Throughout the 'sixties Denis Gray and I enjoyed a very invigorating mixture of co-operation and competition, spending hours both discussing all manner of chess matters and playing numerous games. The following is one of my favourite wins against Denis — who I'd first met at Southern Counties Boys' Championship in 1948! (an event won by Peter Clarke). — DJR
King's Indian, Petrosian Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7
I'd had many battles against Denis' King's Indian and was always looking for fresh twists in the opening. In this game it comes on move 11.
4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Nf3 e5 7. d5 Nbd7 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 Nh5 11. h4! Nxg3 12. fxg3 g4 13. Nd2 h5 14. O-O
White has gained an open f-file and hopes to occupy e4 with a Knight if Black makes his usual break with ...f5. He can also push up on the Queen's-side.
14...Nc5? This doesn't look right. The Knight soon finds itself on its original square.
[Peter Lane suggests 14...Bh6, as in Keres-Matanovic, 1963]
15. b4 Na6 16. a3 f5 17. exf5 Bxf5 18. Nde4 Bh6 19. Bd3 Nb8 20. Qc2 Nd7 21. Ng5 Bxg5 22. Bxf5 Be3+ 23. Kh1 Bf4
White stands well, but has Black nothing better than this somewhat desperate ploy? But Denis hated defending!
24. Bxd7 Qxd7 25. Qg6+ Qg7 26. Qxg7+ Kxg7 27. gxf4 exf4 28. Ne4 It was nice to play the second Knight to that key square! 28...Kg6 29. Ng5 Rf5 30. Ne6 f3 31. gxf3 gxf3 32. Rg1+ Kf6 33. Raf1 c5 34. bxc5 dxc5 35. Rg5 1-0
[Notes by David Richards]