(1) Menchik,Vera - Saunders,Elaine [D00]
Offhand game, 1943
[Saunders, John]

1.d4 d5 2.e3 c6 3.Nd2 e6 4.Bd3 f5 5.Nh3 Bd6 6.0-0 Qc7 7.f4 Nf6 8.c4 Ne4 9.Bxe4 fxe4 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qe2 Na6 12.c5 The world champion tries to cramp her opponent on the queenside, but Elaine finds a way to get play there in due course.

12...Bf8 13.a3 Bg7 14.b4 b6 15.Rb1 bxc5 16.bxc5 Qe7 17.Qd1 Nc7 18.Nb3 Ba6
Black's second bishop is now in play and gives her an edge.

19.Re1 Bd3 20.Rb2 a5? 21.Bd2?
[21.a4 is correct, leading to a better game for White. Black's previous move was also an error, which might well have cost her a pawn.]

21...a4 22.Nc1 Bb5 23.Na2 Bc4 24.Nf2 Bb3 25.Qc1 0-0 26.Nb4 Qd7 27.Rb1 Nb5 28.Ng4 Rf7 29.Rf1 Raf8 30.h4?
After this weakening move, Black grabs the initiative.

30...h5 31.Nf2 Bc4 32.Re1
[diagram]

32...e5! 33.dxe5 Bxe5 34.Nxe4!
White must try this as otherwise the two black bishops will rule the board.

34...dxe4
[diagram]

35.fxe5
[35.Qxc4!? Nxa3 36.Qxe4 Nxb1 37.Rxb1 Qxd2 38.fxe5 doesn't give White enough compensation for the exchange.]

35...Bd3?
[Not easy to see but Black has 35...Nxa3! , e.g. 36.Qxa3 Rf2! lining up Qg4 or the immediate Rxg2+; 35...Bf1! is also surprising potent, since the rook cannot take on f1 and Black again threatens ...Qg4, etc.]

36.Nxd3 Qxd3 37.Ba5?
[37.e6! forces the undoubling of the black rooks, when White can continue with 38 Rb4! and she is well in the game.]

37...Nxa3 38.Ra1 Nc2 39.Rd1 Qxe3+
[39...Qe2 is even better.]

40.Qxe3 Nxe3 41.Rd6 Rf1+ 42.Rxf1 Rxf1+ 43.Kh2 Ng4+ 44.Kg3 Nxe5 45.Bc3 Nd3 46.Rxc6 e3 47.Rxg6+
[47.Re6! slows Black's progress somewhat.]

47...Kf7 48.Rg7+ Ke6 49.Rg6+ Kd5 50.Rd6+ Kc4 51.c6 Rf8 52.Ba5 Rc8 53.c7 a3 54.Rd8
[diagram]

54...a2
[It is not clear who provides the annotation in the magazine (CHESS, September 1943, p193) - it could be BHW - but the comment here is: "Good enough, though it is interesting to point out here the following variation which is a favourite theme of so many endgame composers: 54...Rxc7 55.Bxc7 a2 56.Ra8 e2 wins."]

55.Rxc8 a1Q 56.Rd8 Qe5+
Source: CHESS, Sept 1943, p193 [56...Qe5+ It is forced mate after 57.Kf3 Qf4+ 58.Ke2 Qf2+ 59.Kd1 Qf1+ , etc, but White could have turned the tables on the previous move. 54...a2 was not "good enough" after all - it was an outright blunder. Vera Menchik could won after 56 Re8! and Black has no good moves.] 0-1