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By Larry Parr
Chess Life Editor 1984 - 1988
Author
The
Uneasy Art of resigning a Lost Position (II)
Take the position given below. Five-time U. S. champion Larry Evans wrote, “Reshevsky, a
piece ahead with virtually a forced mate in the offing, wondered why I didn’t
resign.” When I later asked GM
Evans why he kept on playing, he spoke of how painful it was to play out lost
positions against the great Sammy Reshevsky, whose winning technique was
renowned. “Players have
given up positions with more prospects than mine after move 43 or so,” said
Evans, “but when you’re lost, you have to keep playing if there is only a
glimmer.” His hope was that Sammy had his mind on a pleasant dinner
after a satisfying win. There
follows what Hans Kmoch has called “The Swindle of the Century”:
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GM Larry Evans
- GM Samuel
Reshevsky, U. S.
Championship, 1963-64
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Reshevsky (to move)
Evans
1.
... Qxg3?
Reshevsky threatens five different
checkmates on the next move. But
instead of resignation came ...
- Qg8+!! Kxg8
3.
Rxg7+ , draw
Wrote Evans in his Ten Most Common Chess
Mistakes, “Possibly the most infamous swindle of modern times .... Only now
did Black see that he faced either perpetual check or stalemate. Reshevsky smiled wryly and muttered just one word of reproach
to himself: ‘Stupid!’
He shook hands, signed the scoresheet and hurried off without saying
another word.”
The
simplest win for Black, as given by GM Evans, was 1. ... Qg6
2. Rf8 Qe6 3. gxf4 Re1+ 4. Kh2 Qa2+ 5.
Kh3 Rh1.
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