Frank Kitto took clear first at Paignton in 1956 ahead of a distinguished field. Here is the decisive game against the second-placed player, Hugh Courtney, played in fact in the first round. It was a no-holds-barred game where your commentator is hesitant to offer much apart from the occasional "!". — DR
Paignton 56 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
||
1 |
Kitto FEA |
1 |
1 |
1/2 |
1 |
1/2 |
0 |
1 |
5.0/7 |
|
2 |
Courtney H |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1/2 |
4.5/7 |
|
3 |
Tylor TH |
0 |
1 |
1/2 |
1/2 |
1 |
1/2 |
1/2 |
4.0/7 |
|
4 |
Thomas ARB |
1/2 |
0 |
1/2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1/2 |
3.5/7 |
|
5 |
Copping P |
0 |
0 |
1/2 |
1 |
0 |
1/2 |
1 |
3.0/7 |
|
6 |
Heidenfeld W |
1/2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1/2 |
1 |
3.0/7 |
|
7 |
Moore BJ |
1 |
0 |
1/2 |
0 |
1/2 |
1/2 |
0 |
2.5/7 |
|
8 |
Newman RH |
0 |
1/2 |
1/2 |
1/2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2.5/7 |
Blumenfeld Gambit (more or less)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 e6 5.Nc3 exd5 6.Nxd5 Bb7 7.Nc3 d5
8.e3 Bd6 9.Nf3 0–0 10.b3 Nbd7 11.Bb2 Re8 12.Be2 Qe7 13.0–0 Rad8 14.Qc2 d4!
Black's lightning development and centralised major pieces make this a natural move, but you still feel it needs a "!".
15.exd4 cxd4 16.Nd1 Qxe2 17.Qxe2 Rxe2 18.Nxd4 Ree8 19.Nc6 Rc8 20.Nxa7 Rc5 21.Ne3 Rh5 22.g3
White has three unopposed Queen's-side Pawns for the piece, but Kitto is not about to let the game settle into an endgame duel. Kitto is missing only his Queen and continues in enterprising middlegame style:
22...Rxe3!? 23.fxe3 Bc5 24.Bd4 Bxa7 25.Bxa7 Ng4 26.Rf4 Rxh2 27.e4 Nde5 28.Kf1 g5 29.Bg1 gxf4 30.Bxh2 Bxe4 31.Bg1 fxg3
The endgame character of this position is more pronounced, but it's still the King's-side that is decisive.
32.b6 h5 33.Re1 Nh2+ 34.Ke2 Nhf3 35.Rd1 Nxg1+ 36.Rxg1 h4 37.Ke3 f5 38.Kf4 Ng6+ 39.Ke3 g2 40.Kf2 Nf4 41.a4 Nh3+ 0–1
[Bashful notes by DR]