. Ke4 Kg6 43. Nf5 Bf8 44. Nh4+ Kf7 45. Kd5 $1
Be7 46. f5 Bd8 47. Kc4 Be7 48. Ng6 Bd6 49. Kd5 Bg3 50. Kc6 Ke8 51. Kc5 Be1 52.
Nf4 Kf7 53. Nd3 Bd2 54. Nxb4 h5 55. gxh5 Kg7 56. Nd5 Bg5 57. b4 Kh6 58. b5 Kxh5
59. Kd6 Kg4 60. Ke6 {Olland got in the press when he started brilliantly in
Hannover 1902. He only gained the eighth prize at the end, but it was the
first time that a Dutchman won a prize in a master tournament.} 1-0

[Event "Haarlem"]
[Site "Hoofdklasse"]
[Date "1901.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Loman, Rudolf"]
[Black "Leussen, Benjamin"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C84"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "66"]
[EventDate "1901.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Nc3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. d3
Na5 9. Be3 Nxb3 10. axb3 Bb7 11. Qe2 c5 12. Rfe1 Qc7 13. Rad1 O-O 14. Bg5 Ne8
15. Bxe7 Qxe7 16. Nd2 $6 Nc7 17. Qg4 Ne6 18. Ne2 $6 g6 19. Ng3 $6 Kh8 20. Ndf1
$2 {White keeps on trucking with the knights.} ({Better is} 20. Ra1 f5 21. Qd1)
20... f5 $1 21. exf5 gxf5 22. Nxf5 Qf6 23. N1g3 Nd4 24. Nh5 Qf7 25. Ne3 ({
No rescue brings} 25. Qg7+ Qxg7 26. Nfxg7 Nxc2 {(Leussen).}) 25... Rg8 26. Qh3
Nf3+ 27. Kf1 Nxe1 28. Rxe1 Raf8 29. f3 Rg5 30. Ng3 Bxf3 31. Kg1 Bg4 32. Nxg4
Rxg4 33. Nh1 Qf4 {White overstepped the time limit in a lost position.  The
annual tournament had grown. There were three groups for gentlemen and one for
ladies. Foreign players were admitted to the 'Hoofdklasse'. Leussen showed his
best chess when foreigners were allowed to participate. He became third in
Hilversum 1903. His best tournament was Scheveningen 1905. There he defeated
Spielmann, Duras and Swiderski. He ended at the second place after Marshall.}
0-1

[Event "Rotterdam"]
[Site "Hoofdklasse"]
[Date "1902.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Van Foreest, Jonkheer Arnold"]
[Black "Te Kolsté, Jan Willem"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C11"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "61"]
[EventDate "1902.??.??"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bd3 Be7 $6 5. Nf3 $6 ({Better is} 5. e5 $1)
5... O-O 6. O-O b6 7. Bg5 Bb7 8. exd5 exd5 9. Re1 Nbd7 10. Ne5 c5 $2 11. Bf5 $2
(11. Ba6 $1 Qc8 12. Bxb7 Qxb7 13. Nxd7 Qxd7 14. dxc5 {and White wins a pawn.})
11... Nxe5 $2 12. dxe5 Ne8 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Nxd5 Qg5 $2 15. f4 $1 {
Jonkheer Arnold was a violent attacker like his brother Dirk.} Qd8 16. c4 Bxd5
17. cxd5 Nc7 18. Be4 Rb8 19. Qg4 Nb5 20. Re3 f5 21. Bxf5 Rxf5 22. Qxf5 Qxd5 23.
Qe4 Qf7 24. f5 Nd4 25. Rf1 Re8 26. e6 Qe7 27. Qe5 Rf8 28. Rf4 Rf6 29. Qd5 g6
30. Qd7 Kf8 31. fxg6 {
The annual tournaments were weakened due to feuds in 1906.} 1-0

[Event "Leiden"]
[Site "1st championship"]
[Date "1909.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Esser, Johannes"]
[Black "Speyer, Abraham"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C79"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "48"]
[EventDate "1909.??.??"]

{The two chess federations of the Netherlands were unified in 1909. All strong
players became members of the same organisation. Chess club VAS recommended to
hold a Dutch championship. The federation accepted and participants were
invited.  Esser, Leussen, Loman, Olland and Speyer played a tournament of two
cycles in August. Prizes were f 100, f 40 and f 25. Allotted time was 30 moves
in two hours ensued by 15 in one. The first championship was combined with the
annual federation tournament.   Interesting tactical games were played during
the first championship.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O d6 6.
d4 Bd7 7. Re1 b5 8. dxe5 Nxe5 9. Nxe5 dxe5 10. Bb3 Be7 11. Nc3 O-O 12. Nd5 Nxd5
13. exd5 Bd6 14. a4 $6 (14. Qh5 {prevents the ensuing attack on the kingside.})
14... Qh4 15. axb5 axb5 16. Rxa8 Rxa8 17. Bd2 Bg4 18. Qc1 f5 $5 {
Speyer makes threatening moves towards the hostile king.} 19. Bg5 $2 {
Esser reverses two moves.} ({Correct is} 19. h3 Bh5 (19... Bxh3 $2 20. gxh3
Qxh3 21. Re3 Qh4 22. Qf1) 20. Bg5 Qb4) 19... Qh5 20. h3 f4 $2 ({The sacrifice} 
20... Bxh3 $1 {wins.}) 21. Be7 $2 ({An escape brings} 21. hxg4 $5 Qxg5 22. Qd1
Rf8 23. Qf3) 21... Bxh3 $1 {Black finds the combination this time.} 22. gxh3
Qxh3 23. Qd2 Ra6 24. f3 Bc5+ {The final score became: Olland, Speyer 5,
Leussen 4 1/2, Esser 3, Loman 2 1/2.   Olland and Speyer should have played a
match. Abraham Speyer gave up his membership and Adolf Olland was declared
champion.} 0-1

[Event "Delft"]
[Site "2nd championship"]
[Date "1912.??.??"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Te Kolsté, Jan Willem"]
[Black "Loman, Rudolf"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C64"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "130"]
[EventDate "1912.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. Nc3 d6 5. Bxc6+ bxc6 6. d4 exd4 7. Nxd4 Ne7
8. O-O O-O 9. Re1 Bd7 10. Bg5 f6 11. Bh4 $6 ({Olland suggests} 11. Be3) 11...
Rb8 12. b3 Kh8 13. Qd2 Qe8 14. Bg3 Qf7 15. Nce2 f5 16. exf5 Nxf5 17. Nxf5 Bxf5
18. c3 Qf6 19. Nd4 Bd7 20. Re2 Rbe8 21. Rae1 Qg6 22. Qc2 Qxc2 23. Nxc2 Rxe2 24.
Rxe2 Re8 25. Kf1 Kg8 26. Rxe8+ Bxe8 {Black has the initiative.} 27. Ke2 Bg6 28.
Kd2 Kf7 29. Nd4 Bb6 30. f3 $1 ({Olland's idea} 30. Nxc6 $2 {is refuted by} Be4
31. Nd8+ Kf6 $1 32. f3 Ba8 $1) 30... c5 31. Ne2 Ke7 32. Nf4 Bf7 33. c4 c6 34.
h4 d5 35. Kd3 Kd7 36. Bf2 Bc7 37. Be3 Bd6 38. g4 Ke7 39. h5 Kf6 40. Ng2 g6 41.
hxg6 Bxg6+ 42. Kd2 Bb1 43. cxd5 cxd5 44. a4 d4 45. Bf4 $2 Be5 $2 ({They miss} 
45... Bxf4+ 46. Nxf4 Ke5 47. Ng2 Bg6 {(Olland).}) 46. Bh6 $1 Ke6 47. Ne1 Kd5
48. Kc1 $6 ({Difficulties are avoided by} 48. Nd3 $1) 48... Bg6 49. f4 Bc7 50.
f5 {White has to move pawns forwards.} Bf7 51. Nd3 $6 ({Better is the tactical
} 51. Nf3 $1) 51... Bd6 52. Kd2 $2 (52. Nf2 $1 Ke5 53. Kc2 {
tries to survive by a passive defence.}) 52... Ke4 $1 {
The king penetrates through the centre.} 53. Nc1 Kf3 54. Nd3 Bxb3 55. g5 c4 56.
g6 hxg6 57. Ne1+ Ke4 58. fxg6 Bb4+ 59. Ke2 d3+ 60. Kf2 d2 61. Bxd2 Bxd2 62. Nc2
Bc3 63. Na3 Be5 64. Ke2 c3 65. Nb1 Bxa4 {Rudolf Loman became the champion. He
lived in London as organist and chessplayer. Johannes Esser was second among
the eight participants. He utilised his right to challenge the winner.} 0-1

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "3rd championship"]
[Date "1913.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Loman, Rudolf"]
[Black "Esser, Johannes"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C01"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "52"]
[EventDate "1913.??.??"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. exd5 exd5 6. Bd3 O-O 7. Qd2 Nc6 8.
Nge2 Re8 9. a3 $5 Ne4 $5 10. Bxe7 Rxe7 11. Nxe4 $6 ({Fine is} 11. Bxe4 dxe4 {
(Olland)} 12. O-O-O) 11... dxe4 12. Bc4 Be6 13. d5 $6 ({Ok is} 13. Bxe6 Rxe6 {
(WATS)} 14. O-O-O) 13... Ne5 $1 14. Bb3 Bg4 15. O-O-O Qd6 16. h3 Bh5 17. g4 $6
(17. Ng3 $1 Bxd1 18. Nf5 {keeps the equality.}) 17... Bg6 18. Ng3 $6 e3 $1 {
Esser starts a firework.} 19. fxe3 Nxg4 $1 20. Nf1 Ne5 $2 ({
A big positional advantage is gained by} 20... Nf6 $1) 21. Ng3 Nd3+ $5 22. cxd3
Qxg3 {White has to conquer the centre.} 23. Rde1 $6 ({Correct is} 23. e4 $1
Bxe4 $2 24. Rhe1 Re5 25. Re3 Bf3 26. Rf1 Rf5 27. Bd1) 23... Rae8 24. e4 $2 ({
The centre can be taken by} 24. Rhg1 Qxh3 25. e4 {at the cost of a pawn.})
24... Bxe4 $1 25. Ba4 $2 Bxh1 26. Rxh1 Re1+ {Johannes Esser won the match with
3 1/2 - 1/2. Officially he stayed champion until 1915, but the intended
championship could not be held due to the Great War.  Dutch players had
credible results in master tournaments. Speyer scored 6/18 in St. Petersburg
1909 and Olland became third in Scheveningen 1913, but they lacked precise
calculation in combinations and the fine intuition for positional play.} 0-1

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "4th championship"]
[Date "1919.??.??"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Schelfhout, Willem A.T."]
[Black "Euwe, Max"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C12"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "122"]
[EventDate "1919.??.??"]

{The greatest talent in the Dutch chess history became active at the national
level after the first world war. A stimulus for Max was the visit by Lasker,
Réti and Tartakower to the wealthy Holland in 1919. Maróczy even became his
techer.  The eighteen-years-old Max made his debut in the Dutch championships
with a disastrous loss against Oskam. A last round win versus WATS showed
Euwe's real ability.} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. Bd3 dxe4 6.
Bxe4 c5 7. dxc5 Qxd1+ 8. Rxd1 Nbd7 9. Bf3 Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 Nxc5 11. Ne2 Bd7 12.
Bxf6 $6 gxf6 13. O-O Rc8 14. Rfe1 b6 15. Nd4 e5 16. Bd5 $2 (16. c4 $1 {
(prepares 17.Nb5)} a6 17. Rb1 {defends more actively.}) 16... O-O 17. Ne2 Be6
18. c4 Na4 19. Rd3 Bxd5 20. cxd5 Rxc2 21. Ng3 Rc3 $2 {
The young Euwe makes a timid move.} ({Black can play for a win by} 21... Rxa2
22. Ne4 Nc5 $1 23. Rg3+ Kh8 24. Nxf6 Rd2) 22. Rd2 Nc5 23. Nf5 Rd8 24. f3 Kf8
25. Red1 b5 26. Kf2 e4 27. Rd4 Re8 28. fxe4 Nxe4+ 29. Kg1 Rc2 30. d6 Nc3 31. d7
Rd8 32. R4d2 Rxd2 33. Rxd2 Na4 34. Rd5 Nb6 35. Rxb5 Rxd7 {
"WATS" seems to have achieved equality.} 36. a4 $2 {He dreams about an attack.}
({Best is} 36. a3 $1) 36... Rd5 $1 {Euwe parries the threat 37.a5.} 37. Rxd5
Nxd5 38. Kf2 Ke8 39. Kf3 Kd7 40. Kg4 ({White could have played} 40. Ke4 {
when the a-pawn had moved to the third rank.}) ({
The effort to protect the queenside fails in} 40. Nd4 Nc3 41. a5 Kd6 42. Ke3
Kc5) 40... a6 $1 {Restriction of the queenside leads to the win of a pawn.
White will lack one tempo on the otherflank.} 41. g3 Nb6 42. Kh5 Nxa4 43. Kh6
Nc5 44. Kxh7 a5 45. Kg7 a4 46. Kxf7 a3 47. Ne3 a2 48. Nc2 Ne4 49. g4 Kd6 50. h4
Kc5 51. h5 Kc4 52. h6 Kc3 53. Na1 Kb2 54. Kg7 Ng5 55. Kxf6 Kxa1 56. Kxg5 Kb1
57. Kg6 a1=Q 58. g5 Qh8 59. h7 Kc2 60. Kh6 Kd3 61. g6 Qf6 {
Champion became Max Marchand with 5/7. Euwe and Meijer scored 4 1/2.} 0-1

[Event "Nijmegen"]
[Site "5th championship"]
[Date "1921.??.??"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Euwe, Max"]
[Black "Davidson, Jacques"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D55"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "107"]
[EventDate "1921.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Rc1 b6 8. cxd5
exd5 9. Bd3 Bb7 10. O-O c5 11. Ne5 Re8 $2 ({'Theory' is} 11... Nxe5 12. dxe5
Ne4) 12. f4 $2 ({Euwe misses} 12. Bb5) 12... a6 13. Qf3 Nf8 $2 14. Bxf6 Bxf6
15. g4 $2 (15. Bc4 $1 {leads to embarrassment.}) 15... Rc8 16. Kh1 Ng6 17. g5
Bxe5 18. fxe5 Rc7 19. Bxg6 hxg6 20. Qf4 b5 21. Rf3 c4 22. a3 Bc8 23. Rcf1 Be6
24. Kg1 Rb7 25. R1f2 a5 26. e4 b4 27. axb4 axb4 28. Nxd5 Bxd5 29. exd5 Qxd5 30.
Rh3 Ra7 {Attack and counterattack set the board on fire.} 31. Rf1 $2 (31. Qh4
$1 Kf8 32. Rf1 Ra2 $1 33. e6 $1 Qxe6 34. Qf4 Kg8 35. Qh4 {
finishes with a perpetual.}) 31... Rd8 32. Rd1 c3 $2 ({Correct is} 32... Ra2 $1
33. Qh4 Kf8 34. Qh8+ Ke7 35. Qxg7 Rxb2 36. Qf6+ Kd7 37. Rf3 c3 38. Ra1 {
White wins according to the 'Tijdschrift', but} Qxd4+ 39. Kh1 Kc7 {
gives the reverse result.}) 33. bxc3 bxc3 34. Qh4 Kf8 35. Rxc3 Ra2 36. Qh8+ Ke7
37. Qh3 Rd7 38. Qf3 Qxf3 39. Rxf3 Ke6 40. Rf2 Rxf2 41. Kxf2 Kf5 $2 (41... Kd5
$1 42. Ke3 Ra7 {forces a draw.}) 42. Ke3 Kxg5 43. Ke4 Kh6 44. d5 Kh7 45. Rc1
Rd8 46. d6 Kg8 47. Kd5 Kf8 48. Rc7 g5 49. e6 fxe6+ 50. Kxe6 Re8+ 51. Re7 Rxe7+
52. dxe7+ Ke8 53. h3 g4 54. hxg4 {White wins with his g-pawn.  Jacques
Davidson tried to make a living as chess professional but earned little.  Euwe
showed fighting spirit and won the title with 5 1/2 points. Davidson scored 5/
7.} 1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "6th championship"]
[Date "1924.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Euwe, Max"]
[Black "Speyer, Abraham"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D30"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "43"]
[EventDate "1924.??.??"]

{Euwe had become a regular participant in master tournaments. At home he
defeated some of the local heroes with remarkable easiness.} 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3
Nf6 3. e3 c6 4. c4 e6 5. Nbd2 Nbd7 6. Bd3 c5 $6 7. O-O b6 $6 8. cxd5 exd5 $6 9.
e4 Bb7 $6 {Speyer plays an inferior opening.} 10. exd5 $6 {
Euwe loses a part of his advantage.} ({The advance in the centre with} 10. e5
$1 Ne4 11. Re1 Nxd2 12. Bxd2 Be7 13. e6 $1 fxe6 14. Qe2 {
leads to an unstoppable attack.}) 10... Bxd5 11. Re1+ Be7 12. dxc5 Nxc5 13.
Bb5+ Kf8 14. b3 Bb7 15. Bb2 Nd3 16. Bxd3 Qxd3 17. Rc1 Rd8 $2 ({
The following disaster can be prevented by} 17... Bc5 $1) 18. Rxe7 $1 Bxf3 ({
The alternative is} 18... Kxe7 19. Ba3+ Ke8 20. Qe1+ Ne4 {(Euwe)} 21. Rc4 f5
22. Qa1 $1 {and the black defence collapses.}) 19. Ba3 $3 {
A rook and the queen are sacrificed.} Qa6 ({Euwe enjoys the pointe} 19... Bxd1
20. Re3+ Qd6 21. Bxd6+ Kg8 22. Be7 $1) 20. Rcc7 Qxa3 21. Rxf7+ Ke8 22. Qe1+ {
Max started the event in a grand style.} 1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "6th championship"]
[Date "1924.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Euwe, Max"]
[Black "Kersten, J.L.."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D30"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "49"]
[EventDate "1924.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 d5 4. e3 e6 5. Nbd2 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. e4 $1 dxe4 8.
Nxe4 Nxe4 9. Bxe4 Bb4+ $2 {Black loses time and the good bishop.} 10. Bd2 Bxd2+
11. Qxd2 Nf6 12. Bc2 O-O 13. O-O Qc7 14. Qd3 Rd8 15. Ng5 g6 $6 ({
More resistance is offered by} 15... c5 16. Nxh7 Ng4 17. Qh3 Rxd4 18. Ng5 Nf6)
16. Qf3 Kg7 17. Rad1 $1 b6 18. Rfe1 h6 19. Nh3 $1 Bb7 20. Nf4 Qe7 $6 ({
A positional horror brings} 20... g5 21. Nh5+ Nxh5 22. Qxh5) 21. Bxg6 $1 Rxd4
$5 ({The pointe is} 21... fxg6 22. Nxe6+ Kf7 23. Nxd8+ Qxd8 {(Euwe)} 24. Re5)
22. Rxd4 c5 23. Qg3 cxd4 24. Bxf7+ $1 Kh8 ({Or} 24... Kxf7 25. Qg6+ Kf8 26.
Nxe6+) 25. Ng6+ {Euwe won the championship with 7/9. Davidson scored 6 points.}
1-0

[Event "Utrecht"]
[Site "7th championship"]
[Date "1926.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Euwe, Max"]
[Black "Kroone, Gerard"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C55"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "33"]
[EventDate "1926.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O Bc5 6. e5 d5 7. exf6 dxc4 8.
fxg7 Rg8 9. Bg5 Qd5 $4 {The theoretical duel ends with a catastrophe.} ({
The recent experience was} 9... Be7 10. Bxe7 Kxe7 11. Re1+ Be6 {
(Euwe-Yates, Scheveningen 1923).}) ({Best is} 9... f6 $1 10. Re1+ Kf7 11. Ne5+
Nxe5 12. Rxe5 Bd6 13. Qh5+ Kxg7 14. Qh6+ Kf7 15. Qxh7+ Rg7 16. Qh5+ {
draw (Juarez-Bartis, Buenos Aires 1952).}) 10. Nc3 $1 Qf5 11. Ne4 Be7 12. Bxe7
Kxe7 13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. Qxd4 Be6 15. Rad1 f6 ({Or} 15... Rad8 16. Ng3 $1) 16.
Rfe1 b6 17. Nc5 {Max had defeated the number three of the final standings in
this manner! Euwe won with 10/11.} 1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "8th championship"]
[Date "1929.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Euwe, Max"]
[Black "Landau, Salo"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D05"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "71"]
[EventDate "1929.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 e6 4. Bd3 c5 5. b3 Nc6 6. O-O Bd6 7. Bb2 Qe7 8. Ne5
cxd4 9. exd4 Qc7 10. f4 Nb4 11. Bb5+ Bd7 12. Nxd7 Nxd7 13. c3 Nc6 14. Qf3 O-O
15. Bd3 f5 16. c4 Nf6 17. Nc3 $6 {Euwe starts a tactical turmoil.} Nxd4 18. Qh3
Bxf4 $6 ({Finer is} 18... dxc4 19. Bxc4 b5 $1) 19. cxd5 Ng4 20. dxe6 Bxh2+ ({
Better seems to be} 20... Nxe6 21. Kh1 Ne3 {but} 22. Bc4 Nxc4 23. Nd5 Qf7 24.
bxc4 Bd6 {leads to equality.}) 21. Kh1 Qg3 $2 ({Consolidation by} 21... Be5 22.
Bc4 Kh8 23. Nd5 Qd6 24. e7 Rfe8 {is needed.}) 22. Nd5 $1 Nf2+ 23. Rxf2 Qxf2 24.
Ne7+ Kh8 25. Ng6+ Kg8 26. e7 $2 {The calculations are too complicated.} ({
Correct is the prosaic} 26. Nxf8 Qxb2 27. Rb1 Qd2 28. e7) 26... Rfc8 $2 ({
The tables are turned by} 26... Rf7 $3 {A rook closes an important diagonal.}
27. Bxd4 Qxd4 28. Re1 Re8 29. Bc4 hxg6 30. Qxh2 b5 31. Be6 Qc5 32. Qe5 Qxe5 33.
Rxe5 Rexe7 34. Bxf7+ Kxf7 35. Rxb5 Kf6 {Black has won a pawn.}) 27. e8=Q+ $1
Rxe8 28. Bxd4 Qxd4 29. Bc4+ Qxc4 30. bxc4 hxg6 31. Qxh2 Rac8 32. Qd6 Rc6 33.
Qd5+ Kh7 34. Rb1 Re4 35. Rb3 Rcxc4 36. Rh3+ {Landau gave a great fight.} 1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "8th championship"]
[Date "1929.??.??"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Euwe, Max"]
[Black "Van den Bosch, Jonkheer Johannes"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D52"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "47"]
[EventDate "1929.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. e3 c6 6. Nf3 Qa5 7. Nd2 Bb4 8. Qc2
dxc4 9. Bxf6 Nxf6 10. Nxc4 Qd5 $5 11. O-O-O $5 ({Mulder-Euwe continued with} 
11. Ne5 {in a previous round.}) 11... Bxc3 12. bxc3 b5 $5 ({More prudent is} 
12... O-O 13. Bd3 c5 {(Sämisch-Pirc, Rogatska Slatina 1929).}) 13. e4 $1 Qd8 (
13... Nxe4 14. Ne3 {costs a piece.}) 14. Ne3 Qb6 15. c4 $5 c5 $4 {
A nobleman only knows the attack.} ({
He should have reorganised his 'hopeless' position with} 15... Bb7 16. e5 Ng8
$1 17. Qb2 $6 Ne7 18. cxb5 $6 O-O) 16. cxb5 cxd4 17. Nc4 Qb8 18. e5 Nd7 19.
Nd6+ Ke7 20. Rxd4 a6 21. Rc4 Nxe5 ({Or} 21... axb5 22. Rc7 Rd8 23. Bxb5 Rxa2
24. Qc6 $1 Ra1+ 25. Kc2 $1) 22. Rc7+ Nd7 23. Qc5 Kf6 24. Ne4+ {The final score
became Max Euwe 8 1/2 out of 9, Salo Landau and Henri Weenink 7, Jonkheer
Johannes van den Bosch 6 1/2, etc. Euwe won before three young talents.} 1-0

[Event "Den Haag"]
[Site "9th championship"]
[Date "1933.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Euwe, Max"]
[Black "Van den Bosch, Jonkheer Johannes"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E15"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "42"]
[EventDate "1933.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 b6 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bxd2+ 6. Qxd2 Ba6 7. Na3 c5 8.
Bg2 Nc6 $5 {Van den Bosch shows aggression.} ({More solid is} 8... O-O 9. Ne5
d5) 9. Ne5 $1 Nxd4 $6 {
The future director of the Dutch Bank goes forwards again.} ({More subtle is} 
9... Bb7 $1 10. Nb5 $1 Qb8 $1 11. dxc5 Nxe5 $1 12. Nd6+ Qxd6 $1 13. cxd6 Bxg2
14. Rg1 Bb7 {Black has gained three pieces for a queen.}) 10. e3 $1 {
The knight has to be chased from the centre before the capture is made.} Nf5
11. Bxa8 Qxa8 12. O-O-O d6 13. g4 Ne4 14. Qc2 O-O 15. gxf5 dxe5 16. fxe6 fxe6
17. Rhg1 Qc6 18. f3 Nf6 19. Qg2 g6 20. e4 Nh5 21. Qg5 Nf4 {Euwe has a big
advantage but he offered a draw due to another event in this fatal eighth
round.   He won with 8/9 and Johannes van den Bosch scored 7 points.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Den Haag"]
[Site "9th championship"]
[Date "1933.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Olland, Adolf"]
[Black "Hamming, AW."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B83"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[EventDate "1933.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 e6 7. O-O Be7 8. b3
O-O 9. Kh1 a6 10. f4 Qc7 11. Bf3 Bd7 12. Nce2 b5 13. Bb2 Rfd8 14. Ng3 Rac8 15.
Rc1 Nxd4 16. Qxd4 Qc5 17. Qd3 b4 18. Bd4 Qb5 19. Qe3 d5 20. Be2 Qb7 21. Bd3
dxe4 22. Bxf6 Bxf6 23. Nxe4 Bc3 $2 24. Nd6 Qc7 25. Nxc8 Bxc8 {
Adolf Olland died of a heart attack. His opponent got a regulatory win.} 0-1

[Event "Rotterdam"]
[Site "10th championship"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Prins, Lodewijk"]
[Black "Landau, Salo"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D12"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "46"]
[EventDate "1936.??.??"]

{Euwe had no time to participate in 1936 due to his obligations as world
champion. This time Landau showed superiority over the rest.} 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3
Nf6 3. e3 Bf5 4. c4 c6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Bd2 $6 Nbd7 7. Rc1 Bd6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Qb3
Qb8 10. Na4 O-O 11. Bb4 $1 Re8 12. Bxd6 Qxd6 13. Qxb7 $2 {
It looks like Landau has set a trap.} Rab8 $2 ({But he misses the win} 13...
Nb6 $1 14. Rxc6 Qb4+ 15. Nc3 Qxb2 16. Be2 Ne4) 14. Rxc6 Qe7 15. Qa6 Qb4+ 16.
Ke2 $4 ({Correct is} 16. Nc3 $1 Qxb2 17. Nd1 Qb4+ 18. Rc3 Ne4 19. a3 Qb1 20.
Bd3 Qa1 {and a lively game.}) 16... Nb6 17. b3 Bd7 18. Rc5 Nxa4 19. bxa4 Qb2+
20. Nd2 Ne4 21. Qa5 Rb4 22. Rc2 Qxc2 23. Qxb4 Nc3+ {
Landau achieved 7 1/2 out of 9 games.} 0-1

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "11th championship"]
[Date "1938.07.06"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Cortlever, Nico"]
[Black "Euwe, Max"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C56"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "66"]
[EventDate "1938.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1 d5 7. Bxd5 Qxd5 8.
Nc3 Qa5 9. Nxe4 Be6 10. Bg5 $6 ({Usual is} 10. Neg5 O-O-O) 10... Bb4 $5 ({
Euwe mentions the alternative} 10... h6) 11. Re2 O-O 12. a3 Bd6 13. Nxd6 cxd6
14. Bf4 Bg4 15. Qd3 Ne5 16. Bxe5 Bxf3 17. Qxf3 dxe5 18. Qxb7 Rab8 19. Qe7 Rxb2
20. Rxe5 Qa4 21. Rae1 Rxc2 {
White has to counterattack or the extra pawn will decide the game.} 22. Rg5 $2
({Cortlever misses} 22. Rd5 $1 {(he threatens Qxf8+)} g6 23. h3 {
Both parties need valves.} Qc4 24. Rd7 d3 25. Rd1 Qf4 26. Qe1 $1 {
White survives.}) 22... g6 23. Rg3 Qc4 24. Qe4 Rc1 25. h4 Rxe1+ 26. Qxe1 d3 27.
Qd2 Rd8 28. h5 Qc2 29. Qg5 Rc8 30. Kh2 d2 31. h6 d1=Q {
The defender has a last opportunity.} 32. Qf6 $6 ({Better is} 32. Qe5 $1 {
(White threatens mate and ..Qh5+ remains prevented). Euwe analyses} Kf8 $1 (
32... f6 $4 33. Qe6+) 33. Qg7+ Ke7 34. Re3+ Kd8 35. Qf6+ Kc7 36. Rc3+ Qxc3 37.
Qxc3+ Kd7 {and Black wins.}) 32... Qh5+ $1 33. Rh3 Qc3 {The former world
champion showed his superiority in all phase of the game. He gained an
advantage in the opening and calculated the tactics more precisely.} 0-1

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "11th championship"]
[Date "1938.??.??"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Euwe, Max"]
[Black "Landau, Salo"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D68"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "1938.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3
dxc4 9. Bxc4 Nd5 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. O-O Nxc3 12. Rxc3 e5 13. Bb3 e4 14. Nd2 Nf6
15. Qb1 Bf5 16. f4 Rad8 17. Rc5 g6 18. Qc2 Ng4 19. Rc3 Qh4 20. h3 Nf6 21. Nb1
Nd5 22. Bxd5 Rxd5 23. Qf2 Qxf2+ 24. Kxf2 Ra5 25. a3 Rb5 26. Rc2 h5 27. b4 Rd5
28. Nc3 Rd7 ({Euwe set the trap} 28... Rxd4 29. g4 $1) 29. Kg3 Kg7 30. Na4 Be6
$2 ({A further weakening of pawn e4 is prevented by} 30... f6 $1 31. Nc5 Re7)
31. Nc5 Re7 32. Nxe6+ $1 Rxe6 {
Black hopes to consolidate his position with ..f5.} 33. f5 $1 Rf6 34. Rc5 Re8
35. Kf4 gxf5 36. Rxf5 Ree6 37. Kg5 Rxf5+ 38. Rxf5 Rg6+ 39. Kxh5 Rxg2 (39... f6
40. Rf4 Rxg2 41. Rg4+ {also leads to a lost pawn endgame.}) 40. Rg5+ Rxg5+ 41.
Kxg5 {The weakness e4 becomes fatal.  Euwe won with 9/11. Nico Cortlever
became second with 8 points.} 1-0

[Event "Nederland"]
[Site "12th championship"]
[Date "1939.10.01"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Euwe, Max"]
[Black "Landau, Salo"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C10"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "1939.??.??"]

{Landau had qualified in the semifinal Amsterdam 1939 for a match against Euwe.
The games were played in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Den Haag and Utrecht.} 1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. Bd3 Be7 8. Qe2
O-O 9. Bg5 c5 10. dxc5 Qa5+ 11. c3 Qxc5 12. O-O Rd8 13. Ne5 $1 Rxd3 $2 {
Landau starts a counteraction.} ({
Stepanov-Krumpacnik, Budapest 1991 will improve the theory with} 13... h6 14.
Bh4 Nd7 {Euwe's suggestion.}) 14. b4 $1 Qd5 15. c4 $1 Qe4 16. Qxe4 Nxe4 17.
Bxe7 Rd2 18. Rad1 $1 f6 19. Rxd2 Nxd2 20. Rd1 fxe5 21. Rxd2 Kf7 22. Bd6 (22.
Bh4 {will win in O'Kelly de Galway-Sanguinetti, Mar del Plata 1948.}) 22... Bd7
{Black suffers from an awful restriction.} 23. Bxe5 Be8 24. Rd4 g6 25. h4 Rc8
26. g4 h5 27. f3 a6 28. Kf2 Bc6 29. Ke3 Rg8 30. Kf4 Ke7 31. g5 Rc8 32. Bd6+ Kf7
33. Ke5 Kg7 34. Rf4 Re8 35. Rf6 b5 36. c5 Bd5 37. a3 Rd8 38. Rxe6 Bxe6 39. Kxe6
Ra8 40. c6 Re8+ 41. Kd7 Kf7 42. c7 1-0

[Event "Nederland"]
[Site "12th championship"]
[Date "1939.10.11"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Euwe, Max"]
[Black "Landau, Salo"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D18"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "45"]
[EventDate "1939.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O
Nbd7 9. Qb3 Qb6 $5 10. e4 $1 Bg6 11. Bxe6 $3 fxe6 12. a5 $1 Bxa5 13. Qxe6+ {
White attacks the king as the result of a brilliant novelty.} Kd8 14. e5 Re8 ({
A poor alternative is} 14... Ne4 $6 15. Nxe4 ({Kasparov continues with} 15. Na4
$6 Qb5 16. Nc5) 15... Bxe4 16. Qf7 $1 Bg6 17. Qxg7 Re8 18. Bg5+ {
makes a more serious impression.}) 15. Qh3 Bxc3 16. exf6 {
The critical position has arisen.} Bb4 $2 ({A useful exchange is made by} 16...
Bxb2 $1 17. Bxb2 Qxb2 18. fxg7 Qb3 $1 {White revives the attack by} 19. d5 $1
Qxd5 20. Rad1 Qf5 21. Qh4+ Kc8 $1 ({Kasparov analyses} 21... Kc7 $2 22. Qg3+)
22. Rfe1 Rxe1+ 23. Rxe1 Bf7 24. Qg5 $1 Qxg5 25. Nxg5 Kc7 26. Nxf7 Rg8 27. Ng5
b5 {The chances seem to be equal in the fierce endgame.}) 17. fxg7 Bd6 18. Ne5
$1 Bxe5 19. dxe5 Bf7 $6 ({No relief brings} 19... Nxe5 20. Bg5+ Kc7 21. Bf4 {
(Kasparov).}) 20. Rd1 Bd5 21. e6 Nf6 22. Bg5 Ke7 23. Qc3 {Euwe won the match
with 7 1/2 - 2 1/2.  The plan was to turn the championship into an annual
event. That did not happen due to the outbreak of the second world war. Salo
Landau could no longer play organised chess as a Jew. He would die in a
concentretion camp.} 1-0

[Event "Den Haag"]
[Site "13th championship"]
[Date "1942.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Van den Hoek, Arnold"]
[Black "Euwe, Max"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A11"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[EventDate "1942.??.??"]

{A championship could be organised despite the war. An intense competition
took place in the qualification tournament Leeuwarden 1942. Van den Hoek, De
Groot and Cortlever ended at the first place. The young Van den Hoek defeated
the other two in a playoff.} 1. c4 Nf6 2. g3 c6 3. Bg2 d5 4. b3 $2 dxc4 5. bxc4
Qd4 $1 6. Nc3 Qxc4 {White has lost a pawn.} 7. Nf3 Nbd7 8. O-O e5 9. Bb2 Bd6
10. d3 Qe6 11. d4 O-O 12. e4 Qe7 13. Rb1 exd4 14. Nxd4 Nb6 15. Qb3 Bc5 16. Na4
Nxa4 17. Qxa4 Rd8 18. Nf5 Bxf5 19. exf5 Rd2 20. Qf4 Rad8 21. g4 $2 ({
Euwe prefers} 21. Bxf6 gxf6) 21... Bd6 $1 {He finds an elegant finish.} 22. Qg5
Rxb2 23. Rxb2 Qe5 24. Rfb1 Qxh2+ 25. Kf1 Bf4 0-1

[Event "Den Haag"]
[Site "13th championship"]
[Date "1942.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Van den Hoek, Arnold"]
[Black "Euwe, Max"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C82"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[EventDate "1942.??.??"]

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. Qe2 O-O 11. Be3 Bxe3 12. Qxe3 Ne7 13. Bc2 $5 Bf5 $5 14. Nh4
$6 ({Better is} 14. Nd4 f6 15. Bxe4 dxe4 16. exf6 Rxf6 17. Nd2) 14... f6 {
White has to find an unorthodox solution for his problems.} 15. f3 $6 ({
The retreat} 15. Bb3 $1 {threatens 16.Nxf5 Nxf5 17.Qxe4. Black plays} Qd7 {Now}
16. f3 $1 {is good, because the jump to g3 fails.} Ng5 17. exf6 gxf6 18. f4)
15... Ng3 $1 16. Nxf5 ({Euwe suggests} 16. hxg3 Bxc2) 16... Ngxf5 17. Qd3 c5
18. f4 $2 (18. Re1 {moves the rook to an open file.}) 18... fxe5 19. fxe5 c4
20. Qe2 Qb6+ 21. Rf2 Ne3 22. h3 Nxc2 23. Qxc2 Rf7 24. Na3 Raf8 25. Raf1 Qe3 {
Euwe won the match with 8-2.  Arnold van den Hoek was forced to work in
Germany. He never returned.} 0-1

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "14th championship"]
[Date "1948.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Euwe, Max"]
[Black "Van Scheltinga, Theo"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E69"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "1948.??.??"]

{Three qualification tournaments (Leiden 1946) were played for the first
championship after the war. Euwe participated out of competition. The
semifinal became Amsterdam 1947. Theo van Scheltinga qualified and played a
match against Euwe in 1948.  This has led to confusion in the overviews in the
championships. I regard the match Esser-Loman as a championship, like Jan
Kersten does. The events in 1946 and 1947 are not separate championships.} 1.
d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 d6 5. e4 O-O 6. Ne2 e5 7. O-O Nbd7 8. Nbc3 c6
9. h3 exd4 10. Nxd4 Nb6 11. b3 d5 12. exd5 cxd5 13. cxd5 Nfxd5 14. Nxd5 Nxd5
15. Bb2 Qa5 16. Qe1 ({Theory is} 16. Qf3 {(Kotov-Bronstein, Moscow 1945).})
16... Qxe1 17. Rfxe1 Nb4 18. Re2 a5 19. Nb5 Bxb2 20. Rxb2 Ra6 $2 (20... Rd8 $1
{gains control over the d-file.}) 21. Rd2 $1 a4 22. bxa4 Rxa4 23. a3 Nc6 24.
Nd6 Rd8 25. Raa2 {White exerts pressure on the queenside.} Na5 $2 ({Correct is
} 25... Kf8 $1 26. Nxc8 Rxc8 27. Rd7 b5 28. Rc2 Rc4) 26. Nxc8 Rxc8 27. Rd7 b5
28. Bd5 {The attack switches to the kingside.} Rf8 29. Rb2 Rxa3 30. Rxb5 Kg7
31. Rc7 Rd8 32. Ra7 Rxd5 ({The simple pointe is} 32... Nc4 33. Rxf7+ Kh6 34.
Bxc4) 33. Rxd5 Nc4 34. Rxa3 Nxa3 35. Rc5 Nb1 36. f3 Kf6 37. Kf2 Ke6 38. g4 Nd2
39. Rc3 Ke5 40. Ke2 Nb1 41. Rb3 {Euwe won the match with 5 1/2 - 2 1/2.} 1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "15th championship"]
[Date "1950.??.??"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Euwe, Max"]
[Black "Donner, Jan Hein"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C89"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "1950.??.??"]

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 c6 12. d4 Bd6 13. Re1 Qh4 14. g3 Qh3 15.
Be3 Bg4 16. Qd3 f5 17. f4 Kh8 18. Bxd5 cxd5 19. Nd2 {"We will slug it out in
the last round" Donner spoke after the lots were drawn at the opening. However,
he has lost three games in the meantime.} Rg8 $6 ({Theory will become} 19... g5
) 20. Qf1 Qh5 21. a4 Qe8 $2 {Jan Hein shows unusual timidity.} 22. axb5 Qxb5
23. Qxb5 axb5 24. Kf2 Bh5 25. Nf3 Rgb8 26. Bd2 Bf7 27. h3 Kg8 28. g4 fxg4 29.
hxg4 Be8 30. f5 h5 31. Ne5 hxg4 32. Kg3 g6 33. Kxg4 gxf5+ 34. Kxf5 {
The pawns have disappeared on the kingside.} Rxa1 35. Rxa1 b4 36. Rg1+ Kh7 37.
Rh1+ Kg8 38. cxb4 Bxb4 39. Bg5 Rb7 40. Bf6 Rh7 41. Ra1 Rb7 42. Rg1+ {
White plays for mate.  Euwe won the tournament with 9 1/2 out of 11.} 1-0

[Event "Enschede"]
[Site "16th championship"]
[Date "1952.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Euwe, Max"]
[Black "Kramer, Haije"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E33"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "1952.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bd2 O-O 7. a3 Bxc3 8.
Bxc3 Re8 9. b4 e5 10. dxe5 Nxe5 11. e3 Bg4 12. Nxe5 dxe5 13. f3 Bh5 14. Be2 Bg6
15. Qb2 Nd7 16. O-O f6 $6 ({Better is} 16... Qe7) 17. c5 $1 Qe7 18. Rfd1 Red8
19. Be1 Nf8 20. Rxd8 Rxd8 21. Qb3+ Kh8 22. c6 bxc6 23. Qa4 $5 {
Euwe goes for an all-out attack.} (23. Rc1 {keeps a solid advantage.}) 23...
Bd3 24. Bxd3 Rxd3 25. Qxa7 Qd7 26. Kf2 h6 27. a4 Ne6 28. a5 Kh7 29. a6 c5 (
29... Qd5 $1 30. Kg1 (30. Qb8 $2 Nf4 $1) 30... Qb3 {gains a plus.}) 30. Qb7
Rxe3 $1 31. a7 $1 {White has needed many tempi for the advance on the
queenside. The defender has a timely counterattack.} ({
White avoids the immediate draw} 31. Kxe3 Qd4+ 32. Ke2 Nf4+ {(Euwe).}) 31...
Qd4 $2 ({Correct is} 31... Nf4 $1 32. Qa6 $1 {
Euwe regards this position as won for White, but} Qd4 $1 33. Kf1 Rxe1+ $1 34.
Rxe1 Qd2 35. Re2 Qd1+ {draws.}) 32. a8=Q $1 Nf4 33. Kf1 Rxe1+ 34. Rxe1 Qd3+ 35.
Kg1 {Euwe 'only' scored 7 1/2 out of 10, half-a-point before Van Scheltinga.} (
{The champion has calculated} 35. Kg1 Qd2 36. Qe4+ g6 37. Re2 $1 Nxe2+ 38. Kf1)
1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "17th championship"]
[Date "1954.04.05"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Donner, Jan Hein"]
[Black "Orbaan, Constant"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D40"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "87"]
[EventDate "1954.??.??"]

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 c5 5. Bg5 cxd4 6. Nxd4 e5 7. Nc2 d4 $1 {
Black gets lively play in the centre.} 8. Nd5 Bf5 9. f3 Be7 10. Nxe7 Qxe7 11.
e4 Bg6 $6 {The bishop is buried.} ({Better is} 11... Be6) 12. b4 O-O 13. Bd3
Qe6 14. O-O Nfd7 $5 {Black wants to liberate his bishop.} 15. Qe2 f6 16. Bd2
Bf7 17. f4 Kh8 18. f5 Qe7 19. Rfb1 Rc8 20. a4 $2 Nc6 $2 {
Orbaan remains passive.} ({He misses the opportunity} 20... a5 $2 {(Euwe).})
21. a5 $1 Nd8 $6 22. c5 $1 a6 $6 (22... b6 $1 {
gives the last chance for counteraction on the queenside.}) 23. Na3 Bg8 24. Nc4
Nf7 25. g4 Rc7 26. h4 Rf8 27. Kf2 Nd8 28. Rh1 Rc6 29. Rh3 Rc7 30. Kg2 Rc6 31.
Rah1 Rc7 32. Rg3 Rc6 33. Nd6 Rc7 34. g5 $1 Nf7 35. Nxf7+ Qxf7 36. g6 $1 Qe7 37.
h5 $1 {The encirclement of the black position has been completed.} Nb8 ({
The tactical pointe of the chosen strategy is} 37... h6 38. Bxh6 $1 gxh6 39.
g7+) 38. h6 $1 Qe8 39. hxg7+ Rxg7 40. Bh6 hxg6 41. Bxg7+ Kxg7 42. Rxg6+ Kf7 43.
Bc4+ Ke7 44. Bxg8 1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "17th championship"]
[Date "1954.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Spanjaard, Eduard"]
[Black "Donner, Jan Hein"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A53"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "104"]
[EventDate "1954.??.??"]

{Euwe blundered in a game against Cortlever. Donner kept on scoring.} 1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 Nbd7 4. g3 e5 5. Nf3 c6 6. Qc2 exd4 7. Nxd4 Nb6 8. b3 $2 ({
Correct is} 8. e4) 8... d5 $1 9. cxd5 Nbxd5 10. Nxd5 Qxd5 11. Nf3 Bf5 12. Qd2
Qxd2+ {Black lets slip away a large part of his advantage.} ({Better is} 12...
O-O-O $1 13. Qxd5 Nxd5) 13. Bxd2 Ne4 14. Bg2 Nxd2 15. Nxd2 Bb4 16. e4 Bg6 17.
O-O-O O-O-O 18. Nc4 Rhe8 19. f3 f6 20. Rxd8+ Rxd8 21. Rd1 Rxd1+ 22. Kxd1 Kc7
23. Bh3 Bf7 24. Kc2 b5 25. Nb2 $6 (25. Ne3 {avoids a weakening.}) 25... Bc5 $1
26. Bg2 h5 27. Nd3 Bg1 28. h3 Bh2 29. g4 h4 30. f4 Be6 $6 (30... c5 $1 31. Nxc5
Bxf4 {causes a weak centre pawn.}) 31. e5 fxe5 32. Nxe5 c5 33. Nf3 $6 (33. Nd3
$1 c4 $5 34. Nc5 $1 {keeps the equality.}) 33... Bg3 $6 (33... Bxf4 34. Nxh4 g5
35. Nf5 a5 {locks the kingside, before the attack starts.}) 34. f5 Bg8 35. Kc3
Kd6 36. Bf1 $1 Bd5 37. Be2 a5 {
White's mobility has been restricted by the pair of bishops.} 38. Bd1 $2 ({
Defence and counteraction are combined superbly in} 38. Kc2 $1 a4 39. Ng5 $1)
38... c4 $1 39. bxc4 Bxc4 40. a3 Kc5 $1 ({Black can spoil his advantage by} 
40... Bf1 $6 41. Ng1 Bf2 42. Be2 $1 Bg2 43. Bf3 $1) 41. g5 $1 Kd6 42. Bb3 Bf1 (
42... Be2 $1 43. Nd2 Bf4 {wins more easily.}) 43. f6 $1 g6 44. Bf7 Bxh3 45.
Bxg6 Be6 46. Be4 h3 47. g6 ({Or} 47. Nd4 Ke5 $1 48. Nxe6 Kxe6 49. Kd4 Bd6 $1 {
Black wins despite the bishops of opposite colours.}) 47... h2 48. f7 Ke7 49.
Ng5 Be5+ 50. Kd3 Bf5 51. Nh7 Bxe4+ 52. Kxe4 Bg7 {Donner became the new
champion with 8/11. Cortlever and Euwe shared the second place with 7 points.
The old champion was dethroned. He had the right to challenge Donner for a
match and used this privilege fortunately.} 0-1

[Event "Den Haag"]
[Site "18th championship"]
[Date "1955.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Donner, Jan Hein"]
[Black "Euwe, Max"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E68"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "44"]
[EventDate "1955.??.??"]

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. d4 d6 6. O-O Nbd7 7. Qc2 e5 8. Rd1
Re8 9. Nc3 c6 10. e4 Qc7 11. h3 b5 $5 12. c5 $1 (12. dxe5 dxe5 13. cxb5 cxb5 {
gained no advantage in Wexler-Marini, Argentina 1955.}) 12... dxc5 13. dxe5
Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Qxe5 15. f4 $2 (15. Bf4 $1 Qh5 16. e5 Nd5 17. Nxd5 cxd5 {(Euwe)}
18. Bxd5 Bxh3 19. Bxa8 Rxa8 20. Qe4 {
will be played in Paunovic-Matamoros, Mondrariz 1994.}) 15... Qh5 16. e5 Bxh3
$1 17. exf6 ({A complicated variation is} 17. Bxc6 b4 $1 18. Bxa8 (18. exf6
bxc3 19. fxg7 Re2) 18... bxc3 19. Bg2 Bf5 20. Qb3 Ng4 {(Euwe)} 21. Qxc3 Nxe5 $1
22. Re1 Nf3+ 23. Bxf3 Rxe1+ 24. Qxe1 Bd4+ $1 25. Be3 Qxf3 26. Bxd4 Be4 {
and Black wins.}) 17... Bxf6 18. Ne4 {The crucial position.} Rxe4 $1 ({Avoids} 
18... Bd4+ $4 19. Rxd4 $1) 19. Bxe4 Re8 20. Be3 Bf5 21. Qxc5 ({The alternative
} 21. Bxf5 Rxe3 22. Qf2 {(Euwe)} Rf3 {also wins for Black.}) 21... Rxe4 22. Rd2
Qf3 0-1

[Event "Den Haag"]
[Site "18th championship"]
[Date "1955.??.??"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Euwe, Max"]
[Black "Donner, Jan Hein"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D78"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "109"]
[EventDate "1955.??.??"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 c6 5. O-O O-O 6. b3 Ne4 7. d4 d5 8. Bb2 a5
9. Nfd2 Nxd2 10. Nxd2 dxc4 $6 ({Better is} 10... Na6 11. e3 Bf5) 11. Nxc4 Nd7
12. d5 Bxb2 13. Nxb2 cxd5 14. Qxd5 Nb6 15. Qxd8 $6 (15. Qe5 $1 {
maintains more pressure.}) 15... Rxd8 16. Rfd1 {Both players exchange too much.
} Rxd1+ $2 {Hereafter Black has to sacrifice a pawn.} ({Correct is} 16... Bg4
$1 17. Kf1 $1 {(Euwe), and now} Rab8 18. Rxd8+ Rxd8 19. Bxb7 Rd2) 17. Rxd1 Be6
$1 18. Bxb7 Ra7 19. Bc6 Rc7 20. Be4 Kg7 21. Kf1 g5 22. Ke1 Nd7 23. Bd5 Bf5 24.
Nc4 Nf6 25. Ne3 Bc8 26. Bc4 e6 27. f3 Nd7 28. Bb5 Ne5 29. Nc4 Nxc4 30. bxc4 (
30. Bxc4 {gives a good alternative.}) 30... e5 $1 {Black controls square d4.}
31. Kd2 Kf6 32. Kc3 Ke7 33. f4 $1 {White opens the fortress.} gxf4 34. gxf4 Rc5
35. Rf1 exf4 36. Rxf4 Rh5 37. h4 Be6 38. Kd4 Kd6 39. e4 Re5 40. a3 {
Euwe plays a waiting move before the time control.} f5 {
Donner cannot delay any longer.} 41. exf5 Bxf5 42. Bc6 $1 {
White divides the hostile forces.} Re1 ({A nice variation is} 42... Be6 43. Rf6
Re1 44. Bd5) 43. Rxf5 Rd1+ 44. Kc3 Kxc6 45. Rxa5 Rc1+ 46. Kb3 Rb1+ 47. Kc2 Rh1
48. Rh5 Rh3 49. a4 $1 Kb6 50. Kb2 $1 h6 51. Rxh6+ Ka5 ({Or} 51... Kc5 52. a5
Kxc4 53. a6) 52. c5 Kxa4 53. c6 Kb4 54. Kc2 Rc3+ 55. Kd2 {Euwe won his last
Dutch championship with 7-3. He achieved twelve titles and scored 79% in
fourteen events.  The international importance of Dutch chess had gone down
with Euwe. He had a good start after the war with a second place in Groningen
1946. Places in the battle for the world championship were last for Euwe in
Den Haag - Moscow 1948 (world championship), last for Prins in Stockholm 1952
(interzonal), penultimate for Euwe in Zürich 1953 (candidates) and last for
Donner in Göteborg 1955 (interzonal). An era had ended.} 1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "19th championship"]
[Date "1957.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Donner, Jan Hein"]
[Black "Bouwmeester, Hans"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A99"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "101"]
[EventDate "1957.??.??"]

{The days of the early official championships returned. A Dutch championship
became a very important tournament for the participants. Feuds started again.
Donner was an initiator of controversies. Many entertaining publications were
the result.} 1. d4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3
Qe8 8. b3 a5 9. Ba3 Na6 10. Re1 Qg6 $6 {The first tactical error is made.} 11.
Ne5 $1 Qe8 {Black is lucky.} 12. Nd3 e5 13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Bxe7 Qxe7 15. e4 fxe4
16. Nxe4 Bf5 $2 17. Nc3 {Black is lucky again.} ({White wins a pawn in} 17.
Nxf6+ $1 Qxf6 18. Bxb7 Rad8 19. Bd5+ Kh8 20. Nxe5 Nb4 21. Qh5 Nxd5 22. cxd5
Rxd5 23. Qe2) 17... e4 18. f3 e3 19. Ne4 Rad8 20. Rxe3 Nc5 21. Qe2 {
Black has pressure in the centre for a pawn.} Bxe4 $2 ({
The right order of exchanges in} 21... Nxd3 $1 22. Rxd3 Bxe4 23. Rxd8 Rxd8 24.
fxe4 Re8 {stops the e-pawn definitely.}) 22. Nf2 $3 Rd4 23. fxe4 Qe5 24. Rd1
Rfd8 25. Rxd4 Rxd4 26. Bf3 g6 27. a3 $1 c6 28. b4 axb4 29. axb4 Ne6 30. Nd3 $1
{White has kept his knight and uses it for the termination of the blockade.}
Qg5 31. e5 Nd7 32. Re4 Rxe4 33. Qxe4 Qd2 34. h4 Qc3 35. Bg4 Ndf8 36. Kg2 Qd2+
37. Kh3 Qc3 38. c5 Qc2 39. Qe2 Qc4 40. Kg2 Qd4 41. Qf3 Qc4 42. Bh3 Qc3 43. Kh2
Qd2+ 44. Bg2 Nd4 45. Qe4 Nfe6 46. Nf4 Nxf4 47. Qxf4 Qxf4 48. gxf4 Nc2 49. b5
cxb5 50. Bxb7 Kf8 51. c6 {The elegant positional manoeuvre has an educational
value.  Donner became champion with 9/11, two points before Van den Berg,
Bouwmeester and Roessel. Caltex Petroleum was the first sponsor of a Dutch
championship.} 1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "20th championship "]
[Date "1958.??.??"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Van den Berg, Carel"]
[Black "Donner, Jan Hein"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A11"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "80"]
[EventDate "1958.??.??"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. g3 c6 3. Nf3 d5 4. b3 g6 5. Bb2 Bg7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O a5 8. Na3 a4
9. d3 Na6 10. Nc2 Re8 11. cxd5 Nxd5 12. Bxg7 Kxg7 13. Qc1 $5 f6 $1 14. Qb2 axb3
15. axb3 Be6 $6 ({Harmonic development brings} 15... e5) 16. b4 Qb6 $5 17. Rab1
Bf7 18. Rfe1 $6 ({Correct is} 18. e4 Ndc7 19. d4 {(Euwe).}) 18... Qd8 $6 19.
Nfd4 $6 Nac7 $6 {Both contestants refuse to advance pawns in the centre.} 20.
Nb3 $2 ({White can play} 20. b5 $1 cxb5 21. Nxb5 Nxb5 {(Euwe), because} {due to
} 22. Qxb5 $1 Nc3 $2 23. Qxb7 Nxb1 24. Qxa8 Qxa8 25. Bxa8 Rxa8 26. Rxb1 Ra2 27.
Rc1) 20... Nb5 21. Na5 Qc7 22. Nc4 Ra4 23. Ra1 Ndc3 24. Rxa4 Nxa4 25. Qc1 Ra8
26. Qe3 Nac3 27. Ra1 $6 ({Unpleasant is} 27. Nd4 Ra2) 27... Rxa1+ 28. Nxa1 Nd4
29. Bf1 e5 30. Qd2 Nd5 31. Bg2 b5 32. Na5 ({Euwe prefers} 32. Na3 c5 33. Bxd5
Bxd5 34. N1c2 cxb4 35. Nxb4 {but} Bf3 $1 {ends the game.}) 32... c5 33. bxc5
Nc3 $1 {Donner finds a nice combination.} 34. Nb7 Bd5 $1 35. Bxd5 Nxd5 36. Na5
Qxc5 37. N1b3 Qa3 38. Nxd4 exd4 39. Kg2 $6 ({Or} 39. Qe1 Nc3 40. Nc6 Nxe2+ $1 {
(Euwe).}) 39... Nc3 40. Nc6 Qa8 {Jan Hein Donner won the championship with 9/
10. He seemed to have taken over Euwe's superiority, but this third title
would become his last.} 0-1

[Event "Den Haag"]
[Site "21st championship"]
[Date "1961.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Langeweg, Kick"]
[Black "Tan, Hiong Liong"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A17"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "1961.??.??"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4 4. g3 O-O 5. Bg2 d5 6. Qb3 c5 7. a3 Ba5 8. O-O
Nc6 9. d3 Bxc3 10. Qxc3 d4 11. Qc2 Qd6 $6 ({Better is} 11... e5) 12. b4 $1 e5 (
12... cxb4 13. axb4 Nxb4 14. Qb3 a5 15. Bf4 Qc5 16. Be5 {leads to restriction.}
) 13. bxc5 Qxc5 14. Rb1 Re8 15. Nd2 Qe7 16. Qb3 Qc7 17. Qb5 Re6 $1 18. Ne4 Nxe4
19. Bxe4 {White pressures on the queenside.} h6 $2 (19... Rb8 $1 {
(overprotects b7)} 20. f4 Bd7) 20. f4 Nd8 21. fxe5 Bd7 $5 22. Qb2 $2 ({
White gains a pawn in} 22. Qd5 $1 Bc6 23. Qxd4 Bxe4 24. Qxe4 Rxe5 25. Qf3)
22... Rb6 $1 23. Qa1 Rxb1 24. Qxb1 Bc6 25. Bxc6 Nxc6 26. Bf4 g5 27. Bd2 Re8 28.
Qe1 Rxe5 29. Qf2 $2 ({Correct is} 29. Rf6) 29... Qe7 30. Bb4 Qe6 31. Qf3 ({
Horrible is} 31. Re1 Rf5 32. Qg2 Qe3+ 33. Kh1 a5 34. Bd6 Rf2) 31... Rxe2 32.
Qh5 a5 33. Bc5 Qe3+ 34. Kh1 Rf2 35. Qd1 Rxf1+ 36. Qxf1 Ne5 37. Qf6 Qe1+ 38. Kg2
Qe2+ 39. Qf2 ({Or} 39. Kh3 g4+ 40. Kh4 Qxh2#) 39... Qxf2+ {White loses a piece.
Hiong Liong Tan became champion with 7 1/2 out of 10. Donner and Van den Berg
scored 6 points. The young Tan was a few years active as a chess-player in the
Netherlands.} 0-1

[Event "Den Haag"]
[Site "22nd championship"]
[Date "1963.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Kuijpers, Frans"]
[Black "Van den Berg, Carel"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B11"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "1963.??.??"]

1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. h3 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 Nf6 6. d4 dxe4 7. Qe3 e6 8.
Nxe4 Be7 9. Nxf6+ Bxf6 10. c3 Qd5 11. Qg3 O-O 12. Be2 Nd7 13. O-O e5 14. dxe5
Nxe5 15. Be3 Rfe8 16. Rfd1 Qe6 17. Rd2 Nc4 18. Bxc4 Qxc4 19. Qc7 b6 20. a3 h6
21. Rad1 c5 22. Rd7 Qe2 23. R7d2 Qc4 24. Qc6 Rac8 $6 (24... Qe6 25. Qxe6 Rxe6
26. Rd7 a5 {keeps the equality.}) 25. Qf3 Bg5 $2 ({Better is} 25... Qe4 26.
Qxe4 Rxe4 27. Rd7 a5 28. R1d6 Rb8) 26. Bxg5 hxg5 27. Rd7 a5 28. Qf5 Qf4 $6 29.
Rxf7 $1 Qxf5 30. Rxf5 Re2 31. Rxg5 Rc7 32. b4 axb4 33. axb4 cxb4 34. cxb4 Rb2
35. Rg4 Rf7 36. f3 Re7 37. Rd8+ Kh7 38. Rh4+ Kg6 39. Rd6+ Kf7 40. Rxb6 {
Frans Kuijpers won with 9/11 before Donner with 7 1/2 points.} 1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "23rd championship"]
[Date "1965.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Prins, Lodewijk"]
[Black "Zuidema, Coen"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C35"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "73"]
[EventDate "1965.??.??"]

{The championship tournament had an exciting finish. Prins and Zuidema ended
at the first place with 7 1/2 out of 11. They had to play a match of four
games.} 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Be7 4. Nc3 Bh4+ 5. Ke2 d5 6. Nxd5 Nf6 7.
Nxf6+ Qxf6 8. e5 $6 {They play their own version of the Cunningham Gambit.} ({
More solid is} 8. d3) 8... Qe7 $6 ({Donner advices} 8... Qa6+ $1 9. d3 Bg4 10.
Qd2 Nc6 11. Qxf4 f5 12. c3 O-O-O {and Black has a good game.}) 9. d4 O-O $6 ({
Black keeps the initiative in} 9... Bg4 10. Qd2 Nc6 11. Qxf4 f5 12. c3 O-O-O)
10. g3 $1 Bg5 $1 ({He has to avoid} 10... fxg3 $2 11. hxg3 Bxg3 12. Rg1 {
(Donner).}) 11. gxf4 Bh6 12. Qe1 f6 $5 13. Qh4 Qe8 $2 ({Correct is} 13... Bf5)
14. Rg1 Kh8 15. Kf2 fxe5 16. fxe5 $1 Bxc1 17. Rxc1 Bf5 18. Rg3 Nc6 19. c3 Ne7
20. Kg1 h6 21. Re1 Bh7 22. Qg4 Nf5 23. Rg2 Qe7 24. Rf2 Rad8 25. Bc4 c6 26. a4
Bg8 27. Bxg8 Kxg8 28. Nd2 Nd6 29. Ref1 Rxf2 30. Rxf2 Ne8 31. Ne4 c5 32. Nxc5
Nc7 33. Nxb7 Rb8 34. Nd6 Ne6 35. Nf5 Qg5 36. Qxg5 Nxg5 37. Kg2 {Lodewijk Prins
took the lead. Thereafter, he won the playoff with 2 1/2 - 1 1/2.} 1-0

[Event "Den Haag"]
[Site "24th championship"]
[Date "1967.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Ree, Hans"]
[Black "Bouwmeester, Hans"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B99"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[EventDate "1967.??.??"]

{Ree and Bouwmeester shared the first place with 8/11 in Zierikzee. The
playoff occurred in Den Haag. Again the decision took place in game three.} 1.
e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7
9. O-O-O Nbd7 10. g4 b5 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12. g5 Nd7 13. f5 Nc5 14. f6 gxf6 15.
gxf6 Bf8 16. Bh3 b4 17. Nd5 exd5 18. exd5 Bxh3 19. Rhe1+ Kd8 20. Qxh3 ({
Ree diverts from} 20. Nc6+ Kc8 21. Qxh3+ Kb7 22. Rd4 a5 23. Nxb4 $2 Qd7 $1 {
(Kopylov-Danov, USSR 1966).}) 20... Qd7 21. Nc6+ Kc7 22. Qh4 a5 23. Kb1 h5 24.
Re3 Rh6 25. Rde1 Qf5 26. Qc4 Rxf6 {Black is making progress.} 27. a3 b3 28.
Rxb3 Qf4 $4 ({Correct is} 28... Qg4 29. Nd4 Qd7) 29. Nd4 Ra6 30. Ka2 a4 31. Rb4
$1 Ra5 32. Re8 Qf1 33. Qc3 Qh1 {White has been waving a mating net.} 34. Rxf8 (
34. Rb7+ $1 Kxb7 35. Qb4+ {closes the net.}) 34... Qxd5+ 35. Rc4 $2 ({
White wins with} 35. b3 axb3+ 36. Rxb3 $1) 35... Ra6 $2 (35... Kd7 $1 36. Rb8
Rf4 {might draw.}) 36. b4 $2 ({Ree misses} 36. Qb4 $1 Ra8 37. Rxa8 Qxa8 38.
Nb5+ Kd7 39. Nxd6 $1) 36... axb3+ 37. Nxb3 Rf3 38. Qh8 $2 ({Necessary is} 38.
Qd4) 38... Qb7 $4 ({Black overlooks} 38... Qxc4 39. Rc8+ Kb7 40. Rb8+ Kc6 41.
Rc8+ Kd5 42. Qxh5+ Ke6 43. Qxf3 Qxc2+ 44. Ka1 Rxa3#) 39. Rb4 $1 Rxa3+ ({
No use has} 39... Qxb4 40. Rc8+ Kb7 41. Rb8+) 40. Kxa3 Qa6+ 41. Kb2 Rxb3+ {
Under time pressure, they didn't play like Tal. Hans Ree won the playoff with
2 1/2 - 1 1/2.} 1-0

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "25th championship"]
[Date "1969.??.??"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Ree, Hans"]
[Black "Langeweg, Kick"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B33"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "1969.??.??"]

{The championship could become an annual event by the support of the new
sponsor 'Friesche Vlag'. Tournaments were played in Leeuwarden until 1981. 
The championship had an exciting finish. Langeweg led by one point before Ree.
They met in the last round.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3
e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Be3 a6 8. Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Rb8 10. g3 Nxd5 11. exd5 Ne7 12. Bg2
Nf5 13. Bd2 Be7 14. O-O b4 15. Nc4 Bd7 16. Re1 Qc7 17. b3 Bb5 18. Ne3 Nxe3 19.
Bxe3 O-O 20. Qd2 Qc3 $2 ({Correct is the subtle} 20... Rfc8 $1 21. Be4 g6 22.
Qxb4 f5 23. Bg2 Qxc2) 21. a3 $1 Rfc8 22. Rec1 a5 23. axb4 axb4 24. Qxc3 bxc3
25. Ra7 Bd8 26. Rca1 g6 27. Bh3 f5 28. Bh6 Bb6 29. Rg7+ Kh8 30. g4 $1 {
The fighter Ree creates new chances.} fxg4 $2 (30... Rg8 31. Re7 Be8 {
proceeds in a poor position.}) 31. Bxg4 Rf8 32. Re7 Rxf2 33. Kh1 $1 ({
This quiet move is even better than} 33. Bg7+ Kg8 34. Be6+ Rf7+) 33... Rf5 34.
Bxf5 gxf5 35. Rb7 {Hans Ree and Kick Langeweg scored 7 1/2 points. Ree did not
have to play a match, as the ruling champion. He kept the title.} 1-0

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "26th championship"]
[Date "1970.??.??"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Zuidema, Coen"]
[Black "Scholl, Eddy"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C98"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "1970.??.??"]

{The race between Scholl and Zuidema led to a shared first place with 8 1/2
out of 11. Coen Zuidema won the fourth encounter and Eddy Scholl the last game
in a match of six. Then it became a sudden death event.} 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 d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5
11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Nc6 13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Nf1 Be6 15. Ne3 Rad8 16. Qe2 c4 17.
Ng5 ({The same players continued with} 17. Nf5 Bxf5 18. exf5 {
during the tournament.}) 17... Bc5 18. b3 h6 $6 19. Nxe6 fxe6 20. Rf1 $5 Qf7 $2
{Both players blunder matter.} 21. Nxc4 $4 ({Right is} 21. bxc4 b4 {
Zuidema misses} 22. Ba4 $1 {and White keeps the extra pawn (Scholl).}) 21...
bxc4 22. Qxc4 Ba7 23. Qxc6 Ng4 $1 24. Be3 ({The pointe is} 24. hxg4 $2 Bxf2+
25. Kh1 Qf6 26. g5 Qg6 $1 27. Rxf2 Rxf2 {(Scholl).}) 24... Nxe3 25. fxe3 Bxe3+
26. Kh2 Qxf1 27. Rxf1 Rxf1 28. Qxe6+ ({Or} 28. Kg3 Rd2 29. Qxa6 Rf6) 28... Kh7
$1 29. Kg3 Rd2 30. Bb1 Bf4+ 31. Kh4 Bg5+ 32. Kg3 Bf4+ 33. Kh4 Bg5+ 34. Kg3 Rff2
35. h4 Rxg2+ 36. Kh3 Bf4 37. Qf5+ Rg6 38. Qxf4 exf4 39. e5 {Black plays 39...
Rg3#, but has to return the rook. As a valid move with the piece lacks, he may
play another chessman.} h5 {Eddy Scholl had won the seventh game of the
playoff and gained the title.  Reports of the championship had become poor in
'Schakend Nederland' since the inactivity of Euwe. The sponsor name in 1969
and the first name of the winner in 1970 were misspelled. Proper annotations
were lacking. Fortunately 'Schaakbulletin' took over chess journalism.} 0-1

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "27th championship"]
[Date "1971.??.??"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Ree, Hans"]
[Black "Timman, Jan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B09"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "53"]
[EventDate "1971.??.??"]

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Bd3 Na6 $5 7. e5 $5 dxe5
8. dxe5 Nd5 9. Nxd5 Qxd5 10. Qe2 Bf5 11. Bxf5 gxf5 12. Be3 f6 $5 (12... Rfd8 {
was played in Parma-Ree, Titovo Uzice 1966.}) 13. exf6 Bxf6 14. O-O Qe4 ({Not} 
14... Bxb2 $4 15. c4) 15. c3 Nc5 16. Nd2 Qd3 17. Qf2 $5 {
White has no real threat.} Na4 $2 ({Correct is} 17... Rad8 18. Bxc5 Qxd2) 18.
Rab1 c5 19. Nf3 b6 ({Better is} 19... Qd5 $1 20. c4 $1 Qe4) 20. Rfd1 Qe4 21.
Re1 Qc6 22. Qc2 Kh8 23. Bf2 Rg8 24. Re3 e5 $6 (24... c4 $5 25. Qxf5 {
costs a pawn.}) 25. fxe5 Bxe5 26. Rxe5 Qxf3 27. Bg3 {Hans Ree and Jan Hein
Donner shared the first place with 7 1/2 out of 11. Ree became the champ by a
better Gelbfuhs score. The lack of a playoff by new regulations was
unsatisfactory for Donner who called himself the shadow champion. A match was
organised.} 1-0

[Event "Shadow championship"]
[Site "Amsterdam"]
[Date "1971.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Ree, Hans"]
[Black "Donner, Jan Hein"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E67"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "85"]
[EventDate "1971.??.??"]

{Donner gave his opponent no chance. Many people enjoyed it when Hans won the
second game. Jan Hein equalised in the seventh.} 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. g3 Bg7
4. Bg2 O-O 5. O-O d6 6. Nc3 e5 7. d4 Nbd7 8. b3 Re8 9. Qc2 c6 10. Rd1 e4 $5 11.
Ng5 $1 e3 $1 12. fxe3 $1 ({Avoids} 12. Bxe3 Rxe3 13. fxe3 Ng4) 12... Ng4 $5 13.
e4 {Black stands at the edge of the ravine.} Nf8 $2 ({Correct is} 13... c5 $1
14. Nf3 cxd4 15. Nxd4 Nc5 $1 {(Timman).}) 14. Nf3 Qe7 15. h3 Nf6 16. e3 Bh6 $6
({The alternative} 16... Nxe4 17. Nxe4 Qxe4 18. Qxe4 Rxe4 19. Ne5 $1 Rxe5 20.
dxe5 Bxe5 21. Rb1 Bxg3 22. Ba3 $1 {leads to a poor endgame for Black.}) 17. Qe2
Nxe4 18. Nxe4 Qxe4 19. Ne5 Qf5 20. Rf1 Qe6 21. Nxf7 Bxe3+ 22. Bxe3 Qxe3+ 23.
Qxe3 Rxe3 24. Kh2 Rd3 25. d5 cxd5 26. cxd5 b6 27. Nxd6 Ba6 28. Rf2 Rd8 29. Nf7
R8xd5 30. Bxd5 Rxd5 31. Re1 Rd7 32. Nh6+ Kg7 33. Re8 Kxh6 34. Rexf8 Rd1 35.
R8f7 Bb5 36. g4 Bc6 37. h4 a5 38. Rc7 Bd5 39. Kg3 Rd3+ 40. Kf4 Bg8 41. Ke4 Rd8
42. Rf6 Rb8 43. Ra7 {Hundreds of spectators watched this last game in the
restaurant of the Olympic Stadium. Even Donner recognised the mastership of
Ree. An enjoyable dispute had ended.} 1-0

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "28th championship"]
[Date "1972.??.??"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Zuidema, Coen"]
[Black "Timman, Ton"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C16"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "109"]
[EventDate "1972.??.??"]

{The tournament became a race between Zuidema and Jan Timman. Coen led by
half-a-point before the last round and had to play Ton Timman, the brother of
Jan.} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Qd7 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 b6 7. Nh3 Ba6
8. Bxa6 Nxa6 9. Qg4 f5 10. Qh5+ g6 11. Qh4 h6 12. g4 $5 Qf7 $5 13. Rg1 Nb8 $5 {
Jan has suggested a Close French to Ton.} 14. gxf5 Qxf5 $1 15. Nf4 g5 16. Qh5+
Kd7 17. Ne2 Nc6 18. Rxg5 hxg5 19. Qxh8 Qf3 20. Kf1 $2 ({The accurate} 20. Qg7+
$1 Nge7 21. Qxg5 Rg8 22. Qf4 Qh1+ 23. Kd2 Na5 24. Ng3 Nc4+ 25. Ke2 Qxh2 26. Qf3
{defends well.}) 20... Rf8 21. Be3 Nge7 22. Qg7 Rf5 23. Ng3 Qxe3 24. Nxf5 Qh3+
25. Kg1 Qxf5 26. Re1 Na5 27. Re3 Nc4 28. Rd3 Qg4+ 29. Rg3 Qd1+ 30. Kg2 Nd2 31.
Kh3 Ne4 32. Rxg5 Qf3+ 33. Rg3 Nxf2+ $5 ({Normal people play} 33... Nxg3 34.
Qxg3 Qxg3+ 35. fxg3 c5 {and win.}) 34. Kh4 Qf4+ 35. Kh5 Ne4 36. Rg2 Qf5+ 37.
Kh4 Qf4+ 38. Kh5 a5 39. h4 Qf5+ 40. Kh6 Qf4+ 41. Kh5 Nxc3 42. Rg4 Qf5+ 43. Rg5
Qf3+ 44. Kh6 Ne2 45. c3 Qxc3 46. Qf7 Qe3 $2 ({Better is} 46... Qxd4) 47. Kg7
Nxd4 $4 {Ton fails to help his brother.} ({Right is} 47... Qf4 48. Qxf4 Nxf4 {
(Andriessen).}) 48. Kf8 Qf3 49. Qxf3 Nxf3 50. Rg7 Nxh4 ({Or} 50... Nxe5 51.
Rxe7+ Kd6 52. h5 {(Andriessen).}) 51. Rxe7+ Kd8 52. Rxe6 Nf5 53. Kf7 d4 54.
Re8+ Kd7 55. e6+ {The white king moved to f7 in ten steps. He played a main
role in the miraculous finish. Coen Zuidema had won with 8 1/2. Jan Timman
scored 8/11.} 1-0

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "29th championship"]
[Date "1973.??.??"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Sosonko, Genna"]
[Black "Zuidema, Coen"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E05"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "1973.??.??"]

{The tournament ended with a shared first place for Enklaar, Sosonko and
Zuidema with 7 1/2 out of 11. A finale with double rounds followed.} 1. d4 Nf6
2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 dxc4 7. O-O c5 8. dxc5 Nc6 9.
Qa4 Qa5 10. Qxc4 Qxc5 11. Qxc5 Bxc5 12. Bf4 Bd7 {
Black has the usual slight problems on the queenside in the Catalan.} 13. Rac1
Rac8 14. Nb5 Na5 $6 ({Ok is} 14... Be7 15. Bd6 Rfd8 {(Sosonko).}) 15. Bd6 Bxd6
16. Nxd6 Rc6 17. Rxc6 Bxc6 $6 ({Better is} 17... Nxc6 18. Rc1 {(Sosonko)} b6)
18. b4 $1 Rd8 19. Nxf7 Kxf7 20. bxa5 Ke7 $2 ({Active play gives} 20... Rd5 21.
a6 bxa6) 21. Rc1 a6 22. e3 Ne8 23. h4 Kf6 24. Nd4 Bxg2 25. Kxg2 Rd5 26. Nb3 Nd6
27. Rc7 Rb5 28. g4 h6 29. f4 g5 30. fxg5+ hxg5 31. h5 Nf7 32. Kg3 Nh6 33. Nc5
Rb4 34. e4 Rb1 35. Rh7 Nf7 36. Nd7+ Ke7 37. Ne5 Kf6 38. Nxf7 Rg1+ 39. Kf2 {
The final result became: Genna Sosonko 2 1/2, Coen Zuidema 2, Bert Enklaar 1 1/
2. A title for a mediocre Soviet refugee showed the meagre level of the Dutch
players.} 1-0

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "30th championship"]
[Date "1974.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Timman, Jan"]
[Black "Enklaar, Bert"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A38"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "37"]
[EventDate "1974.??.??"]

{Jan Timman started to play chess seriously when he was twenty-two and shared
the first place in Hastings 1973/74. Thereafter, he began to dominate the
Dutch championships.} 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 g6 5. a3 Bg7 6. Rb1
a5 7. Nf3 d5 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Ng5 e6 10. Nge4 b6 ({Timman prefers} 10... c4) 11.
Qa4 {The position is lost according to Timman.} Qd7 $4 ({But} 11... Bb7 $1 12.
Nxd5 exd5 13. Nc3 O-O 14. Bxd5 Qc8 15. O-O Nd4 16. Bxb7 Qxb7 {
gives sufficient compensation for the sacrificed pawn.}) 12. Nxd5 exd5 13. Nc3
Bxc3 {Black lacks a serious defence.} 14. bxc3 Rb8 15. d3 Ba6 16. c4 b5 17.
cxb5 Nd4 18. Qxa5 Qg4 19. O-O {
Jan Timman won with 8 1/2 out of 11, two points before Ree and Sosonko.} 1-0

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "31th championship"]
[Date "1975.??.??"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Borm, Frans"]
[Black "Du Chattel, Philip"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B06"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "68"]
[EventDate "1975.??.??"]

1. e4 g6 2. d4 c6 3. Nc3 d6 {
Du Chattel plays his pawns to the sixth rank like Van 't Kruijs in 1851.} 4.
Be3 Nh6 $5 5. f3 f5 6. Qd2 Nf7 {Black likes funny moves.} 7. a4 Bg7 8. Bc4 e6
9. Nge2 O-O 10. O-O d5 11. Bb3 g5 12. Kh1 f4 13. Bg1 $6 {
Borm has reacted passively.} Nh8 $1 {The attack gets an ideal preparation.} 14.
Rae1 Ng6 15. Nc1 Nd7 16. Nd3 Nf6 17. Nc5 $6 Nh5 18. Bf2 b6 19. Nd3 Kh8 20. Ne5
Ba6 $6 21. Rg1 $6 Nxe5 22. dxe5 d4 $5 (22... Re8 {gives a positional advantage.
}) 23. Qxd4 Ng3+ $1 24. hxg3 Qe8 25. g4 Rd8 $2 ({Right is} 25... Qg6 26. g3
Rad8 27. Nd5 $1) 26. Qb4 c5 27. Qa3 h5 28. Rd1 $2 ({
A dangerous counterattack is started by} 28. Kh2 $1 Rd2 29. Rh1 $1 Rxf2 30. Kg1
Rd2 31. Rxh5+ Kg8 32. Qa2 $1) 28... hxg4 29. fxg4 Qg6 30. Rge1 Bxe5 31. Rxd8
Qh6+ 32. Kg1 Rxd8 33. Ne2 Bxe2 34. Rxe2 f3 {Du Chattel gained the beauty prize.
Jan Timman won the tournament with 9 1/2 out of 11, half-a-point before Hans
Böhm.} ({Black has calculated} 34... f3 35. gxf3 Qh2+ 36. Kf1 Qh3+ 37. Kg1 Rd1+
38. Re1 Bh2+ 39. Kh1 Bg3+ {and mate in two.}) 0-1

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "32nd championship"]
[Date "1976.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Timman, Jan"]
[Black "Van der Vliet, Fred"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "A42"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "87"]
[EventDate "1976.??.??"]

1. c4 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nd7 5. f4 e5 6. Nf3 exd4 7. Nxd4 Ngf6 8. Be2
O-O 9. O-O c6 10. Kh1 $6 Re8 11. Bf3 Nc5 12. Re1 Qb6 $6 (12... Ng4 {
gains an advantage.}) 13. Nc2 a5 14. Rb1 $6 Ng4 $1 15. Be3 Nxe3 16. Rxe3 Be6
17. b3 f5 18. Qe1 fxe4 19. Nxe4 Nxe4 20. Bxe4 Bf7 21. Rd1 Qc5 22. Rd2 a4 23.
Rde2 axb3 24. axb3 Rf8 25. Bd3 Bf6 $6 ({Enklaar prefers} 25... d5 $1 26. cxd5
Bxd5) 26. b4 Qb6 27. g4 $6 d5 28. c5 Qc7 29. g5 Bg7 30. Qh4 Rfe8 31. f5 Rxe3
32. Rxe3 {
A 'Hoofdklasse' player showed positional superiority over the grandmaster.} Re8
$2 {But he misses a tactical point.} ({Excellent is} 32... gxf5 33. Bxf5 Bg6
34. Bxg6 hxg6) 33. Rh3 $1 gxf5 34. Qxh7+ Kf8 35. Rf3 ({Better is} 35. Qxf5 $1 {
(Enklaar).}) 35... f4 $1 36. Qf5 Qe5 37. Qxf4 Qxf4 38. Rxf4 Be5 39. Rf1 $2 ({
The subtle} 39. Rf5 $1 Kg7 40. g6 $1 Bg8 41. h4 {plays for a win.}) 39... Kg7
40. Ne3 Bg6 41. Nf5+ Bxf5 42. Bxf5 Bc3 43. b5 cxb5 44. Bd7 {
Jan Timman won the title with 8 1/2 out of 11, one point before Ree.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "33rd championship"]
[Date "1977.??.??"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Korchnoi, Viktor"]
[Black "Timman, Jan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A28"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "73"]
[EventDate "1977.??.??"]

1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. e3 Bb4 5. Qc2 d6 6. d3 Bg4 7. Be2 Bxc3+ 8.
Qxc3 Qd7 9. h3 Bh5 10. g4 $5 {Korchnoi always wants to fight.} Bg6 11. e4 a5
12. Be3 b6 13. Nh4 Qe7 14. g5 $5 Nh5 $1 15. Bxh5 Bxh5 16. Nf5 Qf8 17. f4 O-O-O
18. Ng3 h6 $1 19. gxh6 ({The pointe is} 19. Nxh5 hxg5 20. fxg5 Rxh5 {(Timman).}
) 19... Rxh6 20. fxe5 Rh7 21. d4 $1 {
Jan is filled with optimism, but he fails to notice white's right to castle.}
Bf3 $2 ({The players prefer} 21... Bg6 $5 {but they miss} 22. h4 $1 Qe7 23. h5
Rdh8 24. exd6 Qxd6 25. e5 {and an advantage for White.}) 22. O-O $1 Bxe4 $2 ({
Best would have been to play} 22... Bh5 {with a blush.}) 23. Nxe4 dxe5 24. d5
Rxh3 25. Kg2 Rh4 26. Ng3 Nd4 27. Bxd4 exd4 28. Qd2 Rd6 29. Rf4 Qh8 30. Rxh4
Qxh4 31. Rh1 Qg4 32. Qe2 Qg6 33. Qe4 b5 34. Qxg6 Rxg6 35. cxb5 Rd6 36. Nf5 Rg6+
37. Kf3 {Jan was far away from the real top. Viktor was an elite Soviet
refugee. Korchnoi beat the rest with 12 out of 13, 3 1/2 points before Donner
and Timman.  Friesche Vlag stopped as stopped as sponsor in 1975. Friesland
Bank took over.} 1-0

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "34th championship"]
[Date "1978.??.??"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Timman, Jan"]
[Black "Ree, Hans"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C91"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "121"]
[EventDate "1978.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. d4 Bg4 10. d5 Na5 11. Bc2 c5 12. h3 Bd7 13. Nxe5 $5 dxe5 14. d6 Be6 15.
dxe7 Qxe7 16. Nd2 Rfd8 17. Qf3 c4 18. Nf1 Nb7 19. Bg5 h6 20. Bd2 Kh8 21. Qg3
Bc8 $6 22. a4 bxa4 $5 23. Rxa4 Bd7 24. Ra2 Nc5 25. Qh4 Bc6 $2 {
Black has weaknesses on the queenside and gets trouble on the other flank.} 26.
Bg5 $6 ({Timman gives the better} 26. Bxh6 gxh6 27. Qxh6+ Kg8 28. Re3 Ncxe4 29.
Ng3) 26... Kg8 27. Bxf6 Qxf6 28. Qxf6 gxf6 29. f3 Rab8 30. Kf2 Bd7 31. Rd1 Be6
32. Rxd8+ Rxd8 33. Ra5 Rc8 34. Ne3 Kf8 35. h4 Rc6 36. g3 Nb7 37. Ra2 Nd6 38. f4
Kg7 39. Kf3 Rb6 40. Bd1 $1 Bc8 41. Be2 Bb7 42. Nxc4 Bxe4+ 43. Ke3 Nxc4+ 44.
Kxe4 Nxb2 45. Ke3 $1 {White goes after the imprisoned knight.} a5 46. Kd2 e4
47. Kc2 Nd3 48. Bxd3 exd3+ 49. Kxd3 Rd6+ 50. Kc4 Rc6+ 51. Kd4 Rd6+ 52. Kc5 $1 {
Jan sets everything on one card.} Rd3 53. c4 Rxg3 54. Rxa5 Rg4 55. Kb6 Rxh4 56.
c5 Rxf4 57. c6 Re4 58. c7 Re6+ 59. Kb7 Re7 60. Kc6 Re8 61. Kd7 {
Jan Timman and Genna Sosonko won with 9/13. No playoff took place.} 1-0

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "35th shampionship"]
[Date "1979.??.??"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Ligterink, Gert"]
[Black "Timman, Jan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C79"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "59"]
[EventDate "1979.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O Bd7 6. c3 Nf6 7. d4 Qe7 8. Re1
g6 9. Nbd2 Bg7 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Nf1 O-O 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bh4 Rad8 14. Qe2 g5 15.
Bg3 Nh5 16. Ne3 Nf4 17. Bxf4 exf4 18. Nd5 Qc5 19. b4 Qd6 20. Rad1 b5 $4 {
Black blundrs.} ({The only correct continuation is} 20... g4 $1 21. Nh4 Qe5 {
(Andersson).}) 21. e5 $1 Nxe5 ({The first pointe is} 21... Qg6 22. Bc2 Bf5 23.
Bxf5 Qxf5 24. a4 $1) 22. Nxe5 Bxe5 ({Timman's original intention} 22... Rfe8 {
is refuted by} 23. Nf6+ $1 Qxf6 24. Nxd7) 23. Qxe5 Qxe5 24. Rxe5 f6 25. Ne7+
Kg7 ({The last point is} 25... Kf7 26. Bb3+) 26. Red5 bxa4 27. Rxd7 Rxd7 28.
Rxd7 Kf7 29. Rxc7 Ke6 30. c4 {Gert Ligterink played the tournament of his life.
He won with 10/13, one point before Timman and Ree.} 1-0

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "36th championship"]
[Date "1980.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Carlier, Bruno"]
[Black "Timman, Jan"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B25"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "62"]
[EventDate "1980.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. f4 e5 $5 7. Nh3 $5 Nge7 8.
O-O Nd4 9. Bd2 $5 h5 10. f5 $2 {This is no real sacrifice.} gxf5 11. Ne2 fxe4
$2 (11... h4 {leads to big problems for White.}) 12. Nxd4 cxd4 13. Ng5 Bg4 14.
Qe1 e3 15. Nxf7 Qd7 $4 (15... exd2 16. Qxd2 Qb6 17. Nxh8 Bxh8 18. Qh6 Kd7 $1
19. Rf7 d5 {favours Black.}) 16. Nxh8 exd2 17. Qxd2 Bxh8 18. Qh6 O-O-O 19. Rf7
$2 {Carlier misses the win for the first time.} ({He overlooks} 19. Rf8 $1 Rxf8
20. Qxf8+ Qd8 21. Rf1) 19... Re8 $2 (19... e4 $1 20. Bxe4 Be5 {saves a piece.})
20. Raf1 Qe6 21. Qh7 e4 $5 22. Rf8 Rxf8 23. Rxf8+ Kd7 24. Qxh8 e3 25. Rb8 Qf5
26. Rxb7+ Ke6 27. Qh6+ Ng6 28. h3 $4 {Bruno bypasses a sensational move.} ({
Wonderful is} 28. Bd5+ $3) 28... e2 29. Qd2 Qe5 30. Kf2 $2 ({
The last chance brings} 30. Qe1 Qe3+ 31. Kh2 h4 32. gxh4 Bf3) 30... h4 $1 31.
gxh4 ({Or} 31. hxg4 Qxg3+ 32. Kxe2 Qxg2+ 33. Kd1 Qxb7) 31... Qf6+ {
Timman won the title with 9/13.} 0-1

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "37th championship"]
[Date "1981.??.??"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Ree, Hans"]
[Black "Timman, Jan"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D91"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "108"]
[EventDate "1981.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5 Ne4 6. Bh4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 dxc4 8.
Qa4+ Nd7 9. e3 c6 10. Qxc4 Qa5 11. Be2 Nb6 12. Qb4 Qxb4 13. cxb4 Nd5 14. a3 a5
15. b5 c5 16. O-O cxd4 17. Nxd4 e5 18. Nb3 a4 19. Bc4 Nb6 20. Nd2 Bd7 21. Be2
h6 22. e4 Rc8 23. Rfc1 O-O 24. Nc4 $5 {
Ree sacrifices a pawn for extra chances on the queenside.} Bxb5 25. Nxb6 Rxc1+
26. Rxc1 Bxe2 27. Be7 Re8 28. Rc7 Bb5 29. f3 Bc6 30. Nd5 Rb8 31. Nb4 Be8 32.
Nd5 Bc6 33. Kf2 Bf8 34. Bxf8 Kxf8 35. Nb4 h5 36. h4 Ke8 37. Nxc6 $2 {
White becomes anxious.} (37. Ke3 {keeps a plus.}) 37... bxc6 38. Ra7 Rb2+ 39.
Kg3 c5 40. Rxa4 Kd7 41. Ra7+ Kc6 42. Rxf7 c4 43. Rf8 Kc5 44. f4 Rb3+ 45. Kf2
exf4 46. Rxf4 Rxa3 {Black has a dangerous passed pawn.} 47. e5 $2 ({Correct is
} 47. g4 $1 {(Donner)} Kd4 (47... c3 48. Ke2) 48. e5+ $1 Kd5 49. gxh5 gxh5 50.
e6) 47... Kd5 48. Ke2 Ra2+ 49. Kf3 c3 50. Rf8 Kxe5 51. Rc8 Kd4 52. g4 hxg4+ 53.
Kxg4 Ra4 54. Kg3 Kd3 {Timman won with 9/13.} 0-1

[Event "Drachten"]
[Site "38th championship"]
[Date "1982.??.??"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Ree, Hans"]
[Black "Van der Wiel, John"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E15"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "81"]
[EventDate "1982.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Nbd2 Bb4 6. Qa4 c5 7. a3 Bxd2+ 8.
Bxd2 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Bb7 10. f3 O-O 11. Bg2 Na6 12. O-O Rc8 13. e4 Nc5 $5 (13...
d5 {liberates the black position.}) 14. Qd1 Ba6 15. b4 Nd3 16. b5 Bb7 17. Qe2
Nc5 18. Rfd1 Qc7 19. e5 Ne8 20. Bf4 Qd8 21. a4 f6 22. exf6 Qxf6 23. a5 g5 $6
24. Be5 Qe7 $2 25. a6 $2 ({The blunder is utilised by} 25. axb6 $1 axb6 ({
Ree feared} 25... d6 {but} 26. bxa7 dxe5 27. Qxe5 {wins}) 26. Ra7 d6 27. Nc6)
25... Ba8 26. Nc2 d6 27. Bb2 e5 28. Ne3 Qe6 29. Ba3 $2 Nb3 $1 30. Qf1 $5 {
White chooses for opportunism after the blunder.} Nxa1 $6 (30... g4 $1 31. Ra2
Nd4 {gains a plus.}) 31. Bh3 $1 Qg6 32. Bxc8 Rxf3 33. Qe1 $6 Qe4 $2 ({
A material advantage is kept by} 33... Nc2 34. Nxc2 Qxc2) 34. Bb7 $1 Bxb7 35.
axb7 Rxe3 36. Qd2 Qxb7 37. Qxe3 Nc2 38. Qxg5+ Qg7 39. Qxg7+ Nxg7 40. Bxd6 Ne3
41. Rc1 {Ree won with 8 1/2 out of 13 in the absence of Timman. Audio Sonic
Scisys sponsored the event for one year.} 1-0

[Event "Hilversum"]
[Site "39th championship"]
[Date "1983.??.??"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Timman, Jan"]
[Black "Van der Sterren, Paul"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C42"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "123"]
[EventDate "1983.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Be7 7. O-O Nc6 8.
Re1 Bf5 9. c4 O-O $6 10. Nc3 Nxc3 11. bxc3 Bxd3 12. Qxd3 dxc4 13. Qxc4 Bd6 14.
Rb1 Re8 15. Be3 $1 (15. Rxe8+ {
stems from Chandler - Van der Sterren, Lucerne 1982.}) 15... Qf6 16. Qa4 b6 $1
17. Bg5 Qg6 18. g3 Ne7 19. Bxe7 Rxe7 20. Kg2 h6 21. Rxe7 Bxe7 22. Re1 Qd6 23.
Qa6 $1 Bf8 $5 24. Qb7 Rd8 25. Ne5 Qd5+ $6 26. Qxd5 Rxd5 27. Nc6 g6 $2 ({
Correct is} 27... Bd6) 28. Re7 $1 {A fine move leads to the win of a pawn.} Ra5
$5 29. Rxc7 Rxa2 30. Nxa7 Rb2 31. c4 $2 (31. Nc6 $1 {(Timman)} Rc2 32. c4 {
keeps the material advantage.}) 31... Bb4 $1 32. Rc6 Be1 $1 33. Rf6 Kg7 34. Rf3
Rc2 35. Nb5 Rxc4 36. Nd6 Rxd4 37. Rxf7+ Kg8 38. Rf6 Kh7 39. Re6 Bb4 40. Ne4 Kg7
41. Kf3 Bc5 42. g4 Rd7 $5 43. h4 Re7 44. Rc6 Rf7+ 45. Kg3 Bd4 46. f4 $1 Bc5 $6
({Better is} 46... Re7 47. Kf3 Ra7) 47. h5 $1 gxh5 48. gxh5 Be3 49. Rg6+ Kf8
50. Nf6 Rg7 $6 (50... Bd4 51. Ng4 Rf5 $1 52. Rxh6 Bg7 {draws easily (Timman).})
51. Nd5 Bd4 52. Kf3 Rxg6 53. hxg6 Kg7 54. Ke4 Bc5 $2 ({Right is} 54... Bb2 $1
55. f5 h5 $1 56. Nxb6 h4 57. Nd5 h3 58. Kf3 Kh6 59. Kg3 Kg5 {
White cannot defend his pawns (Timman).}) 55. f5 h5 56. Nf4 $1 h4 57. Ne6+ Kf6
58. g7 Kf7 59. f6 h3 60. Ng5+ Kg8 61. Kf5 Bd4 62. Nxh3 {Timman won his seventh
title with 9/13. Van der Sterren followed with 7 1/2 points.  A series of
championships took place in Hilversum. The hall was in the building of AVRO, a
bradcast corporation known from the 1938 tournament.  Timman decreased his
participation in the championship, because he preferred to play in super
tournaments. It gave way to a new generation.} 1-0

[Event "Hilversum"]
[Site "40th championship"]
[Date "1984.??.??"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Van der Wiel, John"]
[Black "Van Wijgerden, Cor"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B07"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "1984.??.??"]

{During the second half of the 1970's, I played for Philidor Leiden. We
competed successfully in the 'Hoofdklasse' but nobody in our team gained a
title. A new generation changed the level completely. An important event took
place when the highschool boy John van der Wiel became a member. Another
schoolboy Riny Kuijf used to join us after we had played a round. Later four
boys, named Piket, tried to handle large chess pieces in our club. Successful
professionals became John van der Wiel, Riny Kuijf and Jeroen Piket. Together
they won seven Dutch championships in eleven years.} 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3
g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 c6 6. Bh6 Bxh6 7. Qxh6 Qa5 8. Bd3 Na6 9. Nf3 $5 Bg4 10.
Ng5 Nc7 11. h3 Be6 12. O-O Ng8 $5 13. Qh4 ({Avoids} 13. Qg7 Qxg5 14. Qxh8 Bxh3)
13... h6 14. d5 $1 Bd7 15. Rae1 Qb4 16. dxc6 bxc6 17. Re3 f6 $6 ({Better is} 
17... Ne6 18. Nxe6 Bxe6) 18. Nf3 g5 $2 19. Qh5+ Kf8 20. Nd2 Be8 21. Qd1 Qxb2
22. Bc4 Qb7 23. Nb3 h5 24. f4 $1 gxf4 25. Rxf4 Nh6 $2 {
The lesser player gets confused.} ({Correct is} 25... Qb4) 26. Rxf6+ $1 exf6
27. Qxd6+ Kg7 28. Qe7+ Kg6 29. Rg3+ Ng4 30. hxg4 Qb6+ 31. Kf1 h4 32. g5 hxg3
33. Qxf6+ Kh5 34. Be2+ Kh4 35. g6# {John van der Wiel showed spectacular chess.
He won the title with 7 1/2 out of 11.} 1-0

[Event "Hilversum"]
[Site "41st championship"]
[Date "1985.??.??"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Van der Sterren, Paul"]
[Black "Bohm, Hans"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A93"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "153"]
[EventDate "1985.??.??"]

1. d4 f5 2. g3 e6 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nf3 d5 5. O-O Be7 6. c4 c6 7. b3 O-O 8. Ba3 Bd7
9. Qc1 Be8 10. Qe3 $5 Ne4 11. Bxe7 Qxe7 12. Ne5 Nd7 13. Nxd7 Qxd7 14. f3 Nd6
15. Nd2 Bg6 16. c5 f4 17. gxf4 Nb5 18. b4 Rf6 19. a4 Nc7 20. Qc3 Rxf4 21. e3
Rf6 22. f4 Bf5 23. Nf3 a6 $6 {Böhm plays too passively.} 24. Ne5 Qe7 25. Rf2
Rh6 26. Bf3 Ne8 27. Rg2 Nc7 $6 28. Raa2 Rf8 29. Rg5 Bh3 30. Qe1 Kh8 31. Bg4
Bxg4 $2 {A rook becomes imprisoned.} 32. Nxg4 Rh3 33. Kg2 h6 34. Ne5 $1 Qf6 35.
Ng6+ Kg8 36. Rg4 Rh5 37. Nxf8 Kxf8 38. Kg1 Qf5 39. Rag2 Ne8 40. Qd1 Rh3 41.
R4g3 Rxg3 42. hxg3 Qe4 43. Kf2 Nf6 44. g4 Qg6 45. Kg1 Qe4 46. Kf2 Qg6 47. Kg1
Qe4 48. Qe2 Ng8 ({Or} 48... Qb1+ 49. Kh2 Qxb4 50. g5 $1) 49. g5 h5 50. Qxh5
Qxe3+ 51. Rf2 Qxd4 52. Qe2 Kf7 53. Kg2 Ne7 54. Qe5 Qd3 $2 (54... Qc4 55. Re2 d4
{keeps counterplay.}) 55. Re2 Qg6 56. Re1 Qc2+ 57. Re2 Qg6 58. Kf2 Nf5 59. Ke1
Ng3 {Van der Sterren will play his king to b2 and rook to h3, if Black stays
inactive. Böhm grabs his last chance.} 60. Qc7+ Kg8 61. Qd8+ Kh7 62. Rh2+ Nh5
63. Kd2 Qe4 $1 64. g6+ $1 {He finds the proper answer.} ({
van der Sterren notices the unexpected} 64. Rxh5+ $2 Kg6 65. Qe8+ Kf5 66. Qf7+
Kg4 {and Black will deliver perpetual check.}) 64... Qxg6 65. Qh4 Kh6 66. Re2
Qf7 67. Qg5+ Kh7 68. f5 Nf6 ({The pointe is} 68... Qxf5 69. Qxf5+ exf5 70. Re7
{(Van der Sterren).}) 69. fxe6 Qe7 70. Kd3 a5 71. Rh2+ Kg8 72. Qf5 Qe8 ({Or} 
72... axb4 73. Qh3) 73. bxa5 d4 74. Rh1 Qb8 75. Qh3 Nh5 76. Qxh5 Qg3+ 77. Kxd4
{Paul van der Sterren showed fighting spirit and won the tournament with 8 1/2
out of 11, half-a-point before Van der Wiel.} 1-0

[Event "Hilversum"]
[Site "42nd championship"]
[Date "1986.??.??"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Van der Wiel, John"]
[Black "Van der Sterren, Paul"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C54"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "85"]
[EventDate "1986.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3 Nf6 5. Bg5 d6 6. c3 h6 7. Bh4 g5 8. Bg3
Bg4 9. Nbd2 a6 10. Qe2 Qd7 11. h4 Nh5 12. hxg5 hxg5 13. b4 Ba7 14. b5 axb5 15.
Bxb5 Ke7 16. Qf1 Bb6 17. Nxg5 $2 {
Van der Wiel has to defeat Van der Sterren in the last round but blunders.} Nb4
$3 18. cxb4 Qxb5 19. Rh4 Bd7 20. Qe2 Nf4 21. Qf3 f6 22. Nh7 Qxd3 23. Bxf4 Qxf3
24. Nxf3 exf4 25. Rh6 Be6 $6 ({Better is} 25... Bc6) 26. Nh4 $1 Bf7 $4 ({
Black misses the win} 26... Rag8 27. Nxf6 Rxg2 $1) 27. Nf5+ Kd8 ({Or} 27... Kd7
28. a4 $1 Bg6 $1 29. Nxf6+ Ke6 30. Rxg6 Rh1+ 31. Ke2 Rxa1 32. Ng4+ Kd7 33. Rg7+
Kc6 34. Ne7+ Kd7 35. Nd5+ Kc6 36. a5 $1 {and White wins.}) 28. Ng5 $1 fxg5 29.
Rxh8+ Be8 30. Ng7 Kd7 31. Nxe8 Rxe8 32. Rxe8 Kxe8 33. Ke2 Kf7 34. a4 Ke6 35. f3
Ke5 36. Kd3 Bf2 37. b5 d5 38. exd5 Kxd5 39. a5 Be3 40. g4 Bf2 41. a6 bxa6 42.
bxa6 Ba7 43. Rb1 {Van der Wiel won his second title with 8 1/2 out of 11, just
before Van der Sterren.} 1-0

[Event "Hilversum"]
[Site "43rd championship"]
[Date "1987.??.??"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Timman, Jan"]
[Black "Sosonko, Genna"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B56"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "91"]
[EventDate "1987.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be3 g6 7. h3 Bg7 8. Qd2
O-O 9. O-O-O Bd7 $5 10. g4 Rc8 11. Kb1 Ne5 12. f4 Nc4 13. Bxc4 Rxc4 14. e5 Ne8
15. Qd3 Rc8 16. Rhe1 a6 $2 (16... dxe5) (16... dxe5 17. fxe5 Bxe5 18. Ndb5 $1
Nd6 19. Bh6 Bxb5 $1 20. Nxb5 Bg7 21. Bxg7 Kxg7 {defends more seriously.}) 17.
Bf2 Nc7 18. Bh4 dxe5 19. fxe5 Qe8 $6 20. Nf5 $1 {
Timman fiddles with his opponent.} Bxf5 21. gxf5 e6 22. Ne4 exf5 23. Nd6 Qa4
24. Nxc8 Qxh4 (24... Rxc8 $1 25. Be7 Ne6 {tries to create a fortress.}) 25. Qd7
Ne6 26. Qxb7 Qxh3 27. Qxa6 f4 28. Rh1 Qg2 29. Rdg1 Qe4 30. Ne7+ Kh8 31. Nxg6+
$1 fxg6 32. Qxe6 Qxe5 33. Rxh7+ $1 Kxh7 34. Rh1+ Qh5 35. Rxh5+ gxh5 36. Qe4+
Kg8 37. Qf3 h4 38. a4 h3 39. a5 h2 40. a6 Rf7 41. c3 Ra7 42. Qd5+ Kf8 43. Qd8+
Kf7 44. Qh4 Be5 45. Qxh2 Rxa6 46. Qh5+ {Jan Timman competed in the race for
the world championship during those days. He showed superiority in his own
country with 9 1/2 out of 11 before Van der Wiel and Sosonko.} 1-0

[Event "Hilversum"]
[Site "44th championship"]
[Date "1988.??.??"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Ligterink, Gert"]
[Black "Douven, Rudy"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E78"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "1988.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f4 O-O 6. Nf3 c5 7. Be2 cxd4 8. Nxd4
Nc6 9. Nc2 Nd7 10. O-O Nc5 11. Bf3 a5 12. Ne3 a4 13. Rb1 Nd4 14. Ne2 $2 Nxf3+ {
Douven has to win in the last round. His opponent gives little opposition.} 15.
gxf3 Bd7 16. Bd2 b5 $2 ({Correct is} 16... Bh3 17. Ng2 Qb6) 17. Bc3 $1 Bxc3 18.
Nxc3 bxc4 19. Nxc4 Bc8 20. b4 axb3 21. axb3 Ba6 22. Nd5 Bxc4 23. bxc4 e6 24.
Ne3 $2 ({More resistance is offered by} 24. Nc3 Ra3 25. Nb5 Rd3 26. Qe2) 24...
Ra3 25. Qc1 Rd3 26. Rb5 Qf6 27. Nc2 Qc3 28. Nb4 Qd4+ 29. Kh1 Rc3 30. Qb1 Rc8
31. Rb6 Nb3 32. Nc6 Qxb6 33. Ne7+ Kf8 34. Nxc8 Qc5 35. Qe1 Rc1 {Rudy Douven
started as a substitute and won the title with 8/11 before the Leiden
contingent of Van der Wiel, Kuijf and Piket.} 0-1

[Event "Hilversum"]
[Site "45th championship"]
[Date "1989.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Kuijf, Riny"]
[Black "Van der Wiel, John"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C55"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "1989.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. Nc3 d6 7. Bg5 Na5 8.
Bxf6 Bxf6 9. Nd5 Nxc4 10. dxc4 g6 11. Nxf6+ Qxf6 12. Qd3 b6 13. Nd2 Bb7 14.
Rfe1 Qg5 15. Qe3 Qxe3 16. Rxe3 f5 17. f3 fxe4 18. Nxe4 Rf4 19. Rae1 Raf8 20. b3
Bxe4 21. Rxe4 Kg7 22. Kf2 Rxe4 23. Rxe4 Kf6 24. Ke3 c6 25. Kd3 Rf7 26. Re2 Ke6
27. Re4 g5 28. Re1 Rf4 29. Re4 h5 30. Rxf4 gxf4 31. g4 hxg4 32. fxg4 d5 33.
cxd5+ cxd5 34. c3 e4+ 35. Kd4 $4 ({Correct is} 35. Ke2 {(Riemersma).}) 35... b5
(35... b5 {The liberation by} 36. c4 bxc4 37. bxc4 dxc4 38. Kxe4 (38. Kxc4 f3)
38... c3 39. Kd3 f3 {leads to a black win.  John van der Wiel won the mutual
battle but Riny Kuijf gained the title with 7/11.}) 0-1

[Event "Hilversum"]
[Site "46th championship"]
[Date "1990.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Piket, Jeroen"]
[Black "Nijboer, Friso"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E90"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "101"]
[EventDate "1990.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. h3 e5 7. dxe5 dxe5 8. Qxd8
Rxd8 9. Bg5 Nbd7 10. O-O-O Rf8 11. Be3 b6 12. Nd5 Nxd5 13. cxd5 Bb7 14. Bb5 Nf6
15. Nd2 c6 16. dxc6 Bxc6 17. Bxc6 Rfc8 18. Kb1 Rxc6 19. Rc1 Rac8 20. a4 Bf8 21.
Rxc6 Rxc6 22. Rc1 Rxc1+ 23. Kxc1 Bb4 24. f3 Nd7 25. Nc4 f5 26. Kc2 Kf7 27. a5
$1 {Piket combines solid positional play and tactical cleverness.} b5 $2 ({
Problems are avoided by} 27... bxa5 28. Bxa7 a4 {(Riemersma).}) 28. Kb3 Bf8 29.
a6 Ke6 $2 ({Correct is} 29... Ke8 $1 30. Bxa7 bxc4+ 31. Kxc4 Kd8 32. exf5 gxf5
33. g4 e4) 30. Bxa7 bxc4+ 31. Kxc4 Kd6 32. Bc5+ $3 Kc6 33. Bxf8 Nxf8 34. a7 $1
Kb7 35. Kd5 fxe4 36. fxe4 Nd7 37. Kd6 Nb6 {
The knight cannot defend the kingside without the support of a bishop.} 38.
Kxe5 Kxa7 39. Kf6 Kb7 40. Kg7 Nc4 41. Kxh7 Ne5 42. Kg7 Kc6 43. Kf6 Nd3 44. Kxg6
Nf4+ 45. Kf7 Kc5 46. h4 Kd4 47. g4 Kxe4 48. h5 Nh3 49. h6 Kf4 50. Kg6 Ng5 51.
b4 {Piket won his first title with 7 1/2 out of 11.} 1-0

[Event "Eindhoven"]
[Site "47th championship"]
[Date "1991.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Van der Wiel, John"]
[Black "Piket, Jeroen"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B01"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "114"]
[EventDate "1991.??.??"]

1. e4 d5 $5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bb5 Ne4 7. Qd3 Nxc3
8. bxc3 a6 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. Ne5 f6 {
A theoretical variation leads to an inferior endgame.} 11. Nc4 Qf5 12. Ba3 a5
13. O-O Qxd3 14. cxd3 Bf5 15. Rfd1 Kd7 16. Rab1 Be6 $5 {The control over the
open file brings little advantage to White. Black can even play an odd move.}
17. Kf1 h5 18. Rb2 h4 19. Nd2 Bf5 20. Ke2 g5 21. Ne4 Bxe4 22. dxe4 e6 23. Bxf8
Rhxf8 24. c4 $2 {The plus is thrown away. Better is the doubling of rooks.}
Rfb8 25. Rdb1 Rb4 26. Kd3 c5 $1 27. dxc5 $2 ({Right is} 27. a3 $1 {(Riemersma).
}) 27... Kc6 28. a3 Rxb2 29. Rxb2 Rd8+ 30. Ke3 (30. Kc3 Rd1 31. e5 f5 {
looks horrible for White.}) 30... Kxc5 31. Rb5+ Kxc4 32. Rxa5 c5 33. Ra6 e5 34.
Rxf6 Rd3+ 35. Ke2 Rxa3 36. Rg6 $2 {The rook ending becomes hopeless.} (36. Rd6
$1 {brings drawing chances. See} Kb4 $5 37. Rd5 c4 38. Rxe5 Ra2+ 39. Ke3 c3 40.
Rxg5 Ra1 41. Rg8 {and White might survive.}) 36... Kd4 $1 {
Black can keep his e-pawn and also advance the c-pawn.} 37. Rxg5 Ra2+ 38. Kf3
c4 39. Rg8 c3 40. Rd8+ Kc4 41. Ke3 Ra1 42. Rc8+ Kb3 43. Rb8+ Kc2 44. Ke2 Ra4
45. Ke3 Rc4 46. Rb5 Kc1 47. Ke2 c2 48. f3 Rd4 49. Rxe5 Rd2+ 50. Ke3 Rxg2 51. f4
Kd1 52. Rd5+ Ke1 53. Rc5 Rxh2 54. f5 Re2+ 55. Kd4 h3 56. f6 h2 57. f7 h1=Q {
The tournament had moved to Eindhoven at the request of co-sponsor Philips.
Piket won with 8/11, just before Van der Wiel.} 0-1

[Event "Eindhoven"]
[Site "48th championship"]
[Date "1992.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Van der Sterren, Paul"]
[Black "Piket, Jeroen"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A84"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "60"]
[EventDate "1992.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 e6 4. e3 f5 5. Bd3 Nf6 6. O-O Be7 7. b3 O-O 8. Bb2 Ne4
9. Nc3 Nd7 10. Ne2 Qe8 11. Nd2 Bb4 12. Nb1 Ndf6 13. f3 Ng5 14. Nbc3 Bd7 15. a3
Bd6 16. Qd2 Qh5 17. Nf4 Qh6 18. g3 Rae8 19. Rae1 Nf7 20. cxd5 $2 exd5 {
Black benefits from the open e-file.} 21. h4 Nh5 22. Qh2 $4 {
White allows a drastic combination.} Nxg3 $1 23. Qxg3 Rxe3 24. Bc1 Bxf4 25.
Bxe3 Bxe3+ 26. Kh1 f4 27. Qh2 Bxd4 28. Nd1 Ne5 29. Bc2 Qh5 30. Kg2 Nxf3 {
Jeroen Piket won with 8/11.} 0-1

[Event "Eindhoven"]
[Site "49th championship"]
[Date "1993.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Van der Sterren, Paul"]
[Black "Nijboer, Friso"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E81"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "57"]
[EventDate "1993.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 e5 6. Nge2 O-O 7. Bg5 c6 8. Qd2
Nbd7 9. O-O-O Qa5 10. Kb1 a6 11. d5 cxd5 $6 (11... c5 {keeps the d-file closed.
}) 12. Nxd5 Qxd2 13. Nxf6+ Bxf6 $2 ({Right is} 13... Nxf6 $1 14. Rxd2 Rd8 15.
c5 $1 h6 $1 16. Bxf6 Bxf6 17. cxd6 Be6) 14. Bxd2 Nc5 15. Be3 Rd8 16. Nc3 Ne6 $2
({(Van der Sterrren)} 16... Be6 17. Be2 Rac8 18. Nd5 Bxd5 19. Rxd5 Be7 {
avoids an immediate disaster.}) 17. Nd5 Bg5 18. Bxg5 Nxg5 19. Nb6 Rb8 20. c5 f5
21. Bc4+ Be6 22. Bxe6+ Nxe6 23. cxd6 Kf7 24. exf5 gxf5 25. Rhe1 Nd4 26. Nc4 Kf6
27. f4 b5 28. fxe5+ Ke6 29. Na5 {Van der Sterren won wth 8 1/2 out of 11. Paul
had his best year, because he qualified in Biel 1993 for the candidates'
matches.} 1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "50th championship"]
[Date "1994.??.??"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Piket, Jeroen"]
[Black "Van Wely, Loek"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E90"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "79"]
[EventDate "1994.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. h3 e5 7. d5 a5 8. Be3 Na6
9. g4 Nc5 10. Nd2 Ne8 11. Qe2 f5 $6 {This attack brings little success.} 12.
gxf5 gxf5 13. O-O-O {
Piket knew this position from his game against Dam in Amsterdam 1990.} f4 $6
14. Bxc5 dxc5 15. h4 $1 Ra6 16. Bh3 Bxh3 17. Rxh3 {
White has exchanged his bad bishop.} Rg6 $6 18. h5 Rg2 19. Nf3 Qd7 $2 (19...
Nd6 20. h6 Bf6 21. Rh5 Qe7 {leads to a poor game.}) 20. Rhh1 Bf6 21. Qf1 Rg7
22. h6 Rg6 23. Rh5 $1 Qg4 24. Qh1 Qg2 25. Qxg2 Rxg2 26. Nxe5 Bxe5 27. Rxe5 Nd6
({Black is lost due to} 27... Rxf2 28. Rg1+ Kh8 29. Re7) 28. Re7 Rf7 29. Re6
Nxc4 30. e5 Rg5 31. Re1 Kf8 32. b3 Nb6 33. Rxb6 $6 {
Piket shows too much optimism.} (33. d6 $1 {wins easily (Kuijf).}) 33... cxb6
34. e6 Rff5 35. d6 Rd5 $6 ({More resistance if offered by} 35... Re5 36. e7+
Ke8 37. Rd1 Rg8 38. Nd5 Kf7) 36. Nxd5 Rxd5 37. d7 Ke7 38. a4 Rg5 39. Rd1 Rg8
40. Kc2 {The tournament had moved to Amsterdam at the request of the new
sponsor Wolters Kluwer.  Jeroen Piket won his fourth title with 8 1/2 out of
11. John van der Wiel became second for the ninth time.} 1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "51st championship"]
[Date "1995.??.??"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Piket, Jeroen"]
[Black "Sokolov, Ivan"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E20"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "161"]
[EventDate "1995.??.??"]

{A notorious event in the 1990's was the siege of Sarajevo. Many Bosnians fled.
The chess grandmasters Sokolov and Nikolic departed to the Netherlands and
settled in the region of Leiden, close to their Dutch friends.   They also
became competitors in championships. Piket has to defeat Sokolov in the last
round. If Jeroen wins, They will play a match for the title.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4
e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. g3 cxd4 6. Nxd4 O-O 7. Bg2 d5 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Bd2
Bxc3 10. bxc3 e5 11. Nb5 a6 $6 12. c4 Nb6 13. Na3 Qe7 $2 ({Theory is} 13... Nc6
) 14. Qb3 N6d7 15. Nc2 $1 Nc6 16. Nb4 Nd4 17. Nd5 Qd6 18. Qb2 Nc5 {Both players
manoeuvre their knights to the central area. The black warriors will be chased
away.} 19. Be3 Nce6 20. O-O Bd7 21. f4 $1 Rae8 22. Rad1 f6 23. Bf2 Nc5 24. e3
$1 Nc6 25. Nb6 Qc7 26. Rd5 Nb8 27. Qb4 Ne6 28. f5 $1 Nd8 29. Nxd7 Nxd7 30. Qd6
Qxd6 31. Rxd6 {White has reached a won endgame.} Nc5 32. Bd5+ Nf7 33. Rb6 Kh8 {
Black cannot avoid the loss of a pawn.} 34. e4 Rc8 35. Bxc5 Rxc5 36. Rxb7 Nd6
37. Ra7 a5 38. Ra6 Rd8 39. Rb1 h5 40. h4 Nxc4 41. Rc1 Kh7 42. Be6 Rd4 43. Ra8
Nb6 44. Rxc5 Nxa8 45. Rxa5 Nc7 46. Ra7 $2 (46. Bf7 $1 Rxe4 47. Rc5 {
wins immediately (Dautov).}) 46... Nb5 47. Ra8 Nd6 $1 {
Black has a new defence line.} 48. Bg8+ Kh6 49. Bd5 g6 $1 50. Ra6 Nxf5 51. exf5
Rxd5 52. Rxf6 Kg7 53. Rxg6+ Kf7 54. Rh6 Rd3 55. Kf2 Ra3 56. Rxh5 Kf6 57. g4
Rxa2+ 58. Ke3 Ra3+ 59. Kd2 e4 60. Rh8 Rg3 61. Rg8 Ke5 62. Re8+ Kd4 63. f6 e3+
64. Ke2 $5 Rg2+ 65. Kf3 $5 {The pawn sacrifice is unforced.} Rf2+ 66. Kg3 Rxf6
67. g5 ({Or} 67. h5 $1 Rf1 68. h6 Rh1 69. Kf4 $1) 67... Rf1 68. h5 Rh1 69. h6
$2 {White makes the last error.} ({Correct is} 69. Kg4 $1 Kd3 70. g6 $1 e2 71.
Kg5 {(Kuijf).}) 69... Kd3 70. Kf3 Rh3+ 71. Kg4 Rh1 72. Kf5 e2 73. Kf6 Rh3 74.
Kf7 Rf3+ 75. Kg6 Re3 76. Rxe3+ Kxe3 77. h7 e1=Q 78. h8=Q Qb1+ 79. Kh6 Qh1+ 80.
Kg7 Qb7+ 81. Kh6 {Ivan Sokolov has won the championship with 9 1/2 out of 11,
one point before Piket.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "52nd championship"]
[Date "1996.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Sokolov, Ivan"]
[Black "Timman, Jan"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D46"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "90"]
[EventDate "1996.??.??"]

{Sokolov levelled with Timman in the last round. They scored 8 1/2 out of 11.
Ivan won the first game of the playoff.} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 e6
5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O dxc4 9. Bxc4 Qe7 10. h3 c5 11. dxc5
Bxc5 12. e4 Bd6 13. Nb5 Ne5 14. Nxe5 Bxe5 15. Be3 a6 16. Nd4 b5 17. Nc6 Qc7 18.
Nxe5 Qxe5 19. Bd3 Bb7 20. f4 Qh5 21. Bc5 Rfd8 22. b4 Rac8 23. e5 Nd5 24. Qb3 a5
$1 {Timman attacks over a broad front.} 25. a3 $2 ({Correct is} 25. Bxb5 $1
Nxb4 $1 26. Bxb4 Bd5 27. Qd1 Qg6 28. Rf2 axb4 29. Qb1 $1) 25... a4 26. Qd1 Qxd1
27. Raxd1 Nc3 28. Rd2 Be4 29. Bd6 f5 $1 30. Kh2 $2 ({The last chance gives} 30.
Kf2 Bxd3 31. Rxd3 Ne4+ 32. Ke3 Rc2 33. g4 Kf7 34. Rf3 Rdc8 35. Bc5 $1) 30...
Bxd3 31. Rxd3 Ne4 32. Rff3 Rc2 33. Be7 Rxd3 34. Rxd3 Rd2 35. Re3 Kf7 36. Bh4
Ke8 37. Be1 Rb2 38. Rd3 h6 39. Rd1 Ra2 40. Rc1 $5 Kd7 $5 41. Rd1+ Kc6 42. Rc1+
Kd5 43. Rd1+ Kc4 44. Rc1+ Kb3 45. Rc6 Re2 {
Jan Timman drew the third and won the fourth game. He gained his ninth title.}
0-1

[Event "Rotterdam"]
[Site "53rd championship"]
[Date "1997.??.??"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Timman, Jan"]
[Black "Nikolic, Predrag"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A80"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "90"]
[EventDate "1997.??.??"]

{Broekhuis, a fan of Feijenoord, had become the new sponsor. Timman and
Nikolic scored 7 1/2 out of 11, half-a-point ahead of Sokolov and Van der Wiel.
So Jan had to play a match with the other Bosnian.} 1. Nf3 f5 2. d4 Nf6 3. g3
g6 4. c3 Bg7 5. Qb3 e6 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O Nc6 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 10. Nbd2 d6
11. e4 f4 $6 {Nikolic decides to take risks.} 12. Rae1 Qf7 13. e5 d5 14. Qc2
Bd7 15. Kh1 Ne7 16. Rg1 $5 g5 $5 17. g4 Qg6 18. Qd1 $5 Bb5 19. Bf1 Bxf1 20.
Rexf1 b6 21. h4 c5 22. Re1 Rac8 23. Kg2 $5 cxd4 24. Nxd4 f3+ $6 25. Kh3 $6 (25.
N2xf3 Rf4 26. Kh1 {is okay.}) 25... Rf4 26. h5 Qf7 27. N2xf3 Rf8 $6 ({Better is
} 27... Nc6) 28. Rg3 Re4 29. Qb1 $1 Nf5 $2 {
Despair precedes a surprising success.} 30. gxf5 exf5 31. Kg2 f4 32. e6 $6 Qxh5
33. e7 $6 Re8 34. Rh1 $2 ({White wins by} 34. Rh3 $1 Qg4+ 35. Kh2) 34... Qg6
35. Rg4 R8xe7 36. Qd1 $6 Bxd4 37. cxd4 Qf5 38. Rhh4 $4 {
Jan blunders under great time pressure.} (38. Ne5 $1 R7xe5 $5 39. dxe5 f3+ 40.
Kf1 Qxg4 41. Qxd5+ {draws (Timman).}) 38... Rg7 39. Nxg5 hxg5 40. f3 gxh4 41.
Rxg7+ Kxg7 42. fxe4 Qxe4+ 43. Kh3 Qe3+ 44. Kxh4 Qg3+ 45. Kh5 f3 {
The other games ended in a draw. So Predrag Nikolic became the new champ.} 0-1

[Event "Rotterdam"]
[Site "54th championship"]
[Date "1998.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Piket, Jeroen"]
[Black "Nikolic, Predrag"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A17"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "53"]
[EventDate "1998.??.??"]

{Sokolov won his second title with 8 1/2 out of 11, but the best games were
played by two other grandmasters from the Leiden region.} 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3 a5 5. g3 b6 6. Bg2 Bb7 7. O-O O-O 8. d3 Na6 9. e4 Nc5 10. Qc2
Bxc3 11. Qxc3 $5 d5 $6 (11... d6 {
prevents an attack on the kingside (Backe-Lacko, Hallsberg 1988).}) 12. e5 Nfd7
13. Bg5 $1 f6 14. exf6 Nxf6 15. Rad1 h6 16. Be3 Ncd7 17. c5 bxc5 18. Bxc5 Re8
$2 ({Correct is} 18... Nxc5 19. Qxc5 Qd6) 19. Rfe1 Kh8 20. Rc1 Ba6 21. Bh3 Qb8
22. Bxe6 Nxc5 23. Qxc5 Qxb2 24. Ne5 $1 Rxe6 25. Nf7+ Kg8 26. Rxe6 Kxf7 {
Piket gets a brilliancy prize for his next move.} 27. Rxf6+ $1 (27. Rxf6+ gxf6
28. Qxd5+ Kg6 29. Qe4+ f5 30. Rc6+ {gives an insufficient defence.}) 1-0

[Event "Rotterdam"]
[Site "54th championship"]
[Date "1998.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Van der Wiel, John"]
[Black "Sosonko, Genna"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B89"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "49"]
[EventDate "1998.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Be3 Be7 8.
Bb3 O-O 9. Qe2 Bd7 10. O-O-O Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Qa5 12. Rhg1 Bc6 13. g4 $1 Nd7 14.
Kb1 Rfe8 $2 {One mistake suffices for the defeat.} ({Correct is} 14... Nc5 $1)
15. g5 Nc5 16. Rg3 $1 Bf8 ({Or} 16... b5 $5 17. Qh5 Nxb3 18. Bxg7 Kxg7 19. Qh6+
Kg8 20. Rh3) 17. Rh3 Nxb3 18. axb3 Qxg5 19. f4 $1 Qa5 ({The pointe is} 19...
Qxf4 20. Rg1 e5 21. Be3 Qf6 22. Qh5 h6 23. Bxh6 g6 24. Bg5 $1 Qg7 25. Qh4 Re6
26. Nd5 $1) 20. Rg1 g6 21. b4 $1 Qc7 22. Qh5 $1 h6 23. Bf6 Kh7 24. Qh4 Qb6 25.
Rg4 {Black has no proper defence against the drastic threat 26.Qxh6+ Bxh6 27.
Rxh6+, a horrible defeat.} 1-0

[Event "Rotterdam"]
[Site "55th championship"]
[Date "1999.05.31"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Nikolic, Predrag"]
[Black "Van Wely, Loek"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D10"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "71"]
[EventDate "1999.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 dxc4 4. e4 b5 5. a4 b4 6. Nce2 $5 e6 7. Nf3 c5 $5 8.
Ng3 cxd4 9. Bxc4 Ba6 10. Qd3 Qc8 11. Bb5+ Bxb5 12. Qxb5+ Nd7 13. Nxd4 a6 14.
Qe2 Nc5 15. O-O Qb7 $5 {Both players want to produce an attractive game.} 16.
Re1 Nf6 17. Bg5 Nfd7 $6 ({More defensive value has} 17... Be7 18. Rac1 Rd8) 18.
Rad1 g6 $2 ({Kuijf prefers the prudent move} 18... h6) ({
A wild alternative brings} 18... Nxa4 19. Nh5 b3 20. Nf5 Rg8) 19. e5 Bg7 20.
Nf3 h6 21. Bf4 a5 22. h4 h5 23. Qe3 Nxa4 24. Ne4 O-O 25. Bh6 Nxb2 26. Rd4 Na4
27. Rxd7 $1 {White decides the game with an elegant sacrifice.} Qxd7 28. Nf6+
Bxf6 29. exf6 Qa7 30. Qg5 Qc5 31. Re5 Rfc8 32. Rxc5 Rxc5 33. Ne5 Rxe5 34. Qxe5
b3 35. Bc1 Rc8 36. Qf4 {Nikolic won the title with 8 1/2 out of 11. The
championship was the strongest in Dutch chess history with an average rating
of 2548. Zhaoping Peng was the first woman who participated in the finale of
the general championship.} 1-0

[Event "Rotterdam "]
[Site "56th championship"]
[Date "2000.05.14"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Van Wely, Loek"]
[Black "Fritz SSS*, Computer"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A25"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "49"]
[EventDate "2000.??.??"]

{Loek van Wely rules in the third millennium. He has won four championships in
a row but will not reign gor a thousand years. Sometimes he provokes other
players. It are no feuds like in the old days, however.  A computer program
was allowed to play in a championship for the first and only time. The
participation was irregular but a lot of fun. It drew a lot of attention.} 1.
c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 Nc6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. a3 $5 Bxc3 6. bxc3 O-O 7. e4 $5 {
Loek closes the position.} a6 8. a4 d6 9. d3 Bg4 10. f3 Bd7 11. Ne2 Qc8 12. h3
b6 13. f4 {
Fritz 6 and his upgraded version have no understanding of consolidation.} Be6
$4 14. f5 Bd7 15. g4 Ne8 16. Ng3 Qd8 17. g5 Bc8 18. h4 f6 19. Qh5 Na5 20. Ra3
Qe7 21. Nf1 Nc6 22. Ne3 Qd7 23. g6 h6 24. Ng4 Ra7 25. Rg1 {
A bishop will be sacrificed on h6. The humiliation has been completed.} 1-0

[Event "Rotterdam "]
[Site "56th championship"]
[Date "2000.05.19"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Van der Wiel, John"]
[Black "Fritz SSS*, Computer"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D00"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "91"]
[EventDate "2000.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c3 Nf6 3. Bg5 Ne4 4. Bf4 g5 5. Bc1 h6 6. e3 Bg7 7. Bd3 Nd7 8. c4
Ndf6 9. f3 Nd6 10. c5 $1 {Van der Wiel plays a clever anti-computer strategy.}
Nf5 11. Ne2 g4 12. f4 $5 Qd7 13. Nbc3 Qe6 14. Qd2 Bd7 15. b4 h5 16. a4 O-O-O $2
17. Kd1 h4 18. b5 Kb8 19. Rb1 h3 20. g3 Be8 21. a5 Ka8 $2 {
The king has walked into the danger.} 22. Ke1 Bd7 23. Kf2 a6 24. Qc2 Rb8 25.
Bd2 axb5 26. Nxb5 Bxb5 27. Rxb5 Ne4+ 28. Bxe4 Qxe4 29. Qxe4 dxe4 {
Black has to exchange material. He loses a centre pawn as result.} 30. Nc3 e6
31. Nxe4 Ne7 32. Ng5 Rhf8 33. Rhb1 Ka7 34. a6 bxa6 35. Rxb8 Rxb8 36. Rxb8 Kxb8
37. Nxf7 Kc8 38. Ng5 Kd7 39. Ke2 Nf5 40. Ne4 Kc6 41. Nf2 Nh6 42. Ba5 Bf6 43.
Kd3 Kd7 44. e4 Bg7 45. Kc4 Kc6 46. Bd2 {Loek van Wely won the title with 8 1/2
out of 11, one point before Jeroen Piket.} 1-0

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "57th championship"]
[Date "2001.??.??"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Van den Doel, Erik"]
[Black "Van Wely, Loek"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C10"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "54"]
[EventDate "2001.??.??"]
[EventType "rapid"]

{Van Wely and Van den Doel shared the first place with 6 1/2 out of 9. They
had to play rapid games. Loek won the first two.} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4
4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Bg5 h6 7. Nxf6+ Nxf6 8. Bxf6 Qxf6 9. Bb5+ c6 10. Bd3
g6 11. Qe2 Bg7 12. O-O-O $5 {
Eric fights for his last chance with an aggressive move.} O-O 13. c3 Rd8 14.
Kb1 Bd7 15. h4 Rac8 16. h5 g5 17. Ne5 c5 18. Qe4 cxd4 19. Qh7+ Kf8 20. Ng4 Qf4
21. Nxh6 Bxh6 22. Qxh6+ Ke7 {The players lack time for exact calculation in
the crucial position. Erik has no win.} 23. Rh3 $4 ({See} 23. cxd4 $2 Bc6 24.
f3 Rxd4 25. Qg7 g4 $1 26. Be2 Rd2 $1) ({Right is} 23. g3 $1 Qf6 24. Qxf6+ Kxf6)
23... Bc6 (23... dxc3 $1 24. Rf3 c2+ $1 25. Bxc2 Ba4 $1 {refutes white's idea.}
) 24. Rg3 $6 (24. cxd4 {prolongs the game.}) 24... dxc3 25. bxc3 Be4 26. Re3
Rxd3 27. Rdxd3 Rxc3 {
Loek van Wely had won his second title. Essent had become the new sponsor.} 0-1

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "58th championship"]
[Date "2002.06.30"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Van Wely, Loek"]
[Black "Tiviakov, Sergei"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E09"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "57"]
[EventDate "2002.??.??"]
[EventType "rapid"]

{Van Wely and Tiviakov ended at the top with 7/9. So Loek had to play rapid
chess again. He won the second game.} 1. g3 Nf6 2. Bg2 d5 3. Nf3 e6 4. O-O Be7
5. d4 b6 6. c4 c6 7. Qc2 O-O 8. b3 Ba6 9. Nbd2 Nbd7 10. e4 Rc8 11. Rd1 Qc7 12.
e5 Ne8 13. Nf1 dxc4 $6 ({Known are} 13... h6) ({and} 13... Qd8) 14. bxc4 c5 $2
15. d5 $1 {Loek has refuted the opening's novelty by Sergei.} Nxe5 $5 ({
The alternative is} 15... exd5 16. Bf4 $1 Qd8 {(too late)} 17. cxd5 g5 18. d6
$1) 16. Nxe5 Qxe5 17. Bf4 Qf6 18. Qa4 e5 ({Or} 18... Bb7 19. d6 $1) 19. Qxa6
Nc7 20. Qxa7 exf4 21. Bh3 $1 fxg3 22. Nxg3 Bd6 23. Bxc8 Rxc8 24. Qxb6 h5 25.
Qb1 Be5 26. Qf5 Ra8 27. Qxf6 Bxf6 28. Rab1 Rxa2 29. Rb7 {
Loek van Wely had won his third title.} 1-0

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "59th championship"]
[Date "2003.06.27"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Stellwagen, Daniel"]
[Black "Janssen, Ruud"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B87"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "49"]
[EventDate "2003.??.??"]

{The championship started sensationally with four wins by a young debutant.} 1.
e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bc4 e6 7. Bb3 b5 8. O-O Be7
9. Qf3 Qc7 10. Qg3 O-O 11. Bh6 Ne8 12. Rad1 Bd7 13. f4 Nc6 14. Nxc6 Qxc6 $6 ({
The theory continued with} 14... Bxc6 15. f5 Kh8 {
(Sokolov-Gelfand, Odessa 1989)} 16. f6 $5 gxh6 17. fxe7 Qxe7) 15. f5 $1 Kh8 16.
fxe6 {White has two strong moves.} ({A fine alternative gives} 16. f6 $1 Bxf6
17. Rxf6 $1 gxh6 18. Rxh6 Rg8 19. Qh4 Rg7) 16... fxe6 17. Rxf8+ Bxf8 18. Bg5
Nf6 19. Bxf6 gxf6 20. Nd5 $1 {Black still has an acceptable defence.} Bg7 21.
Nf4 Qxe4 $2 ({Correct is} 21... Bh6 $1 22. Rxd6 $1 Qc5+ 23. Kh1 Rg8 24. Nd3 Qc7
25. Rxd7 $1 Qxd7 26. Qh3 Rg6 {Black seems to survive.}) 22. Rxd6 Bh6 23. Rxd7
Rg8 $6 24. Nxe6 ({Or} 24. Nh5 Bg5 25. h4 $1 Bxh4 26. Rd8 $1 Bxg3 27. Rxg8+ Kxg8
28. Nxf6+) 24... Be3+ 25. Kf1 ({Daniël has calculated} 25. Kf1 Rxg3 26. Rd8+
Rg8 27. Rxg8+ Kxg8 28. Nc5+ $1 Qc4+ 29. Bxc4+ bxc4 30. Nxa6 {The young hero
became tired during the tournament and lost two endgames. Loek van Wely won
his fourth title with 6 1/2 out of 9. Stellwagen and Tiviakov scored 5 1/2.})
1-0

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "60th championship"]
[Date "2004.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Tiviakov, Sergei"]
[Black "Sokolov, Ivan"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C54"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "76"]
[EventDate "2004.??.??"]

{Stellwagen started with two wins this time. Thereafter it became a race
between Sokolov and Van Wely.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d3
d6 6. Bb3 h6 7. Nbd2 Be6 $5 8. Bxe6 fxe6 9. b4 Bb6 10. Nc4 Ne7 11. Qb3 Qd7 12.
b5 $5 O-O 13. O-O Ng6 14. a4 c5 $1 {
Black stops the attack on the queenside by a temporary pawn sacrifice.} 15.
bxc6 bxc6 16. Nxb6 axb6 17. Qxb6 Rfb8 18. Qe3 c5 19. a5 Rb5 20. d4 cxd4 21.
cxd4 Rbxa5 22. Rxa5 Rxa5 23. dxe5 dxe5 24. Bb2 $5 {
White starts a risky offensive in an equal position.} Qb5 $1 25. Ra1 $6 Rxa1+
26. Bxa1 Ng4 27. Qe1 Nf4 {Threatening black knights enter the white position.}
28. g3 $2 ({Right is} 28. h3 $1 Nd3 29. Qe2 Ngxf2 30. Nxe5 Qb1+ 31. Qf1 {
and White survives.}) 28... Nd3 29. Qe2 Ngxf2 30. Bxe5 Qb1+ 31. Qf1 Qc2 32. Ba1
Nxe4 33. Nd4 Qd2 34. Qe2 $6 ({Better is} 34. Nf3 Qe3+ 35. Kh1) 34... Qc1+ 35.
Kg2 Ne1+ 36. Kf1 Nc2+ 37. Kg2 Ne3+ 38. Kh3 Ng5+ (38... Ng5+ 39. Kh4 Qxa1 40.
Qxe3 Qxd4+ $1 {decides the game.}) 0-1

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "60th championship"]
[Date "2004.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Van Wely, Loek"]
[Black "Sokolov, Ivan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D19"]
[Annotator "JvR and DS"]
[PlyCount "103"]
[EventDate "2004.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O
O-O 9. Qe2 Bg4 10. Rd1 Qa5 11. e4 Qh5 12. h3 Bxf3 13. Qxf3 Qxf3 14. gxf3 {
Loek has a plus. He needs to win in order to catch up with Sokolov.} Nbd7 15.
Be3 Rfd8 16. Na2 Be7 17. Nc1 Ne5 $5 18. Be2 Ng6 19. a5 a6 20. Nd3 h6 21. b4
Rab8 22. Kh1 $5 Ne8 23. Rac1 Kh7 24. Nc5 Nc7 25. Bc4 Nh4 26. f4 Bd6 27. Be2 Ng6
28. Nd3 f5 $1 {Black has to stop the restriction.} 29. f3 Nb5 30. Rg1 Bf8 31.
Nc5 $5 (31. Rc4 Na3 32. Rc3 Nb5 {only repeats the moves.}) 31... Nxd4 32. Bxd4
Nxf4 33. Be5 $1 {White has to play adventurously.} Nxe2 34. Nxe6 Nxg1 35. Rxg1
g5 36. Bxb8 Rxb8 37. exf5 Bxb4 38. Rd1 Bxa5 39. Rd7+ Kh8 40. f6 Bb4 {
Loek has a long think.} 41. h4 $5 {
He seems to make the winning blunder, looking in hindsight.} Re8 $2 ({
However, White has escapes after the obvious move} 41... gxh4 $1 {
Loek has planned} 42. f4 $5 ({The alternatives} 42. Nf4 Bf8 43. Ng6+ Kg8 44.
Ne7+ Bxe7 45. fxe7 Re8 46. Rxb7 Kf7 47. Rc7 $1 Ra8 48. Rxc6 a5 49. Rxh6 Kxe7
50. Rxh4 a4 51. Rh2 a3 52. Ra2 Ke6 53. f4 Kd5 54. Kg2 Kc4 55. Kf3 Kb3 56. Ra1
Kb2 57. Rh1 a2 58. Ke4 $1 {draws}) ({and} 42. f7 $1 Bf8 43. Rd1 $1 h5 44. Rg1
Bh6 45. f4 b5 46. f5 b4 47. Rg6 Kh7 48. f8=Q Bxf8 49. Ng5+ Kh8 50. Nf7+ {
also draws}) 42... Bf8 $5 43. f7 Kh7 {seems to win easily, but} 44. Rxb7 $1
Rxb7 45. Nxf8+ Kg7 46. Ne6+ Kxf7 47. Nd8+ Kf6 48. Nxb7 Kf5 49. Kh2 Kxf4 50. Nd8
$1 {draws. Daniël Stellwagen corrected these variations as a training.}) 42.
Nd8 $1 Re1+ 43. Kg2 Bf8 $2 ({The correct defence against the threat Rg7 brings
} 43... Kg8 44. Rxb7 a5 $1) 44. Nf7+ (44. Kf2 $1 {wins at once.}) 44... Kg8 ({
The last chance gives} 44... Kh7 $1 {but} 45. Kf2 $1 Rh1 46. Ne5+ Kg8 47. Rd8
Rxh4 48. Nd7 {wins for White.}) 45. hxg5 hxg5 46. Nxg5 b5 47. f4 b4 48. f5 $5
Re2+ ({Or} 48... Re5 49. Rh7 Rxf5 50. f7+ Rxf7 51. Rxf7 Bh6 52. Rf6 $18) 49.
Kf3 Re5 50. Kf4 Rd5 51. Rh7 Bd6+ 52. Kg4 {
Loek had equalised. He won the title eventually, half-a-point before Sokolov.}
1-0

[Event "Leeuwarden"]
[Site "61st championship"]
[Date "2005.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Van Wely, Loek"]
[Black "Smeets, Jan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D44"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "65"]
[EventDate "2005.??.??"]

{Essent sponsored the championship for the last time.} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3
Nf6 4. Nf3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxg5 hxg5 10. Bxg5
Nbd7 11. exf6 Bb7 12. g3 c5 13. d5 Qb6 14. Bg2 O-O-O 15. O-O b4 16. Rb1 Qa6 17.
dxe6 Bxg2 18. e7 Bxf1 19. Qd5 Bh6 20. Bxh6 Bd3 21. Qa8+ Nb8 22. exd8=Q+ Rxd8
23. Re1 bxc3 24. Bf4 Qb6 25. bxc3 Bf5 26. f3 $3 {
Van Wely has prepared an excellent novelty with his second Chuchelov.} (26. h4
{leads to an acknowledged draw (Azmaiparashvili - Shirov, Madrid 1996).}) 26...
Be6 ({Or} 26... Qb7 27. Qxb7+ Kxb7 28. Re7+ Rd7 29. Bxb8 Kxb8 30. g4 {
(Van Wely).}) 27. g4 $1 {A pawn avalanche decides the game.} Bd5 28. Qxb8+ Qxb8
29. Bxb8 Kxb8 30. Kf2 Kc7 31. h4 Rd6 $6 ({The crucial line is} 31... Kd6 $1 32.
Kg3 Rh8 $1 33. f4 $3 ({not} 33. h5 $2 Rh6) ({or} 33. g5 $2 Be6) 33... Rb8 $5 {
The rook can attack from behind.} 34. h5 $1 Rb2 35. h6 $1 Rg2+ 36. Kh3 {
Black cannot stop the pawns.}) 32. Re7+ Rd7 $6 33. h5 {Van Wely seemed to win
easily after an outstanding start. At the end, he won for the sixth time by
only 51/2/9, half-a-point before Stellwagen and Tiviakov.} 1-0

[Event "Hilversum"]
[Site "62nd championship"]
[Date "2006.??.??"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Tiviakov, Sergei"]
[Black "Timman, Jan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B22"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "2006.??.??"]

{The event was continued in Hilversum. Participation could be increased to
twelve, because sponsorship had improved. When Tiviakov had taken a lead on
Van Wely, they met in the ninth round. Sergei won and Loek was out of the race.
A special feature was the participation by Timman. Sergei met him in the
penultimate round.} 1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3
c4 7. Bc2 Qc7 8. Qe2 g5 9. h3 Bg7 10. O-O Nxe5 11. Nxg5 d5 12. a4 h6 13. Nf3
Nbd7 14. Re1 Bf6 $5 ({Theory is} 14... O-O) 15. d4 cxd3 16. Bxd3 Nxd3 17. Qxd3
Nc5 $1 18. Qxd5 Be6 19. Qh5 Rd8 $2 (19... O-O-O $1 20. Bf4 Qxf4 21. Qxc5+ Kb8 {
gives compensation for the pawn (Tiviakov).}) 20. Nd4 Bxd4 21. cxd4 Nb3 22. Nc3
$1 (22. Ra3 $2 Rd5 $1 {consolidates.}) 22... Nxa1 23. Rxe6 $1 Nb3 {
Timman has been outplayed.} 24. Be3 $2 (24. d5 $1 Nxc1 25. d6 Rxd6 26. Nb5 $1
Ne2+ 27. Kh2 $1 {wins for White (Tiviakov).}) 24... Nxd4 25. Re4 Nc6 26. b4 Rd3
$5 27. Nd5 Qd6 28. Nf4 Rxe3 $5 29. fxe3 Nd8 $2 (29... Rg8 $1 30. b5 Rg5 31. Qe2
Ne5 32. Rd4 Qa3 {brings a white plus (Tiviakov).}) 30. Nd5 $1 e6 31. Nf6+ Kf8
32. Rd4 Qc7 33. Rd7 Qc1+ 34. Kh2 Kg7 35. Qe5 1-0

[Event "Hilversum"]
[Site "62nd championship"]
[Date "2006.??.??"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Timman, Jan"]
[Black "Stellwagen, Daniel"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B42"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "72"]
[EventDate "2006.??.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Bc5 6. Nb3 Ba7 7. Qe2 Nc6 8.
Be3 d6 9. Bxa7 Rxa7 10. f4 Nf6 11. Nc3 b5 12. O-O-O e5 13. f5 O-O 14. g4 b4 15.
Nd5 $5 ({Known is} 15. Na4 $1) 15... a5 16. Qe3 $6 ({Daniel prefers} 16. Nxf6+
Qxf6 17. Bb5) 16... a4 17. Nd2 Nxd5 18. exd5 Nd4 19. Nf3 b3 $1 20. axb3 $2 (20.
a3 $1 bxc2 21. Bxc2 Nb5 {(Stellwagen)} 22. Kb1 {offers more resistance.}) 20...
Qb6 $1 21. Kd2 axb3 22. c3 Nxf3+ 23. Qxf3 Ra2 24. Rb1 Ba6 25. Be4 Rc8 26. Rhe1
Rc4 27. f6 Raa4 $1 28. Rbd1 ({Or} 28. fxg7 Rd4+ $1 29. cxd4 Rxd4+) 28... Ra2
29. Rb1 Raa4 30. Rbd1 Rxc3 $1 {Timman undergoes a rook sacrifice.} 31. Qxc3 ({
A pointe is} 31. Kxc3 Qb4#) 31... Qf2+ 32. Kc1 Rc4 33. Qxc4 Bxc4 34. Kb1 gxf6
35. h3 Be2 36. Rc1 Qe3 {This game got a beauty prize.   Tiviakov won the
championship by 9/11, one-and-a-half points before Sokolov.} 0-1

[Event "Hilversum"]
[Site "63rd championship"]
[Date "2007.06.16"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Stellwagen, Daniel"]
[Black "Tiviakov, Sergei"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B77"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "59"]
[EventDate "2007.06.16"]

{Stellwagen and Tiviakov would become the main rivals in the championship of
June 2007. They met in round one.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5.
Nc3 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Bb3 d6 9. f3 Bd7 10. Qd2 Nxd4 11. Bxd4 b5 12.
h4 a5 13. h5 a4 14. Bxf6 exf6 15. Bd5 b4 16. Ne2 f5 17. hxg6 hxg6 18. Qxb4 a3 {
This long theoretical line of the Sicilian Defence needs a lot of home
preparation.} 19. c3 $5 {A modest novelty suffices for a draw.} (19. Bxa8 Qxa8
20. Rb1 {happened in Gonzales Pruneda - Mate Adan, Cala Mendia 2001.}) 19...
axb2 20. Qxb2 Rc8 21. Qd2 {White prevents ..Bh6.} fxe4 22. fxe4 Bc6 23. Rd1
Bxd5 24. Qxd5 Be5 25. Qd2 Re8 26. Qh6 $1 {
White takes a drastic measure, before Black attacks.} Qb6 (26... Qf6 27. Qh4
Bxc3+ 28. Nxc3 Qxc3+ 29. Rd2 {draws.}) 27. Qh7+ Kf8 28. Qh6+ ({Not} 28. Rf1 $2
Bxc3+ $1 29. Nxc3 Rxe4+ $1 30. Nxe4 Qe3# {A mirror mate!}) 28... Kg8 (28... Bg7
$5 29. Qf4 {(Rogozenko)} Rc4 30. Rf1 Qc7 31. Qxd6+ Qxd6 32. Rxd6 Rcxe4 33. Rf2
Bxc3+ 34. Kf1 {will also draw.}) 29. Qh7+ Kf8 30. Qh6+ {
Stellwagen showed adventurous play during the tournament.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Hilversum"]
[Site "63rd championship"]
[Date "2007.06.21"]
[Round "5"]
[White "L'Ami, Erwin"]
[Black "Tiviakov, Sergei"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E17"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "94"]
[EventDate "2007.06.16"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. d5 exd5 8. Nh4
c6 9. cxd5 Nxd5 10. Nf5 Nc7 11. e4 d5 {
Black plays a sharp opening, because he wants to win.} 12. Re1 Bf6 13. e5 Be7
14. Qg4 g6 15. Bh6 Re8 16. Nc3 Bc8 17. Nxe7+ Qxe7 18. Qa4 b5 $5 19. Qd1 $5 b4
20. Ne2 Ne6 (20... Qxe5 $6 {would be very risky.}) 21. f4 $6 ({Preferable is} 
21. Rc1) 21... Nd7 22. Rc1 Bb7 23. Nd4 Rac8 24. Nf3 c5 {
Tiviakov carries out the prepared marsh in the central area.} 25. g4 $6 {
L'Ami should advance his f-pawn at once.} c4 $1 26. f5 $6 Nec5 {
Black threatens ..Nd3.} 27. Qd2 $5 ({The crucial line is} 27. Qd4 Ne4 $1 28. e6
$5 ({or} 28. Bf4 Qc5 {and the queens are exchanged.}) 28... fxe6 29. fxe6 Ndc5
$1 {and Black wins.}) 27... Ne4 $5 ({Even better is} 27... Nd3) 28. Qd4 Qc5 $5
(28... Nxe5 $1 29. Nxe5 Qxe5 30. Qxa7 Ba8 {(Tiviakov) gains more advantage.})
29. Be3 Qxd4 30. Bxd4 Ndc5 31. Red1 a5 32. Ne1 Nd7 33. Nf3 Bc6 34. h4 Ba4 35.
Re1 c3 $5 36. Ng5 $5 Nxe5 37. Nxe4 dxe4 38. Bxe4 c2 39. Bxe5 Rxe5 40. b3 Rce8
41. bxa4 Rxe4 42. Rxe4 Rxe4 43. Rxc2 Rxg4+ 44. Kh2 Rxh4+ 45. Kg3 g5 46. Rc5 Kg7
47. Rxa5 Rc4 {Tiviakov had won an important game.} 0-1

[Event "Hilversum"]
[Site "63rd championship"]
[Date "2007.06.23"]
[Round "7"]
[White "L'Ami, Erwin"]
[Black "Stellwagen, Daniel"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "D47"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "2007.06.16"]

{Two young men are fighting in a great game.} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4.
e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. e4 b4 10. Na4 c5 11. e5
Nd5 12. Nxc5 Nxc5 13. dxc5 Bxc5 14. O-O Rc8 15. Qe2 (15. Ng5 {
was played in their previous game.}) 15... h6 16. Bd2 Qb6 $5 ({Amateurs did} 
16... g6 $6) 17. Rac1 Ke7 $5 {Black prepares ..Rhd8.} 18. Qe4 $5 Ne3 $2 {
Stellwagen makes a risky effort.} (18... Rhd8 19. Qh7 Rh8 20. Qe4 Rhd8 {
leads to a repetition of moves.}) 19. Qh4+ g5 20. Nxg5 Nxg2 $1 (20... hxg5 $2
21. Qxg5+ Kd7 22. fxe3 $1 Rcg8 23. Rxf7+ {is no good for Black (L'Ami).}) 21.
Qh5 Rcf8 22. Rxc5 $2 (22. Ne4 $1 Rhg8 23. Kh1 $1 Rd8 24. Bxh6 $1 Rxd3 25. Bg5+
Rxg5 26. Qxg5+ Kf8 27. Rxc5 $1 Ne3 28. Qh6+ Ke7 29. Kg1 $3 {
wins for White (Stellwagen).}) 22... Qxc5 23. Rc1 Qb6 ({Not} 23... Qxe5 $4 24.
Bxb4+ Ke8 25. Qd1 {(L'Ami)}) 24. Be4 $5 hxg5 25. Bxg5+ Ke8 26. Qd1 $6 ({
Better is} 26. Qf3 {but} f6 $1 {favours Black.}) 26... Rfg8 $2 {
Black allows a miraculous escape.} (26... f6 $1 27. Qa4+ Ke7 28. Rd1 Bd5 $1 {
wins for Black (L'Ami).}) 27. Rc8+ $1 Bxc8 28. Bc6+ Kf8 29. Be7+ $1 Kg7 30.
Qg4+ Kh6 31. Bf8+ $1 ({Avoids} 31. Qh3+ $4 Nh4+) 31... Rxf8 32. Qh3+ Kg5 33.
Qxg2+ Kf5 34. Qe4+ Kg5 35. Qg2+ Kf5 {White delivers perpetual check.  
Stellwagen and Tiviakov (8/11) shared the first place before Sokolov, Nijboer
and L'Ami (7), etc. at  the end. The leaders had to play a tie-break of two
rapid games. Tiviakov won by 11/2-1/2 and prolonged his title.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Hilversum"]
[Site "64th championship"]
[Date "2008.04.09"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Visser, Yge"]
[Black "Stellwagen, Daniel"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B24"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "70"]
[EventDate "2008.04.02"]

{Stellwagen played well in the 64th championship. The event occurred in
Hilversum, close to his home.} 1. e4 c5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. Nc3 g6 5. Nge2
Bg7 6. O-O O-O 7. a3 $5 {White wants love and peace, but he will get war.} ({
Usual is} 7. d3) 7... d6 8. Rb1 a5 9. a4 $5 {White has lost a tempo.} e5 10. d3
Nh5 11. Nd5 f5 $5 12. exf5 gxf5 $6 13. Nec3 Nf6 14. Nxf6+ $5 (14. Bg5 $1 Be6
15. f4 {takes advantage of black's provocations.}) 14... Qxf6 15. Nd5 Qf7 16.
Nb6 Rb8 17. Nxc8 Rbxc8 18. c3 f4 19. Qf3 Kh8 20. Bd2 Rce8 21. Qd5 Qf6 $5 22.
Bf3 Bh6 23. Rbd1 Re7 24. Qe4 Nd8 25. Kg2 $6 {
Visser makes the wrong passive move.} ({Better is} 25. Qd5 $1 Rg7 26. Be4 {
and White can remain inactive.}) 25... Ne6 $1 26. h4 $6 (26. Bg4 Rg7 27. f3 {
keeps a defensive screen.}) 26... Rg7 27. Kh3 $2 (27. g4 $5 Qxh4 28. Rh1 Qf6
29. Qc4 {offers more resistance.}) 27... fxg3 28. fxg3 Bxd2 29. Rxd2 Rfg8 $1
30. g4 ({The pointe is} 30. Rg2 Rxg3+ $1 31. Rxg3 Nf4+) 30... Qh6 31. Qe1 Ng5+
32. Kh2 Nxf3+ 33. Rxf3 Rxg4 34. Kh3 Rg1 35. Qf2 Rh1+ {
The young star crushed a trembling defender.} 0-1

[Event "Hilversum"]
[Site "64th championship"]
[Date "2008.04.13"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Smeets, Jan"]
[Black "Stellwagen, Daniel"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B82"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "89"]
[EventDate "2008.04.02"]

{When the final round starts, Stellwagen leads by half-a-point on Smeets,
L'Ami and Ernst. It would become a sensational finish.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3.
d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. f4 b5 8. Qf3 Bb7 9. Bd3 Nf6 10. g4
d6 11. O-O-O Be7 12. Kb1 Nd7 13. g5 O-O 14. h4 {
Smeets plays an aggressive opening.} Nc5 $5 {Stellwagen defends well.} ({
Known is} 14... Rac8) 15. Nce2 Rac8 16. h5 Nxd4 17. Nxd4 f5 18. gxf6 Bxf6 {
The simplification equalises the game.} 19. Qg4 e5 $6 ({More solid is} 19...
Rfe8) 20. Ne6 $1 Nxe6 21. Qxe6+ Kh8 (21... Qf7 $5 22. Qg4 {also favours White.}
) 22. h6 {Smeets has gained a plus.} g6 23. Rhf1 Qe7 24. Qb3 $6 (24. Qg4 $1
exf4 25. Rxf4 {keeps the initiative.}) 24... exf4 25. Bxf4 Be5 26. Bxe5+ dxe5
27. a4 b4 28. Rxf8+ Rxf8 29. c3 bxc3 30. Qxc3 g5 {The chances are about equal
in this game. L'Ami is losing to the tailender and Ernst has a poor position
at this moment. So the prospects for Stellwagen are great.} 31. Bc4 $5 {
Smeets takes the initiative again.} Bxe4+ 32. Ka2 Bf5 33. Bxa6 Qe6+ 34. Bc4
Qxh6 35. Qxe5+ Qg7 36. Qd6 $1 {Smeets keeps the game going.} g4 37. a5 g3 $2 {
The tables turn.} ({Commentators recommend} 37... h5 $2 {but} 38. a6 g3 39. Rh1
$1 Bg6 40. Rh3 g2 41. Rg3 {wins for White}) ({Correct is} 37... Bg6 $1 38. a6
g3 $1 39. Rg1 Bf7 $1 40. Rxg3 Bxc4+ 41. b3 Qf6 42. Qxf6+ Rxf6 43. bxc4 Rxa6+ {
drawn. This complex line would have brought the title to Stellwagen.}) 38. Rg1
$1 Ra8 39. a6 g2 40. Qd5 $1 {Black has to lose material.} Re8 $6 (40... Rf8 41.
Rxg2 Bg6 42. b4 {also wins for White (Bij de Weg).}) 41. Qxf5 Qd4 42. Qf7 Rc8
43. Rxg2 Qxc4+ 44. Qxc4 Rxc4 45. Rg3 $1 {Smeets had won the game and triumphed
in the championship of 2008. The final standings became: Smeets (71/2),
Stellwagen and Reinderman (7), L'Ami and Ernst (61/2), etc.} 1-0

[Event "Haaksbergen"]
[Site "65th championship"]
[Date "2009.09.13"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Nijboer, Friso"]
[Black "Reinderman, Dimitri"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C10"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "103"]
[EventDate "2009.09.??"]

{Many players refused to participate in the 65th championship, because they
found the sponsor money insufficient. The chess federation still managed to
round up ten men. They played in a nice hotel.} 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4.
Nf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 Bb4 6. O-O $5 (6. e5 {
happened in Mason - Blackburne, New York 1889.}) 6... Bxc3 7. exd5 $1 Bxd4 $2 (
{Preferable is} 7... Nxd4 $1 8. bxc3 Nxf3+ 9. Qxf3 Qxd5) 8. dxc6 Bc5 9. Ne5
bxc6 10. Qe2 {Nijboer has the initiative. He likes that.} Bb7 {
Reinderman can do little.} 11. Bg5 Bd6 12. Rfe1 Rb8 13. Rad1 Qe7 14. Qe3 Ra8 $5
{Pawn a7 gets protection.} 15. Qh3 Bxe5 16. Rxe5 h6 17. Bd2 Rd8 18. Rde1 Kf8 $5
({Not} 18... O-O $2 19. Bxh6 $1 gxh6 20. Qxh6) 19. Ra5 a6 20. Qe3 Ra8 $5 21. a3
Kg8 22. h3 Nd5 23. Qe2 Qf6 24. c4 $6 ({Better is} 24. b3 $1 Nf4 25. Bxf4 Qxf4
26. Ra4 Qf6 27. Rb4) 24... Nf4 25. Bxf4 Qxf4 26. c5 g6 27. g3 Qf6 28. Ra4 a5
29. Rf4 Qe7 30. Qe5 Rd8 31. Bc4 Bc8 32. Rf6 Kh7 $1 33. h4 h5 34. Kg2 Qd7 $2 (
34... Rhg8 $1 35. Re3 Rg7 {defends properly.}) 35. Re3 $1 Rhg8 ({Or} 35... Rdg8
36. g4 $1) 36. Qf4 $1 Rg7 37. Rd3 $1 Qe7 38. Rxd8 Qxd8 39. Rxf7 Bd7 40. Rxg7+
Kxg7 41. Qd2 Qe7 42. Qxa5 e5 43. Qd2 Bg4 44. b4 e4 45. Qd4+ Kh7 46. a4 Qe8 47.
a5 Bf3+ 48. Kh2 g5 49. hxg5 h4 50. Qf6 hxg3+ 51. Kxg3 Bh5 52. Qh6# {Another dis
aster struck the championship, when Tiviakov departed at the end of round
three. He wanted to leave before the last round and agree upon a draw in that
round beforehand. The arbiter did not accept it and Sergei was gone.} 1-0

[Event "Haaksbergen"]
[Site "65th championship"]
[Date "2009.09.18"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Giri, Anish"]
[Black "Nijboer, Friso"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B82"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "73"]
[EventDate "2009.09.??"]

{The decisive game took place in the seventh round. A newcomer had caught up
with Nijboer and challenged the older man.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4
d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. Ne1 Nd7 10. Nd3 f5 11. Bd2 Nf6
12. f3 f4 13. c5 g5 14. Rc1 Ng6 15. Nb5 a6 16. cxd6 {The youngest grandmaster
of the world selects a sharp opening. He sacrifices a knight for two pawns.}
axb5 17. dxc7 Qd7 18. Bb4 $5 ({Known is} 18. Qb3) 18... g4 $6 {
He wants counteraction.} (18... Rf7 19. Qb3 Bf8 $1 {defends well.}) 19. Nc5 $5
{Giri does not capture the exchange, but prefers to continue the attack.} Qxc7
20. Ne6 Qf7 $2 {Nijboer has been beaten during the home preparation.} ({
Giri has prepared} 20... Qb6+ $1 21. Bc5 Qa5 22. Nxg7 Kxg7 23. Bxf8+ Kxf8 {
and equality.}) 21. Bxb5 $1 gxf3 $2 {Black starts a desperate action.} (21...
Bd7 22. Bxd7 Nxd7 23. Bxf8 Ngxf8 {loses less material.}) 22. Ng5 $1 {
He has caught the black queen.} fxg2 23. Rf2 Bg4 $5 24. Qb3 Rfc8 {
Black is only able to postpone the capture of his queen.} 25. Rfc2 Rxc2 26.
Rxc2 Nh4 27. Nxf7 Kxf7 28. Rc7+ Kg6 29. h3 f3 30. Be1 Bh6 31. Bxh4 Rxa2 32.
Qxa2 Be3+ 33. Bf2 Bxf2+ 34. Kxf2 Nxe4+ 35. Kg1 Ng5 36. Bd3+ Kf6 37. Rxh7 {
Giri led by one point before Nijboer and became the new champion two rounds
later. The final standings became: Giri 6/9, Nijboer 51/2, Ernst andReinderman
5, etc.   Anish is the son of a Nepalese father and Russian mother. His
success at the early age of fifteen is unique for the Netherlands.} 1-0

[Event "Eindhoven"]
[Site "66th championship"]
[Date "2010.06.12"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Bok, Benjamin"]
[Black "Smeets, Jan"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B82"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "88"]
[EventDate "2010.06.??"]

{The 66th Dutch championship was played on the High Tech Campus Eindhoven from
11 until 20 vi 2010. Although the prize fund still suffered from the credit
crisis, ten strong players attended.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6
5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. f4 d6 8. Qf3 Be7 9. O-O-O a6 10. g4 Nd7 11. g5 b5 12.
Nxc6 $5 ({Usual is} 12. Bd3 b4 13. Nce2) 12... Qxc6 13. Bd3 $6 ({Preferable is
} 13. a3 $1 Bb7 14. Rg1) 13... Nc5 14. Bd4 O-O 15. a3 Re8 16. Kb1 Rb8 $1 17.
Nd5 $2 {Benjamin gives away material.} ({Better is} 17. h4 $1 b4 18. axb4 Rxb4
{(Hoeksema)} 19. Qe3 $1 {and Black has little advantage.}) 17... exd5 18. exd5
Qd7 $1 19. Bxc5 dxc5 20. Rhe1 Bb7 21. h4 c4 22. Be4 f5 23. gxf6 Bxf6 24. Qh5 g6
25. Qf3 Bxh4 26. Rg1 Qf7 27. Bxg6 $1 {White fights for his last chance.} hxg6
28. Qh5 Bf6 $1 29. Rxg6+ Kf8 30. Rdg1 Ke7 31. d6+ Kd7 32. Qc5 Bc6 33. Qf5+ Qe6
34. Rxf6 Qxf5 35. Rg7+ Kd8 36. Rxf5 Rb7 37. Rxb7 Bxb7 38. Rc5 Re1+ 39. Ka2 Be4
40. Re5 Kd7 41. f5 Kxd6 42. Re8 Kd5 43. f6 Rf1 44. Rd8+ Kc6 {
The champion of 2008 defended well.} 0-1

[Event "Eindhoven"]
[Site "66th championship"]
[Date "2010.06.15"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Spoelman, Wouter"]
[Black "Giri, Anish"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A11"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "64"]
[EventDate "2010.06.??"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. g3 c6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. O-O d5 6. b3 e5 $5 {
Giri plays a surprising novelty.} ({Theory is} 6... O-O) 7. Nxe5 Ng4 8. f4 ({
The alternative is} 8. Nxg4 $5 Bxa1 9. Ne3 dxc4 10. Nxc4 {
and White has given material for the initiative.}) 8... dxc4 {
Black threatens ..Qd4+.} 9. Bb2 Nxe5 10. fxe5 Be6 11. Na3 $6 ({Preferable is} 
11. d4 $1 cxd3 12. exd3 Qb6+ 13. Kh1 O-O 14. d4) 11... Nd7 12. Qc1 $5 cxb3 13.
Nc4 O-O 14. d4 $2 (14. axb3 $1 Bxc4 15. bxc4 Nxe5 {(Pein)} 16. c5 {
brings compensation for the pawn.}) 14... bxa2 15. Ba3 Nxe5 $3 {
Another sacrifice decides the game. Giri shows a commanding style.} 16. dxe5
Qd4+ 17. Ne3 Qxe5 18. Bxf8 Rxf8 19. Nc2 Qc5+ 20. e3 Bxa1 21. Nxa1 Qxc1 22. Rxc1
{Giri has gained four pawns for a knight.} Rd8 23. Bf3 Rd2 24. Rc2 Rxc2 25.
Nxc2 Bd5 $5 26. e4 $5 Be6 27. Kf2 b5 $1 {The pawn avalanche will prevail.} 28.
Na1 b4 29. Bd1 c5 30. Ke3 c4 31. Kd4 b3 32. Kc3 f6 {
The ruling champion scored good.} 0-1

[Event "Eindhoven"]
[Site "66th championship"]
[Date "2010.06.19"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Van Wely, Loek"]
[Black "Giri, Anish"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A77"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "113"]
[EventDate "2010.06.??"]

{Giri and Smeets had made 51/2/8. The six times champion, Van Wely, had not
scored well until then. Loek wanted to show his power.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3.
Nf3 c5 4. d5 d6 5. Nc3 exd5 6. cxd5 g6 7. e4 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O a6 10. a4
Re8 11. Nd2 Nbd7 12. Qc2 Rb8 13. a5 Qc7 14. h3 b5 15. axb6 Nxb6 16. Re1 Nfd7
17. Nb3 $5 (17. b3 {was played in Plachetka - Velimirovic, Maribor 1980.})
17... Ne5 18. f4 c4 $5 {He does not withdraw.} 19. Na5 Qc5+ $5 20. Kf1 Nd3 $1 {
Giri sacrifices a pawn.} ({A queen costs} 20... Ned7 $2 21. Nc6 Ra8 22. Ra5)
21. Bxd3 cxd3 22. Qxd3 Bd7 $2 ({Correct is} 22... Bxc3 23. Qxc3 Qb5+) 23. Nc6
$2 (23. Be3 $1 Qc7 24. Bd4 Bxd4 25. Qxd4 {wins for White.}) 23... Bxc3 $2 (
23... Bxc6 $1 24. dxc6 {(Hoeksema)} Qxc6 25. Rxa6 f5 $1 26. exf5 Rxe1+ 27. Kxe1
Qxg2 {gives excellent counter-play.}) 24. Qxc3 Qb5+ 25. Kg1 Bxc6 26. dxc6 Rec8
27. Ra5 Qxc6 28. Qxc6 Rxc6 29. Rxa6 Rc2 30. f5 $5 Rbc8 $6 (30... Nc8 $1 31. Ra3
f6 {offers more resistance.}) 31. Rxb6 Rxc1 32. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 33. Kf2 {
White has a won rook ending.} Rc2+ 34. Kf3 gxf5 35. exf5 Kg7 36. g4 Rh2 37. Kg3
Rd2 38. g5 h6 39. h4 hxg5 40. hxg5 Rd4 41. Rb7 Kg8 42. b4 Rd3+ 43. Kf4 Rd4+ 44.
Kf3 Rd5 45. Ke4 Re5+ 46. Kf4 Re1 47. b5 Rf1+ 48. Ke4 Re1+ 49. Kd3 $5 Rd1+ 50.
Kc2 Rd5 51. b6 Rxf5 52. g6 $1 Rb5 53. gxf7+ Kg7 54. Kc3 d5 55. Kd4 Kf8 56. Ke5
Kg7 57. Ke6 {Smeets defeated L'Ami during the penultimate round, drew quickly
in the last round and gained the title. The final standings became: Smeets 61/
2/9, Giri 6, Van Wely 51/2, L'Ami and Nijboer 5, etc.} 1-0

[Event "Boxtel"]
[Site "67th championship"]
[Date "2011.06.27"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Giri, Anish"]
[Black "L'Ami, Erwin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A13"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "89"]
[EventDate "2011.06.??"]

{The 67th championship was played in Boxtel from 26 vi until 5 vii 2011.} 1.
Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Bd7 6. Qxc4 Bc6 7. O-O Be7 8. Qc2
O-O 9. Nc3 b6 $5 10. d4 $1 Nbd7 11. e4 Bb7 12. Rd1 a6 13. a3 Qb8 $5 14. Bf4 Nh5
15. Be3 Nhf6 16. Bf4 Nh5 17. Be3 Nhf6 18. Rac1 $1 {
Giri plays for a win in a superior position.} Rc8 19. Qb1 b5 20. b4 Nb6 21. Bf1
Rd8 22. h3 Qa7 23. Nd2 Rac8 24. Nb3 Qa8 25. f3 Nfd7 {
Black has to stay passively.} 26. Na5 e5 27. Ne2 Bf8 28. Bg2 $5 exd4 $1 29.
Nxd4 Ne5 30. Bg5 Re8 31. Nxb7 Qxb7 32. f4 Nec4 33. e5 c6 34. Qe4 f6 35. Bh4 {
White has little advantage left.} g5 $2 {L'Ami panics under time pressure.} ({
Correct is} 35... fxe5 36. Nxc6 Nd6 37. Qb1 e4 $1) 36. fxg5 Rxe5 37. Qf4 fxg5
38. Bxg5 Nd5 39. Qg4 h5 $5 40. Qxh5 Nde3 41. Nf3 c5 $2 42. Qg6+ $1 Bg7 43. Rxc4
$1 bxc4 44. Bxe3 Rxe3 45. Ne5 {The favourite Giri had a good start, but the
outsider Spoelman had an even better beginning.} 1-0

[Event "Boxtel"]
[Site "67th championship"]
[Date "2011.06.30"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Smeets, Jan"]
[Black "Giri, Anish"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B90"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "138"]
[EventDate "2011.06.??"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Ng4 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4
g5 9. Bg3 Bg7 10. h3 Nf6 11. Qf3 Qb6 12. O-O-O Nc6 13. Nxc6 Qxc6 14. Be2 Qc5
15. Rhe1 Be6 16. e5 dxe5 17. Bd3 Nd7 $5 {Giri klings to the extra pawn.} (17...
e4 18. Nxe4 Nxe4 19. Qxe4 O-O-O {drew in Lutz - Polgar, Budapest 2003.}) 18.
Bf5 (18. Qxb7 $6 O-O $1 {favours Black.}) 18... Bxf5 19. Qxf5 Qc6 20. Rd2 e6
21. Qd3 $6 (21. Qe4 Rc8 22. f3 f5 23. Qe2 {defends the central area.}) 21... f5
22. Red1 Rd8 $6 (22... O-O-O $1 23. f3 e4 $1 24. fxe4 Bxc3 25. Qxc3 Qxc3 26.
bxc3 Nc5 {gains a positional advantage.}) 23. Qe2 Ke7 24. Qh5 $2 {
White spoils time.} Rhg8 $1 25. Qe2 ({The pointe is} 25. Rd6 $5 Qxd6 $1 26.
Rxd6 Kxd6 27. Qf7 Rdf8) 25... Qc7 $5 26. Re1 Bf6 27. Bh2 b5 28. a3 Qc4 29. Qxc4
bxc4 30. f3 Bg7 31. Na4 $6 (31. g4 $1 {defends actively.}) 31... h5 $1 32. Kb1
g4 33. hxg4 hxg4 34. fxg4 Bh6 $1 35. Rxd7+ $5 (35. Rde2 $1 f4 36. Bg1 Rxg4 37.
Nc5 $1 Nxc5 38. Rxe5 Kf6 39. Rxc5 Rxg2 40. Rxc4 {fights for survival.}) 35...
Rxd7 36. gxf5 exf5 37. Bxe5 Kf7 38. Rf1 Kg6 39. Nb6 $1 Re7 $6 (39... Rd2 $1 40.
Nxc4 Rxg2 {creates a strong passed pawn.}) 40. Nxc4 Rc8 41. Bd6 $6 (41. Nb6 $1
Rc6 42. Bd4 Re2 43. c3 {tries the last opportunity.}) 41... Re6 42. Ne5+ Kg7
43. Rd1 Bf4 44. Nf7 $1 Be3 45. Ne5 Bf4 46. Nf7 Rc4 $1 47. Bxf4 Rxf4 48. Nd6 Rf2
49. g3 Kg6 50. b4 Ree2 51. Rc1 Rf3 52. a4 Rxg3 53. Rf1 Re5 54. Kb2 Rd5 55. Nb7
Rd4 56. c3 Rdd3 57. Rc1 f4 58. Nc5 Rd6 59. Kb3 Kf5 60. b5 axb5 61. axb5 f3 62.
Kb4 f2 63. Rf1 Rd2 64. Nb3 Rb2 65. b6 Rg1 $1 66. Rxf2+ Rxf2 67. Kc5 Rb1 68.
Nd4+ Ke5 69. Nb5 Rxb5+ $1 {Giri defeated the former champion. The final
standings became: Giri 71/2/9, Sokolov 51/2, Ernst, Swinkels, Nijboer and
Spoelman 5, etc.} 0-1

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "68th championship"]
[Date "2012.07.16"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Ernst, Sipke"]
[Black "Giri, Anish"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B07"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "50"]
[EventDate "2012.07.15"]

{The sixty-eighth Dutch championship was played in Amsterdam from 15 until 21
vii 2012. Only eight men participated due to a lack of finances. The favourite
Giri defeated Sokolov in the first round.} 1. d4 d6 2. e4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3
exd4 5. Nxd4 Be7 6. h3 O-O 7. g4 d5 8. e5 Nfd7 $5 {He exchanges.} ({
An alternative is} 8... Ne4 9. Nxe4 dxe4) 9. Nxd5 Nxe5 10. Bg2 Bc5 11. Bf4 $5
c6 $1 {They battle for the centre.} 12. Bxe5 Re8 $5 13. Nf3 $2 ({Better is} 13.
O-O Rxe5 14. Nb3) 13... Nd7 $1 14. Ne3 $6 (14. O-O Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Rxe5 16. Nf4
Qb6 17. Nd3 {defends properly.}) 14... Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Qa5+ $1 16. Qd2 Qxd2+ 17.
Kxd2 Rxe5 {The white king is exposed.} 18. Nc4 Re7 19. f4 Be6 20. Ne5 $2 (20.
Kc3 $1 f5 21. g5 {offers more resistance.}) 20... Rd8+ 21. Nd3 Bc4 22. Bf1 Be3+
23. Kc3 Bd5 24. Rh2 c5 25. Re1 Rde8 {Giri scored 2/2.} 0-1

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "68th championship"]
[Date "2012.07.18"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Ernst, Sipke"]
[Black "L'Ami, Erwin"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E20"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "100"]
[EventDate "2012.07.15"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. g3 c5 5. Nf3 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Ne4 7. Bd2 Nxd2 8.
Qxd2 Nc6 9. Bg2 Ne5 10. b3 O-O 11. O-O a6 12. Nc2 Be7 13. Rfd1 d6 14. Qe3 Qc7
15. Na4 $5 (15. a4 Bd7 16. Rac1 {happened in Van Wely - Schwarz, Arnhem 1990.})
15... Nd7 16. Rac1 Rb8 17. Qa7 Nc5 18. Nb4 $1 Bd8 $1 {
The black queen needs protection.} 19. Nxc5 dxc5 20. Rxd8 Qxd8 21. Qxb8 ({
The alternative is} 21. Nxa6 $1 bxa6 22. Qxb8 Qd2 23. Rf1 Qxa2) 21... cxb4 22.
c5 $5 Qd2 23. Qf4 Rd8 24. c6 $2 (24. Qxd2 $1 Rxd2 25. c6 $1 bxc6 26. Rxc6 Bd7
27. Rxa6 {gains a plus.}) 24... Qxf4 25. gxf4 bxc6 26. Rxc6 e5 $1 27. Rb6 ({
The pointe shows} 27. fxe5 $4 Rd1+ 28. Bf1 Bh3) 27... Rd1+ 28. Bf1 exf4 29. Rb8
Rc1 $1 30. Kg2 g5 31. e3 $6 ({Better is} 31. Rxb4) 31... fxe3 32. fxe3 Kg7 33.
Bc4 $5 Bf5 34. Rxb4 $5 Be4+ 35. Kf2 Rc2+ 36. Ke1 Rxh2 $5 37. a4 a5 38. Rb5 f5
39. Bd5 $5 Bxd5 40. Rxd5 Kf6 {Black has a won rook ending.} 41. Rxa5 g4 42. Ra8
h5 $1 43. a5 h4 $1 44. a6 Ra2 $1 45. Rf8+ $5 Kg6 46. Rg8+ Kf7 47. Rh8 h3 $1 48.
b4 h2 49. a7 g3 $1 50. a8=N g2 {
L'Ami had scored 3/4 and neared Giri by half-a-point.} 0-1

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "68th championship"]
[Date "2012.07.19"]
[Round "5"]
[White "L'Ami, Erwin"]
[Black "Giri, Anish"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D38"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "64"]
[EventDate "2012.07.15"]

{Giri encountered his last serious competitor.} 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4.
Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Qxf6 7. e3 O-O 8. Rc1 dxc4 9. Bxc4 c5 10. O-O cxd4
11. exd4 Rd8 12. Ne4 Qe7 13. Qe2 Bd7 14. Ne5 $5 ({Theory is} 14. a3 Ba5 15.
Rfd1) 14... Nc6 15. Rfd1 Be8 $1 {Black has a wonderful development.} 16. Qe3
Nxe5 17. dxe5 Rxd1+ 18. Rxd1 Rd8 19. Rd4 Bc6 $1 20. Bd3 a6 21. a3 $2 (21. h4 $1
Kf8 22. a3 Ba5 23. Rxd8+ Bxd8 24. g3 {keeps the equality.}) 21... Ba5 22. Rxd8+
Qxd8 23. Nd6 Bc7 $1 {The two bishops are an edge.} 24. Qd4 Qg5 $1 25. Bf1 Qc1
26. Nc4 {White has to defend.} Bb5 27. a4 $2 {L'Ami makes a desperate attempt.}
(27. b3 Bxc4 28. Qxc4 Qxc4 29. Bxc4 Bxe5 30. a4 {fights for a draw.}) 27...
Bxa4 28. Qc5 Bc6 $1 29. Qe7 Bb6 $3 {The refutation is brilliant.} 30. h3 (30.
Nxb6 Bb5 31. h3 Qxf1+ 32. Kh2 Qxf2 33. Qxb7 g5 {wins for Black.}) 30... Ba7 31.
Qd8+ Kh7 32. g3 Bd5 {The final standings became: Giri 6/7, L'Ami and Sokolov 5,
Van Kampen 31/2, Smeets 21/2, Reinderman, Ernst and Swinkels 2.} 0-1

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "69th championship"]
[Date "2013.07.05"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Reinderman, Dimitri"]
[Black "Spoelman, Wouter"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B51"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[EventDate "2013.07.??"]

{The 69th championship was played at the Science Park Amsterdam from 5 until
11 vii 2013. 8 men competed for the title. Favourites were Sokolov, Smeets and
L'Ami.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nc6 4. Bxc6+ bxc6 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 Bh5 7. e5
dxe5 8. g4 e4 9. gxh5 exf3 10. Nc3 Nf6 11. Qxf3 Nd5 12. Ne4 $5 (12. d3 e6 13.
Bd2 {drew in Rublevsky - Teterov, Khanty Mansiysk 2010.}) 12... e6 13. d3 Be7
14. Re1 O-O 15. a3 Kh8 $5 16. h6 $1 gxh6 $5 {
Black wants to attack on the open file.} 17. c4 $5 Nf6 18. Bxh6 Rg8+ 19. Kh1
Rg6 20. Bf4 Qd4 21. Nc3 $5 (21. Ng5 $1 Kg8 22. Be5 Qh4 23. Rg1 {
keeps the initiative.}) 21... Rd8 22. Rad1 Kg8 23. Bg3 Bd6 24. Rd2 Bxg3 25.
fxg3 Kh8 26. Re3 Rdg8 27. Ne2 Qd6 28. d4 $6 ({Better is} 28. g4 $5) 28... e5 $1
29. Rxe5 cxd4 $1 30. Rf5 c5 $1 31. b4 Qe6 32. Rd3 $2 (32. Rd1 Ne4 33. g4 Ng5
34. Nf4 $1 Qxf5 35. gxf5 Nxf3 36. fxg6 hxg6 37. Nd3 {defends properly.}) 32...
Ne4 33. g4 $5 Ng5 $1 34. Qg2 Nxh3 $1 35. Qxh3 $5 Qxe2 36. Rxf7 Qe4+ $1 37. Qf3
({Or} 37. Rdf3 Rxg4 $1) 37... Rh6+ 38. Kg2 Rxg4+ 39. Kf2 Rh2+ 40. Kf1 Rh1+ 41.
Kf2 Qe1# {A good start was made by Spoelman. The favourites scored poorly
during the first part of the event.} 0-1

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "69th championship"]
[Date "2013.07.08"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Reinderman, Dimitri"]
[Black "L'Ami, Erwin"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "A05"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "2013.07.??"]

{Reinderman started to win games after his loss in the first round.} 1. Nf3 Nf6
2. c4 e6 3. g3 b6 4. Bg2 Bb7 5. O-O c5 6. Nc3 Nc6 7. d4 Nxd4 8. Nxd4 Bxg2 9.
Nxe6 dxe6 10. Kxg2 Be7 11. Bf4 Qd7 12. e4 $5 Qc6 13. Qf3 O-O 14. Rad1 Rfd8 15.
h4 a6 16. h5 h6 17. g4 b5 $2 ({Better is the solid} 17... Nd7 $1 18. a4 Nf8)
18. Rxd8+ $1 Bxd8 ({The pointe is} 18... Rxd8 19. e5 Qxf3+ 20. Kxf3 Nd7 21.
cxb5 axb5 22. Nxb5 Rb8 23. a4 {and White has gained a pawn.}) 19. e5 $1 {
Reinderman plays like L'Ami.} Qxf3+ 20. Kxf3 Ne8 21. b3 bxc4 22. bxc4 {
White has collected advantages.} Rb8 23. Rb1 Rb4 $5 24. Rxb4 cxb4 25. Na4 {
He attacks on the queenside.} a5 26. Ke4 Kf8 27. Be3 f6 28. f4 Ke7 29. Bc5+ Kf7
(29... Kd7 $2 30. Bf8 $1 Be7 31. Nb6+ Kd8 32. Bxe7+ Kxe7 33. Kd4 {
favours White.}) 30. Bd6 g6 31. hxg6+ Kxg6 32. f5+ $1 exf5+ 33. gxf5+ Kh7 $6 (
33... Kg5 $5 34. c5 $1 fxe5 35. Bxe5 h5 36. Nb6 $1 h4 37. Nd5 {
also seems to win for White.}) 34. c5 $1 fxe5 35. Bxe5 h5 36. Nb6 Bc7 $5 37.
Nd5 $1 Bxe5 38. Kxe5 h4 39. f6 Kg8 (39... Kg6 40. Ke6 Nxf6 41. Nxf6 h3 42. Ng4
{wins for White.}) 40. Ke6 Kf8 41. f7 Ng7+ 42. Kf6 {Reinderman caught up with
Spoelman at the end. The final standings became: Spoelman and Reinderman 51/2/
7, Van Kampen 41/2, Sokolov 4, Pruijssers 31/2, L'Ami 21/2, Smeets 2, Ernst 1/
2. The top two carried out a play-off of two blitz games. Reinderman won both
encounters and gained the title.} (42. Kf6 Nh5+ 43. Kg6 h3 44. c6 $1 {
leads to mate.}) 1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "70th championship"]
[Date "2014.07.13"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Bok, Benjamin"]
[Black "Spoelman, Wouter"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B47"]
[WhiteElo "2586"]
[BlackElo "2571"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "61"]
[EventDate "2014.07.06"]

{The 70th championship was played at the Manor Hotel in Amsterdam from 7 until
13 vii 2014. Van Wely, Tiviakov, L'Ami, Van Kampen, Reinderman, Bok, Spoelman
and Ernst participated. Giri did not take part. Nevertheless, the average
rating was high.   Spoelman led the field, when the last round began. All four
games were important for the final decision.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4.
Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be2 Nf6 7. Be3 Be7 8. f4 d6 9. Qd2 a6 10. O-O-O Na5 11.
g4 b5 12. g5 Nd7 13. Nf5 $1 {Bok plays a great novelty.} exf5 14. Nd5 Qd8 15.
exf5 $5 {He continues the attack.} (15. Nxe7 Qxe7 16. Qxa5 {regains the piece.}
) 15... Bb7 16. Nxe7 Qxe7 17. Rhe1 O-O $1 18. Bg1 Qd8 (18... Qe4 $1 19. Qxa5
Qxf4+ 20. Kb1 Be4 {leads to equality.}) 19. Qxd6 Bc6 20. f6 $5 {
White aims at the king.} Re8 21. Bg4 Rxe1 22. Rxe1 Rc8 $2 (22... Qb8 $1 23.
Qxb8+ Rxb8 24. fxg7 {brings chances for both sides.}) 23. Re7 $1 Nc4 24. Qe6 $1
{A second sacrifice breaks the resistance.} Qf8 ({The pointe is} 24... fxe6 25.
Bxe6+ Kf8 26. Rf7+ Ke8 27. fxg7) 25. fxg7 Qxg7 26. Bd4 $1 Nf8 (26... Qg6 27.
Qxg6+ hxg6 28. Bxd7 Rd8 29. Bxc6 Rxd4 30. Re4 {
exchanges towards an endgame with two extra pawns.}) 27. Qxc4 $1 {
The queen becomes a desperado.} Bd7 ({Or} 27... bxc4 28. Bxg7) 28. Qd3 Qg6 29.
Qxg6+ hxg6 30. Bxd7 Rd8 31. Re8 {The leader was defeated in a beautiful way.
Ernst could not take the lead, because he drew against Van Kampen.} 1-0

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "70th championship"]
[Date "2014.07.13"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Reinderman, Dimitri"]
[Black "Van Wely, Loek"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A11"]
[WhiteElo "2604"]
[BlackElo "2657"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "2014.07.06"]

1. c4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Qc2 dxc4 5. Qxc4 Bg4 6. Nc3 Nbd7 7. e4 Bxf3 8.
gxf3 e5 9. Be3 exd4 10. Bxd4 Bd6 11. O-O-O Qe7 12. Qb3 Nc5 13. Qc2 Bf4+ $5 (
13... Ncd7 $6 {happened in Polaczek - Sebag, Brussels 2007.}) 14. Be3 Bxe3+ 15.
fxe3 O-O 16. Bg2 Rad8 17. Kb1 Rxd1+ 18. Rxd1 Rd8 19. Rxd8+ Qxd8 20. e5 Nfd7 {
The chances are even.} 21. Qd2 $2 ({Correct is} 21. f4 $1 Qh4 22. Bf3 Qe1+ 23.
Nd1 {(Grooten).}) 21... Qh4 $1 {Black attacks two pawns.} 22. f4 Qxh2 23. b4
Ne6 24. b5 $5 Nb6 $1 25. Qe2 $5 Nd5 $5 26. Nxd5 cxd5 27. Kc2 g6 28. Qd2 Nc7 29.
a4 h5 30. Qe2 $6 (30. Bf3 Qxd2+ 31. Kxd2 b6 32. Kd3 {offers more resistance.})
30... h4 $1 31. Qg4 Kg7 32. Kd3 Qg1 $1 33. Ke2 d4 $1 34. Qh3 ({Or} 34. exd4 Ne6
35. d5 Nd4+ 36. Kd3 Nf5) 34... dxe3 35. f5 Qf2+ 36. Kd3 gxf5 37. Bf3 Ne6 38.
Qxf5 Qd2+ 39. Kc4 Qc1+ $1 {Van Wely overtook the lead from Spoelman.} 0-1

[Event "Amsterdam"]
[Site "70th championship"]
[Date "2014.07.13"]
[Round "7"]
[White "L'Ami, Erwin"]
[Black "Tiviakov, Sergei"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E17"]
[WhiteElo "2650"]
[BlackElo "2656"]
[Annotator "JvR"]
[PlyCount "146"]
[EventDate "2014.07.06"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O c6 7. Nc3 d5 {
Tiviakov plays his favourite line.} 8. e4 dxc4 $5 9. a4 a6 10. e5 Nd5 11. Nd2
b5 $1 12. Qg4 O-O 13. Nde4 {White threatens Bh6.} Kh8 14. Bg5 Nd7 15. Bxe7 Qxe7
16. Nd6 $1 {White has sufficient compensation for the pawn.} N7b6 17. a5 Nxc3
18. bxc3 Nd5 19. Ne4 Rae8 20. Qe2 f5 21. exf6 gxf6 22. Qd2 Bc8 23. Rfe1 e5 $1
24. dxe5 fxe5 25. Qh6 Be6 26. h4 Rg8 27. Qd2 Bf5 28. Ng5 Rg7 29. Rad1 $6 ({
Better is} 29. Bxd5 Rd8 30. Qe3 Rxd5 31. Qb6) 29... Bd3 30. Kh1 $5 h6 $5 31.
Ne4 Kh7 32. Bf1 Nf4 $5 33. Qe3 Nd5 34. Qd2 Bxf1 $1 35. Rxf1 Rf8 36. f3 Rfg8 37.
Rg1 Qf7 38. Qe2 Qf5 39. Kh2 Kh8 40. Rde1 Rg6 41. Rd1 Rf8 42. Rdf1 Rg7 43. Qd2
Qh5 44. Rg2 Nf4 45. Qd6 $1 Rfg8 46. Qf6 $5 Nd5 $5 47. Qxc6 Ne3 48. Rff2 Nxg2
49. Rxg2 Qg6 50. Qc5 $1 Qf5 51. Qe3 $2 ({More active is} 51. Rd2 $1) 51... Rg6
52. Rd2 Rf8 53. Kg2 Qf4 54. Qxf4 exf4 55. g4 b4 $1 56. cxb4 Rc6 57. Nc3 Rb8 58.
Rd7 Rxb4 59. g5 hxg5 60. hxg5 Rb5 $2 (60... Rb3 $1 {wins for Black.}) 61. Nxb5
axb5 62. a6 $1 Rxa6 63. Rc7 {White stops the passed pawns in a rook ending.}
Ra3 64. Kh3 $5 c3 65. Kg4 b4 66. Kh5 $2 {L'Ami takes the wrong road.} ({
Correct is} 66. Kf5 $1 Ra8 $1 {(Grooten)} 67. Kf6 Rf8+ 68. Kg6 Rb8 69. Kf7 $1
b3 70. g6 b2 71. Rc5 $1 Rb7+ {and Black has to deliver perpetual check.}) 66...
Ra8 $1 67. Kh6 Rb8 $1 68. g6 b3 69. Rh7+ Kg8 70. Rg7+ Kf8 71. Kh7 Rb5 $1 72.
Rf7+ Ke8 73. Rf8+ Ke7 $1 {The final standings of the tournament became: Van
Wely and Tiviakov 41/2/7, Ernst and Spoelman 4, Van Kampen and Bok 31/2, L'Ami
and Reinderman 2. Loek and Sergei had to carry out a play-off. Van Wely won
both blitz games and became the champion.} 0-1

